What Is the Most Popular Dating Site in the USA? In the United States, eHarmony stands out as the most popular platform, with a membership base of over 10 million people. This site also boasts around 750,000 paid subscribers who actively use the platform to communicate with each other and find meaningful relationships.
(Ad) When it comes to online dating, finding the best dating sites can feel like an overwhelming task. With so many dating sites to choose from, each with their own pros and cons, the number of options available are endless.
Unfortunately, not all online dating sites are created equal. While some of the best dating sites and apps make it easy to find your perfect match, others are littered with fake profiles or inactive members.
To help you find the best dating sites, we’ve reviewed over 20 of the top dating apps of 2023. We evaluated each dating site on a variety of factors including number of active members, male to female ratio, price, features, and reviews.
Whether you’re looking for a serious relationship or a casual fling, here are the best dating sites of 2023.
Top 9 Best Dating Sites for Singles in 2023
Zoosk: Best online dating site overall
Dating.com: Best for international dating
eHarmony: Best for long-term relationships
DateMyAge.com: Best for singles over 40
SilverSingles: Best senior dating site for over 50
Christian Cafe: Most popular dating site for Christians
JDate: Best matchmaker site for Jewish singles
Seeking: Best website for sugar dating
Plenty of Fish: Best dating app for queer women
#1 Zoosk: Best Dating Site Overall
Zook is one of the top dating sites of 2023. Since its founding in 2007, Zoosk has become a matchmaking powerhouse, with over 35 million users. It's the top-grossing online dating app on Apple's App Store and is available in over 80 countries. With around three million messages sent every day, it's safe to say you won't struggle to find singles to chat with on Zoosk.
Whether you like to swipe through potential matches or view traditional dating profiles, Zoosk gives you the option to do both. The dating site lets you select the type of relationship you're looking for with choices such as friendship, long-term dating, or hookups.
When it comes to quantity and quality of matches, Zoosk has no issue with quantity, but finding high-quality matches might take a lot of narrowing down. Luckily, this online dating site is feature-rich, helping you find people you can vibe with.
Zoosk has a commendable line-up of unique features that enrich the experience of using its dating site.
Zoosk Great Dates is a virtual, interactive dating experience through video chat on the app. Connect with your date over video and virtually explore a travel destination so you can spend time together even when you can't physically meet up.
is a virtual, interactive dating experience through video chat on the app. Connect with your date over video and virtually explore a travel destination so you can spend time together even when you can't physically meet up. Zoosk Live is aTikTok-esque live streaming feature where you can stream, watch, and chat with other users in real time.
is aTikTok-esque live streaming feature where you can stream, watch, and chat with other users in real time. Carousel: Swiping matches has become a staple of the online dating world, and Zoosk's carousel feature lets you swipe to your heart's content.
Swiping matches has become a staple of the online dating world, and Zoosk's carousel feature lets you swipe to your heart's content. Coin Boosts lets you buy coins to boost your profile to the top of search results so you can get more matches or use them to purchase virtual gifts for potential dates.
How to Use Zoosk
The sign-up process is lightning fast; it should take only a few minutes before your account is ready to start getting matches. You'll fill out your profile with info such as where you live, your body type, education, and religion. Then Zoosk's compatibility matching system will find potential dates for you.
The dating site is easy to use whether you're tech-savvy or old-school. You can check out Zoosk on your phone, tablet, or desktop, and the simple menus make navigation a breeze.
Membership Plans
Zoosk is quite affordable compared to other dating sites and online dating apps. Basic membership is free, but you need a Premium membership to use the site's full features. You can purchase plans for one month, three months, or six months, and the price ranges from $14.99 (one month) to $65.99 (six months).
Pros
Huge dating pool
Lots of active user profiles
Popular features (swiping, virtual dates)
Affordable membership plans
International pool
Balanced mix of casual dating, hookups, and serious relationships
Cons
You might see incomplete profiles
Number of options could be overwhelming
#2. Dating.com: Best for International Dating
Dating.com is one of the best online dating sites because it allows users to be flexible with what they're looking for, whether it's a long-term relationship or something more casual. It has one of the highest member counts among online dating sites, at over 73 million users.
Available in 32 countries, Dating.com helps you make meaningful connections with online daters from all over the world. If long-distance dating isn't your thing, you can always narrow your search down to your local area.
Though it has millions of users, Dating.com lacks the verification processes that other online dating sites have. This means you're likely to run into numerous fake profiles, but the site has built-in video chatting to help you confirm whom you're talking to.
Most paid dating sites have a subscription-based membership, but Dating.com operates on tokens. Each action, such as sending a message, costs a certain amount of credits that you have to purchase to use. This can get pretty expensive, but it gives you the option to spend money only when you want to rather than paying a monthly fee.
Dating.com Features
"Today I Am" Search Function lets youadjust your search to fit your mood. Do you want to find someone for a serious relationship or casual sex? This feature makes it easy to follow your daily whims.
lets youadjust your search to fit your mood. Do you want to find someone for a serious relationship or casual sex? This feature makes it easy to follow your daily whims. Presents allows you tospend your credits to send physical gifts to charm your match before your first date or to make yourself stand out. The presents could be flowers, chocolates, or other small items.
allows you tospend your credits to send physical gifts to charm your match before your first date or to make yourself stand out. The presents could be flowers, chocolates, or other small items. Video chat lets youtalk face-to-face with your matches over video to test the waters (and avoid getting catfished).
How to Use Dating.com
The sign-up process for Dating.com is typical for most online dating sites: You provide your basic info and build your profile, including your preferences and bio. Once you confirm your email address, you're good to go.
You'll receive 15 free tokens from the start, giving you a free trial of what it's like to use the dating website. Sending a message costs one credit each, and you'll need to buy more when you run out if you want to keep chatting. Presents can cost between five to 1000 tokens.
You should always be safe when using online dating sites, but with the abundance of fake profiles on Dating.com, you'll want to be extra sure you're talking to a real person. The integrated video chat feature lets you see your matches without sharing your personal information.
Membership Details
Rather than paying a monthly fee, Dating.com offers bundles of the credits you'll need to interact with users on their dating service. A small bundle (150 credits) is $49.99, and a large bundle (1500 credits) will cost you $299.99.
Dating.com is slightly more expensive than other online dating websites, but the vast range of users, unique features, and flexibility could be worth it to some.
Pros
Massive user base compared to most dating apps
Flexible search options
Good dating site for international singles
No monthly subscription
Great selection of potential partners
Cons
Token-based system might be more expensive than dating apps with monthly membership plans
#3 eHarmony: Best Dating Site for Serious Relationships
eHarmony is a popular online dating site for people who are serious about finding love. This dating platform has millions of subscribers worldwide, and most of them are between the ages of 25 and 35.
To sign up for eHarmony, visit the platform’s website or download its dating app. Then, tap on your gender, select the gender you want to date, and create your account.
The compatibility quiz forms part of the lengthy sign-up process and takes around 20 minutes to complete. You need to provide personal information accurately to ensure that you find the perfect match.
After setting up your profile, you can start searching and viewing active users’ profiles. Free users can only send “winks” to potential matches. If you want to communicate in the chat rooms, you need to upgrade your account.
eHarmony is a relatively affordable platform, especially considering the large dating pool you can access.
The billing periods are six, 12, and 24 months. The 24-month billing cycle is the most affordable option. However, you may find someone special within a few months using this dating app, so consider your options carefully.
Signing up for eHarmony and using this dating service is relatively time-consuming, and you should only use it if you are serious about finding a long-term relationship. Unlike other online dating sites, eHarmony might suggest matches outside your area, and it’s not necessarily the best hookup site.
#4. DateMyAge.com: Best Dating Site for Over 40 Singles
If you're looking for mature, serious relationships, DateMyAge.com is one of the best dating websites for middle-aged singles. Though the site targets men and women over 40, adults of any age seeking a relationship with someone older can join. In fact, more and more young adults are flocking to the site.
This site is for people looking to make a meaningful connection with adults their age or older rather than a casual relationship or hookup. It takes a social media-like approach to dating profiles, featuring cover photos, about sections, interests, and more.
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To use most of the DateMyAge.com features, you'll need credits. The site offers different subscription packages that supply a certain number of credits per month, depending on which one you choose.
DateMyAge.com Features
Let's Mingle lets yousend an introduction to multiple members simultaneously. This feature costs credits, but it makes sending those first messages quicker and easier.
lets yousend an introduction to multiple members simultaneously. This feature costs credits, but it makes sending those first messages quicker and easier. Advanced search narrows down your search results with preferences such as age, location, and interests. Are you looking for only the elite singles in your area? DateMyAge.com makes it easier to find them.
narrows down your search results with preferences such as age, location, and interests. Are you looking for only the elite singles in your area? DateMyAge.com makes it easier to find them. Send presents encourages you touse your credits to send virtual or physical gifts to your romantic interests.
encourages you touse your credits to send virtual or physical gifts to your romantic interests. Broadcasts enable you tolivestream yourself or watch others. Even free members can use the broadcast feature.
How to Use DateMyAge.com
To sign up for DateMyAge.com, create your account and provide your basic information and your relationship preferences. You can add pictures to your profile, including an eye-catching cover photo. Then, choose your interests and write a little about yourself in the About Me section. You can also use the I'm Looking For section to describe your ideal partner.
The Facebook-style profile is distinctive from those of other top dating sites. People looking for long-term relationships might appreciate the detailed profiles, which can help them find more compatible matches.
Free members can send and read introduction messages, send smiles, and view or upload photos, while paid members can access all of the site's features with their credits. DateMyAge.com is highly accessible, but that also means that a lot of fake profiles exist.
Some users report seeing fake profiles that promote buying more credits to use the dating site. Luckily, DateMyAge.com has a video chat feature so you can see your match's face before meeting up for the first date.
Membership Details
You can use DateMyAge.com for free, but it will limit you to only a few basic features, and you won't be able to chat beyond the introduction. If you're on the hunt for the best free dating site, DateMyAge.com is worth trying.
To access all of the site's features, you need to choose one of three subscription plans. You can subscribe to receive 50 credits for $15.99 per month or up to 1,5000 credits for $299.99 per month.
Pros
One of the best dating apps for middle-aged singles looking for love
Best site for people looking for a long-term relationship
A site that makes it easy to sign up
Detailed dating profiles
Cons
More expensive than other dating sites and apps
Not many options for LGBTQ women or men
#5 SilverSingles: Best Over 50 Dating Site
Looking for love in your golden years? SilverSingles is the best dating site for people 50 or older searching for a long-term relationship. People of a certain age often have to rely on meeting someone through a family member or mutual friends, but SilverSingles brings you tons of quality matches with singles in your age range.
The site has over 800,000 active monthly users, so you'll face no shortage of potential love matches. When you sign up, you'll complete a lengthy personality test so the site's algorithm can connect you with someone who suits your character.
You can use SilverSingles for free or get a paid membership. Free members can't see other users' photos or send messages, but they can sign up, take the compatibility quiz, and set up their profile.
SilverSingles Features
Daily matches: The site uses info from your personality test and relationship questionnaire to find excellent matches, and it sends them to you every day.
The site uses info from your personality test and relationship questionnaire to find excellent matches, and it sends them to you every day. Professional profile coaching: Contact a professional dating profile writer to help you put your best foot forward. They perform in-depth reviews to help you create a profile that makes you stand out (for a $99 fee).
Contact a professional dating profile writer to help you put your best foot forward. They perform in-depth reviews to help you create a profile that makes you stand out (for a $99 fee). Profile views: See who views your profile and how often. This feature is for paid members only.
How to Use SilverSingles
When you sign up for SilverSingles, the first thing you'll do is take the personality test. The quiz is 125 questions with seven essay prompts, and it might take you 30 to 40 minutes to complete. Yes, it's a lengthy sign-up process, but SilverSingles sticks to the traditional dating experience for a reason.
The questionnaire uses the Five-Factor Model theory in psychology. It examines your openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Paid members can view the detailed report on their personality, but your matches won't see your results (just your compatibility score).
The site uses the results from the personality quiz and your preferences to find your closest match. If you want to find a meaningful, long-term relationship with someone around your age, SilverSingles is one of the best sites you'll find for dating.
When you get your daily matches, you can finally see the photos (if you're a premium member) and profiles of other users. Send them a Like or a message to get the ball rolling, or dismiss the match if you're not interested.
Membership Details
If you want to try SilverSingles, you can use the site as a free member. You'll be able to take the questionnaire, fill out your profile, and use some features, but you won't be able to see photos or send messages to matches.
The premium memberships range from $57.80 per month for three months to $18.70 per month for 12 months. You can chat, see photos, view your personality report, and receive read receipts with your upgraded account.
Pros
User-friendly site
In-depth compatibility matchmaking
Perfect site for singles over 50
Professional dating profile coach availability for $99
Cons
Long sign-up process
#6 Christian Café: Best Christian Dating Site
Christian Café is among the largest dating apps for Christians and offers various high-end features to help you find love. After entering your basic parameters, you can expect to access up to 15 search result pages, which means that this platform gets plenty of traffic. Christian Café also removes inactive and fake profiles, which means that all results are current and active potential matches.
To sign up with Christian Café, click the green free trial button on the home page. The system will take you through providing your personal information, such as your email address, city, zip code, and gender. Next, you need to enter your dating preferences so the dating service can help you find the perfect match.
Christian Café shows your matches in a grid format, and you can filter your results by compatible matches, gender, age, and location. You can also search the names of people you viewed previously. If you feel overwhelmed by the number of potential matches, you can immediately use the Quick Match function to start chatting.
This dating app has a higher monthly price than eHarmony for every billing cycle. However, you get access to a seven-day free trial to determine if this platform is the right option for you.
Overall, Christian Café is one of the best Christian dating sites. Christian Café is the ideal option for individuals in the Christian community who are looking for a long-term relationship.
#7: Jdate: Legit Dating Site for Jewish Singles
Jdate is one of the best dating sites for Jewish singles looking for a serious relationship. This niche online dating site has been around for over two decades, helping connect Jewish people serious about their faith and looking for love.
It can be tricky to find matches with the same religion on dating sites, but Jdate does the vetting for you. As a faith-focused dating service, it asks its users to add details about their religious practices, such as synagogue attendance and if they eat kosher.
If you aren't concerned about religion or looking for a serious relationship, you might find better success on another dating app. Jdate specializes in finding the perfect match for Jewish singles.
Jdate Features
Jdate is a more traditional dating app and lacks the flashy features that many popular dating sites have, but it has some noteworthy elements that help users sift through the dating pool.
LookBook lets youswipe through your matches and send a heart to the people you like based on their photos and dating profile.
lets youswipe through your matches and send a heart to the people you like based on their photos and dating profile. Discovery preferences lets you narrow down your options by choosing a specific age range, distance, gender, religion, etc., so you can find your perfect match. To find matches that suit your lifestyle, you can also sort by Jdate's Jewish-specific categories.
How to Use Jdate
Jdate is impressively user-friendly. Clean menus make navigating the online dating app simple, and all the essential information is visible and easy to find while perusing profiles. Perhaps because it's such a niche service, Jdate is one of the best dating sites to find high-quality matches. You're unlikely to see incomplete or fake profiles while browsing.
Sign-up is quick and easy, but it's thorough in collecting vital information. Besides the basics, Jdate asks for your religious subgroup (e.g., Conservative, Reform, culturally Jewish, etc.), occupation, education, and more. You're also required to upload a picture to complete the sign-up process, which helps weed out disingenuous profiles.
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Since Jdate is Jewish-specific, you can choose to share whether you're Kosher to some degree or not and how often you attend Synagogue. You'll also see this information on other users' profiles.
The online dating scene is full of people looking for different things, but Jdate aims to help singles find long-term relationships. If you're looking for the best dating sites for casual dating, you might not find success on Jdate.
Membership Details
Jdate offers a free trial when you first sign up, which allows you to use the basic search functions and view potential matches. However, a paid membership is necessary to send messages. The dating site starts at $59.99 per month, but choosing a longer membership length lowers the monthly cost. For six months of Premium membership, the price is $29.99 per month.
Pros
The best dating site for Jewish singles
Well-known for successful matches
Easy-to-use interface
Highly specific search functions
Cons
Fewer matches than generic dating sites
Targeted toward Jewish singles only
#8 Seeking: Good Website for Sugar Dating
Seeking is one of the more controversial dating sites. This platform targets older, well-to-do males who find themselves in a professional environment. Seeking’s female-to-male ratio is significantly higher than those of other dating sites, and the site is available in several countries and languages.
Seeking’s female users are usually looking for upper-class males who are willing to show them the time of their lives. If you are a male looking to hook up with an attractive female, the sign-up process requires a profile verification that includes a background check. However, you don’t need to verify your income.
Seeking offers a relatively straightforward interface with features that include video chat, match profile verification, a profile boost, and infinite messaging. You can set many search parameters to find a perfect match with someone who has the real-life attributes you prefer for casual dating.
Even though Seeking lets you join for free, it is one of the more expensive dating sites. With the free version, you only get access to the profile builder, the search function, and your own photos, which might not be sufficient to connect with other users. Verifying your account costs $50, and you need to subscribe to the premium membership to access the platform’s higher-end features, such as infinite messaging.
Seeking is best for men with the financial means to provide energetic, younger females with an unforgettable first date.
#9 Plenty of Fish: Popular Dating App for Casual Relationships
Plenty of Fish is one of the best dating sites for communicating with other users. Using this platform, you can contact other members without needing to subscribe or enter your matching preferences. According to Plenty of Fish, more than a billion messages are exchanged between users on its platform per month.
If you are looking for casual relationships or pen pals, Plenty of Fish is a great option.
Plenty of Fish is available as an iOS or Android app, but you can also use its desktop site. After signing in, head over to the Who’s Chatting Now counter, which is the dating site’s group chats. Here, you can have conversations with other users and get into online dating.
You can also complete your profile using a process that is similar to that of other dating websites. This step requires entering your personal information and match preferences.
After completing your profile, you can use the search filters to find ideal matches. The site algorithm will suggest the most compatible matches for your profile and description. Online video streaming is a feature most users enjoy, but you can also communicate with others via live chat and messaging.
Messaging on Plenty of Fish is free. However, if another user indicates that they like you, the app will prompt you to boost your profile. Subscription fees are relatively affordable and are similar to those of eHarmony.
Whether you are looking to make a few friendships or start a casual relationship, Plenty of Fish is for you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dating Sites
How Do I Find The Top Dating Websites?
To ensure that you sign up with a suitable dating site, you must consider various factors, including your relationship goals, location, lifestyle, and budget. Each dating app has unique features with a specific target audience and matching techniques.
For example, if you are not serious about being in a long-term relationship at this time, you don’t want to waste time completing a personality test, ideal partner traits, and personal descriptions. Paying a premium for features such as video calling or a virtual dating coach offering dating advice might also not be necessary.
On the other hand, if you would like to use a dating app to find the love of your life, select a platform with sophisticated features and matching abilities. Trying out different dating sites with free trials can help you determine if a specific platform is right for you.
How Do Online Dating Sites Work?
Most dating sites use an algorithm to pair individuals with similar characteristics and relationship goals. These algorithms use the personal details and partner preferences you enter when signing up, along with other information, such as your location and gender.
Casual dating sites are more simplistic, and some of them only use geographic location and gender-based information to provide suggestions. Dating apps use various tools to establish matches, including suggestions, search functions, group chats, and instant messaging. In most cases, mutual attraction is a prerequisite for the establishment of connections.
Dating site interfaces are generally similar to social media, and most users have no difficulty learning how they work.
How to Avoid Fake Profiles and Scams on Dating Sites
To avoid scammers or unsavory characters on a dating site, be on the lookout for the following red flags:
Profiles containing stock photos or no images at all
Users looking for singles in your area, despite living elsewhere
Users trying to take the conversation to another platform
Users who prematurely claim they feel an emotional connection with you
Users who always have a reason not to meet with you in person
Users who avoid phone calls or video calls, indicating an issue with their profile picture or nationality
Users who send you strange links in an attempt to get your financial information or spread malware
If you notice any of the above warning signs, stop all interaction with the user, and report them to the app’s administrator. It’s always important to take caution when meeting up with someone new for the first time or giving out personal information.
Are Paid Dating Sites Better Than Free Dating Sites?
As a rule, paid dating sites provide more value than free platforms. Paid products tend to have more sophisticated matching algorithms, and they offer more features to help you find suitable matches.
When using online dating sites with a paid subscription, you might also benefit from profile verification and safety features. On these paid platforms, you can have peace of mind knowing that users’ profile information is accurate and that you are not likely to fall victim to a scam or other misconduct.
What Is the Most Popular Dating Site in the USA?
In the United States, eHarmony stands out as the most popular platform, with a membership base of over 10 million people. This site also boasts around 750,000 paid subscribers who actively use the platform to communicate with each other and find meaningful relationships.
The popularity of eHarmony is due to its large pool of users, user-friendly platform, and advanced algorithm. It also has an excellent track record, and hundreds of thousands of people have found love using eHarmony’s platform. According to the website, its matchmaking services are responsible for an average of 542 marriages per day.
Are There Any Free Dating Sites Out There?
Various free dating platforms are available in the United States and other countries. Before signing up for a free service, do thorough research to ensure that you don’t waste your time or make yourself susceptible to scammers or other questionable characters.
Zoosk is the best free dating site if you are looking for casual relationships. However, if you want to establish a meaningful connection with someone who has the potential to be your life partner, a free dating site might not be the most effective option.
Final Thoughts - Which Dating Site is Best for You?
After reading this guide on the best dating platforms for 2023, hopefully you have enough information to select the right website or app for your needs. Before subscribing to a platform, consider your own dating needs carefully. Look for a platform that is in line with your goals as you begin to meet others in your area.
We recommend eHarmony as the best dating app for serious relationships. However, if you are looking for casual, no-strings-attached meetups, consider Zoosk or Dating.com. Regardless of what platform you choose, when arranging a meeting with someone, prioritize your safety, and don’t take unnecessary risks.
You’ll find that most of the top dating sites and apps offer a straightforward sign-up process with plenty of valuable features to help you build meaningful connections.
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