Top 10 Best Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Free dating sites in the USA have helped single people of all backgrounds pursue happiness and find a true-blue love to brighten their days.
The United States is the birthplace of many innovations and inventions — 3D printing, the atom-smasher, and the swivel chair, to name a few. But we consider the invention of online dating to be one of its best modern contributions to the American way of life. Yeah, we’d even rank it up there with the chocolate chip cookie!
Online dating has been a game changer in the dating scene because it has allowed singles to take control of their love life and find local dates without a lot of time and effort. And it has resulted in millions of relationships and marriages all over the world. That’s why we wanted to take a few minutes to recognize the top free online dating sites in the good ol’ USA. Let’s get to it, Murica!
1. EliteSingles
Relationships: Serious Relationships
Match System: Search, Receive Partner Suggestions
Our Experts Say: “EliteSingles is a leading dating site just for busy, single professionals. More than 80% of members have earned a college degree, and most are looking for a serious commitment…” Full Review »
Browse Free: View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
44%*
56%*
|
2 Million* | Browse Profiles Free |
Although Elite Singles is for the crème de la crème of the dating world, you don’t have to pay big bucks to get started on the site. You can sign up and build your profile completely for free, though you may have to wait a while for the moderation team at Elite Singles to review your details. Once you’re approved, you’ll receive up to 5 suggested matches every day for free. You can even check out the “Have You Met” section and browse profiles for other potential matches without getting out the credit card.
Where you might run into the proverbial (pay)wall is when it comes to communication. Basic membership comes with basic communication options: you can wink at another member, add them to your favorites, and even read messages they send to you. But in order to reply to messages or send them to a potential partner, you’ll need a premium membership.
This free dating site caters to intelligent, successful, and affluent professionals who are looking for a lifelong partnership with a person of equal standing. More than 80% of users have earned at least a bachelor’s degree, 90% are at least 30 years old, and 2,500 of them find love on the site every month.
2. Match
Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
Our Experts Say: “Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
49%*
51%*
|
39.7 Million* | Try Match FREE |
Match is a favorite choice for our dating experts, and for good reason: the dating site has a decades-long history of bringing singles together. The company formed in Texas of all places in 1993, and the online dating site officially launched in 1995.
Most importantly, Match is a free dating site that allows American members to fill out an online dating profile (complete with several photos), search profiles based on specific date criteria, receive potential match suggestions every day, and communicate in a variety of ways.
The Match dating service gives every free member the opportunity to start a conversation and chat with their Top Picks, a list which only includes compatible singles in their area. Plus, Match events are held throughout the U.S. to help spark meaningful connections IRL.
While Match does keep some features purely for premium members, basic membership comes with all the essentials you need to connect with the right person.
Relationships: Friendship, Casual Dates, Serious Relationships
Match System: Search by age, location, height, education, ethnicity, and religion
Our Experts Say: “SilverSingles is a fast-growing, easy-to-use niche dating site exclusively for active daters over the age of 50…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| Mature Singles (50+)* |
41%*
59%*
|
800,000* | Sign up for FREE |
SilverSingles is a popular choice for senior singles looking for love on a fixed income. The senior dating site has been around for decades, and provides a simple, easy-to-use platform with most of the features available for free. SilverSingles caters to older daters, so the site puts a premium on security and safety features.
Basic members can take the personality test, build a profile, and look at their daily suggested matches and “Have You Met” section to find potential partners. Basic members also benefit from profile verification and ID verification steps, as well as access to customer and tech support through a variety of contact options.
Where premium membership wins out is communication and perks: you’ll need a premium account to send and receive messages to any SilverSingles member of your choice, and to see who’s been checking your profile out, along with other perks.
SilverSingles helps facilitate all forms of companionship — which means single people over 50 can ease into the romance at their own pace.
Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
Match System: Search by location, age, more
Our Experts Say: “BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| Black Singles* |
47%*
53%*
|
5.7 Million* | FREE Trial for New Users |
BlackPeopleMeet is one of the most popular Black dating sites on the internet, and the majority of its 5.7 million monthly visitors identify as Black, biracial, or people of color. BlackPeopleMeet offers a simple design that unites people based on shared values and culture. But just because the site keeps things simple, that doesn’t mean it’s boring. BlackPeopleMeet keeps things interesting with a variety of matchmaking tools for finding a potential partner.
Basic and premium users alike have access to daily matches and the Are You Interested section, which serves up compatible profiles one at a time. You can also use the search filters to make sure you don’t waste your time scrolling through people who wouldn’t be a good fit for you.
As a basic member on BlackPeopleMeet, you can send flirts or add profiles to your Favorites List to get your crush’s attention. Premium membership comes with more expanded communication options as well as higher visibility. If you want the perks without paying for the full package, you can also buy tokens to access some exclusive features.
5. eharmony
Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
Match System: Personality test suggests matches
Our Experts Say: “Accounting for 2% of U.S. marriages, eharmony’s compatibility-based system and commitment-minded user base are ideal for those seeking a serious relationship…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
4.1 Million* | View Profiles FREE |
Although eharmony has a reputation for setting a high price for its premium membership, some dating experts (including me) say the dating site is worth the cost. The eharmony dating service is all about finding true love, and its free and paid membership can be a vehicle to an American love story.
Basic membership on eharmony includes the chance to take the 32 Dimensions personality test, set up a dating profile, browse local matches, and review compatibility ratings. Free members even make contact on a limited basis via the icebreaker quizzes and other freebies.
Basic users don’t have access to unlimited communication on eharmony, which the team says helps to discourage scammers from taking hold. As a basic member, you can take Icebreaker Quizzes and send likes to signal your interest, and eharmony also offers some free messaging opportunities for active users. Premium membership opens a lot of doors when it comes to communication, and some former eharmony members wouldn’t have met their spouses if they hadn’t paid for the subscription.
6. OurTime.com
Relationships: Dates and Relationships
Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
Our Experts Say: “OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout…” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| Mature Singles (50+)* |
48%*
52%*
|
8.9 Million* | Over 50? Try It FREE |
Senior dating sites like OurTime provide support for mature singles looking for love and companionship. The senior site and app play host to almost 9 million monthly visitors that are vetted and verified carefully. The moderators keep fake profiles and scammers in check through a variety of security features and verification systems that keep mature daters safe.
Whether you’re a basic member or a premium member on OurTime, you have access to a lot of the same core features: You can create a profile, browse for potential matches, and even reply to messages from some highly compatible users without ever getting out a credit card.
Premium membership grants you some great perks, most notably the ability to send and receive messages from anyone and everyone on the dating platform.
OurTime has one of the simplest interfaces so anyone can get the hang of it — no matter their tech knowledge.
7. BeNaughty
Relationships: Hookups, Chats
Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more
Our Experts Say: “BeNaughty is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it’s free to join, browse, and flirt…” Full Review »
Browse Free: View Photos Now
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today’s Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
13.3 Million* | Browse Profiles Free |
BeNaughty has a name that says it all — this hookup website is where horny singles and couples can go to be naughty without fear of judgment. The casual sex platform definitely stands apart when it comes to adult content. Photos, videos, adult chat rooms, and forum posts provide plenty of inspiration for online daters, so you definitely won’t get bored looking for your next hookup.
BeNaughty isn’t like some other casual sex sites that can seem sketchy — the site has robust moderation practices in place and uses SSL encryption to protect every member’s personal information.
Women on BeNaughty can access every feature and benefit for free as soon as they complete their profiles and upload a picture. Men on BeNaughty can access basic tools and public areas of the hookup site, but they must pay for one of three premium membership options to send private messages and benefit from perks like automatic browser history clearing and incognito mode.
8. Tinder
When it comes to free dating apps, Tinder needs no introduction. The app is massively popular around the world, with over 75 million total users as of 2022. It’s easy to see why so many people sign up for the dating and hookup app, considering that Tinder is completely free and easy to use in any language.
Once you download the app and sign up, you can immediately get to swiping profiles in your area based on your set preferences. As a basic Tinder member, you can swipe dozens of profiles per day, and each one represents a possible mutual match.
If you and another person both swipe right, Tinder opens up a message thread for the two of you, and you can send messages on an unlimited basis. Although you can do everything you need to on Tinder with a basic membership, the premium membership tiers come with a variety of perks, from swiping outside of your local area to visibility boosts to stand out in the crowd.
9. Grindr
There’s no denying that Grindr is the one to beat when it comes to gay dating apps. The app boasts over 3 million active users sending and receiving 228 million messages and 20 million photos every day. A major reason for Grindr’s popularity is that the app is completely free, with core features supported by ad revenue.
When you sign up for Grindr, you’re looking at a cost of $0. Grindr XTRA is the upgraded account offering an ad-free experience and expanded search filters.
Basic members on Grindr can build a profile, join one of the “Tribes” on the app (Jock, Otter, Twink, or Bear), swipe up to 100 potential matches in their area, and send and receive messages, all without a single fee. But although you can do everything it takes to find a date, hookup, or even lasting love on Grindr without any membership fees, GrindrX comes with definite perks. GrindrX removes the ads, serves up more potential matches, and even allows you to swipe outside of your location, among other exclusive tools and features.
10. HER
For queer women and femmes on the prowl, HER represents a valuable safe space to explore community and sexuality alike. The free dating app caters to queer women and nonbinary people with social media feeds, personality profiles, and event listings.
HER puts a premium on safety and privacy, which is why single men are not allowed on the app. Instead, HER welcomes cisgender and transgender women alike, regardless of sexual orientation. The content moderation teams keep harassment off the lesbian dating platform.
Although all of the core features (including building a profile, browsing other user profiles, and instant messaging) are totally free, premium members can remove ads, see who’s online in real-time, and use incognito mode for even more anonymity.
11. OkCupid
OkCupid launched in 2004 with a core premise of remaining “forever free.” The online dating site and app have held to that promise, even decades later, by keeping hidden fees and paywalls away from new users. Even the minor restriction on sending messages to other members is a common sense one: You have to wait for the other person to reply to send a second message. All messaging is free on OkCupid, and that doesn’t look to change any time soon.
The free dating site uses a one-of-a-kind algorithm to pair singles. When you sign up, you’ll answer a bunch of questions about yourself and your ideal date or partner. Then you’ll specify how you want other people to answer those same questions on a scale from very important to not important at all.
Although you can do everything on OkCupid without paying a single fee, the online dating platform does offer an A-List premium membership that can boost a dating profile in search results, unlock an ad-free experience, and give paid members the chance to browse incognito.
12. BLK
Black and interracial dating apps have become popular in certain social circles, and BLK takes things to the next level by offering a platform dedicated to Black singles and #Blacklove. The team behind the app is serious about creating a safe dating space for the Black community. As a result, the free dating platform has a rigorous verification process, so no fakes, scammers, or unsafe people can join.
In addition to the usual features, free members on BLK have the ability to read the first message sent by another user on the app. BLK has a credit system rather than a premium subscription, so users can buy credits that unlock individual messaging windows.
BLK facilitates interracial dating as well as Black dating, so don’t be surprised if you see a good mix of ethnicities and skin colors represented in this love-oriented community.
FAQs: Is Coffee Meets Bagel a Good US Dating App?
Coffee Meets Bagel began as the passion project of three entrepreneuring women in Silicon Valley, and it has become a global sensation with over 50 million matches under its belt. And most of its members are looking for love in the U.S.
When it launched in 2012, Coffee Meets Bagel stood out because of its female-driven mission. The dating app claims to bring civility and authenticity back to the dating world with its quality matching technology. The purpose of Coffee Meets Bagel isn’t to throw people into a massive dating pool; it’s to carefully lead them to the most compatible singles online.
Is Tinder a Good Dating App for American Singles?
Launched in 2012, Tinder is the mastermind behind matching online daters based on location. Now most dating sites and apps have followed suit. We all know how it works: Tinder will show you a potential match, and you swipe right for yes and left for no. It definitely works, too.
Tinder is available in 196 countries, has facilitated 75 billion matches, and leads to 1.6 billion swipes a day and 1.5 million dates a week.
Of course, Tinder is a free dating app (it wouldn’t be on this list if it weren’t), but it does offer a premium account called Tinder Plus. With a Tinder Plus membership, you can see who’s already swiped right on you and take back swipes if you swiped the wrong way.
Is Plenty of Fish Free for Everyone?
Yes, Plenty of Fish is a free online dating site where single men and women can mingle without paying a single cent.
The platform offers free instant messaging to all members — you don’t even have to form a mutual match — and the only limitation is that POF members can only send 55 first messages per day. This cuts back on spamming and is generally a good rule of thumb to avoid spreading yourself too thin or moving too quickly in the online dating scene.
Plenty of Fish runs a free-for-all chat room for online daters seeking love, romance, sex, marriage, or a serious relationship. As long as you’re over 18, you’re welcome to make use of this online dating service and enjoy free chats with local singles.
Online daters can become a member of this free dating site to meet a new person and start flirting their way toward a casual hookup or a serious relationship.
The best free dating sites in the USA offer a lot of value with no fee for basic membership, so you can find the right partner without breaking the bank!
What’s the Best Dating Website for a Single Parent?
A single parent likely enters the dating world with a lot of extra concerns and standards than most singles, so it makes sense that they’d want a dating platform with a more mature following and quality-driven features. We highly recommend eharmony to singles parents, especially those over 30, because it uses a psychology-based questionnaire to discover commonality and build deep bonds.
Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
Match System: Personality test suggests matches
Our Experts Say: “eharmony's unique matching system is based on what it calls "Christian-based principles" and leads to 2% of all U.S. marriages annually...” Full Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
4.1 Million* | View Profiles FREE |
The eharmony dating website and app offer an abundance of matchmaking tools and communication options, including icebreaker quizzes and free greetings, but only premium members can send messages here. This pay-to-play system ups the quality of conversations on the dating platform and basically eliminates the chances of running into fake profiles.
Since its launch in 2000, eharmony has created over 2 million relationships in the U.S., and it’s widely regarded as the best online dating service for a person seeking love.
Single moms and single dads who are serious about meeting a potential partner can invest in eharmony to upgrade their online dating experience and get that much closer to finding a soulmate.
When It Comes to Online Dating, the USA Has Your Back!
Thomas Jefferson may have been laughed at when he first told people about his idea for the swivel chair, but it’s a good thing he didn’t listen. Can you imagine not being able to turn your chair during your workday? I couldn’t. Our lives have come so far thanks to American ingenuity and know-how, and thanks to American dating sites like the ones above, our love lives have only gotten better!
If you’re hoping to land a first date with a good ol’ American single, then you should definitely capitalize on our list of free dating sites in the USA. These dating sites give local singles the freedom to explore the dating world and possibly even find a soulmate — and what could be better than that?
Our top-ranked U.S. dating sites are the epitome of the American way, and they can lead the way to casual dating experiences, romantic dates, or a serious relationship with a man or woman who is as sweet as apple pie. Sign up for a free dating platform and find your next relationship adventure!
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