See the Top-rated dating sites in every category. We countdown the best sites for relationships, love, casual dating, and more. You’ll learn about free, paid, and trial dating sites available today. Sometimes online dating can be like a part-time job. Even the best dating sites for professionals require users to put in at least a few good hours of profile editing, swiping, matching, and chatting — and not all of us feel up to that task after working 40, 50, or even 60+ hours a week.Fortunately, you can save yourself a lot of time, energy, and stress by choosing the right dating site.
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Looking for the best dating sites? You’ve come to the right place.
The world is moving at a faster pace than ever. We’re all busier, more ambitious – and this means it can be harder to meet people in real life who also have less free time.
In fact, stats show that as many as39% of heterosexual couples in America now meet online. That’s a huge improvement on the numbers over a decade ago when less than 20% were meeting online.
Using the best dating sites means you’re not investing too much of your time, but that you’re being more time-efficient to get what you want.
For example, whilst meeting people in real life is definitely exciting, it’s also a huge challenge. You have to get dressed up in the evening, head out, buy drinks, and potentially stay out all night. Even then, you might be fresh out of luck and have to go out again the week after.
It’s a lot of effort and hassle. Not to mention it’s tiring! But the best dating sites remove all the stress by offering you a convenient place online where you can log in and out whenever you’ve got a bit of free time. You can tweak the search filters to help you find someone compatible, and you can even make use of any advanced matchmaking algorithm the dating site comes with that uses your personality to pair you up with someone it thinks you’ll hit it off with.
Plus, because there are so many dating sites out there, you can choose one that fits what you’re looking for. There are dating sites that are great for something casual, dating sites that are more aimed at those looking for something longer-term and even a life partner, as well as dating sites that are great for making new friends and seeing where things go.
To help you choose, and to make sure you sign up to the right dating site straight off the bat, I’ve put this article together on the best dating sites 2020. I’ve done a pile of research myself, and I’ve even tested every single one of these sites to make sure they check out. I’ve also taken a look at what others are saying about them.
In this article, I’ll be going over each of the best dating sites, revealing who they’re aimed at, why they work, and what they cost. By the end, you should be in a better position to decide which one(s) to sign up to.
Ready? Excited? Let’s go!
13 The Best Dating Sites 0f 2020:
Rating:
5/5 Stars
eHarmony is a dating site ideal for those aged over 25 who are looking to settle down. It’s been around for two decades and is one of the most reputable sites of its kind.
What It Costs?
- Free Version – Yes
- 6 months – $35/month
- 12 months – $15/month
- 24 months – $12/month
Why do we like it?
eHarmony claims to be responsible for 600,000 marriages so far. It also says that it creates at least 15,000,000 new matches each day, and it’s used by millions of people around the world.
But what makes it so successful?
Part of its success is down to a sophisticated matchmaking system that’s backed up by scientific research. To make the system work, each new user must complete a mandatory personality test and questionnaire. This takes around ten minutes. The matchmaking system then uses your answers to suggest compatible matches.
And if eHarmony’s claimed numbers are correct, members are clearly pleased with their matches.
Generally, eHarmony attracts educated, ambitious young professionals who, whilst not in a super hurry, are looking to find love. You’ll rarely find someone on here who’s looking for something casual, and this further helps users find exactly what they’re looking for. You can be sure there are no time wasters.
For example, most people who use the site take the time to really fill out their profile with lots of detail, which in turn helps them to attract someone who’s on their level. There are no distractions on the site either, such as chat rooms, forums, or videos. This is simply a place where people come to find their life partner.
Rating:
5/5 Stars
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Match.com is one of the world’s oldest and most trustworthy online dating sites. It’s a premium site that’s good for both short and long-term dating, and it’s ideal for anyone who’s aged anywhere between 20 and 50+.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $35/month
- 3 months – $25/month
- 6 months – $15/month
Why do we like it?
Match continues to attract millions of new members around the world each year, many of whom are perhaps tempted by the site’s guarantee whereby if you don’t find your perfect partner within the first six months, Match will give you the next six months entirely free.
It’s a pretty good deal that drives home Match’s commitment to help people find exactly what they’re looking for. And, usually, that’s a long-term, committed relationship. To that end, each new member must submit their current relationship status. For example, if they were divorced, separated, or never married. You can’t say that you’re currently in an open relationship as Match doesn’t encourage this sort of thing.
Another reason it works so well is its profile builder. One thing many online daters hate is having to create a new profile and add lines to their “About Me” section. It can be tricky if you’ve never used online dating before. But Match makes the whole easy with their profile builder that helps you build your profile step-by-step. By the time you’re finished, you should have a profile that was a) easy to create and b) which helps you stand out in the search results.
You can search for users using the “Discover” feature, which lets you tweak various filters, such as gender, age, interests, location, and so on. You can also use the “Matches” tab, which is where Match displays suggested profiles to you. If someone likes you, you’ll be instantly notified, but if you want to check your messages (as well as send messages of your own), you will need to upgrade your account.
Rating:
5/5 Stars
Elite Singles is a niche premium dating site that’s aimed at professional, well-educated singles who are looking for something long-term. Most of the members are university educated, and it’s ideal if you have an academic background yourself and would love to meet someone who’s equally ambitious.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 3 months – $45/month
- 6 months – $25/month
- 12 months – $23/month
Why do we like it?
Elite Singles is largely made up of 30+ singles who many of us would consider “elite”. That is, they have a degree, they’ve nailed down a good career, and now they’re looking for love.
The site claims that more than 65,000 new members join each week, but it’s not just the fact that intellectuals can meet fellow intellectuals that Elite Singles works. It’s also down to its matchmaking system.
Here’s how it works: When you first sign up, you must take a personality survey that covers numerous aspects of your character and what you want from a relationship and life itself. Then, Elite Singles takes your information, feeds it into its algorithm, and then displays suitable matches based on your answers.
It’s designed to save time for busy individuals who otherwise find it hard to take the time to go dating. Instead of wading through thousands of profiles each day, you can just take a look at your matches. If there’s someone you like the look of, you then need to upgrade your account in order to send and receive messages.
Most of the profiles are super detailed, with most (if not all) taking the site seriously in their pursuit of romance.
Rating:
4/5 Stars
Plenty of Fish (otherwise known as POF) is one of the world’s oldest online dating sites. It’s completely free to send and receive messages and is used by people who are looking for casual dating, as well as people who are looking for something more serious.
What It Costs?
- Free to send and receive messages.
Why do we like it?
One of the problems with free dating sites is that they attract time-wasters – singles who are using the site out of boredom, and who probably won’t go on a date with you.
POF attracts these types of people, too, but the beauty of POF is that it’s so high traffic that anyone can find what they’re looking for if they have a bit of patience. The site is home to more than 90,000,000 users at the time of writing, with POF claiming that there are 3,600,000 logins each day. That’s a lot!
Moreover, POF works as both a matchmaking service and a dating site. Before your profile is fully launched, you must first complete a personality questionnaire. POF then uses your answers to display suitable matches for you.
Alternatively, you can also use the search function to find someone you’d like to chat with. This function is super easy to use, and you can tweak the filters according to location and age. Everyone who creates an account must upload at least one photo and create a headline for their profile, too, and you can read this headline before clicking on someone’s profile. It’s a pretty cool way to help you standout in the search results.
POF requires everyone to write a minimum of 100+ characters in their profile, but many profiles aren’t very detailed. However, users can list their interests, which can help to attract more suitable matches.
All in all, POF is great to use as a free dating site. While it does require some patience, its usability and popularity make it one of the standout choices.
Rating:
4.5/5 Stars
Tinder was the original “swipe app” which was originally marketed as a hookup app. Today, it’s seen more of a dating app that’s used by those who are looking for something shorter-term, as well as those who are looking for something longer-term.
What It Costs?
- Free to send and receive messages
- Extras, such as Tinder Gold, vary in price
Why do we like it?
Tinder’s surge in popularity after it was first launched was astounding. Even today it boasts millions of logins per day.
Part of its popularity is down to its simplicity. There are no lengthy personality surveys to fill out when you first sign up, and you don’t even need to write anything in your profile if you don’t want to. Instead, you could just upload some pics and link your Spotify and Instagram accounts, and you’re then free to start swiping.
The “swipe” premise is also part of its charm. Tinder doesn’t have a search feature, but instead queues up profiles in your specified radius (as well as according to your preferred age group). You then have to swipe right or left on each profile. If you like someone who likes you back, the two of you are a match. You can then (and only then) start a conversation.
Tinder also lets you connect your Instagram and Snapchat accounts, a feature that’s super popular with younger users. And if you matched with someone by mistake, you can quickly delete them. It’s the same if you’re not getting along with your match – you can just delete them and move on.
Rating:
4.5/5 Stars
Bumble is similar to Tinder in that it’s a swipe app where you swipe right or left on different profiles according to whether or not you fancy someone. The crucial difference is that only girls can send the first message.
What It Costs?
- Free to send and receive messages
- Extra perks, such as the ability to see who’s liked you, cost a bit more
Why do we like it?
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One of the reasons Bumble works so well is because only women can send the first message. It’s ideal for women (and men) who are fed up with certain men giving online dating a bad rep by harassing women on these apps. On Bumble, if a woman isn’t keen on a guy, she just won’t message him. And she won’t have to deal with him sending her constant messages either!
Like Tinder, it’s free to send and receive messages, and like Tinder, you can only send messages to people you’ve matched with. It works almost the same except Bumble is marketed as a safer space for women, and it can also be used to find new friends and meet new people in a city you’re going to visit. For anyone who’s planning to travel anywhere soon, Bumble is perhaps the best app for meeting someone new.
There’s also a Bumble Bizz version, which professionals can use to arrange coffee dates with potential employees or work partners. It’s this kind of thing that makes Bumble appealing to millennials, as well as the new way of doing things.
Rating:
4.7/5 Stars
Silver Singles is a dating site aimed at those who are aged over 50+. Younger people are free to join, too, but it’s more for those who are widowed, divorced or separated who are looking for another shot at love.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 3 months – $28/month
- 6 months – $18/month
- 12 months – $16/month
Why do we like it?
There are a few senior dating sites similar to Silver Singles, but Silver Singles is one of the standout choices. It boasts more than 50,000 new members each week, and the site claims to successfully match at least 200 new couples each month.
How does it manage this?
It uses a sophisticated matchmaking algorithm. To make the algorithm work, each new member must complete a mandatory personality test. It then takes your answers and uses them to suggest compatible matches.
The algorithm is typically successful with its matches, and it ensures that members don’t have to spend forever trying to find their love ever-after.
Another reason Silver Singles works so well is because it attracts genuine people who are serious about finding love. 80% of people who sign up are university educated and none of them are looking for something casual. This means if you’re 50+ and want some romance back in your life, you can find it here.
The site is also really easy to use, there’s a search function alongside the matchmaking service, and instant chat is also available for when you want to send quick-fire messages to people.
Rating:
4.2/5 Stars
Hinge is a dating site whose tagline is “designed to be deleted.” In other words, it’s a dating app for serious daters who want to find someone to settle down with.
What It Costs?
- Free to send and receive messages
- You will need to pay extra for perks such as the ability to see who’s liked you
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Why do we like it?
Hinge set about to take the best bits of Tinder while ignoring its worst bits. It’s therefore a swipe app, but the catch is that it’s also a matchmaking service.
This means that, whilst you can swipe left and right on potential matches who are queued up for you, you don’t need to waste your whole evening swiping endlessly. This is because Hinge also curates daily matches for you based on your profile and your behavior on the app.
Moreover, you don’t need to spend too much time filling out a lengthy profile. Instead, Hinge offers a series of prompts – such as “last Netflix boxset I binged on” – that you can answer. Your answers will then be displayed in your profile, which other users can respond to. It’s a great way of starting a conversation.
And if you like someone, you just need to like one of their photos. If they like you back, you’re a match and can start chatting.
Overall, Hinge is as simple as Tinder but with a few extra bells and whistles on top to help those looking for something longer-term find someone genuine.
Rating:
4/5 Stars
Coffee Meets Bagel is one of the freshest dating sites that was launched in 2012 by three sisters. It’s not the most high-traffic dating site around, but its ethos is that quality will always pay over quantity.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $38/month
- 6 months – $22/month
Why do we like it?
If you’re fed up of being overwhelmed by high-traffic apps like Tinder, where everyone tries to match with you (and, worse still, everyone is unsuitable), Coffee Meets Bagel is here to save the day.
It works like this: Men will receive a series of matches each day (known as “bagels”) who they must either say Yes or No to within 24 hours.
Women are then given 6 possible matches using the information given to the app by the men who have expressed an interest in them. In other words, if 18 men “liked” a woman’s photo over the last 24 hours, Coffee Meets Bagel selects the top 6 most suitable to display to the woman.
It’s then up to the women to decide which of the 6 they want to start chatting to.
The idea is that Coffee Meets Bagel improves the quality of your matches based on things like common interests, as well as location.
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Does it work?
Whilst Coffee Meets Bagel has one or two flaws, the fact that it makes people wait around 24 hours before they know whether or not they’ve matched with someone can actually be a real blessing. For one thing, it’s an improvement on the quick-fire swiping culture of Tinder where instant gratification is the name of the day. For another, it ensures people take a laid back approach to online dating so that they take the time to build genuine relationships rather than rushing into things.
Rating:
4/5 Stars
Zoosk is a dating site that’s aimed at those looking for something short-term, as well as those looking for something longer-term. It was recently given a revamp and now looks better than ever before, boasting a user layout that makes it intuitive and easy to use, as well as a matchmaking technology that helps you find someone on your level.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $35/month
- 3 months – $25/month
- 6 months – $20/month
Why do we like it?
Zoosk claims to be home to around 40,000,000 members at the time of writing, with many of those members active each week. The site has been around for just over a decade, and one of the reasons for its popularity is its matchmaking technology known as Smart Pick.
Unlike other matchmaking tech, Smart Pick doesn’t require you to fill out a lengthy personality test. Instead, it uses your on-site behavior to learn more about you, before recommending you suitable matches.
It’s a unique way of doing things that are proven to be a huge success with Zoosk members. As well as the Smart Picks feature, there’s also a search function that you can tweak according to what you’re looking for, and there’s a chatroom where you can freely chat with other people. However, you do need to upgrade your account to send and receive messages.
Another thing we like about Zoosk is how easy it is to use. The site is stuffed with lots of special features, such as a Super Send which lets you send flirty messages to different people at the same time, but nothing about Zoosk is complicated. The sign-up process is a breeze that should take no longer than five minutes, and we think it’s one of the best sites around for short and long-term dating.
Rating:
4.5/5 Stars
AdultFriendFinder is an adult dating site that’s ideal for those who are looking for something casual, whether that be a hookup, an orgy, or a swinger’s party. As well as a dating site, it also works as an adult movie site that offers a selection of movies and live webcam shows.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $26/month
- 3 months – $18/month
- 12 months – $15/month
Why do we like it?
AdultFriendFinder is the number one adult dating site. It’s used by more than 80,000,000 people around the world, many of whom are looking for ways to add more spice to their sex life.
One of the reasons it works so well is because it lets you get straight to the point. The homepage is filled with profiles (many of which contain graphic content), and you just need to click on someone you like the look of before shooting them a message.
And because mostly everyone is looking for something casual, it shouldn’t be too long before you pair off with someone.
The advanced search filters make it super easy to find what you want, the registration process is quick and easy, and there’s no need for small talk. And whenever you’re bored or waiting for someone to reply to your message, you can pop into the chatrooms or take advantage of some of the many special features that are on offers, such as the live webcam shows or even the Sex Academy. You can also enter in photo and video contests.
Rating:
4.4/5 Stars
Happn is a geo-location dating site that aims to achieve the impossible: It seeks to match you with people you’ve already met.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $24
Why do we like it?
Happn certainly has a unique concept. And whilst it might sound impossible for a dating app to pair you up with someone you’ve already met, it’s theoretically possible.
Here’s how it works: You provide your preferences and location, and the app tracks where you’ve been to present you with possible matches you’ve already crossed paths with in person. For example, you might match with someone who was in the same bar as you ten minutes ago.
Other than that, it kinda works like in Tinder in that there is no search function and your potential matches are displayed in a queue for you to say Yes or No to. Only when someone has said Yes to you, too, can you message them.
You can also send “likes” to people to speed up the process.
Happn works really well precisely because it’s an app you can use on the go. If you’re planning to spend a whole day in a city and want to meet someone that day or night, it’s perhaps the perfect app.
Rating:
4.2/5 Stars
HER is a lesbian dating app that’s aimed at queer and bisexual women. It’s free to send and receive messages, and it’s been around since 2013 when it was originally known as Dattch.
What It Costs?
- Free version – Yes
- 1 month – $16 per month
- 6 months – $15 per month
- 12 months – $10 per month
Why do we like it?
Not just a mere hookup app, HER wants to help people make genuine, long-term connections with people in their communities. It’s used by around 1,000,000 people in the U.S. alone, but you must have either an Instagram or a Facebook account to sign up (the app grabs your social media pics).
The sign-up process is really simple, but while it’s free to send and receive messages, free messages can only be sent to mutual matches. To search for other users, you must upgrade your account.
HER has proven to be very popular – thanks to its special features. These include Meet, which queues potential matches up for you in a similar way to Tinder; Feed, which lets you interact with different members in a similar way to Facebook; and Events, which displays lesbian events in your vicinity.
All in all, it’s an ideal app for lesbians who want to make new mates and go on dates.
These are the best dating sites around at the moment. The next step is to decide which one sounds right for you in terms of what it offers and what kind of dating it’s aimed at, before creating an account and taking a closer look.
Whichever site you decide on, I wish you the very best of luck in your endeavor to find what you’re looking for!