As if finding love wasn’t hard enough before the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more challenging now that we have travel bans and social distancing rules—but it’s not impossible.

• The Best Online Dating Sites 2014
• Best Online Dating Website

Online quest for love and dating is the new normal today, with dozens of best free dating sites offering to help you skim through potential matches with just a click. Jun 01, 2021 The best dating sites for serious relationships can give singles a simple way to make sense of the dating scene, seize romantic opportunities, and find The One. I’d recommend joining multiple dating sites or apps to increase your chances of successfully connecting with your online crush.

If you’re single and ready to mingle, we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up 10 of the best dating websites to help you find love in the time of corona.

Table of Contents:

Best Online Dating Sites
Can You Really Fall in Love with Someone Online?
How to Choose the Best Dating Site for You
How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out
Frequently Asked Questions

Best Online Dating Sites

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of dating, though hopefully not forever. Whether you’re looking for marriage, a serious relationship, or a casual hookup, there’s a dating site for you.

Take a look at the best dating sites of 2020.

1. Bumble

Bumble is a free dating app designed to make online dating safer for women. As soon as opposite genders match, women have 24 hours to start a conversation. The connection expires after that timeframe. Once sent, men have to respond within the next 24 hours. They can, however, extend that window if they really like the person.

Only women can make the first move, which prevents unsolicited messages. For same-gender matches, either side can initiate the conversation.

The platform has a code of conduct to make it safer for all parties. More importantly, Bumble prohibits pornographic material and encourages its users to treat everyone with respect.

2. Tinder

Tinder is one of the best free dating sites in the US, known mostly for its simple swiping interface. It no longer requires its users to sign up with a Facebook account. However, you have to be 18 and up to join.

You can swipe right if you see someone you like and swipe left if you’re not interested. No one can get in touch with you unless you’ve shown interest in them. If both of you swiped right on each other, you’ll receive an invitation to send the other person a message. You only have limited swipes if you use the free app. To get unlimited swipes, you can turn to Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold.

3. eHarmony

eHarmony is a trusted senior dating site designed to help mature individuals find love, companionship, and maybe a little adventure. It has 33 million users and utilizes its Compatibility Matching System to find compatible individuals. Every day, it will recommend a new set of potential dates and partners. You can also review the areas of compatibility, which sets it apart from traditional senior dating platforms. As soon as you are matched, you can start a conversation if you are interested in the person you’ve been matched with.

The site is free and easy-to-use, but its free version has limited capabilities. If you’re serious about finding love online, you can choose from its paid plans to get advanced matching options.

4. Match

Match has been around since the ‘90s. It’s a trustworthy feature-rich site dating platform with an app and a website. Its userbase consists mostly of 30+ singles looking for potential partners to settle down with. Here, you’ll be asked to fill out a questionnaire with a myriad of personal questions, ranging from the color of your hair to your religious preferences. You’ll also be asked about future plans (e.g. whether or not you want children).

The questionnaire is long and comprehensive, so you’ll have to spend a bit more time and energy on it. On the bright side, it can help you more accurately find a compatible match.

5. OkCupid

With 50+ million users worldwide, OkCupid is a dating platform with massive reach. It has a simple, easy-to-use interface that is constantly updated with new features and functionalities. Without any cost, you can access a wide array of capabilities, including their Flavors system, messaging tools, and Instagram integration which are free-to-use.

If that isn’t enough for you, a premium subscription can extend your capabilities. You can, for instance, get advanced search tools.

Perhaps the best thing about the platform is that it’s frequently updated. Lately, OkCupid came under fire when a cybersecurity firm expressed concerns about the dating website and mobile app. Its unaddressed flaws make them vulnerable to hacking. They’ve since made the necessary fixes, emphasizing that no private data was compromised.

6. Hinge

Founded in 2012, Hinge is a mobile dating app designed to be deleted. It’s for people who want to find love but don’t want to lurk on these modern dating platforms for too long. Its interface is quite similar to Tinder. Every day, you’ll see a list of users based on the criteria you’ve set for potential partners. If both of you show mutual interest, then you can start messaging each other.

Hinge focuses on matching you with users who have mutual Facebook friends. Its algorithm will look for compatible matches from your social network. After a major redesign, its interface now focuses less on games and more on initiating interesting conversations. You can like and even leave a comment on their profile.

7. Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish is one of the oldest dating platforms today with 90 million recorded users in 2017. You can use the app for free. Recently, they launched a free live streaming feature that lets you date via video chat while in quarantine. You can set up a profile, manually search for potential matches, and message them.

If you want to take online dating seriously, you can use its paid version. It lets you add more photos to your profile and access extended profiles of other users. You’ll show up on the MeetMe feature, which should increase your visibility. A paid subscription is usually an ad-free experience.

8. Coffee Meets Bagel

If you’re tired of swiping left and right, you might want to go on Coffee Meets Bagel. It is a free dating app designed as an alternative for casual dating platforms. It uses a smart algorithm to match individuals based on mutual passions or values. Unlike many dating apps, women have the final say in who they want to interact with online or meet offline.

Its interface focuses on user profiles instead of photos. Instead of swiping right or left, you can “Heart” another user’s profile and even leave comments.

9. Zoosk

Zoosk is a popular online dating service available in 80+ countries and in 25 languages, making international dating easier. Instead of filling out tedious questionnaires, you can connect your existing social media channels so you can sign up and set up your profile in no time.

The Best Online Dating Sites 2014

Since it’s available worldwide, it has a diverse userbase with users from different religious and cultural backgrounds. It’s LGBTQ+ friendly, too.
Using its Behavioral Matchmaking algorithm, it creates potential matches based on user actions. It determines who you’re compatible with by considering your likes, winks, and messages.

10. Facebook Dating

Launched in 2019, Facebook Dating is a new online dating platform that helps its userbase find long-term relationships. You can access it through the Facebook mobile app, where you set up a profile for the dating section and indicate your interests and activities.

Facebook will find like-minded individuals for you who share similar preferences. The algorithm, however, won’t set you up with someone you already know. Using its Super Crush feature, you can pick up to nine friends on Facebook and Instagram whom you’re interested in. If they feel the same way and select you on Super Crush, Facebook will match you both.

Can You Really Fall in Love with Someone Online?

According to Dr. Michael Adamse, a psychologist and author of “Affairs of the Net,” you can fall in love with someone you meet on the web. It happens all the time. The problem is that people often tend to form impressions that are rooted in fantasy instead of reality. So, once you do meet face-to-face, you can easily feel let down when reality doesn’t live up to your expectations.

Falling in love with someone online is possible. However, you should be careful about entering relationships, especially if you’ve yet to meet and spend time with them in real life. Tread carefully when you’re entering the modern dating landscape, and always be smart and cautious about the relationships you make online.

How to Choose the Best Dating Site for You

What type of relationships are you looking for?
Before diving into the online dating pool, ask yourself if you’re looking for long-term love, a potential life partner, or a casual romance. Many dating platforms are geared toward certain demographics or intentions. By figuring out the kind of relationship you want, you can find the right platform that can meet your needs.

Do you prefer being matched or searching independently?
Finding love online isn’t as easy as it seems. That’s why modern dating platforms usually have advanced algorithms that can help you look for potential partners. Bumble, Tinder, and eHarmony are a few examples. They’ll match like-minded individuals based on information indicated on user profiles. Here, you won’t be able to conduct your own search. You can only look up and message people you’ve been matched with.

If you want to conduct your own searches independently, you can go on platforms like Plenty of Fish. Some of these sights will even let you set filters in terms of age, gender, religion, or education so you can narrow down your search.

Which features matter most?
Determine the kind of online interactions you want. Not all dating sites have messaging systems. Some that do will let you initiate and carry out conversations with the people you’re compatible with. Others limit messaging capabilities to eliminate unwelcome advances.

Of course, safety is imperative when it comes to online dating. You should choose dating platforms with advanced security measures that can weed out the weirdos. More importantly, they should have secure defenses against malware, phishing scams, and other cyberattacks.

How much will it cost me?
If you’re new to the online dating landscape, you can dip your toes in the water with free dating services. However, they often come with limited features. For instance, you might not be able to view full user profiles and have less advanced matching options. In such cases, your dating decisions will have to be based mostly on physical appearances.

Paid subscriptions vary in price, ranging from $5 to over $50 per month. Advanced matching and searching capabilities depend on the plan you choose. Ultimately, it comes down to what you need and what features are worth paying for.

Best Online Dating Website

How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out

Upload compelling photos
First, you need to upload a good photo. Most dating platforms rely heavily on photos, but since some limit the number of images you can upload, select a high-quality picture for your profile. You don’t need to hire a professional photographer to do it. Get a friend to snap a photo of you in good lighting. You might want to upload a close-up as well as a full-body shot.

Since the goal is to find someone who will date you, there’s no need to upload group photos with your friends. Maybe share them late when you start dating.

Don’t write a novel
As for the profile itself, it should be a snapshot of who you are as a person. You don’t have to tell your life story. Just focus on what you do and what you’re interested in right now so you can find mutual passions and interests.

Make sure you leave some room for curiosity. At the same time, be upfront and honest about what you’re looking for right now. Whether you’re looking for a summer fling or long-term love, letting the other person know will save you a lot of time and energy.

Drop the negativity
Instead of talking about what you don’t want in a potential partner, focus on yourself. Highlight your best qualities and traits. Leave all the negativity and hurt from past relationships behind. You don’t want to repel people who you want to date, just to attract the attention of the right people.

To be sure, get a close friend to review your profile and photos before you upload everything online. Ask someone who can tell you the truth and give you constructive criticism.

Check for spelling and grammar errors
Aside from the content, you should review your profile for spelling and grammar mistakes. These might seem like minor issues caused by typographical errors; however, consistent issues might turn off the right people.

How to Make Your Dating Profile Stand Out

Upload compelling photos
First, you need to upload a good photo. Most dating platforms rely heavily on photos, but since some limit the number of images you can upload, select a high-quality picture for your profile. You don’t need to hire a professional photographer to do it. Get a friend to snap a photo of you in good lighting. You might want to upload a close-up as well as a full-body shot.

Since the goal is to find someone who will date you, there’s no need to upload group photos with your friends. Maybe share them late when you start dating.

Don’t write a novel
As for the profile itself, it should be a snapshot of who you are as a person. You don’t have to tell your life story. Just focus on what you do and what you’re interested in right now so you can find mutual passions and interests.

Make sure you leave some room for curiosity. At the same time, be upfront and honest about what you’re looking for right now. Whether you’re looking for a summer fling or long-term love, letting the other person know will save you a lot of time and energy.

Drop the negativity
Instead of talking about what you don’t want in a potential partner, focus on yourself. Highlight your best qualities and traits. Leave all the negativity and hurt from past relationships behind. You don’t want to repel people who you want to date, just to attract the attention of the right people.

To be sure, get a close friend to review your profile and photos before you upload everything online. Ask someone who can tell you the truth and give you constructive criticism.

Check for spelling and grammar errors
Aside from the content, you should review your profile for spelling and grammar mistakes. These might seem like minor issues caused by typographical errors; however, consistent issues might turn off the right people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which online dating sites are best for serious relationships?

Coffee Meets Bagel, Match, and OkCupid are your best shots at finding a serious, long-term partner. Aside from attracting users that are looking for long-term love, they have high-level matchmaking capabilities that can lead you to a compatible partner.

Which dating websites are the most successful?

Success is relative when it comes to online dating. After all, not everyone is looking for a serious relationship. Some simply want easy hookups. If you are, too, then Tinder is your best bet. Match, Zoosk, and eHarmony use in-depth matchmaking processes that often lead to long-term relationships.

If you are looking for potential life partners, you should consider Coffee Meets Bagel, Match, and OkCupid.

Of all the top dating sites, which ones are the most secure?

All of the platforms mentioned in the guide are the most well-known and secure dating services available. Due to their massive userbase, they are all vulnerable to potential cyberattacks, but they are constantly updating their systems to make their platforms user-friendly and safe.

Tinder, Bumble, and OkCupid are some of the platforms with safety features that prevent unsolicited messages from flooding your inbox. People won’t be able to interact with you unless you express interest in them, too.

No matter what platform you choose, dating online will always come with inherent risks. Always take the extra measures to keep yourself protected. Use strong passwords and avoid sharing personal information.

Are paid dating sites and apps better than free dating services?

Not always. It depends on your needs, as well as the services offered in the paid plans. If you’re looking for low-commitment, casual encounters, a free-to-use app or site might be an ideal choice. However, if you’re looking for a life partner, you might want to invest in advanced matching and search options.

What are the best free online dating sites?

Tinder, Bumble, and Match are three of the best online dating platforms that can help you find love or companionship on a budget. They do have paid versions that are also worth looking into.

Despite how much everyone loves to hate it, more people online date than you may think. That's right, according to the Pew Research Center, three in 10 adults in the United States report having used a dating site or app at some point in their lives. Of course, usage varies significantly by age and sexual orientation, but a solid chunk of people have given the whole online dating thing a shot. Almost half (48 percent) of 18 to 29 year olds report having used a dating site or app. Meanwhile, 38 percent of people aged 30 to 49 and 26 percent of those who are 50 and older have said the same.

And guess what? Dating apps work for some people! Sure, a bunch of folks on these platforms are probably looking for hookups. But about one in ten of them (12 percent) have said that dating apps have led to committed relationships and even tying the knot. But the world of dating apps is such a densely saturated space these days, with more and more options hitting the market. So here are the best apps to try in 2021 — some legacy apps, and some kids on the block.

Tinder is a dating app notorious for hookups

You're certainly familiar with Tinder, the O.G. of dating apps (and a notorious hookup app). It's been around for quite some time; it even has social media accounts dedicated to it, like the hilarious @TinderNightmares on Instagram, where millions of people come to read some belly-creasing Tinder gold.

Tinder makes this list because it's been around for a while for a reason: it's stuck with us through the onslaught of dating apps that have come and gone since its debut in 2012. In fact, The Atlantic has even gone so far as to say that Tinder is responsible for '[ushering] in a new era in the history of romance.' In fact, swiping on Tinder has largely even replaced dating. Holly Wood, who wrote her Harvard sociology dissertation on singles' behaviors on online dating platforms like Tinder, told The Atlantic that respondents of her research spent hours per day swiping. 'We pretend that's dating because it looks like dating and says it's dating,' she explained.

It probably comes as no surprise that, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Tinder saw a massive surge in usage from quarantined singles, hitting records in daily usage, according to Fortune.

Women with initiative need to be on Bumble in 2021

For women who are sick of archaic gender norms and who aren't afraid to reach out first (and for those who are tired of being bombarded with messages, especially of the creepy nature), there's Bumble, an app made by and for women. According to the company's research, 63 percent of male users said that 'women making the first move' is largely why they downloaded the app, too.

Bumble, like many dating apps, saw a spike since COVID-19 struck planet Earth. In fact, video calls on increased by 70 percent, according to Fortune. The female-first dating app also skyrocketed to a market value of more than $13 billion since listing shares in early 2021, according to the BBC. In fact, at 31 years old, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd became the youngest woman to take a company public in the United States.

Basically, Bumble isn't bumbling around. Herd was actually a co-founder of Tinder but left the company after allegedly facing sexual harassment, the BBC reported. The company is all-around empowering for women; a Business Insider reporter tried out a bunch of dating apps andranks Bumble as one of the most successful.

Hinge is a dating app for those who want more than a casual encounter

Ah Hinge. It's been around since 2013, but it's arguably gotten more popular over the years. Hinge touts itself as 'the dating app designed to be deleted,' where you can 'meet people who want to get off dating apps, too.' It's mission is simple: 'In today's digital world, singles are so busy matching that they're not actually connecting, in person, where it counts. Hinge is on a mission to change that.' And, so far, so good.

In fact, according to Tech Crunch, Hinge is the first app to actually measure real-world success. With its feature called 'We Met,' Hinge asks users a few days after they've shared their phone numbers with one another whether or not they went on a date. If so, they ask whether or not they'd like to see that person again. The data informs Hinge's algorithms to improve matches, as well. It's sort of genius.

Add all of that to the fact that you can swipe people in different area codes with the premium membership, and Hinge is a solid option for those still stuck inside their houses in 2021.

Her is a dating app that ranks well among queer womxn

For queer womxn who want to use an app designed with them in mind, there's Her. In fact, there are over four million queer womxn on Her — hundreds of whom have reportedly found 'their person.' Robyn Exton founded Her after trying her hand at all the big dating apps already in existence; she realized that they just weren't made for queer womxn, according to her interview with Linktree.

However, it took research and one failed app to nail down what exactly queer womxn want. 'I didn't really understand product or tech,' Exton said. 'I was like, 'Cool, Grindr's doing a great job. And everyone loves that. Let's just make that for womxn.' So we made Dattch, which was very much like Grindr, and it did not work. Womxn don't want casual sex at the same frequency. The behavior and experience that womxn are looking for is based on so many different behaviors and traits and insights and patterns. So I kind of started everything from scratch and built Her in 2015.'

With integrated insights and community events, Cosmopolitan ranks Her one of the best lesbian dating apps out there.

Grindr is the OG dating app for the LGBTQ+ community

Grindr is the OG of dating apps for the LGBTQ+ community; t's been around for well over a decade. Since its onset in 2009, it's made quite the name for itself as one of the best dating apps for LGBTQ+ folks to hook up (and, sure, to date, too). After all, on Grindr, users can send photos back and forth. According to the app's own research, 855 million photos were sent each month in 2020 — and we're pretty sure that many of these weren't just selfies. Additionally, Sunday nights seems to be the most popular time for Grindr users — you know, right around when those Sunday Scaries hit hard.

According to an AskMen review, the only real downside to Grindr is the prevalence of faceless bots and advertisements. Otherwise, it's totally easy to register and navigate the app, and there are tons of people from you can choose your match.

BLK is for Black singles looking for other Black singles in 2021

BLK is a dating app that's designed with people of color in mind. 'BLK is the new app for Black single men and Black single women with a simple mission: to create an exclusive community where Black men and Black women can find meaningful connections with people who share similar likes and interests,' the app explains. The app has hundreds of thousands of ratings on the app store, and most of them are favorable, earning it a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Apple.

BLK was created by the Match Group in 2017 to provide a more nuanced environment for Black people who are online dating, according to Paper. 'Black women are considered the most 'disliked' on dating apps,' head of marketing and brand, Jonathan Kirkland said. 'They get the least amount of right swipes. Even on general market apps, Black men are swiping less on Black women. There's definitely a huge void there, as well as a lot of discrimination on the general market apps.'

According to Paper, BLK is a platform where users 'feel safe, respected and understood.' We love to see it.

Parents (and wanna-be parents) should hop on HeyBaby in 2021

Dating during the COVID-19 crisis isn't an easy feat, and dating as a single parent during a pandemic is even harder. But there are apps for everyone out there, including parents (and people who want to be parents). HeyBaby is one of them, and it launched in 2020 amidst all the chaos.

There are more than 13 million single parents in the United States, but traditional dating apps like Tinder aren't necessarily kind to them. Heybaby calls itself 'the dating app for people who want kids or have kids... If you're a decent human being with parent potential (or have kids already), this app was made for you,' their website says. According to Mashable, HeyBaby is doing more than matching couples; it's creating happy and healthy families.

HeyBaby was founded by three dads, but they made an ample effort to get women involved, as well. In a Fortune interview, HeyBaby cofounder Diko Daghlian said: 'We're hiring a lot of women and a lot of our advisors are women. We realize we've got the dad and man perspective. We need it to be super broad: gay, straight, male, female, white, brown, Black.'

Loosid is a dating app strictly for sober daters

Contrary to popular belief, dating doesn't have to mean drinking — and there's a dating app out there for sober people who want date other sober people. That's because dating someone who drinks can be difficult and even dangerous for people who are recovering from addiction; that, and some people just don't like drinking, plain and simple.

Enter: Loosid, the sober dating app. With over two million interactions, Loosid is a top sober social network. 'It's no secret that drinking is a big component of contemporary dating — after all, 'drinks' tend to be the de-facto activity a Tinder date will propose for your first (nerve-wracking) meet-up,' Paper explained. 'However, what happens when you're in recovery or sober for another reason? How do you date in a world where everyone seems to be drinking without feeling awkward or like you have to explain yourself (which you, obviously, don't)?' And that's the void Loosid strives to fill.

While many people are still struggling during the COVID-19 crisis, there's some solace in the fact that sober dating is increasingly interesting. According to Fortune, Loosid saw a 620 percent increase in messages throughout the pandemic.

Feeld is a dating app for non-monogamous folks

Some might say that Feeld is playing the field with all the coverage the dating app for non-monogamous people has garnered. The app calls itself the 'threesome dating app,' and 'a space where you can explore your desires,' as well as 'connect with open-minded humans.'

Meanwhile, GQ calls Feeld 'the kinkiest dating app that exists outside of Craigslist.' But Feeld cofounder Ana Kirova described it in another way. 'Feeld is a platform for alternative dating, for people who are beyond labels,' she said in an interview with The New YorkTimes. 'They can meet each other without the necessity of coming from a very defined place with a very defined requirement.'

Elle interviewed multiple people who've tried Feeld out for themselves, and the responses are overwhelmingly positive. Many of the users said that Feeld makes it easier to match with people who are actually interested in group encounters, compared to their experiences on more traditional dating apps where they don't get a lot of interest and, instead, often face judgment for their sexual desires.

Ship is the best dating app for Millennials in 2021

In today's world, people are generally lonely, and they tend to feel fatigued with decision anxiety; that's according to a burgeoning body of research that says millennials, in particular, struggle (via Psychology Today). Millennials are notorious for relying on their friends for help making decisions when they can't make up their own minds. That's why Betches' dating app, Ship, is an ideal option for today's world.

You don't have to send screenshots of dating profiles to dissect with your friends anymore. Instead, on Ship, you can swipe with your friends. So you can cure loneliness and decision fatigue both at the same time.

Plus, it's a great way to keep your biggest hype-people in your corner. 'Dating sucks but your crew has your back,' reads the tagline. Betches cofounder Samantha Fishbein told Elite Daily: 'When you're disappointed on most dating apps, there's nothing to build you back up. But when you're with your friends, they're not going to be like, 'Well, now you'll never find someone.'