Find your perfect match with the best dating apps in 2024

You have more options than just Tinder and Bumble.

by Leah Stodart, Tabitha Britt

Sept. 11, 2024

Find your perfect match with the best dating apps in 2024

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

AdultFriendFinder

Best For Sex Positive Vibes

Find a sexting partner fast, no small talk or long website registration required.

Pros & Cons

Match

Best For If You've Outgrown Tinder

If you feel kind of creepy sexting on Tinder, match could be a better place for you.

Pros & Cons

eharmony

Best For A Long-Term Relationship

eharmony's in-depth compatibility quiz will help you find personalized matches who are ready for a committed relationship.

Pros & Cons

Tinder

Best For A Casual Relationship

The original swiping app, Tinder helps you find potential relationships or casual hookups.

Pros & Cons

Bumble

Best For Outgoing Women Or Shy Men

Women have to make the first move on Bumble and only have 24 hours to message a match.

Pros & Cons

Coffee Meets Bagel

Best For Setting Up Real Dates

Skip the constant inbox notifications with CMB's smaller user base and matches that the woman has already OK'd.

Pros & Cons

HER

Best For Queer Women

Avoid creeps and fetishization on this queer women-only app that aims to be a safe space and a matchmaker.

Pros & Cons

Grindr

Best For Queer Men

Putting "bi" in your profile might get you some hate here, but it's *the* place to meet experienced men.

Pros & Cons

Pure

Best For Attachment-free Sex

The least obnoxious (and most hipster) hookup app guarantees anonymous booty calls, but needs more people.

Pros & Cons

heybaby

Best For Single Or Future Parents

Serious, but fun dating for people who have or want kids without weighty questions killing the vibe.

Pros & Cons

Zoosk

A Dating Site to Avoid

Though great in theory, Zoosk isn't cheap and costs a ton, leaving much to be desired.

Pros & Cons

At one point in time, finding love was a much more difficult process. It required you to commit to "putting yourself out there," relying on good old-fashioned luck to find what you were looking for, whether it be true love or a quick fling. But nowadays, the dating scene is easier to get into thanks to the best dating apps.

People today are meeting their soul mates on dating apps — something that's becoming more and more common as society learns to navigate the ins and outs of online dating. A 2022 survey from the Pew Research Center found that out of nearly 6,000 respondents, one in 10 partnered adults (those who were married, in a long-term relationship, or living together) met through a dating app. For adults under 30 and members of the LGBTQ+ community, 20 to 24 percent found their partner on the apps.

A dating app for every desire

With so many dating apps out there, it's easy to feel confused or overwhelmed by the options. While Match Group (Tinder, Match, Archer, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and The League, among others) continues to dominate the market, you don't have to limit yourself to just one brand when looking for the best dating app.

There's a bit of an abundance of choice when it comes to settling on the best dating app for you, which can make an already tiring process that much harder. While Match Group (Tinder, Match, Archer, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and The League, among others) continues to dominate the online dating market, you don't have to limit yourself to just one brand when looking for the best dating app. We encourage you to expand your horizons while picking one out, and maybe test a few to figure out what you like and don't like (kind of like dating, we guess?).

For example, First Round’s On Me (FROME) is a newer app that's gained popularity for its date invitation feature. Choose a drink, date, time, and venue, and the app will send a personalized invitation to your potential match. Once a date is confirmed, it's locked into both users' calendars, and the in-app chat feature is activated 12 hours before the date.

Other apps like Pure cater to people open to ethical, non-monogamous relationships or threesomes. There really is something for everyone, including more traditional dating apps like eharmony, Facebook Dating (think Tinder Lite, for your grandma), and Christian Mingle that swap endless scrolling for compatibility quizzes and faith-based connections.

One alternative app that we did originally recommend but can't anymore, though, is Feeld. The company's Dec. 2023 rebrand brought with it a slew of bugs and, more importantly, some location-related safety concerns. Since then, we've heard additional rumblings about security. Until we have more information, we'd suggest avoiding it for the time being.

The best dating apps of 2024

After testing out each of the apps and putting them through their paces, we've narrowed them down to just the best dating apps of 2024. Through hands-on testing, customer reviews, availability (all are available on the App Store or Google Play), privacy, and overall user-friendliness, we feel confident that you'll find your perfect match among these recommendations.

AdultFriendFinder

Best For Sex Positive Vibes

The good

It doesn’t take long to dive right into chatting with someone Uses your sexual preferences to find compatible matches Extremely sex-positive community

The Bad

Might be too explicit for some It basically looks like a porn site Security and privacy features are questionable

The Bottomline

Looking for a sex-positive space to explore your fantasies? Check your inhibitions at the door — because AdultFriendFinder is packed with active users ready to get their sext on.

Specs

12 month Gold subscription: $179.40
12 months: $239.40
12 months of Gold: $179.40 ($14.95 per month)
Basic membership: Free
Basic version: Free
Free version: Yes
Monthly: £25.30/month
One month: $39.95
One month Gold subscription: $27.95
One month of Gold: $27.95
One months of Gold: $27.95
One year: $239.40 ($19.95 per month)
One year of Gold: $179.40 ($14.95 per month)
One-year plan: £11.37/month
Three month Gold subscription: $62.85
Three months: $80.85 ($26.95 per month)
Three months of Gold: $62.85 ($20.95 per month)
Three-month plan: £16.85/month

Read our full review of AdultFriendFinder.

Match

Best For If You've Outgrown Tinder

The good

Large user base Good for mature users

The Bad

Very pricey for a sexting app

The Bottomline

If you think you've hit an age limit with Tinder, match might be more comfortable, but you'll pay for it.

Specs

12 months of Premium: $239.88 ($19.99 per month)
12 months of Standard : $227.88 ($18.99 per month)
Free features: View matches and send and receive winks, but no messaging
Free version: Yes
Monthly: £29.99/month
One month of Standard: $44.99
One year: £16.39/month
One year of Premium: $239.88 ($19.99 per month)
One year of Standard: $227.88 ($18.99 per month)
Six months of Premium: $149.94 ($24.99 per month)
Six months: £18.74/month
Six months of Premium: $149.94 ($24.99 per month)
Six months of Standard: $137.94 ($22.99 per month)
Six-month plan: £9.99/month
Three months: £21.08/month
Three months of Premium: $104.97 ($34.99 per month)
Three months of Standard: $95.97 ($31.99 per month)
Three-month plan: £19.99/month

NOTE: Though not free, this site is great for long-term love. Dive deeper into our picks for the best dating sites for finding something serious by going here. Long-term relationships are the name of the game at Match. You can admit that it's kind of comforting that you've been seeing TV adverts about the success of Match for the past 20-some years. Launched in 1995, its decades in the business help Match bring a comforting level of experience to the table for singles wary about online dating. The OG site is so confident in the blueprint it's been perfecting over the years that it guarantees that you'll find someone in six months. If you don't, you get six months for free. Match continues to solidify its spot as a well-rounded choice for all ages because it refuses to get lost as an antiquated, corny dating site. Match has so many online daters in its arsenal (more than the population of New York City, in fact) that it's hard to avoid the notification onslaught even if you live in a less-populated area. However, it should slow down once the algorithm starts learning about your swiping behaviors. Most daters would like to believe that anyone paying £15 per month is genuinely looking for a seriously relationship, but Match has had its fair share of extreme catfishing. But they're working to make this better. In fact, Match is set to follow Tinder as the second Match Group app to utilise location-based emergency services via Noonlight as well as photo verification to authenticate users and ensure that they're the same person that's in their profile pictures.

eharmony

Best For A Long-Term Relationship

The good

High success rate Detailed compatibility quiz

The Bad

Prices fluctuate often Have to pay to message people Has had some issues in the past with being LGBTQ-friendly

The Bottomline

It will take you a minute to get started, but the lofty compatibility quiz will likely yield promising results.

Specs

12 months of Premium: $166.80 ($13.90 per month)
12 months of Premium Plus: $550.80 ($45.90 per month)
24 months of Premium: $861.60 ($35.90 per month)
24 months of Premium Extra: $861.60 ($35.90 per month)
Free features: 29-dimension personality quiz and reviewing matches, but no messaging
Free version: Yes
One month: £44.95/month
One year: £9.95/month
One year of Premium: $166.80 ($13.90 per month)
Premium Extra (24 month plan): $8.90 per month
Premium Light (6 month plan): $19.90 per month
Premium Plus (12 month plan): $13.90 per month
Six months: £18.95/months
Six months of Premium: $59.70 ($19.90 per month)
Six months of Premium Light: $395.40 ($65.90 per month)
Three months: £21.95/month
Two years of Premium: $213.60 ($8.90 per month)

NOTE: Though not free, this site is great for long-term love. Dive deeper into our picks for the best dating sites for finding something serious by going here. Ever see an advert for eharmony and wonder if a dating site that corny actually works? Weirdly enough, it does. As you might expect from a site that's all about settling down and getting married, the sign-up process is a doozy. eharmony uses a comprehensive questionnaire with 29 dimensions to match you with people based on your long-term compatibility. You'll rate yourself on prompts like "I'm an honest partner," with sliding scale responses. On paper, asking deep questions like these right off the bat makes total sense when pairing two people together — but they're so basic. Then again, eharmony promises to pay for three months if you're not satisfied after those three months, so they're clearly pretty confident that all of those questions work. Profiles also look really nice, like a fancy CV designed by a graphic designer. You even have the option to put your favourite TV shows, music, sports, and more on your profile. It should be noted that eharmony hasn't always felt like a welcoming place to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Following a 2010 lawsuit, their gay and lesbian spin-off site Compatibility Partners has been folded into eharmony's overall site, but users on Reddit as recently as 2019 say that it still seems geared more toward straight people.

Tinder

Best For A Casual Relationship

The good

Not just for hookups (but also good if you're looking for a hookup) Large user base Easy to use

The Bad

Might get unsolicited, vulgar messages No real matchmaking algorithm Paid plans more expensive for users over 30

The Bottomline

Tinder is more known for being a hookup app, but you can also find meaningful relationships through it.

Specs

12 months of Tinder Gold: $99.99 ($8.33 per month)
12 months of Tinder Platinum: $119.99 ($10 per month)
12 months of Tinder Plus: $31.99 ($2.67 per month)
Basic account: Free
Free version: Yes
Monthly: £7.94/month
One month of Gold: £4.99/month
One month of Tinder Gold: $36
One month of Tinder Platinum: $45
One month of Tinder Plus: $22.48
One month of Tinder+: $22.48
One months of Tinder Platinum: $45
One week of Tinder Gold: $18.99
One week of Tinder Platinum: $24.99
One week of Tinder Plus: $12.99
One week of Tinder+: $12.99
One year of Gold: £1.92/month
One year of Tinder Gold: $90 ($7.50 per month)
One year of Tinder Platinum: $108 ($9 per month)
One year of Tinder Plus: $31.99 ($2.67 per month)
One year of Tinder+: $54 ($4.50 per month)
One-year plan: £3.64/month
Six months of Gold: £2.50/month
Six months of Tinder Gold: $126 ($21 per month)
Six months of Tinder Platinum: $162 ($27 per month)
Six months of Tinder Plus: $90 ($15 per month)
Six months of Tinder+: $90 ($15 per month)
Six-month plan: £4.64/month
Tinder Gold: $29.99 per month
Tinder Platinum: $39.99 per month
Tinder Plus: $9.99 per month

Check out our full review of Tinder Platinum.

Tinder might seem like the last place to find a date if you're over 40. It's known for being a hookup app for younger people. But when I asked my Facebook friends about their favorite apps for dating in your 40s+, I had multiple people tell me they or their family members had success with Tinder and enjoyed using it. So, it is not hopeless as you might think!

Tinder is responsible for more than 43 billion matches in its lifetime. It's the OG swiping app, showing you profiles that you can either swipe right to like or left to pass. If you and another user both swipe right on each other, it's a match and you're free to message each other.

Profiles are pretty basic with just some photos and a bio, so it's easy to see why Tinder isn't immediately recognized as a serious relationship matchmaker. That said, it's definitely still possible to find people who aren't just looking to hook up. But it's also pretty easy to find someone who is looking to hook up if that's what you're looking for. Do what you want! Live your life!

The app has three paid tiers: Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold, and Tinder Platinum. Plus gives you unlimited likes, five super likes a day, one boost a month, removes ads, and lets you backtrack on your last swipe if you accidentally swiped left on someone you were interested in. Tinder Gold has all of these features plus you can see who likes you before you have to swipe on them and you get top picks every day aka your most swipe-worthy potential matches. Tinder Platinum adds on the Gold features, plus gives you priority likes.

The shitty thing about Tinder is that these paid features can cost more for users over 30. Pricing varies by location, so be sure to check in the app for the most accurate prices.

Bumble

Best For Outgoing Women Or Shy Men

The good

Women make the first move Matches expire to encourage quick responses Backtrack feature for accidental swipes Plenty of subscription tiers

The Bad

No real compatibility algorithm 24-hour time limit could be a negative

The Bottomline

Bumble's setup is conducive to getting conversations started instead of letting matches sit idle for weeks.

Specs

Bumble Boost: 1 week at $19.99, 1 month at $39.99, 3 months at $76.99, Lifetime for $229.99
Bumble Premium: 1 week at $8.99, 1 month at $16.99, 3 months at 33.99, 6 months at $54.99
Free version: Yes
Lifetime Boost: £86.28
Lifetime of Premium: $249.99
Monthly: £20.99/month
One month of Boost: $17.99
One month of Bumble Boost: $24.99
One month of Premium: $49.99
One week of Boost: $9.99
One week of Premium: $21.99
One-week plan: £7.99/week
Six months of Boost: £9.59/month
Six months of Bumble Boost: $84.99 ($14.16 per month)
Six months of Premium: $139.99 ($23.33 per month)
Six-month plan: £9.59/month
Three months of Boost: £11.98/month
Three months of Bumble Boost: $49.99 ($16.66 per month)
Three months of Premium: $99.99 ($33.33 per month)
Three-month plan: £11.98/month

In an attempt to correct one of the common complaints of dating apps — that women get spammed with tons of creepy messages — women are required to message first with Bumble. That method obviously doesn't apply to woman-woman matches, but that hasn't hampered the queer user base much. Someone literally has to message within 24 hours, or the match goes away. This punchy (albeit a bit jarring) approach could be refreshing for people who are tired of staring at a list of Tinder matches from six months ago. If nothing else, it's a comfort zone pusher — and a confidence booster when those first messages start coming in. Bumble also allows you to "backtrack" and bring back and accidentally left swipe up to three times per day. You'll see pictures and short bios of potential matches in your area and can swipe depending on whether you're interested. It's a pretty close mock of Tinder, except for the fact that Bumble relieves the anxiety of accidentally swiping left on a hottie by letting you backtrack. Bumble also offers a BFF feature (great for making local, queer friends) and a Linkedin-ish networking feature called Bizz in attempts to remind everyone that it's not just a hookup app.

Coffee Meets Bagel

Best For Setting Up Real Dates

The good

Women don't get messages from men they haven't okay-ed Different crowd than Tinder or Hinge Limited, curated matches instead of endless swiping Can get a lot of real dates out of it Tends to attract a late 20s, early 30s crowd

The Bad

Small user base and recycling of profiles Kind of expensive for the bland features it offers Not great in small towns No support for non-binary users

The Bottomline

With only a handful of curated matches a day, you're forced to really consider who you want to meet IRL.

Specs

Free version: Yes
One month of Mini: $14.99
One month of Premium: $34.99
Paid perks: More likes per day
Six months of Mini: $49.99 ($9 per month)
Six months of Premium: $119.99 ($20 per month)
Three months of Mini: $29.99 ($10 per month)
Three months of Premium: $74.99 ($25 per month)
Unlimited matching with free account: No
Unlimited messaging with free account: Yes

Grabbing coffee is the low-pressure date idea that lets you skip trying to choose a dressy-but-not-too-dressy outfit for a concert or a restaurant. Coffee Meets Bagel is aiming to bring that easy-going atmosphere to the world of dating apps. Millions and millions of active users is usually a plus. It is nice to know that your options are virtually limitless, but things go from flattering to chaotic real fast when people hit you up 30 seconds after matching. This happens on eharmony and Tinder alike — people want that connection, and they want it now. CMB's slow and steady approach is great for singles who are rusty, a bit more introverted, or who simply don't feel like scrolling every time they have a free minute. Every day, CMB offers seven of its best matches (bagels) for you, chosen by your answers to prompts, who you said yes or no to in yesterday's batch, and who has already expressed interest with you, too. CMB encourages users to get the ball rolling by only keeping your match for seven days. It's less pressure than Bumble's 24-hour time limit but still eliminates a list full of matches who don't care enough to plan a meet-up. Plus, not being bombarded with available hotties 24/7 gives you more time to contemplate whether you genuinely want to get to know or if you're just messaging them because you're bored. Your bagels are limited regardless of if you upgrade to a paid account, which doesn't offer much past increasing your allowance of daily likes. Premium perks can also be earned for free just by using the app.

HER

Best For Queer Women

The good

App for queer women without shadow of highly-sexualized male fantasies Social media-like feed for local LGBTQ+ community involvement Niche corners like "newly out," "in a relationship," and "travelers" Minimalistic aesthetics are very on-brand for a young crowd

The Bad

Full of users complaining about being single User base can't compare to Tinder Too many unverified profiles and catfishes

The Bottomline

HER is a rapidly-growing space for queer women to make real connections while avoiding unicorn hunters.

Specs

10 Thirst Traps : $24.99
12 months of HER Gold: $89.99 ($7.50 per month)
12 months of HER Platinum: $149.99 ($12.50 per month)
12 months of HER Premium: $89.99 ($7.49 per month)
Five Thirst Traps: $14.99
Free version: Yes
Monthly: £13.99/month
One month of HER Gold : $14.99
One month of HER Platinum: $24.99
One month of HER Premium: $24.99
One month of Premium: $14.99
One Thirst Trap: $5.99
One year of HER Gold: $89.99 ($7.50 per month)
One year of HER Platinum : $149.99 ($12.50 per month)
One year of HER Premium: $89.99 ($7.50 per month)
One year of Premium: $89.88 ($7.49 per month)
One-year plan: £7.33/month
Paid perks: None, because it's completely free
Six months of HER Gold : $69.99 ($11.66 per month)
Six months of HER Platinum: $119.99 ($20 per month)
Six months of HER Premium: $69.99 ($11.67 per month)
Six months of Premium: $59.94 ($9.99 per month)
Six-month plan: £11.67/month
Unlimited matching on free account: Yes
Unlimited messaging on free account: Yes

Between creepy men pretending to be women and straight girls looking for another girl to have a threesome with their boyfriends, most heteronormative dating sites don't give lesbians or bi women a great shot at finding a relationship. Her, an award-winning app made for queer women by queer women, is the perfect place to go if you're tired of the only lesbian you know being your ex girlfriend. The app that wants to "introduce you to every lesbian you've ever wanted to meet" is growing rapidly: Her has grown to 4.5 million users since its rebrand in 2015, and according to Statista, that's pretty damn close to what Bumble is working with — and they're all women. If you tried Her a few years ago and were discouraged by swiping through the same people, your experience will be much different this time around. In 2019, Her revamped its minimalistic profiles to let users get more creative in categories like gender, sexuality pronouns, diet preferences, and star signs, as well as a "What does this mean?" field in the sex, gender, and pronoun categories to create more well-rounded understanding of identity. There's also a space for a text bio where you can showcase your sense of humor describe what type of relationship you're looking for. The lack of any real science behind the matches past age and location is a bummer, but unlike Tinder, this doesn't mean you'll be suffocated with a hookup vibe.

Grindr

Best For Queer Men

The good

Users cut to the chase Can find a date within the hour Grindr for Equality campaign advocates for sexual health and safety of LGBTQ+ people in unsafe countries

The Bad

Reports of biphobia and hate toward queer women Bots and performance issues Level of NSFW is jarring Data breaches in the past

The Bottomline

A great option for gay men that ditches the small talk and has tons of potential matches online 24/7.

Specs

12 months of Grindr Unlimited: $239.99 ($19.99 per month)
12 months of Grindr XTRA: $149.99 ($12.49 per month)
12 months of Unlimited: $239.99 ($19.99 per month)
12 months of XTRA: $99.99 ($8.33 per month)
Basic: Free
Free version: Yes
Monthly: £8/month
One month of Grindr Plus : $7.99
One month of Grindr Unlimited: $39.99
One month of Grindr Without Limit : $39.99
One month of Grindr XTRA: $19.99
One month of Unlimited: $39.99
One month of XTRA: $19.99
One week of Grindr XTRA: $12.99
One-year plan: £3.20/month
Six months of Grindr XTRA: $29.94 ($4.99 per month)
Six-month plan: £4/month
Three months of Grindr Unlimited: $79.99 ($26.66 per month)
Three months of Grindr XTRA: $49.99 ($16.66 per month)
Three months of Unlimited: $79.99 ($26.66 per month)
Three months of XTRA: $39.99 ($13.33 per month)
Three-month plan: £5.65/month
Unlimited: £31.99 per month

Who it's for: Men seeking men. It's the ideal gay paradise if you're tired of Tinder or Bumble throwing women into your pool when you specifically opted out, and a place for bisexual men to experiment with a bigger user base. Why it's awesome: Grindr has been the go-to for gay and bi men since 2009, and that's because finding someone to talk to is damn near instantaneous. Instead of swiping right or left to match, you'll get a borderline-infinite collage of people who are close location-wise. Aside from it being overwhelming and slightly frightening, it's obvious that there are a ton of men out there waiting for a conversation. Most users just looking to hook up will let you know right off that they're not trying to make small talk, and that warning may come in the form of a dick pic. That's not to say it's not for relationships — a lot of men meet their forever person on Grindr — but on the surface, it's a tool for quick, casual encounters. However, men in small towns with a meager queer population are much more likely to find a connection here than on Tinder or OkCupid. The main complaint from bisexual people about Grindr isn't the aggressive horniness. It's the biphobia — toward men and the few women who dare to try their hand on the app, which is technically advertised toward the whole LGBTQ community. This thread of Reddit users shared their experiences, describing the disappointment in not feeling supported by their community with messages like "vaginas are gross" at the first mention of being anything that's not strictly gay-man-oriented.

Pure

Best For Attachment-free Sex

The good

No fancy algorithm, no mushy messages, no waiting Artsy design and modern layout Everything is deleted after 24 hours Stellar reviews in the App Store Actually has a dependable desktop version

The Bad

Possible catfish risk Have to re-upload photos and re-type bios constantly Price point is a bit high for access to such a small user base Definitely won't be useful in less-populated areas

The Bottomline

Self-proclaimed "the hookup app," the success of this hipster Snapchat for sex depends on the day.

Specs

Free version: Yes
In-app purchases: Varying prices
Monthly Pure membership: $29.99
One hat: $0.99
One month: $29.99
One week: $14.99
Seven hats: $3.99
Three hats: $1.99
Weekly Pure membership: $13.49

Women freely expressing their sexuality online is a beautiful thing — one that can be soiled quickly by male entitlement. Whether you're not comfortable with putting "sex only" in your Tinder bio for the locals to see or if you're simply a practicer of non-attachment with the people you bang, Pure is a safer, hip solution. App rules urge you to "pretend like you're strangers afterwards," making no-strings-attached the only name of the game here. This hella millennial app is a sex-positive, 18+ safe space that features some pretty cool art — the blueprint of the truly modern hookup app. Your selfies, bio, conversations, matches, and likes self destruct every 24 hours, promoting spur-of-the-moment, borderline anonymous hookups. No nudity is allowed and any photos sent in messages can't be saved. (As the dry-humored comics on their website state, "Don't talk about your problems. Problems are for therapists. Pure is for fun.") The app will ask for your phone number, but that's just to make sure you're a real person. The app uses your geolocation and sends out the sex version of an Uber request, though the sparse user base might have your searches suggesting the same few people. PURE gives all the feels of a sex-based site without the obnoxious naked parts and porn ads everywhere. (Cough *AdultFriendFinder* cough) Running into bots and people trying to make money is likely, but the spammy stuff isn't nearly as rampant as traditional hookup sites.

heybaby

Best For Single Or Future Parents

The good

Specifically for family-minded singles Nearly half of users are single parents Nixes the awkward "kids" conversation with someone new Hip graphics and clean app layout Great App Store reviews Thorough verification process

The Bad

Currently not available for Android Not available everywhere in US Just launched in July 2020, so still building its user base Can't answer very many questions at first You will get shown repeat profiles frequently

The Bottomline

A stylish, yet slightly vacant place for single or future parents to ditch the immature daters.

Specs

App and desktop versions?: No, app only
Free version: Yes
One week of wider search radius: $3.99

Read more about heybaby.

Who it's for: People who have or want kids.

Why it's awesome:

Eliminates the awkward "do you want kids?" talk
Fun compatibility questionnaire

Single parents shouldn't have to be worried about dropping the kid bomb on a potential date — because with the right person, it's not a bomb at all. That's the idea behind heybaby, a dating app specifically for the huge chunk of online daters who are focused on raising a family.

With the children stuff already given the green light by both parties, heybaby makes it easy to move on to other fun aspects of getting to know someone. The minimalist swipe-through questionnaire dives into lots of introvert versus extrovert stuff, plus chill parenting questions like "Dirty clothes are everywhere. What do you do?" and answers like "I can't live like an animal" or "I'm neat but I'm not a freak."While you only answer three questions at first, the more you swipe through users, the more chances you'll have to "improve your score" with them, which basically means you can answer the questions they have and you haven't.

Heybaby also has a more intensive verification process than most other apps. Once you've uploaded photos, you send another picture to the app mimicking a pose they show you so they can confirm that your profile photos are in fact real. Then, you wait for an email that'll tell you whether or not you've been verified.

Privacy policy: heybaby collects basic personal information when you sign up as well as behavioral cookies to help improve the service. Information goes to third-party providers for things like payment processing, email delivery, marketing efforts, and data analysis. Read the full privacy policy here.

Zoosk

A Dating Site to Avoid

The good

"Maybe" swiping option

The Bad

Search function shows you members you've already contacted Can't read messages without paying for membership You will probably have to sift through many fake or spammy profiles Can only look at men or women Free version is essentially useless

The Bottomline

The unique features would be great if Zoosk felt like a functioning website, but the high cost, outdated design, and bot profiles leave much to be desired.

Specs

1 year of Zoosk: $119.99
12 month subscription: $139.99 ($11.67 per month)
12 months: $139.99 ($11.67 per month)
12 months of Premium: $139.99
App and desktop versions?: Yes
Free version: Yes
One month: $34.99
One month of Premium: $34.99 per month
One month of Zoosk: $29.95
One month subscription: $34.99
One year of Premium: $139.99 ($11.67 per month)
Six month subscription: $89.99 ($14.99 per month)
Six months: $89.99 ($14.99 per month)
Six months of Premium: $89.99 ($15 per month)
Six months of Zoosk: $79.99
Three month subscription: $64.99 ($21.66 per month)
Three months: $64.99 ($21.66 per month)
Three months of Premium: $64.99 ($21.66 per month)
Three months of Zoosk: $59.95

Who it's for: Singles who are tired of the young, potentially immature crowd on mainstream swiping apps but who aren't ready to join the ranks of Match or eharmony. Why it's awesome: Awesome is a loose term here. With such little focus on details past physique or distance, it's natural to question how the site builds any real foundations. But, surprisingly, something Zoosk is doing is working. The site keeps a meticulously-updated list of couples who met through the site with cute photos and anecdotes, plus news of new engagements and marriages as recently as June 2020. Regardless of the zombie land of dead-end profiles and somewhat boring design, some 35 million people like Zoosk because it's easy. There are no long questionnaires required to build your profile and you have free reign of how to go about approaching matches. When Zoosk switched from a social media app to a legit dating site, it was more or less in a league of its own. Incorporating "liking" photos and having a similar look as a Facebook feed was super attractive to young, single people... in the early 2000s. The problem is that Zoosk hasn't changed much since then. The lack of modern tweaks like OkCupid's politics-related ice breakers or Match's overhauled questionnaire make its blandness even more obvious. People are simply opting for Match Group's offerings with more premium designs, less messy email notifications, and algorithms that take your personality type into account.