A friend of mine recently sampled her hand in online dating after a small number of years away from the scene. She joined one of the most extensive dating sites available and, like many others, found herself swamped flooded with messages and unscreened matches. It quickly became work, not fun, and she gave up before she even met anyone. She’s not alone: Roughly 1/3 of Americans say they know a couple who met online. The good news is that there are a variety https://www.businessinsider.com/psychological-reasons-people-fall-in-love-2017-2 of other sites and apps out there to try. The key is discovering one that aligns with your dating goals and meets your needs.
The following top 8 dating sites are some of the most popular found in the U.S. and are targeted at different audiences. Some, such as eharmony and Match, are intended for those looking for serious relationships; others, for example, Tinder and Bumble, are more focused on casual hookups. Some sites have a cost-free membership that lets you create a profile and view matches, while others require a subscription-based subscription for messaging and other features.
OkCupid
This platform says it produces over 90 million matches a year and boasts that it’s “the very scientifically proven dating site on the planet.” It has a thorough questionnaire that helps uncover compatible mates, but isn’t as long as the one on eharmony. It also prompts users to answer questions about things they’re enthusiastic about, ranging from climate change to cilantro (it’s not for the faint of heart).
Coffee Meets Bagel
After a successful launch in New York City and a stint on Shark Tank, this app has quickly expanded beyond its home base in the Big Apple. The app claims to eliminate endless swiping by only showing you one match a day, and requires women to make the first move in heterosexual matches. It also offers a premium version that provides more potential matches find brides for marriage and eliminates ads.
HER
This dating app targets lesbian, bisexual, and queer people. It’s free to join and browse profiles, but a subscription is required to contact matches and send gifts. The app uses location data to show you potential matches in your area. It also has a smartphone-accessible chat room and a feature that allows you to see who has viewed your profile.
Ourtime
Owned by Match, this site caters in the direction of adults over 50 who are interested in serious relationships and companionship. Its members must have no less than 25 years’ experience to join, and it offers a committed customer service team to help with any issues. The site has an ample library of articles about dating and relationships, and members can upload as much as ten photos.
While Ourtime doesn’t have as many active users as some of the other options on this list, it is a dependable choice for those who are over 50 and are serious about finding a romantic partner. Its user base is fairly diverse and the site includes a significant number of active senior singles.