The Best Dating Applications All the Time

Dating apps kind of suck just ask anyone who’s ever used one but in an age increasingly dominated by screens, both large and small, there’s no better way to complement your quest for love.

Raya

When it comes to dating apps, Raya stands out from the pack. The members-only site caters specifically to those in creative industries, and it’s as much for dating as it is networking.

If you want to join Raya, be prepared to do a little legwork. After downloading the app, you need to complete an application and have a referral from a current member. Your application is then assessed by certain algorithmic values before being evaluated by an anonymous committee. The entire process can take anywhere from several weeks from several months, and once you’re approved there’s also a monthly membership fee of $8.

Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish (POF) is one of the oldest dating services out there, and it’s certainly the biggest, after hitting 90 million users in May 2017. With that many users, you’re more likely to find matches quicker as Plenty of Fish likes to point out, saying that users are 2.7 times more likely to be matched in their first 24 hours.

That sort of massive following is a selling point in itself, but Plenty of Fish has more going for it than just pure size. It’s something of a lite version of other dating apps, and includes Tinder’s swiping mechanics, and a Happn style ability to see matches near to you. It does have its own little twists on the formula POF’s Spark system allows users to quote any part of their amour’s profile, making icebreakers that much easier.

The League

Looking for that Ivy League grad who works in finance? Well, The League may be the perfect dating app for you. It bills itself as a dating service for the ambitious and well-educated crowd.

Like Raya, joining The League can take a bit of effort. You need to set up a profile and allow the app to access your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. The League uses these networks to verify your information and to make sure colleagues do not see your account. After you complete your application, The League will verify your eligibility, and you will either be accepted on the spot (rare), rejected (common), or wait-listed. If wait-listed, it can take several hours to several months to become a full-fledged member.

Happn

How often do you cross paths with the love of your life before you actually meet them? Maybe you smile at your crush every day when you get your morning coffee, but you can’t build up the courage to talk? If so, Happn could be for you. It’s a dating app that shows the profiles of other singles and pinpoints the last place and time you were near to each other. All your prospective matches are people you’ve crossed paths with, so you’re always starting out with something in common.

You can like people secretly, and they won’t find out unless they like you, too. If you’re comfortable being bolder, then you can tap the Charm button to let them know you’re interested. However, Charms cost coins which you’ll have to buy with real cash via in app purchases. When you get a match which Happn calls a Crush you can start chatting with each other.

Quiz Date Live

Dating apps generally try to give themselves a gimmick to differentiate themselves from the competition, but few have gone as far as Quiz Date Live. Essentially a cross between The Bachelorette and HQ Trivia, Quiz Date Live moonlights as a dating show within an app, as suitors compete to win a date with one particular lucky lady, the featured dater.

The format is simple. Each featured dater takes part in a question-and-answer livestream on the first night, where they introduce themselves and take questions from the viewing contestants. The next night sees the games begin, and the contestants are asked a series of multiple choice questions about the night before. Players who get all the questions right go on to the next round, where they’re asked a number of questions by the featured dater who then narrows the field down to three contestants, based on their answers. Those final three choices then get the chance to impress their prospective date via live video by doing whatever it is they do best whether that’s by busting some killer dance moves, telling jokes, or some other talent. The pair will then go on a date paid for by Quiz Date Live, which can range from hit Broadway shows, Michelin-star dining experiences, helicopter rides over Manhattan, or other luxurious dates.

Bumble

Bumble looks eerily similar to Tinder, but functions a tad differently. The big catch with Bumble is that when opposite genders match, the woman must message the guy first and she has 24 hours to do so. Guys can extend matches for 24 hours, if they’re really hoping to hear from a woman, as can ladies, if they want to initiate something with a match but just haven’t had the time during the first day. For same gender matches, either person can initiate the conversation first.

Profiles are concise and settings are also pared down, like with Tinder, but swiping up allows you to scroll through additional photos instead of super-liking someone. This means that just because someone twitched their thumb up on your photo, you won’t have to see their profile first every time you open the app, even though you swipe left on their profile every time.

Match

There was no way we could discuss the best dating apps without mentioning the granddaddy of them all. Match was at the top of the dating game long before apps existed, and its experience shows. You don’t have to log into the app via Facebook though you will have to go through a signup process that requires you to add a few photos, answer some questions about your gender and preferences, and create a username and password.


The Match iteration of flirting is sending someone a wink, and you can search through the Match database to find winkable people. The service will also provide you with personalized matches on a daily basis, which take your interests into consideration. There’s also a personalized dating coach, that sends recommendations of people who match your desires. To really make the most of Match, however, you’re going to need a subscription, which can get a little pricey the cheapest option currently available will run you $21 a month for six months. A premium subscription does allow you to see who’s recently looked at your profile and who has liked your pictures, though, and includes a host of other features.

Hinge

Hinge is kind of like Tinder. OK, it’s a lot like Tinder but with a few key differences that make it better. Interface wise, it looks like Tinder’s younger sister. But function wise, it relies more on your Facebook friends to make connections for you. Hinge connects you through friends of friends of friends and shows you not just the people you have in common, but all the interests you have in common. It does this by having you answer a bunch of questions through a Tinder like interface. Have you been to Berlin? Swipe right. Don’t play croquet? Swipe left. This makes answering questions far easier and less time consuming, not to mention more fun. The questions themselves aren’t as asinine as those in some other dating apps, and give you a better sense of someone than 500 characters might.

Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel does require logging in through your Facebook in order to create a profile. Once you’ve set up your profile and input your preferences, it will send you a few bagels a day the profile of a potential match. You then have 24 hours to decide whether you want to like or pass on your bagel. If you like your bagel and they have also liked you, you’ll connect, meaning that you’ll be able to message one another in a private chat. That chat room expires after eight days, regardless of whether you’ve talked with your bagel or not. You can also earn beans that allow for extra app functions, either by purchasing them outright, recommending the app to your friends, or logging in on consecutive days.

Okcupid

OkCupid is another one of the biggest names in the dating biz. After creating a username, you’ll start filling out a very long profile, to which you can link to your Instagram account. You can answer questions, giving both your answer and what you’d like your potential match’s answer to be this creates a percentile score for users that reflects compatibility. You can also choose to make your answers public and note how important they are to you.

All options, including those for accessing the settings and viewing profiles, are located in a slide-out menu. Tap the matches option to browse, which, oddly, does not show you the people you’ve matched with but rather the people you could potentially match with. If that interface is too chaotic for you, tap the quick-match option, which restricts the results to photos only. You can like people or message them in a similar fashion to Tinder, but messaging is your better bet: Users can see who has liked them only if they have upgraded to A list status.

Tinder

Tinder is one of the most famous dating apps out there, and the obvious first choice on our list of the best dating apps. As successful as it is at forming long distance relationships and successful marriages, Tinder has long been accused of changing dating into some form of hookup game. But it’s the king of the dating hill for a reason and the first port of call for many daters.

The Tinder app no longer requires you to have a Facebook account, but you do have to be older than 18. Once enabled, you can set up a concise profile that consists of a 500 character bio and up to six images (we suggest always including a photo). You can also link Tinder to your Instagram account and include info about your employer or school. Discovery settings allow other users to find you if desired and set a few preferences regarding who you see. Then the real fun begins.