A friend of mine recently sampled her hand in online dating following a couple of years away from the scene. She enrolled in one of the largest dating sites out there and, like many others https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a25641636/how-to-date-while-traveling/, found herself swamped flooded with messages and unscreened matches. It quickly became work, not fun, and she gave up before she even met anyone. She’s not alone: Roughly one third of Americans say they know a couple who met online. The good news is that there are plenty of other sites and apps out there to try. The key is seeking out one that aligns with your dating goals and meets your needs.

The following elite 8 dating sites are some of the most popular in the U.S. and are geared at different audiences. Some, such as eharmony and Match, are intended for those looking for serious relationships; others, such as Tinder and Bumble, are more focused on casual hookups. Some sites have a complimentary membership that lets you create a profile and view matches, while others require a premium subscription for messaging and other features.

OkCupid

This site says it generates over 90 million matches a year and boasts that it’s „the ultimate scientifically proven dating site on the planet.“ It has a comprehensive questionnaire that helps locate compatible mates, but isn’t as long as the one on eharmony. It also prompts users to answer questions about things they’re impassioned about, ranging from climate change to cilantro (it’s not for the faint of heart).

Coffee Meets Bagel

After a successful launch in New York City and a stint on Shark Tank, this app has quickly extended beyond its home base in the Big Apple. The app claims to eliminate endless swiping by only showing you one match per day, and requires women to make the first move in heterosexual matches. It also offers a premium version that provides more potential matches and eliminates ads.

HER

This dating app targets lesbian, bisexual, and queer people. It’s free to join and browse profiles, but a subscription is required to contact matches and send gifts. The app uses location data to show you potential matches in your area. It also has a cell phone-compatible chat room and a feature that allows you to see who has viewed your profile.

Ourtime

Owned by Match, this site caters for adults over 50 who are interested in serious relationships and companionship. Its members https://medium.com/@datersearch/single-woman-for-marriage-e50d4ee6a3ae must have a 25 years‘ experience to join, and it offers an exclusive customer service team to help with any issues. The site has an ample library of articles about dating and relationships, and members can upload as many as ten photos.

While Ourtime doesn’t have as many active users as some of the other options on this list, it is a dependable choice for those who are over 50 and are serious about finding a romantic partner. Its user base is fairly diverse and the site includes a wealth of active senior singles.