With so many online dating sites, finding the ideal match can be daunting. Dating apps and websites ask lots of personal questions and then rely on matchmaking algorithms, which, according to Misha Kavka, Professor of Cross-Media Culture at the University of Amsterdam, “Fulfill your desire by knowing you better than you (can) know yourself,” to find your perfect match.
We’ve simplified the process by evaluating the top dating platforms according to type of site, price, matching methodologies, and more.
#1 Product of
The Week
Dating.com is shaking up the dating scene as we know it. Introducing cross-culture dating in a fresh and fun way, Dating.com is helping singles all over the world find the partners they’re looking for. Whether you are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual, whether you’re looking for a serious relationship, marriage, or just someone to fool around with, or even if you are just in search of someone you can travel the world with, Dating.com has got the options to fit your needs and wants.
Dating.com has a tremendous array of communication options. You can speak to members on or offline, send flirts and presents, or check out their video profiles or pics. Members can also enjoy top-grade 360-degree video streaming and chatting. So, your bases are pretty much covered when it comes to communication options.
Excellent communication features (video chat+)
Eclectic, global network of singles
Verified profiles
Complicated pricing structure
No iPhone app
If you haven’t been able to click with people on most mainstream dating apps, consider a more specialized service like EliteSingles. This site is aimed at intellectuals who value their professional lives and are looking for someone to have deep conversations with.
Since SilverSingles and EliteSingles are owned by the same company, they have a lot in common. EliteSingles also asks users to take a research-based personality test and shows them three to seven matches a day based on their answers. The quiz allows users to state what qualities are most important to them in a partner.
Like most apps and sites we’ve evaluated, EliteSingles offers free memberships but requires users to pay in order to message others.
Why we chose EliteSingles: Due to the extensive quizzes members have to take, the sign-up process can become quite lengthy. But we believe this is a good thing because it ensures that the site only attracts users who are serious about finding relationships with like-minded people. Plus, for members’ safety, profiles are manually verified, and photos cannot be copied or downloaded from the site, so your personal information stays confidential.
Our experience: We liked using the “Have We Met” feature, which allowed us to browse other profiles on top of our daily matches. We also liked that we could swipe “yes” or “no” to other users. But we were frustrated that there wasn’t an instant chat or phone option for support—you’ll have to wait up to two days to get a response over email.
Boutique, curated matches
Advanced personality tests
Users united by common relationship goals
Less interactive experience
Smaller user base
Most dating apps target younger people, but SilverSingles gives the over-50 demographic plenty of opportunities to find companionship.
SilverSingles matches members based on a personality test designed by psychologists and relationship experts. This test has over 100 questions and scores your answers on four traits: openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. These are used to assess your personality type and find matches whose interests and lifestyles are compatible with yours.
The matching process values quality over quantity. After answering the test questions, the site identifies three to seven matches per day. So while taking a test initially may sound like a lot of work, it will save you the trouble of searching for dates later down the line.
Why we chose SilverSingles: This service is available as an app and a website. Both are easy to navigate and use with well-organized tabs and big and bold fonts. Plus, if you’re not well-versed in writing dating profiles, you can request someone to help you write yours for an additional fee. This site is the ideal choice for singles over 50 seeking long-term relationships.
Our experience: We felt that SilverSingles’ personality test was particularly useful to develop self-knowledge. And while you do have limited control over who you can connect with, we liked that all potential matches are curated specifically for you.
Smart compatibility matching tools
Strong safety precautions in place
Users don’t need to be tech savvy
Lengthy signup process
No manual searching
eharmony is for daters ready to find love and looking for others who are on the same page. With detailed questionnaires and profiles, compatibility scores, and icebreaker questions, it’s easy to match with a potential long-term partner and initiate contact.
On top of that, the site screens users to make sure none of them are on criminal registries—something that’ll be reassuring to those concerned about getting pulled into an online dating scam
eharmony requires you to spend a significant amount of time creating a profile. Its detailed questionnaire stretches out the sign-up process but allows the site to find truly compatible matches and keeps out people who aren’t serious about exploring meaningful connections.
Why we chose eharmony: Its patented algorithms consider several factors, from personality traits to daily living habits, making it a fantastic choice to find long-term relationships. It’s been around since the year 2000 and has matched over 2 million people, refining its processes along the way.
Our experience: We found it helpful to be able to specify things like your faith and morals so you can find a match on all levels: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. When we browsed profiles, both on mobile and desktop, we really felt like we got to know the other members, even before we started talking to them.
Detailed compatibility quizzes
Helpful conversation starters
SecureCall safety feature
Users can’t search for matches
Quizzes demand time and thought
Jdate specializes in finding matches for Jewish singles and boasts over 750,000 online daters. Users can “heart” or “x” each other to indicate interest or lack thereof, and those who express mutual interest are matched up.
Paid members can send messages, while premium members get Messaging+, which enables them to message anyone on the site (including free members). Chats are in an instant-message format and include read receipts and the ability to block users.
If you’re looking for excellent customer support—and Jewish singles, of course—then Jdate is a perfect choice. Most users rave about Jdate’s customer care team and its blog, JLife, which offers advice intended to help singles navigate dating in the Jewish community. However, some users have mentioned that the app isn’t very user-friendly and can be buggy at times.
Why we chose Jdate: Jdate has a variety of filters, ranging from religious practices to ideal relationship type, and each day, it shows you new people based on your preferences. We think this feature is especially useful for someone with a solid religious identity who wants to date people with similar convictions. In addition, most of Jdate’s users pursue serious relationships, making it a must-have for someone who’s ready to settle down.
Our experience: We found Jdate’s search function to be the most specific of the bunch, allowing you to specify whether you care if someone goes to synagogue or eats kosher. We also liked that you can search based on other factors, such as location and match percentage. This feature allowed us to hone in on who we really wanted and gave us plenty of options.
Very active site with a large user base
Nice mix of religious, secular, and culturally Jewish singles
No need to be Jewish to join
Not ideal for hookups or NST relationships
Limited free membership
bestchoosing.com is a comparison platform that offers users our 10 best options across a wide variety of products and services. We’ve made it our mission to make decisions easier by helping you choose from the top options available. Our team of editors and writers spend hours reviewing products and services, comparing features, and diving into the nitty-gritty details. This way, we give you top-notch lists and reviews saving you time, money, and headaches.
According to a July 2022 survey by Pew Research Center involving more than 6,000 adults, 46% of online dating users reported having experience with Tinder, making it the most commonly used app. This is followed by Match and Bumble, which have been used by approximately 31% and 28% of the survey respondents respectively.
Paid sites are better for meeting people and more suitable for those pursuing romantic, long-term relationships. While they often have smaller user bases than free sites, paid dating sites offer more functionalities and their users are more committed to finding a partner if they're willing to pay for the service.
People seeking serious relationships often appreciate dating sites with extensive matching processes and that require payment for messaging, like eharmony and Match. The detailed questionnaires and profiles, compatibility scores, and icebreaker questions that provided by eharmony, make it easy to match with a potential long-term partner.
eharmony, Match and Zoosk have been around for many years—and have over 20 million, 10 million, and 35 million users, respectively. They're legit dating sites that use high-tech methods for ideal matching, and have safety and security measures in place to avoid fake profiles and scams.
Of the free dating apps and sites, the most popular is OkCupid. This site has over 50 million members and allows users to message each other at no cost.
All ten dating sites included in this review are highly regarded by online daters and boast numerous success stories. However, finding the app that works best for you depends on what your needs are. If you're just looking for casual encounters, for instance, a hookup app like BeNaughty is the best fit, while SilverSingles is a better option if you're over 50.
The listings featured on this site are from companies from which this site receives compensation. This influences where, how and in what order such listings appear on this site.bestchoosing.com is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and comparison features to our visitors. We accept advertising compensation from companies that appear on the site, which impacts the location and order in which brands (and/or their products) are presented, and also impacts the score that is assigned to it. Company listings on this page DO NOT imply endorsement. We do not feature all providers on the market. Except as expressly set forth in our Terms of Use, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this page are disclaimed. The information, including pricing, which appears on this site is subject to change at any time.