There are numerous free dating sites and apps available, but which one is right for you?
If you’re tired of endless swiping with no results, you’ve come to the right place.
Check out our list of the best dating apps below, so you can stop wishing for love and find it right at your fingertips.
While there are options to pay for upgrades, these are the 14 best dating apps you can download and use for free:
Tinder
Best for: Casual hookups and relationships. Pros: Tinder is one of the most popular dating apps, making it easy to find users even in rural areas. You can also use Tinder online via their website. Cons: It’s easy to accidentally swipe the wrong way, especially with ‘Super Likes’ (where the other person gets notified). Top tip: Avoid typical Tinder clichés in your bio. Be original and keep it light.
Paid-for features on Tinder:
- Tinder Plus: Undo your last swipe, match with people worldwide, unlimited likes, go incognito, and hide ads.
- Tinder Gold: Includes all Plus features, see who liked you, get five Super Likes per week, one monthly Boost, and new Top Picks each day.
- Tinder Platinum: All features from free, Plus, and Gold versions, plus message before matching, send prioritized likes, and see your sent likes over the past week.
Bumble
Best for: Casual hookups, relationships, work contacts, and new friends. Pros: Women make the first move in opposite-sex matches. The first messages need to be sent within a time limit, encouraging faster-paced chats. Bumble Bizz and BFF settings can help find jobs and new friends. Cons: You need to be active often to keep up with the time limits for sending messages and replies. Top tip: For users aged 18-22, the best time to use Bumble’s Date setting is between 7-10pm.
Paid-for features on Bumble:
- Bumble Boost: Use five SuperSwipes a week, extend matches, unlimited swipes, backtrack, and use Bumble Spotlight once a week.
- Bumble Premium: All Boost features, plus unlimited Advanced filters, see who liked you, rematch with people, use travel mode, and incognito mode.
Grindr
Best for: Casual hookups and dates with gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people. Pros: Grindr is the largest social networking app for its target audience. Easily find local dates and hookups. Cons: Known for risqué chats and image sharing, which might not be for everyone. Top tip: Don’t rush into sharing your location. Ask for their Instagram and phone number first, or meet in public to ensure their identity.
Paid-for features on Grindr:
- Grindr XTRA: Get read receipts, view up to 600 profiles, explore mode, save chat phrases, send five expiring photos daily, access premium album features, use Grindr Web, unlock XTRA filters, and remove third-party ads.
- Grindr Unlimited: Includes XTRA features, plus view unlimited profiles, see who’s viewed your profile, see who chatted with you, typing statuses, and unlimited expiring photos.
HER
Best for: Dates, relationships, and friendships with lesbian, bisexual, and queer people. Pros: HER is a major free dating app for LGBTQ+ women, emphasizing equality, inclusivity, and empowerment. Cons: To filter by gender identity, sexual identity, and relationship status, you’ll need to pay for premium settings. Top tip: Use HER to make friends as well as for dating.
Paid-for features on HER:
- HER Premium Gold: Advanced filters, rewind profiles, change location, incognito mode, see who liked you, and remove ads.
- HER Premium Platinum: All Gold features, plus unlimited swipes, one monthly thirst mode credit, see who’s online, who liked you, read receipts, and who’s nearby.
Hinge
Best for: Relationships based on individual preferences. Pros: Hinge’s algorithm suggests ‘Most Compatible’ people for you. Cons: Each like notifies the other person, making it feel more daunting than Tinder. Top tip: Complete your profile fully to maximize browsing and matching opportunities.
Paid-for features on Hinge:
- Hinge+: Unlimited likes, see all who like you, sort likes, improve preferences, and discover people in more ways.
- HingeX: Includes Hinge+ features, plus enhanced recommendations, skip the line, and send priority likes.
Match
Best for: Long-term relationships. Pros: Match is a well-established site for starting serious relationships. Cons: Free to register, but you need a paid subscription to read and send messages, unless a user has the Connect subscription. Top tip: Try Match for free before subscribing to gauge if it’s right for you.
Paid-for features on Match:
- Match Paid Subscription: Unlocks key features like messaging other users.
- Select Upgrade: Read receipts and control who can contact you.
- Connect Upgrade: Allows anyone (even without a subscription) to reply to you.
Thursday
Best for: Dates on Thursdays. Pros: Only match and chat on Thursdays, with messages deleted at midnight. Check out their weekly in-person events. Cons: Limited time to chat before messages disappear. Top tip: Thursday events are great for meeting people in person. Check the app for events near you.
Paid-for features on Thursday:
- Thursday Premium Membership: Unlimited likes, get boosted, five Love Keys (to unlock matches), and ghost mode.
Happn
Best for: Dates with people you’ve crossed paths with. Pros: Shows profiles of people you’ve walked past, making it easier to arrange dates if you live or work nearby. Cons: Harder to meet someone in rural areas. Top tip: Your precise location isn’t visible to others. After crossing paths, you’ll see your location, not theirs.
Paid-for features on Happn:
- Happn Premium Subscription: See who liked you, use search filters, and purchase Boosts.
eharmony
Best for: Love based on compatibility. Pros: Offers free features like a compatibility test. Unlimited matches and interaction options. Cons: Full access requires a paid subscription. Top tip: Check their website for date ideas in various UK cities.
Paid-for features on eharmony:
- eharmony Premium Membership: Unlimited messages, matches, all communication tools, see matches’ photos, and enhanced search features.
Feeld
Best for: Dates with curious and open-minded singles and couples. Pros: Inclusive, with over 20 sexual and gender identity options. Find couples or singles exploring kinks, ethical non-monogamy, and alternative relationships. Cons: Some users find the app buggy. Top tip: Check the ‘Experiences’ section for upcoming events.
Paid-for features on Feeld:
- Feeld Majestic Membership: Unlimited likes, see who liked you, and one free Ping a day.
Plenty of Fish (POF)
Best for: Dates based on a character test. Pros: One of the oldest and biggest dating sites. Detailed registration for better matches. Cons: Character test slows sign-up process. Top tip: Avoid unpopular photo types like bathroom selfies and heavily edited pics to quickly get chatting with someone great.
Paid-for features on POF:
- POF Plus: Upload up to 16 images, read receipts, see member details, unlimited likes, see new members, and remove ads.
- POF Premium: All Plus features, additional first contacts, search by username, and see all who liked you.
Badoo
Best for: Casual hookups, relationships, and new friends. Pros: Video call matches for less messaging time. Cons: Work or education info changes need to be made on Facebook first. Top tip: Check safety tips on Badoo’s site, like asking for recent photos before meeting offline.
Paid-for features on Badoo:
- Badoo Premium: See who liked you, undo last votes, chat with popular users, Invisible Mode, be the first to contact new users, highlight messages, use stickers, and remove ads.
Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB)
Best for: Relationships based on the app’s suggested matches. Pros: Algorithm suggests compatible ‘bagels’ daily. Cons: Missing daily bagels means missed opportunities. Top tip: Respond with a pass to help the algorithm suggest better matches.
Paid-for features on CMB:
- CMB Premium Subscription: Activity reports on bagels, unlimited rewinds, unlimited suggestions, monthly profile boost, eight ‘flowers’ a month, premium preferences, read receipts, and see all your likes.
Meetup
Best for: New friends and potential dates. Pros: Great for meeting like-minded people through groups and events. Not strictly a dating app but good for finding people with similar interests. Cons: Many users are just looking for friends. Top tip: Look for dating-focused events like speed dating on Meetup.
Now you have a variety of options to explore, making it easier to find the perfect match for you!