If you’re single, there’s nothing like stopping by your local CVS to pick up a prescription and being bombarded by the pink monstrosity that is a Valentine's Day display. If you're not boo'd up and are feeling a way about it, we've got you covered with our list of the best dating apps, for iPhone or Android.
From your ol' reliable Tinder app to more recent home screen additions like the Bumble app or Plenty of Fish, the world of online dating has something for everyone. These are more than just the best hookup apps (though if that's your thing, more power to you); more and more people are forging long-term relationships with the help of dating apps, and there's no shame in that game.
Hopefully the apps we’ve compiled will at least connect you with someone who’s up for a nice dinner (or even just a drink—hey, beggars can’t be choosers) on Feb. 14. If you hit it off, check out our list of the best movies on Netflix to keep the party going.
These are the best dating apps.
Ah, Tinder, the O.G. millennial dating app, which uses your location as the main factor for potential matches. What was once known almost exclusively as a hookup app has since become a place to find actual dates—alright, and hookup buddies. For the most variety (thanks, endless swiping), Tinder is your go-to dating app.
Any woman who’s been on a dating app can tell you stories of being bombarded with shameless and downright creepy messages. The Bumble app only lets women make the first move, which is good news for men who lack communication skills (i.e. most of them).
Not only has Chris and Jonathan been together for the past 8 years, they’ve built a successful real estate business that allows them to maintain their philanthropy work as a high priority. Can you say #relationshipgoals 🔥💙
#11111 #Husbands #LoveWins #plentyoffish pic.twitter.com/L9cetzmGhp
— PlentyOfFish (@PlentyOfFish) January 28, 2019
Known as one of the best free dating apps, Plenty of Fish offers an advanced matching algorithm and free unlimited messaging. The company claims that its 150 million users are 2.7 times more likely to enter a conversation in their first 24 hours on the app, and if you're shooting for a romantic Valentine's Day rendezvous, time is of the essence!
Hinge pares down all the possibilities on Tinder by using your Facebook friends and friends of friends as potential matches, so you actually have a personal connection (albeit a distant one) with the people you end up messaging. It also has a limit for how many people you can connect with daily, so you’re not lost endlessly swiping.
For anyone suffering the paradox of choice, Coffee Meets Bagel is a good option. Also powered by Facebook authentication (beware of the Zuck), the app only lets you see one potential match a day, with a time limit on how long you can message them. This hopefully pushes more hesitant users to commit to actually going on a date. The app also lets you sort by more specific preferences, like religious affiliation.
Like most dating apps, Happn relies on location services, but it’s unique in the fact that it connects you with people you’ve actually crossed paths with in real life. Ideally, you can finally meet the person you’ve been checking out at your local coffee shop (if for no other reason than to correct them on the spelling of your name). It's like Craigslist missed connections, in an app!
OKCupid dives a little deeper than some dating apps by having you fill out a multiple-choice questionnaire. Your answers are used to calculate a compatibility score between you and other users. However, that score doesn't limit you; anyone can message anyone on OKCupid, because sometimes numbers do lie.
Although Match might not have tricky new features, the company has been pairing people together since before smartphone apps existed (as Match.com), so they probably know a thing or two about successful matchmaking. Their long rolodex of happy couples makes it worth a shot.
Hater is a novel, if ludicrous concept for an app: it matches you with people who hate the same things at you. They say there’s nothing better for bonding than a common enemy, and Hater seeks to prove that by letting you select things you truly despise and then connecting you with other people who feel the same way.
Rather than find out all your personality quirks to get you a match, Tastebuds pairs you based on one thing—the kind of music you like. You can fill out a profile (with lots of music questions), and add songs that will play as people scroll through your pictures, in hopes of pairing up with someone who shares your musical tastes. Don’t like someone? Just hit “skip.”
