Are you having trouble finding a date on a Saturday evening? Do not worry, there is a solution – dating apps. These platforms will help you find a partner for the evening based on mutual interests. They are an excellent alternative to finding dates in real life and much safer too.
Dating Industry Overview
In 2022, the dating industry grew in size. According to Statista, revenues were projected to reach $3.6 billion in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 6.25%, tending towards a projected market volume of $4.6 billion by 2026.
The number of dating app users in the United States is increasing each year, and is projected to reach 53 million users in 2024. Tinder is the app with the biggest audience, whereas Grindr has the largest number of usage sessions per month. Tinder is also the most downloaded dating app, as well as the one with the largest revenue, amounting to $65 million.
The biggest company in the dating industry is the Match Group. It owns the biggest global portfolio of online dating apps (45 in total), including Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, and others. During the last reported year, their dating revenue was $2.39 billion.
In summary, the dating industry is a healthy state, and is set to remain that way in the future.
10 Best Dating Apps
These 10 best dating apps stand above the rest thanks to a combination of next-generation features, high sign-up rates, and quality user experience.
1. Tinder
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Tinder Plus ($4.99 per month)
Tinder is typically the first stop for those entering the online dating world. It has about 8 million users and is still one of the most widely used online dating apps. To get started on Tinder, you create a simple profile with a couple of photos and a brief bio. Tinder encourages users to make snap judgments about potential partners by swiping left or right. Most members are content with the basic tier but a Tinder Plus subscription allows users to unlock more features, such as rewinding swipes, boosting their profile, and activate read receipts.
2. Bumble
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Bumble Boost ($6.99 per week)
Bumble was originally developed as a Tinder alternative for women, made by women. It accomplishes this by requiring women to be the ones to initiate a match. From that point, users have 24 hours to make some kind of contact, or the match disappears. This might sound rushed, but Bumble's 100 million worldwide users seem to disagree. Recently, the app introduced tighter controls in an attempt to weed out racist, fat-phobic, ableist, or transphobic content.
3. OkCupid
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: OkCupid Basic Membership ($11.99 per month)
If you want to develop a lasting relationship with a person that shares your interests and values, OkCupid is the go-to dating platform. OkCupid rejects rapid dating in favor of a more detailed screening process. Users are encouraged to create more in-depth profiles than on most dating apps, and because of this the matching algorithm has a reasonable success rate. Additionally, users cannot send messages into other people's inboxes unless they match, reducing the number of offensive content sent through the app.
4. Match.com
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Match.com Premium ($31.99 per month for a 3-month subscription)
A staple of online dating since the 1990s, Match.com is still one of the most popular dating platforms around. Match.com offers users a freemium dating experience, allowing users to set up a profile for free and then pay to unlock features such as the ability to see who has looked at their profile and liked their pictures. Recently, Match.com introduced a feature that lets users alert their friends if they feel unsafe during a date, raising the overall safety of the platform.
5. Grindr
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Grindr Xtra ($9.99 per month)
Grindr is the premier dating app for the LGBTQ+ community. Most users are men and looking for one-night stands. Profile creation is straightforward and requires users to upload a profile picture, choose a username, answer a few simple questions, and select their type or "tribe". Grindr is free to use, but members can pay to disable ads, select multiple tribes, or use advanced search filters to find better matches. The app also has a location-based feature to connect with others within a close radius.
6. eHarmony
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs:eHarmony Premium Light ($65.90 per month for a 6-month subscription)
eHarmony is one of the oldest dating apps still around and the first one to introduce the concept of algorithmic date matching. When users sign up, they must fill out a relationship questionnaire to determine their dating profile. Every day, eHarmony provides a selection of the best matches, giving users the option to connect with the click of a button. Premium members get expanded matching and discovery options, as well as features such as the ability to see who has recently viewed their profile.
7. Coffee Meets Bagel
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Coffee Meets Bagel Premium ($34.99 per month)
With its focus on quality over quantity, Coffee Meets Bagel attempts to take the opposite approach to most online dating apps. It does this by sending curated matches, or "Bagels" as they are called, every day at exactly 12 o'clock. If there is mutual interest, the app sets users up with a 7-day window to establish a connection. Members are encouraged to create in-depth profiles to make it easier to connect with people they will actually like. As a result, Coffee Meets Bagel is the perfect app for those looking to start meaningful relationships.
8. Her
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Her Premium ($14.99 per month)
While most dating apps are fairly LGBTQ+ inclusive, Her stands out as being tailor-made for lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. To sign up, you need an existing Facebook or Instagram account. Once the account has been verified, users can explore the activity of other members of the community, both globally and in their local area. You can like photos of other users, and if there is mutual interest, the app will link you up for a chat. Her also offers some additional features, such as curated LGBTQ+ news, events, and more.
9. Hinge
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Hinge Preferred Member ($19.99 per month)
Hinge was designed from the ground up to make user profiles more engaging than on apps like Tinder. Users have the option to specify things such as their political leanings, religious beliefs, alcohol consumption frequency, and even interest in having children. This makes it the ideal app for starting a serious relationship. In fact, Hinge's explicitly stated goal is to get you into a relationship where you no longer need the app. Hinge seems to be doing well, despite this odd selling point, adding proof to its claim that it was made to be deleted.
10. Happn
Available on: Android, iOS
Costs: Happn Premium ($24.99 per month)
Happn is a dating app focused on finding people in your local neighborhood. If you happen to cross paths with another Happn user, the app will show you their profile, along with the time and location of the encounter. Users can like any of the profiles that show up, and if there is mutual interest, they are given a prompt to connect. With over 100 million users worldwide, Happn is set to become one of the most popular dating apps.
Conclusion
Whatever your preferences, we hope you have found our overview of the best dating apps useful. Finding a partner has never been easier, so give these apps a try - the person you have been looking for all your life might be just a few clicks away.
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