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17 of the Best Dating Apps for Finding Someone You Click With. The best dating apps for you— you, specifically—are the ones that will connect you to people who are looking for the same thing you are. Someone seeking a serious relationship, for example, will use dating sites differently than someone who just wants the best hookup apps for no-strings fun.
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Where you live is another factor to consider if you’re not willing to date long-distance: While you’ll typically find prospects across the country on the most popular apps like Tinder and Bumble, services with more of a niche focus may not have the membership numbers worth your time if you’re in a town that’s far from a major city. Finding the right person for you can feel like a needle in a haystack situation, but take heart: There’s no shortage of humans looking for love (or lust) on the internet. Just over 44 million people used dating apps as of February 2022, according to available data, and usage is predicted to grow globally over the next few years alongside rising smartphone use and the fact that “We met online!” doesn’t carry the stigma it once did. Whether you’re considering giving online dating a try for the first time or gathering the strength to start swiping again after a break, you’ve definitely got options. Below, you’ll find some of the best dating apps worth exploring, plus some insights from dating experts on how to have the best possible experience using them. Are dating apps a waste of time? In general, no: They can be a great way to meet people who may not organically cross your path otherwise. While potential couples still meet in real life every day, “if you’re not dating online, you’re leaving out a lot of possible connections,” Marquita Johnson, LPC, a Georgia-based mental health counselor who also offers dating coaching, tells SELF. While dating online can get exhausting, Johnson reminds her clients that it’s worth the potential payoff. She also advises people to get clear on what they want and where they are in their own personal-development journey before jumping in. “People will often go on dating apps and they’re not really working on themselves—yet they’re hoping to meet someone who has done all of this inner work and is this amazing person,” Johnson says. In other words, you don’t need to be some perfect version of yourself to find a romantic or hookup partner—that’s an unrealistic goal for all of us!—but an awareness of your past romantic challenges and relationship patterns will likely set you up for a better experience. Another question you might want to ask yourself: “How can I maximize the time I’m putting into the dating app game?” Tennesha Wood, dating coach and founder of The Broom List matchmaking agency for Black professionals, tells SELF that it’s important to communicate exactly what type of connection you’re looking for in your profile so you don’t waste time weeding through people who aren’t on the same page. “I see a lot of bios that are extremely vague—it’s like, ‘Here’s a couple of photos of me, I’m looking to meet new people!’” she says. “That’s going to attract all sorts of people, some of which you might not want.” Wood also encourages clients to develop “a keen eye for what people are ‘saying’ behind what they’re saying.” For example, late-night DMs that just say “ur gorgeous” likely won’t lead to anything productive if you’re seeking candidates for a serious relationship, she says. Or, you might notice someone’s profile lists tons of dating deal breakers and declarations like “don’t message me if you’re into ghosting.” This suggests they might not be in a positive headspace for a healthy relationship, according to Wood. And for those who need to hear this, she reminds you that “you don’t need to respond to every message.” Instead, to avoid dating-app burnout, conserve your energy for talking with people you find genuinely intriguing. Wood’s final rule of thumb: Keep the initial messaging period brief and just meet up already (as long as you heed the safety advice below, of course). “If there’s a connection, see where that goes. If not, move on,” she advises. What is the best dating app for a serious relationship? With its enormous pool of potential matches (users go on 1.5 million dates per week worldwide), Tinder is a top pick for both Wood and dating coach Alyssa Dineen, StyleMyProfile founder and author of The Art of Online Dating: Style Your Most Authentic Self and Cultivate a Mindful Dating Life . In fact, Dineen tells SELF that Tinder’s where she met her own partner of five years. Dineen also likes Hinge, another popular option on our list, where “you’ll find users from 18 to 50” looking for love. But your odds are solid on any platform if you’re willing to put in the effort, she adds. Your best dating apps for a relationship depend on a variety of factors, from sexual orientation to age to location. For instance, “Plenty of Fish is really popular in my older clients age group in Florida,” she says, while it’s a ghost town in some other parts of the U.S. While many dating apps offer at least some of their features for free, you can consider paid versions—Dineen and her team recommend Tinder Gold or Bumble Premium—if you want to juice up your profile visibility and communication options after trying a couple of free apps. What is the safest dating app? No one app has been deemed the “safest” but, for now, Tinder offers the most built-in safety tools. In 2021, Match Group—the conglomerate that owns services including Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty Of Fish, and OurTime—revealed plans to roll out background checks through the nonprofit platform Garbo. So far that feature has only launched on Tinder (as of March 2022), and users can buy background checks for $2.50 each. Tinder also offers an emergency button to call for help that’s powered by personal safety platform Noonlight. Terrifying (if uncommon) stories of deadly online dates are just a Google search away, and as a 2021 BBC report outlined, apps offer varying, limited amounts of protection against harassment and sexual violence. In addition to physical safety concerns, documentaries and series like The Tinder Swindler and Catfish serve as reminders that scam artists use dating apps and social media to lure potential fraud victims.