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Once offline dating reigned supreme, but many now turn to apps for finding a match. Whether you’re looking for casual dating, a serious relationship, or something in the middle, there’s a dating site for you. Check out the best dating apps for 2019!
Best Dating Sites 2019: Why You Should Trust Me
I first plunged into the online dating site space back in 2015. Since then, I enjoyed moderate to middling success. Mostly, I’d frustratedly uninstall an app only to reinstall it the next week in a Sisyphean stupor. After a tumultuous journey navigating the hellacious landscape of online dating sites, I started courting my now-girlfriend, Melissa. On our second date, which lasted a whopping 23 (innocent) hours, we watched “Smart House.” After discovering Melissa’s rad taste in movies and food, I knew she was a keeper.
Initially, we matched on Coffee Meets Bagel where we messaged back and forth briefly before Melissa dropped off the face of the app. Then, we matched on Tinder where she messaged me first, calling out the fact that we had chatted before, eventually leading to our first date. Somewhere around our fourth date, Melissa informed me that in the time between our chats on CMB and Tinder, she had given me the left swipe on Bumble, fearing it may be too awkward if we matched again after our brief back and forth on CMB. If I can find someone to put up with my antics, surely there’s a partner for you.
Best Dating Apps 2019
From comprehensive dating apps to niche dating sites, these are the best dating apps in 2019!
1. Tinder
Though Tinder carries a reputation as a hookup website, it can lead to a serious relationship. Because Tinder boasts massive usage, it’s worthy of signing up. You’ll be able to swipe, or be swiped by, loads of singles. 2018 saw a huge uptick in Tinder subscriptions with a mind-boggling $805 million in revenue. That’s over twice what Tinder reaped in 2017. As such, Tinder is easily among the best dating sites in 2019.
Unfortunately, while Tinder arguably wins with quantity, that comes at a cost with quality. You’ll have to slog through shirtless selfies, hunting pics, and the dregs of the dating world until you find quality matches. As with most online dating sites, Tinder is free but with paid features. Tinder Gold shows you who likes you, allows for swiping in multiple geographic areas simultaneously, unlimited likes, five super likes a day, and a boost each month.
Nevertheless, with its immense dating pool, Tinder ranks among the top datings sites for singles. Moreover, Tinder maintains a desktop site in addition to its mobile apps, a waning feature.
Pros:
- Tons of active users
- Desktop site
- iOS and Android apps
- Free (paid tiers available)
- Hey, it worked for me
Cons:
- Quantity over quality
- Paid Tinder Gold required for features such as unlimited likes
2. Bumble
Female-friendly Bumble, like a Sadie Hawkins dance, makes the ladies message first. It’s a refreshing twist, and makes Bumble one of the best dating free apps you can download. When a match is made, the woman has 24 hours to make the first move. Fellas may hit extend to give a match an additional 24 hours to send a message. Aside from heterosexual dating, Bumble has a same-sex feature where either party may initiate a chat. There’s Bumble BFF, a friend finder for platonic matches, and even Bumble Biz for networking and professional endeavors.
Though it’s largely free, Bumble does offer a paid tier. Shelling out the cash for Bumble premium affords unlimited extends as well as backtracks, whereas the free version only allows for three backtracks, and a daily extend. But it’s a social media-savvy app. You’ll find Spotify and Instagram connectivity, and you can sign up with Facebook. Fresh updates such as Bumble Spotlight which highlights you for 30 minutes similar to Tinder Boost, keep the platform current. With its various modes, from hetero dating to same-sex matchmaking, Bumble BFF, and Bumble Biz, Bumble is a top dating site.
Pros:
- Dating and non-dating mode
- Feminist dating app
- Same-sex friendly
- Tons of active users
- Excellent interface
- iOS and Android apps
- Spotify connectivity
- Bumble BFF
- Bumble Biz
Cons:
- No desktop site
- Free version limited
3. Hinge
While swiping makes sense from a mobile design perspective, it’s conducive to devolving from a perusal of profiles to a game of hot or not. Enter Hinge, which swipes left on swiping. Hinge’s continuing mission is to get its users off of dating sites and instead embarking on great dates. Instead of seemingly-endless swiping, you’ll find a social media-esque experience. With an interface reminiscent of Instagram, Hinge is a solid choice for a more modern dating experience.
With its focus on readability, Hinge’s design encourages its users to actually study profiles. There’s an onus on icebreakers and user facts which, ideally, lead to substantive messaging rather than the dreaded “hey!” Though it’s mostly usable for free, a preferred Hinge membership adds more filters, unlimited likes, the ability to view who liked you, and more.
Pros:
- No swiping
- Instagram-esque layout
- iOS and Android apps
- More conducive to actually reading profiles
Cons:
- No desktop site
- Free tier slightly limited
4. Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel maintains quality over quantity. Each day at noon, users receive a set of curated matches (aka “bagels). Merely like or pass, and your matches will get a notification. Ultimately, it’s the ladies’ choice to accept or pass on a match. Unlike Bumble, dudes are still able to like a lady, or bagel.
If you don’t “take” your bagel, you can give that bagel by sending them to a friend. Your bio is customizable with prompts such as “I am…” and “I like…” Aside from information about you, there’s a fun facts section. As is commonplace, though Coffee Meets Bagel is a best free dating site for serious relationships, it operates on a freemium model. The paid CMB premium comes in a variety of payment options, and you benefit from “beans,” which can be used for extra likes, sending matches, and reviving expired conversations. Conversations expire after 8 days, which incentivizes asking a match for a real-world date rather than a never-ending in-app chat.
Pros:
- iOS and Android apps
- Ladies’ choice model
- Curated selection
- Tons of active users
- Chats expire after 8 days, encouraging moving conversation offline
Cons:
- No desktop site
- Premium tier
5. OkCupid
Even if you’ve never signed up for a dating site, you’ve probably heard of OkCupid. OKC launched as the first major dating site in 2004, and dropped its app in 2012. Though OkCupid has been around the block, recent updates keep the platform current. In 2014, OkCupid debuted 22 gender and 13 orientation options, a welcome and progressive move. Sporting over 91 million users, OKC is widely trafficked.
Along with Tinder, OkCupid remains one of the few dating apps in 2019 with a desktop site. In 2017, OKC overhauled its messaging system, now preventing inboxes from getting inundated with messages from not-yet-matched suitors, and now requires a real name for sign up. With beefy profiles, you can truly dig into your potential matches, provided they’ve actually filled out a profile. A more traditional interest-based algorithm may work well, but you’ll need to answer the right type of questions to determine compatibility. Think politics, and less favorite films. A-List, or the OkCupid premium, removes ads, shows a list of who’s liked you, adds more search filters, and lets you know if your messages have been read.
Pros:
- Lots of updates
- iOS and Android apps
- Browser version
- Tons of active users
- Robust profiles
Cons:
- Premium tiers
- Interest-based algorithm can be inaccurate
6. Happn
With an increasing number of apps tapping into user data such as location, Happn seems a natural evolution in the dating app space. Tinder CEO Sean Rad went so far as to compare mobile phones to an extension of the self. Top 2019 dating app Happn, as the name suggests, employs location data to suggest matches. The idea is offering matches with whom you cross paths.
However, the premise of being tracked by an app is a bit creepy. That’s not uncommon, and most, if not all, of the major dating sites rely heavily on your phone’s GPS — though most of them don’t tend to hype that as their main selling point. Disappointingly, Happn’s user base varies greatly by city, so it could be a veritable treasure trove or barren wasteland.
Pros:
- Neat concept
- Location-based matches
- iOS and Android apps
Cons:
- Small user base
7. BeLinked
As you can probably infer from the “Linked” in its title, BeLinked aims at young professionals. You’ll need a LinkedIn profile to sign up. Whereas many 2019 dating apps allow for social media sign-ups, BeLinked doesn’t allow for syncing with Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. For career-oriented singles, BeLinked is a solid choice. However, it’s sparsely used, and the app isn’t as polished as its competitors. Nevertheless, BeLinked could build your dating leads list.
Pros:
- For young professional
- Sign up with LinkedIn
- Career-oriented dating
Cons:
- Small user base
- LinkedIn sign-ups only
8. Project Dragonfruit
An up-and-coming dating app, Project Dragonfruit targets self-proclaimed geeks and geek-seekers. It’s all-inclusive when it comes to defining “geek.” Among its profile features, you can select your favorite fandoms. Matchmaking finds users in its database with similar interests, geekdoms, and more.
Since it’s a fairly new, and niche, site, Dragonfruit doesn’t tout as many users as major dating websites. Additionally, its app has been reported as fairly buggy. Still, there has been continued development, and it’s a fun idea.
Pros:
- Niche site
- By geeks, for geeks
- Ability to select fandoms and geekdoms
- Interest-based matchmaking
Cons:
- Interest-based matchmaking may not be as accurate
- Small user base
Best Free Online Dating Sites 2019: Final Thoughts
With an abundance of dating apps available, there’s a choice for any user. Specialized sites like CatholicMatch or Dragonfruit cater to specific demographics, while broad-ranging dating apps like Tinder and OkCupid are a free-for-all. Hinge features a modern interface, and Bumble boasts feminist dating plus its Bumble BFF friend finder and Bumble Biz business modes.
Since the number of users varies by location, it’s worth signing up for a few apps and seeing which has the most nearby singles. Plus, that lends the opportunity to figure out which user interfaces (UIs) you prefer. And if you’re anything like me and Melissa, it may take seeing each other on three separate apps before you actually meet in real life. Ultimately, you’ve got plenty of options, so get to swiping!
And if all else fails, get a dog to insert into your dating profile pictures wherever possible.
What dating apps are you using in 2019?