Top 10 Best Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
I’m guessing you wouldn’t buy a car, an outfit, a smartphone, or a laptop without reading reviews about the product and the seller first, right? You need to check to make sure previous buyers are satisfied — because that’s a good indicator that you’ll be satisfied too.
The same should go for online dating. Singles should read consumer and business reviews about popular dating sites before creating a profile or subscribing to a membership plan.
The good news is analyzing dating sites and gathering feedback from singles is the job of our experts, who have years of experience in the dating industry. We’ve plumbed the depths of the online dating scene to bring you the best of the best.
Below are their in-depth reviews of the nine best online dating sites, covering history, popularity, pricing, features, and success stories.
1. Match
Match is the only dating site that could kick off this kind of list because not only is it the oldest, but it’s also the best. Match was founded in 1995 and is responsible for more romantic matches than any other dating site.
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
Over the past 23+ years, more than 40 million people — and counting — have signed up for Match. Not to mention the company has launched numerous initiatives, like events, to improve the user experience even more. Here’s our full review of Match.
2. EliteSingles
EliteSingles is like the indie film of dating sites — it cares more about quality than quantity. The site sees over 290,000 visitors a month, gets over 165,000 new signups a month, and helps over 2,500 members fall in love every month.
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 »
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User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
44%*
56%*
2 Million*
Browse Profiles Free
In addition, 8 out of 10 EliteSingles members are college educated, and practically 10 out of 10 are interested in finding a serious relationship. You can read more of our thoughts about EliteSingles here.
3. Zoosk
Most reviews of Zoosk, including ours, praise its mobile experience. You can download the app for free via the Apple Store or Google Play, and you can sign up via Facebook or Google+, which means you can get to browsing sooner.
Relationships:
Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
Match System:
Search and get match recommendations
Our Experts Say:
“Zoosk is integrated with social media sites, like Facebook and Google+, so it's very popular with singles on the go...”
Full Review »
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User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
28.9 Million*
Start Zoosk for FREE
Zoosk’s main feature is the Carousel, which shows you potential matches (e.g., their photo and age), and you can tap or click the X for no, check mark for yes, or Maybe if you can’t decide.
4. SilverSingles
SilverSingles was created in 2002, and, as you can probably tell by the name, it caters to mature daters. Here, you’ll meet people from all over the world and with different backgrounds and interests, but you know that they’re all within your preferred age range.
Relationships:
Friendship, Casual Dates, Serious Relationships
Match System:
Search by age, location, height, education, ethnicity, and religion
Our Experts Say:
“SilverSingles caters to relationship-minded singles over 50 with simple, safe, and effective online dating tools...”
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 doesn’t charge you anything for registering, searching, receiving matches, and flirting with virtual smiles and other tools. The site is also SSL encrypted, so you shouldn’t have to worry about scammers or your information being jeopardized. See what else we have to say about SilverSingles.
5. eharmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a Christian theologian, clinical psychologist, and former seminary professor, co-founded eharmony in 2000 because he wanted a dating site for commitment-minded singles to make highly compatible connections.
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
The site has a one-of-a-kind personality test that takes about an hour to complete (or 10 minutes if you want to come back to some questions later) and covers topics like emotional energy, sociability, curiosity, appearance, communication style, and openness. Learn more about eharmony here.
6. ChristianMingle
Religion is non-negotiable for some daters, and if you feel that way and are Christian, you may want to turn to ChristianMingle. The site welcomes both straight and gay Christians and offers all the necessary features for $0, including daily match notifications and certain types of communication.
Relationships:
Dates and Serious Relationships
Match System:
Search by gender, age, education, more
Our Experts Say:
“ChristianMingle is strictly for Christian singles, and it has a large user base that you can browse through by your individual preferences...”
Full Review »
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User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Today's Deal
Christian Singles*
44%*
56%*
3.5 Million*
Try Now for $19.99/Month
Don’t just take our word for it, though. ChristianMingle has 3 and 3.5 stars on Google Play and iTunes, respectively. Jashayla Brown called it a “great app,” and Stephon Ingram said, “It is just as advertised. They help save time looking for someone with similar beliefs.” Here’s our complete review of ChristianMingle.
7. OurTime
OurTime is a seniors-only dating site that’s owned by the same company as Match, so you know it’s trustworthy. According to the site, the team “not only understands what it is to be over 50, but also celebrates this exciting chapter of our lives.”
Relationships:
Dates and Relationships
Match System:
Search by profiles by zip and more
Our Experts Say:
“OurTime is just for men and women who are 50 or older, and it's one of the most popular dating sites in this niche because of its size...”
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
The free site/app allows you to view profiles and photos, see who’s viewed your profile and photos, and send and receive emails and flirts. Here’s everything else you need to know about OurTime.
8. BlackPeopleMeet
A Gallup study says 12.3% of the US population identifies as black, and 2.9% identifies as multiracial. For those interested in dating someone of the same race or of multiple races, BlackPeopleMeet is a fantastic choice.
Relationships:
Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
Match System:
Search by location, age, more
Our Experts Say:
“BlackPeopleMeet is a large dating site, and its user base is growing every day. If you're only interested in black or biracial daters, you've come to the right place...”
Full Review »
Browse Free:
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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
One happy user wrote to the site: “I just want to say I have found true love and the most beautiful, amazing, and wonderful woman thanks to this site. I am terminating my membership on here, since I found the woman I am to share the rest of my life with.” Click here for more details about BlackPeopleMeet.
9. BeNaughty
A date, relationship, or marriage isn’t everyone’s end goal — some people just want to find someone special for the night. That’s where BeNaughty comes in. It’s one of the premier hookup sites and apps in the industry, with millions of members, free memberships, intuitive features, and SSL encryption.
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
The folks at BeNaughty say 52% of members are women and that 89% of members are looking for casual encounters and sexual relationships. See what else our experts have to say about BeNaughty.
Do Your Research Before Signing Up
Reading reviews before you buy or do anything is just common sense — you don’t want any surprises once the product arrives, once you get to the destination, or once you join a site. While we can’t help you choose a car or cellphone, we can help you choose a dating site. We’ve spent years testing out dating sites and writing our assessments of them, so hopefully we’ve made it easier for you to make this decision.
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