Did you know 366 million people are looking for a date on an estimated 8,000 competing dating sites?
That’s a lot of swiping and wasted time, so I decided to review the best dating sites of 2024.
You don’t have time for ghosters, stalkers, flakes, spammers and bad matches.
You’re looking for a relationship that works.
But which dating sites actually get results? For that matter, which dating sites are best for your specific needs?
Best Dating Sites in 2024
Here’s a quick look at our top 11 dating sites before we dive into more detail.
First Look
- Zoosk – 40+ dating site with video chat
- eHarmony – Best dating site choice for millennials
- Tawkify – IRL matchmaking!
- Hinge – Zillennial dating magnet
- Friend Finder – Find over 30 FWBs
- Elite Singles – Date someone successful for a change
- Silver Singles – Over 50 & ready to mingle
- GayFriendFinder – Meet more LGBT singles faster
- ChristianMingle – Best of the Christian dating sites
- JDate – Best of the Jewish dating sites
eHarmony, the brainy long-term relationship site, came in first, but this decision was tough. Let’s consider each site one at a time.
1. Zoosk – Top Choice for 40+ Singles Who Want to Try Speed Dating
Quick Stats
- 40 million users
- Best for singles over 40
- Speed dating meets video chat
- Zoosk REALLY knows your type!
Free Version: No – but you can try Zoosk Live for free
Premium: $10.83 a month for six months
Zoosk is becoming one of the best online dating sites for Gen Xers and Elder Millennials from their late 30s to late 40s.
But while some older sites seem stuck in the 1990s, visually speaking, Zoosk rocks. Zoosk has a thriving video dating community. It’s not just one-on-one. It’s a community of “speed dating” style meet and greets.
Zoosk’s SmartPicks are also promising. The online dating site studies user behavior and makes better matches based on preferences and patterns.
Final Thought
If you haven’t visited Zoosk yet, you owe it to yourself to try it. Zoosk Live is free to try, and you’ll have fun. I went myself last month, and I can tell you, it was like going to a virtual bar.
Everyone’s flirty and friendly and seems to be in a good mood.
Remember, Premium Zoosk is worth it because finding someone online after that first “serendipitous” video encounter is hard.
Don’t take chances with Free Zoosk. You’re definitely going to meet some serious prospects here.
Try video speed dating at Zoosk!
2. eHarmony – Best Dating Site Overall for Serious Relationships
Quick Stats
- 50 million users
- Best for 30+ millennials looking for commitment
- World’s most advanced dating algorithm
- Video chat with prompts
Free Version: No, but free browsing
Premium: $7.96 a month for 24 months
If you’re over 30 and ready to settle down in a serious relationship, eHarmony is your best bet.
With over two million marriages to its credit, eHarmony’s compatibility matching has been the gold standard for online dating sites.
Since most successful marriages are based on partners’ “shared values,” the company built its dating algorithm around users with similar lifestyles and outlooks. Filling out the site’s lengthy questionnaire helps you to root out incompatible personalities.
eHarmony’s video calling feature ensures you’re not just falling in love with words behind a screen. Test the chemistry in real time with video calling, including prompts for starting smooth conversations.
While you can join eHarmony for free and start browsing matches, you will need a Premium plan to start instant messaging potential dates.
Final Thought
eHarmony feels like the last step you take when you’re tired of casual dating and searching for long-term relationships.
It has a mix of Millennial and older Millennial-aged singles.
Conversations with matches were more mature and down-to-earth, and they went at a slower pace. It’s the anti-Tinder for sure because it’s about quality over quantity.
Join eHarmony today and get serious about your love life!
3. Tawkify – Best Real Matchmaking for a Long-Term Relationship
Quick Stats
- 1 million users
- Best for wealthy singles looking for love
- Matchmaking services by real people
- Top-notch safety and security measures
Free Version: No – but a free screening
Premium: Packages starting at $4,000
One of the best luxury dating sites, Tawkify, is a throwback to the old days when actual humans matched you up with someone worthwhile, and you weren’t at the mercy of a computer!
With over 200,000 successful relationships (an 80 percent success rate), Tawkify is proving itself serious competition for eHarmony.
You will work with a team of dating experts who personally help you create a profile and communicate with your matches. Then, you work with dating coaches who follow up on your date.
Criminal background checks are included, and you get a curated list of the best-vetted matches. If you go with the VIP package, you can customize your first dating experiences so that attraction and chemistry come naturally.
Final Thought
The dating site has virtually no complaints on Trustpilot (4.8 average) and seems like a great way to avoid the most common pitfalls of online dating.
At least for those who can afford it!
Still, I love the idea of customizable dream dates and vetted matches that won’t waste my time. I’ve already signed up and am currently in the screening process, which you can get for free.
Experience the joy of human-managed matchmaking at Tawkify!
4. Hinge – Best of the Dating Websites for Zillennials
Quick Stats
- 23 million users
- Best site for zillennials
- A dating algorithm that really works
- Moderated profiles
Free Version: Yes, with less quality matches
Premium: $14.99 a month for six months
Just behind Tinder and Bumble in total downloads, Hinge has established a reputation for being more Gen Z and LGBTQ friendly, with better dating results overall.
Why so much better? Hinge uses the Gale-Shapley algorithm, which analyzes the dating factors you find attractive and your most attractive qualities to others.
The end result is more organic matches with more sizzling chemistry.
Hinge does skewer to younger demographics and offers more gender options than most other online dating sites. This makes it the first choice for LGBT users and singles who may want to experiment without a label.
Final Thought
Hinge has a free plan, which is cool, but remember, you get better quality matches with the premium version.
I’ve used Hinge quite a bit over the years, and I have to admit, it’s great for casual dating! Then again, I didn’t seem to get a long-term relationship out of it.
It wasn’t until I tried Hinge X (Premium) that I noticed more meaningful connections and compatible matches beyond the physical.
Find better partners and better chemistry at Hinge!
5. FriendFinder – Best of the Popular Online Dating Platforms for FWBs
Quick Stats
- 90 million users
- Best for finding FWBs over 30
- Strong online community
- Groups & chatrooms
Free Version: No, but with free chat rooms
Premium: Gold $15.82 a month for six months
As you log into FriendFinder and see all the friendly faces waiting for you to start a chat, you realize one thing. Your local singles community is amicable!
Friend Finder feels like a social media site, with all the shared photos, add friends/followers buttons, and even the option to add video clips.
The groups and live chat rooms add another element to it—intellectual dating. Not only can you talk about issues with your local friends, but you can make friends anywhere in the world and add them to your favorites list.
Final Thought
Free members of FriendFinder can’t initiate contact. This was a bit frustrating for me because I made a lot of connections in the free live chat rooms that I couldn’t follow up on without paying for a Gold membership.
For all practical purposes, only Premium FriendFinder will find all those friends with benefits.
But it’s a nice place to meet over 30 singles who are, shall we say, not too inhibited.
Visit Friend Finder, and let’s be friends first!
6. Elite Singles – Best Dating Site to Meet Someone Successful
Quick Stats
- 12 million users
- For successful singles looking for the same
- Most users are educated and successful
- Quality matches based on a lengthy questionnaire
Free Version: No, but take the test for free
Premium: $44.95 a month for six months
In the words of CeeLo Green, “You’re an Xbox, and he’s more Atari.”
You have to admit meeting someone successful would be an exciting new change.
Elite Singles hears you. It’s also now the most popular dating site for matching together successful businesspersons who want to meet someone special and qualified for the position!
About 85 percent of members here have college degrees and well-paying jobs.
Elite Singles uses a lengthy questionnaire and personality quiz at the beginning of the sign-up process. Your answers will help you find better matches.
Final Thought
Elite Singles is a nice compromise if you’ve ever fantasized about dating a co-worker but were smart enough not to pursue that.
I actually met several business associates on Elite Singles that I knew from LinkedIn and other business sites like Slack.
It’s a convenient way to narrow the dating pool to people legitimately compatible with your lifestyle, career, and personality.
Find potential partners who are educated and successful!
7. Silver Singles – Best Online Dating Site for Singles Over 50
Quick Stats
- 12 million users
- Best for singles over 50
- Lengthy personality test, ideal for 50 and over
- Intelligent curated matches
Free Version: No, but you can flirt with people through “likes”
Premium: $12.95 a month for six months
Silver Singles is one of the best dating sites for mature dating for those fifty and over.
What’s remarkable about Silver Singles is how it brings together Boomers, GenXers, and even some of the Silent Generation, who might find themselves newly single.
Silver Singles is similar to Elite Singles, but there are no prerequisites for money or a luxurious career here.
Final Thought
I really like this site. It’s a great way to flirt with people your own age or a few years older. If you’re my age and have always wanted to “date up.”
Boomers know how to flirt.
Find love all over again at Silver Singles!
8. GayFriendFinder – Best of the Gay Dating Sites
Quick Stats
- About 100,000 active members
- Best for older LGBT singles, especially gay men
- Get advice in forums and chat rooms
- Get to know your dates through blogs
Free Version: No, but free chat rooms
Premium: $8.99 a month for 12 months
GayFriendFinder is part of the FriendFinder network, with more emphasis on LGBTQ singles. Whether you’re looking for long-term relationships or hookups, Friend Finder is an FWB-finder catering to the gay community.
You can have great all-night discussions in the forums, chat rooms and member blogs. If you’re looking for gay chat sites, GFF is one of the original icons.
Final Thought
The site is ideal for making online friends and turning them into IRL friends with benefits. While the membership is small, you will find many people here who are active, outgoing and talkative.
Meet a gay soulmate tonight at GayFriendFinder!
9. ChristianMingle – Best Christian Dating Site for Godly Singles
Quick Stats
- 15 million users
- Best for Christian matchmaking
- Find multiple Christian denominations
- Moderated and verified profiles
Free Version: Yes, but you don’t get unlimited messaging
Premium: $11.99 a month for six months
Christian Mingle is one of the best dating sites for Christians worldwide. It’s the No. 1 site for successful Christian marriages, accounting for 29 percent of all new God-based unions.
Christian Mingle promotes the idea of a long-term relationship and the importance of spirituality in a relationship.
Final Thought
What I liked most about Christian Mingle was how seriously they took the faith aspect. You could choose your specific denomination of Christianity and answer personal questions about the role the church plays in your life.
All profiles are also vetted by staff who want to keep things honest. Yes, Jesus has indeed entered the chat!
Start looking for potential partners in the faith at Christian Mingle!
10. JDate – Best Site for Jewish Dating
Quick Stats
- 1 million users
- Best for Jewish singles
- Set your religious/cultural preferences
- Use search filters for better matches
Free Version: No
Premium: $29.99 a month for six months
JDate is the No. 1 Jewish dating site and accounts for 52 percent of all Jewish marriages that started online. That’s right; JDate is a better matchmaker than your mother!
(Just don’t tell her I said that, LOL).
JDate also takes Jewish dating seriously, whether you’re looking for religious Jewish dating or just the shared culture and ethnicity. Religious Jewish singles can even list their synagogue and kosher preferences.
Final Thought
It’s a smaller membership but a treasure if you’re looking for someone special and not just convenient.
JDate stood out because of its advanced search filters. You could narrow the greater dating pool by keyword, body type, age and lifestyle habits (drinking, smoking, or other factors).
Find out why JDate is one of the best dating sites for Jewish singles!
Best Dating Sites FAQs
Have questions about choosing the best dating websites? We’ve got answers.
What are the best dating sites for those over 40?
Some of the best dating sites for those over 40 include Zoosk and eHarmony.
Both dating sites have a higher-than-average population of singles over 40, with Zoosk members over 45 making up over 49 percent of the total membership.
Zoosk is well-known for its video streaming community, while eHarmony has a personality quiz made for singles looking for a serious relationship.
What are the best dating sites for over 50?
One of the best dating sites for over 50 singles is SilverSingles.
Silver Singles’ primary audience is 50 and over, encompassing both Boomers and elder Gen-Xers.
However, Zoosk also has a higher-than-average membership of singles ages 45 to 60.
Do all online dating sites have scammers?
Most online dating sites have scammers and fake members since dating profiles are easy to make.
Most dating sites also have flakes with some bored people swiping for fun. They have no intention of ever messaging you back.
They think it’s more fun than playing Candy Crush.
This is why sites like eHarmony and Tawkify carefully vet new profiles and delete users that seem too spammy.
Why are there so many fake profiles on online dating sites?
Fake profiles are common on dating sites because they’re easy to make.
Also, some people think it’s fun to flirt with random people via text and never have to meet them in person.
No wonder online dating sites have protections like profile moderation, selfie verification and cell phone number verification.
Is there a dating app that is 100 percent free?
Hinge is a 100 percent free dating app, which means you can text for free after a mutual match.
However, as of 2023, Hinge no longer supports video calling on its platform.
Limitations like this are why some people prefer using the best dating apps with premium video services, like Zoosk and eHarmony.
Which free dating site is best for serious relationships?
The best free dating site for serious relationships is eHarmony, which offers a free membership.
However, free eHarmony does not provide free instant messaging.
Hinge provides free texting with a mutual match and is considered one of the best dating sites for romantic relationships.
Is there a good dating app for average guys?
One good dating app for average guys worth trying is Zoosk.
Zoosk members benefit from the exciting video streaming community, which feels like a speed dating event online. Average guys can relax, be funny, tell stories and grab the attention of other Zoosk singles nearby.
With most of Zoosk over 40, you’re not just conversing with college girls or supermodels. You’re talking to everyday people, most of whom are looking for compatible matches and romantic relationships.
Conclusion
Which Online Dating Site is the Best?
You’ve tried online dating in the past but went down a rabbit hole of niche dating websites that went nowhere.
Here are the best dating websites with good word-of-mouth and positive online reviews.
I liked eHarmony and Zoosk because they didn’t just offer text chat.
eHarmony offers verified profiles, video calling and a very in-depth personality quiz for more compatible matches.
Zoosk offers a fun video-streaming singles community for more casual dating fun.
Why not try one of the best online dating sites today and improve your love life?
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