11 Best Dating Apps For 2023
Whether you are looking for casual dates, lasting love or bonding over a specific mutual interest, there's an app that can help you achieve this no matter your desires and dating experience. But with more apps on the dating scene than you can count, it can be tough to know which ones are worth trying out.
So, if you're experiencing dating-app-overload, don't sweat it. We took a deep dive into the best dating apps today. Meeting your perfect match just got a whole lot easier.
Our Top Picks For Best Dating Apps 2023
- Eharmony: Best For Personalized Matches
- Coffee Meets Bagel: Best For Young Professionals
- Plenty of Fish: Best For Engaging Conversations
- Bumble: Best For Women-Led Interactions
- Tinder: Best For Casual Dates
- OkCupid: Best For Genuine Connections
- Hinge: Best For Conversation Starters
- Grindr: Best For Gay Men
- Match: Best For Finding Love
- Happn: Best For City Life
- Jdate: Best Jewish Dating Site
Best Dating Apps Reviews
Although pricier than some options, the dating site eharmony makes up for the high cost with rich and extensive features for its 15.5 million members. Named the number one dating site by various studies, eharmony is all about finding love — not just sex.
Eharmony has 20+ years of experience and uses a Compatibility Matching System to match singles together. It recently added a Video Date feature for those who would like to get to know each other safely at home before meeting in person.
If you are looking for a happy, long-term relationship, consider eharmony.
Features:
- A personality quiz that generates your personality profile based on hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes
- A compatibility score specific to each match ranging between 60 to 140 (100 is a good starting point to get chatting)
- Video dates feature
Audience:
According to the site, 51 percent of eharmony users are men and 49 percent are women, and most are looking for long-term relationships. Statista also estimates that the average user is between 30 and 44 years old.
Eharmony is available in 120 countries.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Premium Light (six months): $65.90
- Premium Plus (12 months): $45.90
- Premium Extra (24 months): $35.90
Compatibility:
Android, iOS and Desktop
One of today's most common dating complaints is that making a deep connection in a swipe-addicted world is extremely difficult. Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) looks to combat this with an app that values quality over quantity (much like LinkedIn) through its powerful algorithm and limited daily "likes."
Launched by the Kang sisters in 2012, CMB attracts young professionals looking for meaningful connections. The app is free, but you must pay a monthly subscription to access its premium features. Currently, over 3 million users have paid to use the app.
Features:
- Men receive 21 "bagels" each day to "Like," "Pass" or "Priority Like" profiles and send a message
- Women see "bagels" that have already liked them and match their dating criteria
- Selection criteria include gender, age, height, ethnicity, religion and distance
- Users have 24 hours to like a profile, and a match can begin a conversation
- Paid "Beans" allow you to use premium features like browsing potential matches outside the matches selected by the algorithm
Audience:
According to SimilarWeb, the gender distribution of Coffee Meets Bagel is around 60 percent men to 40 percent women. The largest age group is between 25 and 34 years old (at 33.39 percent), which fits the description of young professionals.
CMB has a predominantly US-based audience (51.34 percent).
Pricing:
- Basic: $0.00 per month
- Premium one month: $34.99 per month
- Premium three months: $25.00 per month
- Premium six months: $20.00 per month
- Premium 12 months: $15.00 per month
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
If you want to get into honest conversations with real people, Plenty of Fish (POF) could be for you. Plenty of Fish uses multiple different tactics to get you talking. We particularly like their fill-in-the-blank dating game, where you can play in real-time with others to show your personality by answering prompts. You can then match with anyone that clicks with you in the game.
Plenty of Fish is a decent and affordable service that matches singles by allowing them to browse and like profiles. There are few limits on messaging, so conversations can instantly start flowing after you filter preferences depending on age, location and language.
Admittedly, some other sites have more advanced features, and POF's security leaves something to be desired. But POF still ticks the boxes for a massive base of 150 million users.
Meet and get to know new people on Plenty of Fish.
Features:
- Cue'd Up in-real-life (IRL) dating game lets singles match based on their answers to the personality questions
- Unlimited likes and messages
- Preference filters
- Live streaming
Audience:
SimilarWeb estimates the audience at Plenty of Fish is 71 percent male, accounting for 57 percent in the U.S., with Canada and the UK next in line. Most users are between 25 and 44 years old.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Premium three months: $20.00 per month
- Premium six months: $15.00 per month
- Premium 12 months: $10.00 per month
Compatibility:
Desktop, iOS and Android
Bumble prioritizes female safety and empowers women to make the first move. In fact, men are not allowed to send the first message in an attempt to help women avoid unsolicited messages.
If you are a man, why is this a good thing? Well, it means that any messages you receive are from women genuinely interested in you. This saves you valuable time and rescues you from countless matches that quickly lapse into radio silence. You can also make friends through Bumble BFF.
The Bumble app launched in Texas in 2014 and has grown to over 45 million users, with 1.5 million paid users.
Begin your female-first connections today by downloading Bumble.
Features:
- Swipe style matches
- Messages inspire women to make the first move
- 24-hours-expiring messages encourage continued conversation
- Paid plans like Boost and Premium allow users to extend matches, receive more swipes and spotlight your profile
- Filters allow matches by fields like height, exercise, star sign, education, drinking, smoking, looking for, kids, religion and politics
Audience:
The app claims 85 percent of users are looking for commitment over hookups, and Helplama counts 72 percent of users under 35 and 32.6 percent of female users on Bumble.
Pricing:
- Basic: $0.00 per month
- Bumble Boost: $16.99 per month
- Bumble Premium: $39.99 per month
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
If you are looking for fun and casual dates, Tinder is an excellent choice. Probably the most well-known app for dating, Tinder has a massive network of 75 million users in 197 different countries and is super intuitive to use. All users have to do is swipe right, match and start a conversation, and they can meet up with someone on the same day.
However, Tinder may not be the best app for those seeking love and deep connection. Never say never, but the app's clientele sits more on the side of casual dates and hookups than long-term relationships.
The app is free, but you can pay for premium features with Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold and Tinder Platinum.
Features:
- Login through Facebook social media profile or phone number
- Swiping format to say yes or no to profiles
- Free messaging once you have a match
- Filtering based on age, location and sex (gay men and queer women are welcomed)
- Notifications inform users of activity
- Premium features include "Priority Likes," "Message Before Match," "Recently Active," "Passport," "Super Like," "Rewind" and "Boost"
Audiences:
Business of Apps estimates that three-quarters of Tinder users are men, and 60 percent of the entire audience is under 35 years old.
Pricing:
- Basic: $0.00 per month
- Plus: $7.99 per month
- Gold: $24.99 per month
- Platinum: $29.99 per month
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
What we love about OkCupid is that it offers a more personalized matching system than many other dating apps. On signup, the app gathers many personal details about you through a quiz, so when it suggests matches, it does so more accurately.
OkCupid wants to help you make higher quality, genuine connections claiming that "You Are About to Go on Better Dates." So, if you are over the swipe madness of Tinder, OkCupid could be the place to find your match.
The app has an open-minded feel with inclusive gender identity options, welcoming non-binary and trans members. You can also state what you are looking for, from friendship and long-term dating to non-monogamous relations.
Will you wait for cupid to bring you the perfect partner, or will you download OkCupid today?
Features:
- Sign up via Facebook or email address
- Personality score through 3000 questions and answers
- Profile swipes, answer likes and intro messages before matches
Audiences:
Bustle cites a Survey Monkey intelligence report that says the average age of OkCupid is 32, and SimilarWeb estimates that 41.57 percent of the user base is from the U.S., with Argentina and Germany next up.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- OkCupid Basic: $24.99 per month
- OkCupid Premium: $34.99 per month
- Add on Boost: $6.99
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
Hinge has some exciting features that set it apart from other dating apps. Profiles are more extensive than a simple photo and bio, and members can choose to answer multiple prompts displayed along with their photos, which makes great conversation starters.
Users can also add key personal information about themselves, including height, ethnicity, religion, dating intention, smoking, drinking and more. The theory is that this helps like-minded users find well-matched relationships.
In fact, Hinge's tagline is "Designed to be Deleted." The app does not use a typical swipe system but a "like" system and a messaging function for each profile.
Features:
- Likes for different sections of someone's profile and messaging
- Video call feature
- Premium features such as unlimited likes, seeing everyone who liked you, more in-depth preferences and access to high-quality profiles
Audiences:
Hinge mainly gathers millennials and young professionals inclined toward committed relationships rather than hookups. SimilarWeb estimates that 57 percent of Hinge users are male.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Hinge Preferred one month: $29.99 per month
- Hinge Preferred three months: $19.99 per month
- Hinge Preferred six months: $14.99 per month
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
Grindr has become known as one of the largest spaces for gay, bi, trans and queer communities in the world of online dating. With LGBTQ+ people often overlooked in traditional heteronormative dating apps, Grindr represents a modern and more inclusive lifestyle.
Grindr was launched in 2009 and has since grown to 11 million active monthly users across the globe, with over 700,000 paid users. This app is all about hookups and casual dates — the location-based filters show you those in your vicinity. Yes, some find love and friendship, but this is not the best app to look for a long-term relationship.
Features:
- Tap system where you send a "Hot Tap" to profiles you like
- The "Viewed Me" feature
- Un-sending messages
- Video chat
Audience:
According to Grinder, the audience is almost entirely male, with users based in 190 countries and 80 percent of them under 30 years old.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Paid one month: $9.99
- Paid three months: $6.99
- Paid six months: $4.99
- Paid 12 months: $3.99
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
Success Rate Statistics:
Grindr has one of the most engaged audiences, with an average daily use time of 61 minutes.
Match is simple, straightforward and perfect for busy folks who don't want to spend hours scrolling online for a date. It attracts an older crowd than the fun Tinder swiping clientele, making it easier for a more mature audience to find like-minded people. Match has over 21.5 million total users and more than 11 million paid users, so you never have to worry about scarcity here.
The match.com program is almost like a catalog with high-quality and pre-vetted profiles and a powerful filtering tool. You can run simple searches to find many well-suited singles and get personalized matches daily.
Match offers some basic free features, but updating to a premium package is the best option to make the most of connections and communicate without limits.
Features:
- Potential-match searches and profile recommendations
- Convenient messaging for matches
- Paid features include Reply for Free, Private Mode, and a call and text feature called matchPhone
Audience:
Match says that 44 percent of users are between 30 and 49 years old; 49 percent of users are men and 51 percent are women. The app serves 50+ countries in 12 languages.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Standard Plan three months: $24.99 per month
- Premium Plan three months: $26.99 per month
Compatibility:
Android, iOS and Desktop
If you ever feel demoralized by fake or unresponsive profiles or dating app scams, Happn is here to change that. The whole premise of this app is that you can match with people you have literally crossed paths with in real life. For instance, Happn will use a visual map of New York and trace singles who cross paths during the week. Therefore, you can be sure your matches are legit and probably live just around the corner.
Because of this setup, Happn is perfect for city dwellers who are likely to cross paths with many eligible singles. The app is directed at young modern daters who love new technology and is ideal for casual dates, fun and relationships.
Happn is also easy to use, and you can sync your Facebook or Instagram profile. The basic app services are free, and premium features come at affordable prices.
Features:
- Matches people who cross paths in real life
- Liking, posting and messaging functions
- Paid features include sending "Hellos," scheduling invisibility, adjusting privacy settings, no ads, CrushTime
Audience:
SimilarWeb estimates Happn's audience is around 58 percent male. The most prominent age group is between 25 and 34 years old, and 39.9 percent of users are located in Brazil.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00 per month
- Premium one month: $24.99
- Premium six months: $15.00
- Premium 12 months: $10.00
- Happn credits x 5: $2.99
- Boost x 1: $4.99
Compatibility:
Android, iOS and Desktop
If you are Jewish and looking for other Jewish dates, you might find yourself with slim pickings on regular dating apps. Fortunately, Jdate gathers many Jewish singles in the U.S. — currently around 200,000. It is the perfect place to find dates with people with the same values, background, or religious beliefs.
With a solid foundation like that, Jdate is also a hotspot for finding love that lasts. The algorithm is robust and will help you find ideal dates and friendships. You can use the app in five different languages: English, Hebrew, French, German and Spanish. No matter your culture, you can still connect with dates.
As it's still a growing site, Jdate may have limited connections to offer outside big cities. There is a free plan with the app, but as it provides only basic features, we recommend a subscription to maximize the power of Jdate.
Features:
- Advanced matchmaking algorithm
- A free profile with six photos
- Profile browsing and messaging
- Premium plans unlock features like sending icebreaker messages, anonymously browsing profiles, hiding your online status, seeing who views and likes your profile and viewing all photos
- Secret Admirer feature
- Kibitz corner, where users answer daily questions to spark conversation
- In-person events
Audience:
Jdate gathers international demographics. About 90 percent of users are over 30 years old, and 43 percent of all users are Jewish women.
Pricing:
- Free plan: $0.00
- Premium plan one month: $59.99
- Premium plan three months: $44.99
- Premium plan six months: $29.99
Compatibility:
Android and iOS
Other Dating Apps We Considered
Some of the other dating apps we considered but didn't include in our final top list include:
Best Dating Apps Guide
What do you need to know to succeed in the modern world of dating apps? We cover it all here.
What Is A Dating App And How Does It Work?
Dating apps are programs you can download on your phone or device to match with other singles nearby, create connections and go on dates. You can use them for casual meet-ups or to look for love.
Dating apps typically use algorithms to match well-suited people, such as people of the same age or with the same interests. Most dating apps work by allowing you to:
- Create a dating profile and update your information, interests and desires
- Browse others' profiles in the local area and '"Like" or "Swipe" on profiles you like
- Start a conversation once you match with someone
- Arrange a date if all goes well
Types Of Dating Apps
Dating apps can work in different ways. Many use a swiping format where you look at a profile and swipe one way or another to "Like" or "Dislike" the profile (Tinder). Until two people swipe yes on each other, they cannot message mutually. Other formats have open messaging, a like button on profiles or personalized matching.
There are also many variations in dating apps based on interests and desires. Some apps are geared towards casual hookups and sex (Grindr), while others are intended for people seeking long-term relationships (OkCupid). You can also find dating apps based around a specific shared interest or belief, like Kippo for gamers or Christian Mingle for Christians.
Finally, you can get free or paid apps, but most apps offer a basic free dating app service with optional paid premium features.
How To Choose The Right Dating App
Getting clear on your desires will help you choose the ideal dating app. Ask yourself the following questions to help narrow down your choices:
- Are you interested in casual fun or a serious relationship? If the answer is casual, why not try apps like Tinder, Grindr, Happn or Hinge? If you are looking for love, check out Match, OkCupid and Coffee Meets Bagel.
- How old are you? The clientele of dating apps varies. If you are under 30, head to Bumble, Hinge and Coffee Meets Bagel. If you are 30+, we recommend Match, OkCupid or POF.
- Do you have specific values or interests? If some values or interests are very important to you, there may be a dating app to cater to you. Find Christian dates on Christian Mingle, for example, or Jewish dates on Jdate. If you love gaming, check out Kippo app for gamers or The League for ambitious people.
How To Stand Out On Dating Apps
Standing out in a sea of singles can seem challenging and overwhelming. However, these steps may help:
- Fill out your profile: There's nothing more off-putting and suspicious than a profile with no information. People aren't mind-readers — they want to know who you are.
- Add clear pictures with personality: A single blurry image is a big no-no, especially if it's a group shot. It should be obvious who you are. If you land a date, they will see you anyway, so don't be shy. You should speak through your pictures and let your personality shine. Choose photos that show you doing things you love.
- Send interesting openers: The same boring "Hey" just doesn't cut it anymore. Get inventive with your openers, comment on something you have noticed from the person's profile, share something or crack a joke.
Dating Apps FAQ
How We Chose The Best Dating Apps
We conducted in-depth comparisons of the most talked-about dating apps and sites on the market, so you don't have to. Here are the factors that influenced our decision the most and helped us choose the best dating apps for 2023:
- User reviews
- Features
- The number of free and paid members
- The quality of the free version
- Age range
- Security issues
- Success stories
- Ease of use
- Pricing
- Countries of operation
Summary Of The Best Dating Apps For 2023
- Eharmony: Best For Personalized Matches
- Coffee Meets Bagel: Best For Young Professionals
- Plenty of Fish: Best For Engaging Conversations
- Bumble: Best For Women-Led Interactions
- Tinder: Best For Casual Dates
- OkCupid: Best For Genuine Connections
- Hinge: Best For Conversation Starters
- Grindr: Best For Gay Men
- Match: Best For Finding Love
- Happn: Best For City Life
- Jdate: Best Jewish Dating Site
