Top 10 Best Dating Apps in 2023 !

Are you tired of being lonely, or you’re looking to build more intimate relationships this year and beyond? Then you’ll find this post on the best dating apps quite useful.

This blog post shares insight into some of the best dating apps that can connect you to wonderful people for any type of relationship you’re seeking to build.

Read on to find out all you need to know.

Why the Best Dating Apps?

Love, dating, and relationships can get complicated.

While some people bump into their soulmate in a grocery store, at the bar, or in strange places, some people are so unlucky when it comes to love, dating, and relationships.

It’s either both parties are incompatible or have different perspectives on life and are always in disagreement throughout the relationships.

If you’ve not had much luck finding a suitable date or your soulmate, online dating might just be what you need to connect you to your soulmate. I say this because online dating apps connect different people with like minds and similar goals from other parts of the world.

Therefore, using online dating apps gives you a wide variety of options to find and connect with the best match for you.

Hence, this blog post will guide you to some of the best dating apps suitable for online dating and the special features/drawbacks of each app.

Here are some of the best dating apps in no particular order.

1. Tinder

This is one of the best dating apps popular among many people and has been around since 2012.

It can be considered one of the most credible dating sites based on its long time of existence.

Whether you’re looking for a long-term relationship (LTR), a fling, a date, hookup, or a friend to share a special relationship with, Tinder got you. You can simply sign up using your Facebook account or phone number.

Furthermore, Tinder makes it easy to find a suitable match for you on this dating app. Pictures, age, and a short bio of potential matches come up on the app.

So, all you need to do is swipe right to find your best match, and if the person likes you back, then both parties are matched.

Otherwise, swipe left if you don’t find the person suitable for you and move on to the next person. Also, the tinder dating app shows what both parties share in common, either mutual interests or Facebook friends. This helps to show how compatible both parties are. This app offers many valuable features in its free version.

However, to enjoy more exciting features like using the passport features to change your location, message before match-making, unlimited likes, seeing who likes you before you like them back, etc., you’ll need to subscribe to the paid plan.

Overall, this app makes it easy to meet and connect with wonderful people from various parts of the world.

Special Features

• Location-based search and match-making
• Supports Video chat (however, for now, it is limited to only users in the US in regions such as Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, and Virginia )
• Suitable for people looking for all kinds of relationships

Drawbacks

• Limited amount of information on potential matches.

• There are more men than women on Tinder

App	Plans	Platform
Tinder	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $19.99/month	Playstore Appstore

2. Bumble 

Bumble positions itself as a dating app that matches you to people with similar interests like yours. Hence, you’ll only be shown or potential matches based on your interests, such as finding dates, friends, or networking.

You can sign up on Bumble using either your Facebook account or your phone number. Like other dating apps, Bumble also has swipe features integrated into the app. To like a person’s profile, swipe right.

Otherwise, swipe left if you don’t find the person a suitable match for you and move on to the next profile.

Despite these similarities with other dating apps, Bumble still has a unique selling point that makes it stand out from other dating apps.

First, Bumble tries to balance the users on the app by ensuring that the percentage of men and women is slightly close. The distribution of users is 55% men and 45% women.

This way, there’s less competition for potential matches, unlike Tinder, with a large percentage of male users. Even more, Bumble establishes itself that empowers women on the app.

For most dating apps, the men start the conversation when a match is made. However, with Bumble, it’s the other way around. Only a woman can make the first move to contact a potential match; Only then can both parties meet and start a relationship. This might seem a bit biased to most people.

However, it’s a unique feature that adds an extra layer of security and empowers women to build the relationship they want.

Feedback from its users reveals that 85% of its users are looking for marriage or serious commitments. Hence, if you’re looking to build serious and stable relationships, this is the app.

Special Features

• Simple and easy to use interface
• Impressive security and privacy features.
• Supports Video chat

Drawbacks

• Only women can make the first move/contact potential matches.

• The timeframe to contact a potential match is relatively short, only 24 hrs.

App	Plans	Platform
Bumble	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $24.99/month	Playstore Appstore

3. Okcupid

This is also one of the best dating apps for people looking for long-term relationships. Okcupid app has a lot of distinctive features that make it stand out from other dating sites. First is its signup process. 

While most dating apps require you to sign up using your Facebook account and your phone number, Okcupid requires you to sign up with your Facebook account or email address. Furthermore, the app positions itself as a data-driven match-making dating site.

The profiles on OkCupid are a lot more than just cute or stunning selfies.

Okcupid gathers a lot of personal information on its users to create detailed profiles. This would enable you to make very quality matches with compatible personalities. Also, it’s a dating app for all personality types regardless of your gender or sexual preferences.

Overall, whether you’re looking for a hook-up or a long-term committed relationship, you can find the right match for you on this app. This is because it has a large pool of users (over 50 million registered users).

Special Features

• Free users have access to the core features of the app.
• Gender inclusivity
• Personality based profiles
• Features add-ons such as Hinge prompts for video chat, filters to help you select matches based on your preferences.

Drawbacks

• It doesn’t support video chat
• Free users can’t see who liked their profile

App	Plans	Platform
Okcupid	Free; offers in app purchases The pricing plan starts at $9.95/month	Playstore Appstore

4. Hinge

If you’re fed up with temporary hook-ups and are looking for some serious commitment, this is one of the best dating apps you can’t afford to miss.

The makers of this app are committed to helping you find the love of your life. With this dating site, you can find better dates, matches, and companions.

One of the unique value propositions of this dating site is that it markets itself as a “dating app designed to be deleted.”

Hence, the designers of this app assure you of finding a lifetime companion, so you won’t need to use the app anymore. Also, matches on this dating site are made based on personality type.

Hence, the profile of every potential date carries enough information such as religion, height, personal interests, etc., to give you enough insight into the person’s personality.

Even more, they have a unique follow-up system where they check up on their users once they’ve been matched to know the date is going and gather feedback on how to improve their services.

Signing up is also easy. You can sign up using your Facebook account or phone number.

If you’re ready to ditch the hook-ups/time-wasters and go for some real commitment, this app will help you find like-minded people to build the relationship you want.

Special Features

• Detailed profiles
• There’s a pause feature to make your profile inaccessible to new matches while still communicating with existing ones.
• Variety of options to like and interact with users’ profiles
• Most of its core features are available to free users

Drawbacks

• No video chat features
• Free users are limited to like only ten profiles
• Only available for mobile users; no desktop version

App	Plans	Platform
Hinge	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $19.99/month	Playstore Appstore

5. Match

This one of the best-known dating apps with over 8 million premium users globally. It stands out as an expert in the dating and relationship sphere with about 25 years of experience.

This app gives you the option to decide who you go out on a date with its custom search feature. You can search for potential dates based on your specific preferences.

It also features conversation starters based on trending topics to keep the conversation between you and potential matches. Hence, you can say goodbye to boring conversations.

Rest easy and go on your dates knowing that friends and family know where you are on each date with the Date Check-In security feature.

Also, you can avoid errors and get daily recommendations of suitable matches from the team of experts accessible on the app. More so, the premium features come at quite a high price.

Nevertheless, Match ensures that you get enough value for your money with its top-notch features.

Special Features

• It’s a credible dating app due to its long years of existence
• Has a large pool of users
• Supports video chat
• Signing up and creating a profile is easy
• Well detailed profiles

Drawbacks

• The pricing plan is on the high side
• You can’t send messages as a free user

App	Plans	Platform
Match	Free; offers in app purchases The pricing plan starts at $44.99/month	Playstore Appstore

6. Happn

If you want finding true love to happen fast, Happn is the best dating app that can make your wish come through.

Happn is a location-based dating site. So you’re shown potential matches based on their proximity to your location. Hence, you’re matched with other singles who are probably a few blocks away from you.

This is one of the unique features that differentiate Happn from other dating apps.

It aims to help its over 100 million users connect with partners they have most likely encountered coincidentally, more like fate bringing two people together.

Although it uses the proximity-based matchmaking system, it keeps your exact location private from other users for security reasons. The app is easy to use, and you can sign up using your Facebook account or mobile.

It has other cool features like the form a crush feature by liking a person’s profile and getting a like back, the Happn map embedded within the app that helps you keep track of all the places you’ve been in the last seven days, Flashnote feature and more.

Overall, it’s an excellent app to turn mere coincidences into beautiful relationships.  

Special Features

• Location-based matching system
• One 5-minute video call with each crush for free users
• “CrushTime” game to play with other users and hopefully spark a connection.       
• Only receive messages from people you like.
• Flashnote feature that allows you to send messages to a potential user before you match

Drawbacks

• The location-based matching system might be ineffective in rural areas due to smaller populations.
• Only available in mobile version.

App	Plans	Platform
Happn	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $24.99/month	Playstore Appstore

7. Her

As the name suggests, this is for ladies who want to find other ladies. It’s a dating app for LGBTQ women. So as a lady, bisexual, transman, or queer, this app matches you with other like-minded people in your area.

It has some unique features like the rewind feature and the incognito mode that make it stand out from other dating apps.

The rewind feature allows you to go back to profiles you may have missed out on or swiped wrongly. This way, you don’t lose any potential match you like due to mistakes. Also, the incognito mode allows you to do things like viewing other singles’ profiles without anyone knowing.

Once you download the app, signing up is easy. You can sign up via your Facebook, Instagram account, or your mobile number.

In all, it’s more than just a dating app; it’s a social community of like-minded people.

Special Features

• Most core features are available for free
• Get updates on LGTBQ+ events near you
• Friendly social community 

Drawbacks

•  Limited swiping power for free users
• No desktop version available yet

App	Plans	Platform
Her	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $14.99/month	Playstore Appstore

8. Upward

This is a faith-based Christian community where single Christian men and women can meet and build meaningful relationships.

The criteria for matching users on this Christian dating site include shared beliefs, values, and similar likes and interests. So, regardless of your church denomination, you can find someone who shares the same belief as you on Upward.

It has similar features like the swipe feature, filter features to find matches that you like. This is easy to use, and you can sign up using your mobile number.

Above all, it’s a good dating app for like-minded single Christians to connect and build long-lasting relationships.

Special Features

• The app is simple to use and intuitive
• A community of serious-minded users
• Affordable pricing plan

Drawbacks

• Most of its essential features are not available to free users.

App	Plans	Platform
Upward	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $9.99/month	Playstore Appstore

9. Plenty Of Fish

This is also one of the best dating apps that makes finding love online super easy. As the name suggests, there’s plenty of fish to be caught on this dating app, depending on your preferences. It matches people together based on common interests. It creates detailed profiles for its users.

This you can find out a lot of information on a potential match before connecting or meeting them.

Furthermore, messaging is free on the app. So, you can send unlimited messages even as a free user.

It also has security features like blocking messages with inappropriate content, preventing spam, etc. Also, there are prompts on the app that can help you keep the conversation going as you chat with your matches. It has a live streaming feature as well.

Signing up on this dating app is easy. You can sign up with your email address; however, it does not support linking other social media accounts.

Overall, if you want to explore online dating and find love on a budget, this is the right dating app for you.

Special Features

• Unlimited messaging
• Detailed profile
• Proximity baked matching system
• Affordable pricing plan and intuitive interface

Drawbacks

• Doesn’t support links to other social accounts.

App	Plans	Platform
Plenty of Fish	Free; offers in app purchases The pricing plan starts at $19.99/month	Playstore Appstore

10. Meet me

This is the last but not the least app on this list of the best dating apps. You can sign up using your Facebook account or email address. Also, setting up a profile on this app is easy. 

It involves a basic process of adding your profile and following other users near your location.

Apart from liking profiles and connecting with matches, there are other ways users can interact with each other on the app. There are fun games members can play with each other and earn credits.

It also has a Match tool/feature that allows you to filter potential matches based on a specific age range and geographic location.

Overall, it’s an excellent app to find serious dates, especially for people within the age range of 45 to 65.

Special features

• Unlimited messages
• Supports video streaming

Drawbacks

• Profiles provide very little information on other users.

App	Plans	Platform
Meet Me	Free; offers in-app purchases The pricing plan starts at $10.99/month	Playstore Appstore

In conclusion, these are some of the popular sites for online dating. Each of these apps offer you a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded people depending on the kind of relationship you want to build. It’s up to you to download your preferred app, connect with people, and start building the relationship you desire.