Best dating apps for meeting new people in 2024

If you're hesitant to put yourself out there this summer, you're not alone. One random survey of 2,000 Americans in 2023 found that 37% of adults are going on fewer dates due to things like high expenses. If you're interested in meeting new people online but overwhelmed by too many options or bad app experiences of the past, consider reading up on the best dating apps out there right now -- you may just find the perfect place to start. 

Dating apps make it easy for people of any age to meet new people and make meaningful connections without all the stress, time, and money that can come with bad matches, blind dates or awkward social functions. The best dating apps are ones that eventually get deleted from your phone -- but before you get to your "happily ever after," you have to find the right app for you.

Do you steer clear of paid apps or look for premium subscriptions with extra features? Are some apps better for the LGBTQIA+ community? Are you looking for certain shared interests or beliefs? Zeroing in on the perfect online dating site to you can be a challenge. To help you make that first move confidently, we outline the top dating apps of 2024 and why you should sign up below.

What is the best dating app in 2024?

If you're ready to put your best foot forward into the world of online dating, these are the apps you should consider putting on your phone. 

• Best overall dating app: Hinge
• Best for long-term dating: eHarmony
  
• Best for older adults: SilverSingles
• Best free dating app: OKCupid
• Best for promising connections: Bumble
• Best video dating: Match

From classic mainstays to newer dating apps, here is everything you need to know about the top five dating apps of 2024.

Best modern dating app overall: Hinge

When it comes to finding long-term (or short-term, live your life) love, Hinge has really climbed to the top of our list in recent years. Hinge doesn't disclose how many people use the mobile app to find connections, but according to one 2022 survey, 39% of adults aged 18 to 29 used it at least once.

Hinge stands out from the crowd by being more than just a swipe-based app. Users reach out using likes and comments instead, which can lead to more meaningful connections since this forces users to be more deliberate and thoughtful when sending someone a like. 

Thanks to Hinge's growing popularity, it's becoming increasingly easy for gay, lesbian, and nonbinary users to find like-minded or open-minded individuals. Since Hinge is more of a relationship-oriented app; for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, it can offer a refreshing alternative to more casual apps such as Tinder or Grindr.

Hinge is free to use, but users can unlock additional features, such as unlimited likes, with a premium account, which costs between $33 and $50 per month.

Pros: 

• Detailed profile options that let users stand out such as personal details and dating intention information.
• An award-winning algorithm (Nobel-prize-winning Gale Shapley algorithm) is used to help users find potential matches.
• Hinge's popularity and status as a relationship-oriented dating app makes this a great pick for anyone interested in something more long term, regardless of gender identity or sexual preference. 
• Voice prompts, video prompts, and prompt polls give users plenty of room to express themselves. 
• Likes and comments can lead to more meaningful connections than other swipe-based mobile apps.

Cons: 

• Features like weekly "roses" ("super likes" by another name) can feel a bit tacky.
• Some potential matches are walled off as "standout profiles" and can only be reached with a rose, which can feel like a limiting factor for some users.
  
• Premium accounts (Hinge Plus and Hinge X) are expensive.

Best for long-term dating: eHarmony

Going strong since its launch in 2000, eHarmony is a mainstay in the world of dating apps thanks to its comprehensive approach to bringing people together. 

If you don't like filling out a detailed profile, maybe check out other mobile apps on our list first, because eHarmony starts users off with a compatibility quiz full of 80 questions. These help clarify details such as user likes and dislikes, communication styles, and what an ideal match might look like. 

Users are then scored on their quiz results, with these numbers determining other potential matches. Find someone with a high enough compatibility score and you may be in luck.

Until recently, eHarmony had limited options for LGBTQIA+ users interested in online dating. But in 2023, after consulting with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, eHarmony rolled out a big update with new inclusivity features. These included an expanded list of gender identities such as agender, bigender, genderfluid, transgender, nonbinary and more. There is also now the option to select whether you're interested in dating people who identify as men, women or nonbinary.

A basic eHarmony membership is free, but premium memberships are available: premium light six-month plan ($66 per month), premium plus 12-month plan ($46 per month), and premium extra 24-month plan ($36 per month). Since you're paying for at least six months of premium features at a time, we recommend getting started with a free membership before determining whether a premium account is right for you.

Pros: 

• eHarmony's detailed approach to matchmaking, including the 80-question compatibility quiz and scoring system, can be great for those who know what they want and are ready for long-term commitment.
• According to eHarmony, users find love on its app every 14 minutes, which at the very least indicates users will have options once they sign up.

Cons:

• Pricing information can be confusing. Users aren't informed about eHarmony's tiered premium plan setup until after making an account and completing the compatibility quiz.
• Although there are relatively new inclusivity features for a more positive LGBTQIA+ dating experience, user feedback suggests that eHarmony is still very limited for gay, lesbian, and nonbinary users due to an outdated matching algorithm and majority heterosexual user base. 
• Some notable features, like being able to see all of another user's photos, are locked behind the premium paywall.
• Canceling your eHarmony account could be easier -- users have to reach out to customer care from the eHarmony website to start the process.

Best for older adults: SilverSingles

Available in 25 countries and designed for people ages 50 and older, SilverSingles is a great senior-friendly dating app. This can make it easier to meet compatible people in your area (and age range). 

Matches are made based on personality tests that users fill out when signing up. Personality tests are required when you make an account, so no worries about matching with incomplete or blank profiles. Users are also prompted to select a gender and the gender(s) they are interested in for a potential partner. 

Free users can see potential matches, as well as send "smiles" or "likes" to anyone they're interested in. A premium SilverSingles membership, which starts at $25 per month (for a 12-month subscription; prices go up for shorter subscription lengths), offers features like comprehensive personality test results, unlimited messaging, and read receipts.

Pros:

• An exclusive focus on users ages 50 and up makes this a senior-friendly dating app that's easy to use.
  
• Up to seven compatible matches recommended to users per day.

Cons:

• Users can't browse or search for matches on their own and instead must rely on the app's daily recommendations. 
• Retaking the personality test requires reaching out to customer service.
• While there is inclusivity for gay and lesbian users, SilverSingles offers limited options for LGBTQIA+ users that fall outside of the category of "man/woman seeking man/woman."

Best free dating app: OKCupid

If you want a quality mobile app that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to use all of the best features, we recommend OKCupid. Users can create an account, upload photos, and send messages to potential matches with a free account (other users will have to swipe right on your profile as well to read your message, however). 

While not specifically geared towards the LGBTQIA+ population, OKCupid does have more inclusive features than many other apps. OKCupid was the first dating app to let users list their personal pronouns, for example, plus there are more than 20 gender identities one can select when building their profile. 

Offering users a match score and questionnaire similar to eHarmony's compatibility quiz (although less time-consuming), OKCupid uses user info to find potential matches. OKCupid is also a great dating app for inclusivity: the mobile app lets users choose from 13 sexual orientations and 22 gender identities.

OKCupid has a free tier as well as several paid subscriptions: OKCupid basic ($30 per month), premium ($40 per month), and incognito ($20 per month), the last of which lets you stay active while only showing up for other users who you've liked or messaged.

Pros: 

• Getting started with a free account is relatively quick and easy. 
• User-friendly mobile app and website.
• Various inclusivity features make OKCupid a good app for gay and lesbian users looking for a dating pool that doesn't solely cater to heterosexual relationships.
• Broader and more diverse dating pool than many other apps, which means transgender and nonbinary users might have better luck making meaningful connections through OKCupid.
• A great place for gender-nonconforming people or those with sexual orientations that fall outside of the norm for other, more traditional dating apps.

Cons: 

• Potential matches need to swipe right on your profile as well in order to read your messages.
• Subscriptions are automatically renewed unless canceled manually.

Best for promising connections: Bumble

If a traditional swipe-based app is more your speed, we recommend adding Bumble to your phone. This dating app is all about shaking things up a bit when it comes to what people expect from a dating app. 

One way Bumble goes about this is by offering more than just romantic connections. In addition to Bumble date, there are two other modes for interested users: Bumble BFF for making friendships and Bumble bizz for networking with potential professional connections. 

The other standout feature of Bumble is the way communication works. Up until very recently, women were required to make the first move on Bumble, which was meant to take away some of the concern women and female-presenting people may have on other dating apps where unsolicited messages can be a problem. 

On May 6, 2024, Bumble announced a new feature to cut back on some of the anxiety and uncertainty that came with the app's women-first approach to matchmaking. Opening moves is a new feature that gives women the option to set a question prompt that anyone can reply to. This new addition doesn't change the dynamics of Bumble too much -- opening moves aren't required -- but it's a welcome addition that can alleviate some matchmaking stress. This also extends to non-heterosexual dating as well: In nonbinary or same-gender matches, either party can set or respond to an opening move.

Bumble is free to use, but users also have the option of paying for Bumble premium ($35) and premium plus ($50) subscriptions for perks like unlimited swipes, a backtrack option, and access to other trending users (a premium plus exclusive).

Pros: 

• The "ladies first" approach to matchmaking can be refreshing for women looking for heterosexual romance who want the ability to pick and choose who they talk to.
• Bumble's new "opening moves" gives women the option to add a question prompt to their bios, which anyone can respond to when striking up a conversation. This optional feature takes some of the pressure away from women always needing to make the first move -- a win in our (little black) book.
• Bumble has full accessibility for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, where anyone can make the first move -- just be aware of that 24-hour timer.
• Additional features like audio and video calls can help people get to know one another more easily in those early days and weeks.

Cons: 

• Matches are lost if a message isn't sent within the first 24 hours of connecting with someone.
• Extra features like unlimited likes come with a hefty price point thanks to Bumble's not-terribly-budget-friendly premium plans. 
  

Best video dating: Match

One of the oldest dating sites around, Match has been bringing people together online since its launch in 1995. Setting up an account is super easy: no long quizzes or requirements to fill out every prompt before you can start matching with people (you can come back to add more prompts on your own time). 

Match also offers a few features that make connecting with new people online easier than ever, including a matching algorithm that connects people based on gender identity and sexual preference in addition to location. 

There is also a video chat feature that becomes available once you connect with someone. Additionally, users have access to Match-approved in-person events like hikes, food tours, and speed dating get-togethers. 

Like all of the best dating apps on our list, Match offers a free plan as well as two paid subscriptions: standard ($35 per month) and premium ($40 per month). 

Pros: 

• Unlimited likes for free users.
• More than 20 gender identities to choose from when you first sign up, making for a more inclusive dating experience overall. 
• Users have the right to cancel immediately at any time with no hassle.

Cons:

• Profiles may have limited or incomplete info since Match doesn't require you to fill everything out before matching with people.

How to choose the right dating app for you

When trying to decide on the right dating app to try out, think about what you're looking for in a match. Many apps like Tinder and Grindr offer big user bases, but they tend to be geared toward younger user bases, as well as more casual relationships. Alternatively, some apps are designed with senior daters in mind like SilverSingles.

It's also important to look at the demographics for different dating apps. According to Pew Research Center survey data from 2022, dating apps like eHarmony and Match have a decent sized user base ages 50 and over: 54% of Match users were 50 or older, while casual apps such as Tinder had user bases that skewed more towards younger audiences -- think 35 and under. 

Take our online dating survey to find the perfect dating app for you.

How we chose the best mobile dating sites of 2024

Everyone deserves to find what they're looking for in a serious relationship, so that's why we prioritized the following things when conducting our reviews for this list:

• User base: We focused on popular and well-established dating apps that have a decently sized user base of people of all ages.
• Accessibility: We prioritized user-friendly dating apps that are easy to use.
• LGBTQIA+ compatibility: Our list highlights only the most diverse and accommodating dating apps for gay, lesbian, trans and nonbinary users in addition to cisgender and heterosexual people.
• User feedback: All of our chosen dating apps hold a four-star rating or higher on their respective app stores from users just like you.