Not Too Popular Dating Site In The Us

Popularity isn’t everything. But it’s pretty dang important for dating sites and apps.

Clearly one of the most famous and most respected online dating sites in the world is Match.com. With just a few minutes on the site, it’s pretty easy to see why. The interface is easy to use, the quality and quantity of matches is.

• For Dating After 40: MeetMe. Users who have a few more laugh lines and silver strands may find kindred spirits on an app with more people in their demographic. Kochava's data shows that.
• See the Top-rated dating sites in every category. We countdown the best sites for relationships, love, casual dating, and more.

Singles have the best chance of meeting someone on dating apps with the largest and most diverse user bases. But finding the most popular dating apps can be tricky because the dating world is in a constant state of flux. Fortunately for you, our job is to keep tabs on the comings and goings of today’s single population.

Dating platforms are notoriously tight-lipped about exactly how many users they have, but we’ve done our homework to find the most recent and accurate stats we can regarding daily active users and overall membership numbers. That way, you can get a sense of just how popular these industry leaders are.

1. Badoo — 480M Users

The top app may surprise you. Badoo was one of the first dating apps on the scene, and it has amassed a large following around the world. Badoo boasts having over 480 million users — and counting!

Every day, the Badoo database adds about 300,000 new members, its photo gallery grows by over 10 million photos, and its members send more than 350 million messages.

The Badoo dating site connects singles in 47 languages and across 190 countries.

Badoo has the largest singles database in the world, and these aren’t all inactive profiles. The dating platform has over 60 million monthly active users, and it sees over 12 billion swipes per day. You can download the Badoo app for free on Google Play or the App Store.

2. Tinder — 300M Users

Tinder is truly a monster dating app with a lot of impressive stats to its name. The Tinder app reached and then surpassed 100 million downloads in 2016. It now has been downloaded over 300 million times, and it is currently available in 190 countries.

In 2019, Tinder reported having 5.2 million paid subscribers and seeing over 2 billion views per day, so it’s safe to say people are pretty busy here.

Since 2012, the Tinder dating app has inspired over 30 billion matches worldwide.

Tinder users go on over 1 million dates per week, and 95% of Tinder users say they arrange first dates with their online crushes after just a week of chatting.

3. Plenty of Fish — 150M Users

Plenty of Fish has been topping lists like these since its launch in 2003. The dating site and app offer free, unlimited messaging, so it has an undeniable appeal to singles exploring the dating scene.

The POF community has over 150 million members total, and it sees over 4 million daily active users.

As a free dating platform, Plenty of Fish adds 65,000 new users every day.

In the average week, Plenty of Fish makes about 57 million love connections by using a smart matchmaking algorithm.

“We recommend POF to any and all singles looking for their perfect match,” said Camille and Nigel in a POF success story. “We can’t wait to continue to share our love story and wedding with you all!”

4. Bumble — 100 M Users

Bumble began in 2014 with a simple idea: Ladies first. A former Tinder executive named Whitney Wolfe Herd decided it was time to take online dating into the 21st century and empower women to make the first move (by sending the first message) in an online match.

In 2020, Bumble surpassed 100 million users in 150 countries, leaving no doubt that it is one of the most popular independent dating apps out there.

Bumble, aka the feminist dating app, has over 11 million monthly active users.

Bumble has been hailed as the fastest growing dating app because it saw 70% year-over-year growth in its first three years. People also know it as the feminist dating app because of its progressive values and female-friendly policies.

5. Adult Friend Finder — 99M Users

What can we say? Sex sells. Since 1996, Adult Friend Finder has dominated the online hookup scene and established the world’s largest sex and swinger community.

According to the hookup site, Adult Friend Finder has over 99 million members around the world, and it sees about 1 million views per day.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups Only

Match System:Search by location, interest, more

Our Experts Say:“Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about short-term 'hookups' and affairs only. Note that a basic account costs $14.95/month, but it's well worth it if casual sex is your goal...”

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The AFF community is all about owning your sexuality and getting laid. Adult Friend Finder has created over 4.5 million love connections thanks to its live chatting, discussion forums, and video broadcasts.

6. MenNation — 99M Users

MenNation supports one of the largest gay hookup sites on record, and it doesn’t take much to get into the swing of things here.

In terms of popularity, MenNation has 99,462,356 active members — and counting — and it has over 67,000 men mingling online at any given moment.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Daters & Hookups

Match System:Search by age, zip code, more

Our Experts Say:“MenNation is a well-established gay dating and hookup brand, having been founded in 1996. It's totally free to join, view profiles, receive matches, and flirt...”

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MenNation is an adult dating site for men only, and it works great for local guys seeking a hot date. It’s free for singles and couples to create an account on MenNation and anonymously browse its personals section.

7. Match — 96M Users

Launched in 1995, Match.com is the longest running dating site in existence, so it makes sense that it would have one of the largest membership bases as well.

According to the internet’s best estimate, Match has over 96 million registered users, most of whom live in the U.S. While Match is available in 25 countries, it is by far most popular in the States, and Match Group’s headquarters are in Dallas, Texas.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Friends, Dates, and Relationships

Match System:Browse by zip, age, appearance, more

Our Experts Say:“Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review...” Full Review»

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Match has over 7.7 million paid subscribers, the majority of whom are serious about meeting someone special. Match has positioned itself as the premium alternative to free swiping apps. About 75% of Match members are over 30 and have clear relationship goals.

“This is definitely a great app for dating,” said Santana S. in a review. “I really appreciate that you have to pay for things to take off.”

8. Ashley Madison — 65M Users

Ashley Madison is an undeniably scandalous dating site — and it’s also undeniably popular. Over 65 million people have created dating profiles on Ashley Madison, the dating site where not-so-single folks can explore romantic relationships.

The motto at Ashley Madison is “Life is short. Have an affair.” And, if that piques your interest, you’re not alone.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs

Match System:Search by age, location, appearance, and more

Our Experts Say:“With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships...” Full Review»

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Ashley Madison encourages men and women to explore their desires in the discreet and safe online setting. After a 2015 data breach, Ashley Madison has cracked down on security and put a vast amount of resources into protecting the secrets of millions of users.

9. Happn — 50M Users

Happn is a unique dating app that uses location-based data to create serendipitous matches. The app will tell you where you cross paths with singles in your city, and you can discover matches who share similar tastes, interests, and lifestyles.

In 2018, Happn reached 50 million users and became one of the all-time most popular dating apps.

Happn claims to have over 6.5 million monthly users.

Happn is currently available for singles in 50 major cities spread across 40 countries, and it has plans to grow its reach in other urban areas in the coming years.

10. Zoosk — 40M Users

The Zoosk nation extends around the world, reaching over 80 countries and including over 40 million users. This highly effective dating site is among the top 10 largest dating sites available, and it allows singles to search for love all over the globe.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Fun Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System:Search and get match recommendations

Our Experts Say:“Zoosk is integrated with social media sites, like Facebook and Google+, so it's very popular with singles on the go...” Full Review»

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Zoosk members exchange over 3 million messages in a single day, and many of those messages lead to IRL meetings and relationships.

It’s free to set up a profile on Zoosk and browse profiles by age, distance, and online activity. You can also read and respond to certain free greetings to get your flirt on.

11. eharmony — 37M Users

Since 2000, eharmony has distinguished itself as a serious dating site on a serious mission to strengthen marriages in the U.S. and beyond. The eharmony algorithm uses a 32-factor questionnaire to identify long-term compatibility between two heart-driven individuals.

BusinessInsider reported that eharmony has over 10 million active users and 750,000 paid subscribers, a number that has held steady for the last few years. Taken as a whole, the eharmony database exceeds 37 million users.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Casual Dates, Deep Relationships

Match System:Personality test suggests matches

Our Experts Say:“Accounting for 2% of U.S. marriages, eharmony's compatibility-based system and commitment-minded user base are ideal for those seeking a serious relationship...” Full Review»

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The eharmony dating site and app have inspired over 2 million relationships so far, and the platform creates a new love connection every 14 minutes.

12. OkCupid — 30M Users

In 2004, OkCupid launched on a mission to create a sure-fire formula for love, and it began collecting a wealth of personal data to measure compatibility. Over the years, OkCupid’s free dating services and personality-driven matchmaking has attracted millions of users.

Today, OkCupid has over 30 million active users, and it sees more than 1 million unique views on an average day.

OkCupid’s free matchmaking services facilitate over 91 million love connections a year.

OkCupid offers free, unlimited messaging to anyone feeling flirty, horny, or chatty. Its users exchange over 7.3 million messages per day and go on over 50,000 dates per week.

13. Grindr — 27M Users

Grindr has been a leading gay dating app since 2009, and many single men have given it a whirl. To date, Grindr has over 27 million men in its database, and it sees around 3.6 million daily active users.

Grindr has an international membership base in 234 countries and territories.

Grindr puts gay singles in touch with the most viable date prospects in the area by using the smartphone’s GPS data to prioritize profiles that are close by.

Thanks to Grindr, men can find dates who are in the same bar, club, or neighborhood, and they don’t have to put in much effort to pick up a date.

14. Coffee Meets Bagel — 21M Users

Three women founded Coffee Meets Bagel because they were disappointed and frustrated with online dating, and they decided to change it.

From the beginning, Coffee Meets Bagel has prioritized quality over quantity, but that doesn’t mean the dating app doesn’t have a large user base. Over 21 million users have joined the CMB community seeking a better dating experience.

Coffee Meets Bagel has made over 50 million matches since 2012.

In 2015, the Coffee Meets Bagel team turned down $30 million from “Shark Tank” investor Mark Cuban because they wanted to maintain control over the direction of the app and the user experience.

Coffee Meets Bagel curates a list of matches for singles and slows down the swiping process, so users can really take their time and consider each dating profile.

15. ChristianMingle — 16M Users

In the last 20 years, ChristianMingle has built a faith-driven community that reaches 29 countries and is available to English, French, German, and Spanish speakers.

ChristianMingle has over 16 million members, making it one of the largest niche dating sites in the world.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Dates and Serious Relationships

Match System:Search by gender, age, education, more

Our Experts Say:“ChristianMingle is among the largest dating sites in the industry that only caters to single Christian men and women, and the site has some of the best search filters and safety features...” Full Review»

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ChristianMingle is a subsidiary of Spark Networks, a German dating company with over 1 million paid subscribers.

16. BeNaughty — 13.3M Users

BeNaughty is an extremely popular hookup site full of sexy profiles organized by distance, age, online activity, and popularity.

In the average month, BeNaughty sees over 13 million users, and over 433,000 people flirt there on a daily basis.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups, Chats

Match System:Search by encounter, location, and more

Our Experts Say:“BeNaughty is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it's free to join, browse, and flirt...” Full Review»

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BeNaughty catches people’s attention with its free messaging tools, and you can even save time by mass messaging everyone who meets your dating criteria.

17. EliteSingles — 13M Users

The name says it all. EliteSingles is a highly selective dating site for singles who are successful, desirable, and serious about making a quality match.

EliteSingles isn’t a dating site for the masses, but it has attracted a massive number of educated and wealthy individuals. The site has over 13 million users, and it adds over 381,000 per month.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Serious Relationships

Match System:Search, Receive Partner Suggestions

Our Experts Say:“EliteSingles is a leading dating site just for busy, single professionals. More than 80% of members have earned a college degree, and most are looking for a serious commitment...” Full Review»

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EliteSingles helps over 2,500 singles find love each month, and it is the perfect wingman for busy professionals seeking high-quality dates.

18. OurTime — 8.9M Users

OurTime has drawn attention as the leading senior dating site with a large population of over-50 singles.

As a People Media site, OurTime has access to a massive database of singles. Currently, OurTime hosts nearly 9 million monthly active users, and it adds almost 20,000 members in the typical week.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Dates and Relationships

Match System:Search by profiles by zip and more

Our Experts Say:“OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout...” Full Review»

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OurTime is free to join, and it has led to many success stories in the U.S. and abroad. “I’ve found my soul mate,” said a single woman from Illinois. “We are in a serious relationship. He is one of the nicest, sweetest men I have ever met.”

19. BlackPeopleMeet — 5.7M Users

BlackPeopleMeet is a niche dating site where black and biracial singles can enjoy being in the majority.

Since 2002, BlackPeopleMeet has built the world’s largest network of African-American singles with over 5.7 million monthly active users.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates

Match System:Search by location, age, more

Our Experts Say:“BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month...” Full Review»

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BlackPeopleMeet allows singles to find dates who share similar backgrounds, values, and perspectives, and that has inspired many love stories in the U.S. and Canada.

20. Hinge — 5.5M Users

Hinge has been around since 2012, and it has recently gained traction as the “dating app designed to be deleted.” Hinge’s goal isn’t to rack up a lot of swipes and active users who aren’t finding what they want — the team wants its users to find dates, get in relationships, and delete the app ASAP.

Hinge has been downloaded 5.5 million times worldwide, and about 4 million of those users are in the U.S.

Hinge is a quality-driven app where users can get to know one another on a deeper level online.

Hinge users arrange 200,000 dates a week, and it has a remarkably high success rate when it comes to turning first dates into second dates. In fact, three out of every first dates between Hinge users lead to second dates.

21. HER — 4M Users

The HER dating app was built to help LGBTQ+ womxn overcome the challenges of dating as lesbian, bisexual, or queer single. A lesbian named Robyn Exton quit her job to create a female-friendly space for flirting, mingling, and making friends.

Today, the HER community encompasses 4 million womxn of all ages, orientations, and backgrounds. All profiles have been verified as authentic females — the moderators remove men and delete fake profiles to ensure a positive dating experience.

HER is a social dating app where lesbian, queer, and bisexual womxn can find their perfect match.

HER offers an events calendar and an engaging newsfeed to help LGBTQ+ womxn feel comfortable socializing with one another. It’s free to download HER and start swiping on ladies who catch your eye.

22. SilverSingles — 800,000 Users

When singles reach a certain age, they often feel isolated from or ostracized by the mainstream dating scene. Fortunately, SilverSinglesis there to offer a helping hand and a senior-friendly dating zone.

SilverSingles has over 800,000 monthly active users, and it maintains a sure-fire Fraud Detection System to keep the fakers and frauds at bay.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Friendship, Casual Dates, Serious Relationships

Match System:Search by age, location, height, education, ethnicity, and religion

Our Experts Say:“SilverSingles is a fast-growing, easy-to-use niche dating site exclusively for active daters over the age of 50...” Full Review»

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As of 2019, SilverSingles had over 50,000 monthly subscribers in the 50+ demographic. “The success of SilverSingles is not only great news for our business, but also represents an outstanding new opportunity for singles,” CEO Jeronimo Folgueira said.

23. LesbianPersonals — 500,000 Users

LesbianPersonals invites singles, couples, and groups to find the woman of their dreams with a simple online search.

This naughty hookup site sees over 500,000 visits per month, and it claims the title as the largest lesbian dating site in existence.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups Only

Match System:Search by location, interest, more

Our Experts Say:“LesbianPersonals provides a fun, quick, and easy experience for gay and bisexual women looking for sex online. Join for free, and you'll be able to search and communicate immediately...”

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LesbianPersonals offers live chat and video messaging to help women get the ball rolling, and it encourages local singles to explore their sensuality and arrange a no-strings-attached hookup, threesome, or orgy.

24. FriendFinder-X — 40,000 Users

Finally, FriendFinder-X is a popular hookup site that’s open to singles, couples, and groups seeking hot dates.

FriendFinder-X deserves a spot on this list because it sees over 40,000 daily active users — which means it has a larger population than Monaco.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Hookups Only

Match System:Search by location, interest, more

Our Experts Say:“A hookup site specializing in casual encounters, secret affairs, live chats, and member videos, FriendFinder-X skips the awkward 'dating' stage of a relationship and fast-forwards straight to the sex...”

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As you can see, FriendFinder-X has a lot to offer sexually active singles, and this discreet dating environment can help men and women come out of their shells.

Which Dating Site is Best for Serious Relationships?

If you’re ready to settle down, the swiping scene may not be quite your style. It can be exhausting to match, chat, and ghost on loop just to find one compatible person to go out with you. Fortunately, singles with swiping fatigue can switch things up by joining a more quality-driven dating site or app.

Match.com can offer a premium dating experience for singles in search of a loving relationship.

Our expert ratings are based on factors such as popularity, usability, value, and success rate of each site.

Relationships:Friends, Dates, and Relationships

Match System:Browse by zip, age, appearance, more

Our Experts Say:“Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review...” Full Review»

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Since 1995, Match has paired up countless couples and made a difference in the dating scene. You can search the Match database by age, location, looks, interests, lifestyle, and other personal factors to find the most compatible profiles within seconds.

What are the Top 5 Dating Sites?

We have reviewed the top dating sites in detail and ranked them according to our own editorial standards. We consistently rank Match.com as the cream of the online dating crop because of its user-friendly interface and time-tested features.

Match is responsible for more relationships and marriages than any other dating service, and we think that’s worthy of the #1 dating site spot.

1. Match.com

• Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
• Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
• About the App: Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you'll have a high chance of success. It's free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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Next, we have EliteSingles, the dating site for the well-to-do. Singles with high standards and serious intentions will feel right at home here.

2. EliteSingles

• Relationships: Deep Relationships
• Match System: Search by education, lifestyle habits, age
• About the App: Commitment-minded, professional daters will feel at home with EliteSingles, which can be downloaded for free in the App Store or Google Play. Not only is everyone looking for a long-term partner, but 80% of members hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree. EliteSingles sees 210,000 visitors and 2,500 users finding love every month, so it's one of the fastest growing and most reputable apps.
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In the #3 spot, we have eharmony, which became popular thanks to its heartfelt commercials and psychology-driven matchmaking system. To date, over 2 million couples have found love here, and you could be next!

3. eharmony

• Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
• Match System: Get daily match suggestions
• About the App: Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It's absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
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Zoosk has over 40 million users, so we’d be remiss to leave it out of this list. Conversation rules the day on Zoosk, and its members exchange over 3 million messages in the average day.

4. Zoosk

• Relationships: Casual Dates, Relationships
• Match System: Search for and receive matches
• About the App: Zoosk is the number one app for finding dates, and if you sync up your Google+ or Facebook account, you can have a profile in seconds. The app has 38 million members and will deliver matches to your inbox on a daily basis based on your behavior such as who you search for, like or don't like, and message. The Carousel is another section for matching (tap the heart if it's a yes and the X if it's a no).
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Last but not least, SilverSingles has done a great job of making online dating more approachable and senior-friendly. Over 120,000 members join the SilverSingles network every month, and you can mingle with them for free.

5. SilverSingles

• Relationships: Serious Relationships
• Match System: Filter by age, height, and distance
• About the App: SilverSingles runs an exclusive dating community for single men and women over the age of 50. Its database includes recently divorced singles as well as singles who have never been married. The dating app matches people based on their similarities in age, lifestyle, hobbies, and relationship goals. If you want to show your interest in someone online, you can send a smile, message, or request that they upload a profile picture. Either way, they'll know you care.
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Those five dating sites and apps have won us over, but plenty of other sites and apps can also work well for singles seeking dates. Our dating experts have reviewed hundreds of dating sites, and more crop up all the time, so you should never run out of options in the online dating world.

Which Dating App Has the Most Success?

Success is in the eye of the beholder, but Tinder beats the competition in most metrics. Not only does it see over 2 billion views per day, but it also arranges over 1 million dates per week.

Tinder is the most successful dating app in terms of sheer size; however, the #SwipeLife isn’t for everyone. When it comes to inspiring relationships, Hinge has been a great success — and I’m not just saying that because it’s where I met my boyfriend.

Hinge has changed the swiping system to allow singles to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Hinge is one of the few dating apps that checks in with its users and asks how their first dates went. The We Met feature allows singles to give feedback on the quality of their experience. According to its internal stats, 90% of Hinge members enjoyed their first dates, and 72% said they would go out with that person again.

Are Paid Dating Sites Better?

That depends on what you’re looking for. Some singles say paid dating sites are better because they offer a more serious dating crowd. Everyone there has paid a cover charge to get in, so you don’t have to worry as much about spammers, scammers, and fakers getting in touch with you. In fact, the members on paid dating sites tend to be more educated and career-minded folks who can afford to pay for a subscription.

Paid dating sites, like eharmony, also tend to have better security features and more hands-on matchmaking tools, and that can help singles who are new to the online dating scene.

eharmony

• Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
• Match System: Get daily match suggestions
• About the App: Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It's absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
• Browse Free:View Profiles Now

Of course, if you’re on a tight budget, then you may be better off on a dating site or app with unlimited free messaging. OkCupid doesn’t charge a cent for its private chatting features, and it offers a world of romantic opportunity free of charge.

It’s up to you to decide what you can afford. Don’t worry, though, because you can join just about any dating site for free and see if you like it before paying for its dating services.

The Most Popular Dating Sites & Apps Keep Growing & Matching

You never really know what a dating site or app is like until you create a profile and discover it for yourself. Sometimes you take the time to set up an account only to discover the membership base is too small to have any viable options in your area, and that’s just plain disheartening. However, if you choose a dating site with millions of active users, you won’t be disappointed by your prospects and matches.

Popular dating sites have a lot to offer today’s singles. These high-grade platforms have a virtually endless list of potential love interests just waiting to be contacted and wooed. All you need is a free membership and the right pickup line (nothing fancy — just say hi and ask an icebreaker question) to land a hot date on a site or app. Good luck!

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Dating can sometimes be a troublesome area of our lives. For something that should give us great joy, dating can be a perilous journey for many until we find the one. In the past, some people have found it difficult to meet someone using traditional routes. More and more, therefore, we are using online dating sites and apps to further our romantic lives and our success there.

But has the huge growth in online dating sites and apps actually helped us be more successful in our love lives? How many of us who have ever used a dating site as a way to meet someone, have met someone that we have started a serious relationship with? Has the increased usage of dating sites and apps simply improved the quantity we date as opposed to the quality?

Here in this article, we look at online dating statistics and what users say about their success with using online date sites to help their love lives.

We investigate what online daters say about any relationship that they have started online. We ask if they say they have ever found true love and whether they like someone seriously through the use of online dating sites and apps.

Contents

• 2 Online Dating Demographics in the US

Online Dating Statistics By Year

It goes without saying that the use of dating sites or apps has increased and that there are more and more online dating users looking to start a relationship with men or women around the world.

Below, we look at the exact number of online dating users in the US between 2017 and the projected usage up to 2024. While the rate of growth slows down, we can see that over 7 years, from 2017, there are going to be an extra 10 million people using online dating platforms as a way to meet someone.

That’s a huge increase. That’s just under a 50% increase in under a decade - and that’s without knowing what the technology will be like in 2024 too. If you consider that apps like Tinder were established less than 10 years ago, who knows how we will use a dating site or app 4-5 years in the future.

More and more dating sites or apps will use our online information to target us so that we make more efficient use of the online dating experience. That’s not to mention that more and more dating sites and apps will be established that fill more and more holes in the market. People are increasingly more open about their sexual orientation and sexual preferences. This gives dating sites and apps more scope to focus on specific sections of the population.

Online Dating Demographics in the US

So what are the sections of the population that have used a dating site or app? It perhaps goes without saying that more and more people have online dated, but who are the biggest users exactly? And more importantly, what percentage of those have ever married or been in a committed relationship with someone they met on a dating site or app?

In the below graph, we see that just under a third of the US population have ever used a dating site or app. That’s a huge section of our society that makes use of the internet to find someone to start a relationship with. Plus, over 10% of the population have met their other half online. While that doesn’t sound like a huge amount, if you consider that every 10th person you meet has had a successful online dating experience, that’s a lot.

The types of people that use online dating platforms also produce a lot of interesting online dating statistics too. While the race of those using online dating users is broadly equal, as well as the usage by gender being about equal, the LGB community is the far more prevalent online dating users. Interestingly, it is this section of the population that has the greatest number of successful relationships, too, when it comes to meeting someone online. Over 20% of their relationships that began through an online dating site or app went on to end in marriage or at least become a committed long term relationship.

Another way to categorize online daters is to see what age range they fall into. The biggest users in that respect, by far, are those in their twenties. Almost half of those that have ever used a dating site fall into this bracket. And almost 20% of them have found themselves in a committed relationship as a result or even marriage.

By Gender

Even a different study by YouGov confirms the differences between men and women when it comes to using online dating sites. While the figures are not exactly the same as those found above, YouGov found that almost 40 percent of all men have used online dating as a way to find a partner online.

Conversely, that is in the face of 70% of women saying that they have never used a dating site. Female users and online daters, according to YouGov, only make up 27% of the population.

By Region/Location

Breaking down online daters and online website users into where they come from in the USA also generates some enlightening online dating statistics.

There are some apps that are used by perhaps predictably larger amounts of the population in certain regions simply down to the natural makeup of the public - like 69.7% of all the users of Black People Meet being from the South, or 50.7% of all users of Coffee Meets Bagel being from the West.

However, eHarmony sees most of its users, at 58.4%, coming from the South and only 10.1% of them coming from the Midwest. That is a huge proportion of their users that come from just one area.

By Age

As briefly alluded to from our first graph, the younger generations seem to be the main users of online dating sites and apps. According to YouGov, it is almost half of the population of 18-34-year-olds in the US that say they have ever used a dating site or app. However, that is in stark comparison to 81% of all the people aged over 55 who say they have never used a dating website.

By Sexual Orientation

By far the biggest stand out dating statistics studies, that see who has ever used a dating website, highlights that the huge section of society that have logged onto a dating site or app are members of the LGB community. In one of our first graphs above, we can see that 55% of all people who say they have ever used a dating site or app are not straight. This could be because it still remains easier to find other members of the LGB community online, so this could be set to change with more and more people far more open about their sexuality.

Platforms Used In Online Dating

So now we know what type of people have used online dating platforms, what online dating statistics are generated if we look at what platforms are the most popular? While some online dating statistics vary in some findings, there is a particular area that seems to stand out across any study. The resounding answer is that Tinder seems to be the most used by far. According to Survey Monkey, over a quarter of all online daters, use Tinder as their app of choice.

Tinder statistics are perhaps not surprising - it is so well known and the ease of use within the app is undoubtedly a reason why it has been so successful. Other well-used sites are Bumble, Plenty of Fish and OKCupid.

What Online Daters Look For First In The Profile

Sadly there are no hard statistics that will prove what online daters look for first in the profile of either female users or male users. All men and women will typically look for something different in many online profiles. However, if you use online dating as a way to meet men or women for romantic purposes, there are a number of things that can improve your chances of striking up a connection with someone.

Firstly, it can be a great idea to ask your friends for help. This is something that statistics won’t often show, but friends will know you really well and suggest ways to put your best characteristics forward. These could well be traits that you would have otherwise overlooked. Also, they’ll help you avoid any cliches that can work against you in a profile. Cliches often have the effect on making people roll their eyes when they read many online dating profiles.

It’s also a good idea to remain as honest as possible but also using a really positive and optimistic tone. Statistics do show that people in general - if they use online dating or not - are all drawn to those that tend to be happier. There seem to be no statistics that prove which interests or hobbies larger sections of the population are drawn to over others.

Finally, in terms of photos, again there are no hard statistics that have an overriding direction on what we should all use online dating profile dating-wise. Presumably, this is because it points towards how we all have highly diverging wants and needs in a partner. With honesty in mind, it is better in the long run to use an up-to-date photo. Some statistics say that action shots get the most hits but some statistics argue that photographic portraits are the best for use online.

Intent When Dating Online

It is all very well looking at online dating statistics in terms of demographics, but before users decide whether dating sites or apps will be useful for their purposes, they need to know what other users intend when they sign up to online dating platforms.

So what are the reasons people use online dating? Is it really to find a lifetime partner? Or is it more often than not only ever used to find a sexual partner? Kaspersky did some work on generating online dating statistics behind why both male users and female users sign up to online dating sites. Some of their findings were quite surprising.

While the majority of people did admit that they have used a dating site simply for fun, a large proportion of people use them to find friends, too. The next largest reason is perhaps an intention that sits somewhere in between finding friends and just having a good time - around a quarter of all users or online daters users say they sign up to sites or apps to have a good time with an interesting person.

There are, of course, people who use it with the more commonly believed stereotypical intentions in mind. Almost 20% of the men asked say they use online dating for sex, while only 5% of women admit that this is what they have ever used online dating sites for. However, in terms of people using online dating sites or apps to find a serious relationship or marriage partner, men still were the biggest group to admit to using them for this intention.

For example, 20% of all male users admitted they online dated to find a partner, while 12% said they used it for marriage. With respect to female users and women, 17% of this demographic admitted to using online dating sites or apps for a serious relationship and 10% for marriage. This is perhaps surprising - many people would imagine that it is women who used online dating as a means to find a committed partner.

Is Online Dating Safe?

Dating online in the main remains safe. If you use online dating as a way to meet other female users or other male users, you will be totally secure as long as you follow a few recommendations to maintain your safety at all times. These measures protect two parts of your life - both physically if you ever meet someone you have contacted online and also your online data. Both are crucial to keep secure so that you do not fall victim to any crimes.

With respect to your online data, it is imperative that you secure your networks and your devices. This means using strong passwords and password management systems to ensure that your devices cannot be hacked into. Secondly, ensure that you are always using a secure network.

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If you are in your home, protect your own network by using a password - again with the help of a password management system - and if you are out, ensure that you either do not divulge any passwords over the network you're using or any sensitive data. This means you never tell the people you are contacting your address, your bank account details or any other unique identifiers that can work towards a picture that helps an online criminal commit identity theft.

Secondly, ensure you do not become part of another horrible set of statistics as a person that has an ill-fated meeting with a person they have met online. Both men and women are both capable of falling victim to someone who says they are someone they are not. There are some men and women out there that use online dating sites to meet others with wrongful intentions. To ensure that you protect yourself against these men or women when you use online dating, try to meet them in public places up until you are sure they are safe. Always tell others where you are going and who you are meeting too so that they know your movements in advance. All these things will work towards maintaining your safety at all times.

Other Concerns On Online Dating

With the rise of internet dating, there has also been a rise in how people abuse the system of online dating sites and apps. As such there are, quite rightly, a number of concerns the public has when they are dating online and meeting other men and women through the use of the internet.

In fact, 63% of all online daters say that they worry about their handset or computer being infected by a hacker’s virus, malware or spyware. The implications of this are large and can have a material impact on a user's life if hackers do in fact manage to get their illegal software installed on users' handsets and networks. Additionally, 61% of all online daters say that they are scared of their data being stolen from their chosen dating site or app in a data breach. Many more concerns continue along the same vein with a similar portion of all users admitting their worry.

Additionally, there are some other more physical worries and concerns that users say prey on their minds. Some male users and female users of a dating site or app say that they worry about meeting up with someone in real life who is not who they say they are. From there, users either are anxious that at best the person they eventually meet has simply lied about their physical appearance or worse that they are a criminal seeking out vulnerable people to attack in either a physical or psychological way.

Yet of all the concerns that users were questioned about, less than half of them admitted that they worry about the fear of rejection.

How Long Does It Take Before People Start Giving Out Personal Information?

Given all the pitfalls that can happen from being too relaxed about giving out your personal information over a dating site or app, many people do try to hold back on what they say about themselves. This can be counter-productive, however, when you are trying to meet someone online, so how long does it take before online daters start giving out personal information.

The general statistics from Kaspersky found that there was broadly a fairly balanced approach to how long divulging details take. For some, it takes more than several months, yet for others, it takes just minutes or hours. More specifically, 19% of both female users and male users that have ever used a dating site or app say that it takes more than several months for them to give out information. Breaking down these online statistics further, a quarter of all female users take more than several months to give out information.

Yet 13% of the same group of online daters say that they have given out some sensitive information in just minutes. Within that group, it is the male users who are more likely to give out information, with 16% of them admitting to telling someone important information about themselves quickly.

How Many People Lie On Their Profile?

Arguably, a big bugbear about the statistics behind online dating is the lying that takes place on someone’s profile. But in this day and age, where we all use online dating far more and it is so much more accepted by our culture, how many users lie on their profile?

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Looking at the statistics, the biggest proportion of users that lie on their profile tend to be those in their late 30s to mid-40s. Of that group, the ones most likely to lie are male. They say that they do this for fun, though it is not clear what they lie about to get their kicks from.

Other interesting statistics are that younger women or men, in the 16 -24 age group are likely to lie on their profile to protect themselves. It is female users in this group particularly that are most prone to do this.

Finally, one very interesting set of online statistics comes from those that want to use online dating as a way to meet people, but they lie as they are afraid that they will be recognized by others that they know already. Given the growing acceptance of online dating and the increased usage and success that it breeds in relationships, it is a little surprising that 15% of male and female users asked in the Kaspersky dating online statistics study, claim that they lie so they are not spotted by friends. Plus, broadly speaking, this is a reason that is common across all age groups and both genders. Younger women are just as likely as older men to lie on their profile to stop themselves from being recognized by friends or acquaintances.

How Many Get Replied To?

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Finding out the statistics behind how many messages or online dating profiles get responded to is a tricky business because online dating websites don’t want to inadvertently promote the failure rate of their sites. While they can be very successful, a lot of people still have to go through a lot of rejections or radio silence from people they message.

Bearing this lack of statistics in mind, it is good to take a more qualitative approach to improve your hit rate if you are struggling to make a match. Ensure that you are actually messaging people that say they are into someone with your character or physical traits. If you message someone who has specifically said that they want their prospective men or women partners to be a certain age or height, then you can’t expect to have a reply from them if you are not within these parameters.

It is, therefore, recommended that if you use online dating, wherever you are in the world to be as honest as possible. If you like someone, you would be crushed to find out that they were not who they say they were after you continued to contact them. You, therefore, need to have a similar approach to the men and women you contact when you use online dating as a means to meet people. That respect for their wants will go a long way.

Negative Interactions On Online Dating

There are a couple of categories of downsides to online dating. The obvious is that the relationship started after using an online dating site is not what they wanted it to be. By far, women are the biggest of the online dating statistics that have found themselves to be on the receiving end of negative behavior, like being contacted continually after asking not to be.

According to the statistics, some have even been subjected to being sent sexually explicit texts or images when they were not asked for. Sadly, a large portion has been called offensive names and just over 10% have been threatened physically.

That is not to say that only female online daters say they have experienced this type of behavior. A large percentage of male users found in our statistics say that they have been subjected to the same sorts of actions from the users they have interacted with.

While this seems to be a huge downside to online dating, it is possible to argue that this would happen in the realms of dating that started in more traditional routes too. Bearing that in mind, it is important to also be aware of a downside to online dating that cannot occur when meeting potential partners in more traditional ways.

Being the victim of identity theft is a huge problem with online dating, and online dating statistics have shown that the technical or data leak problems that have come about due to the use of online dating are substantial.

For example, 12% of people who don’t use online dating have been infected with a virus online or with malware. This increases to a massive 29% when someone has continued to contact dates through an online dating site or app. These statistics are quite stark.

Another large increase can be seen when users are asked to share private or sensitive details. 13% of people who have online dated share such details, while only 3% who have never used a dating site have suffered the same mishap.

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Downsides Of Online Dating

There are a number of downsides to the use of online dating - a few of which we have mentioned here already which a number of statistics and studies have emphasized. One of the biggest downsides is when you meet someone who has different intentions to you for the results they want to see from using dating websites and apps. This can mean that you may want to meet men or women that want just sex after they contact a person they have met online, while you were actually signing up to a site's service to start relationships.

Other downsides include meeting someone who is not who they say they are. This lying can have small or large ramifications. It could be that the men or women you have been messaging are simply lying about their height or true hair color. However, it could also be that the men or women you are messaging are wrongful intentions behind meeting others online. They may be using websites as a means to find their victims for their sex crimes or other physical abuse, or they may be trying to meet others who are vulnerable so that their financial status can be taken advantage of.

Finally, sadly the statistics show that being a victim of online crime is also a possibility when you use online dating as a means to meet other men or women. The reason being is that you are more likely to divulge sensitive information to a person you believe you can trust. Online criminals around the world sometimes use online dating websites as a way to build up that trust with naive members of the public. Their tactics can be very underhand and sophisticated so that some do not even notice that they are providing the person at the other end of the internet connection with sensitive data.

Plus many statistics show that too many of us are guilty of not using strict or stringent enough security measures while we are online. This means protecting our devices with passwords and ensuring that our accounts in whatever apps or dating websites we use are protected with strong passwords too. Importantly these passwords all need to be different and it also helps if we all use antivirus software to protect against any infections that hackers may spread through dating websites or apps.

Success Rate In Online Dating (Ended Up Together)

Many members of the public who are considering online dating will be interested in the statistics of the success rate in online dating. In a study conducted by Statista, it was found that 17% of online daters have ended up in a long term relationship after meeting someone online. Additionally, it was found that almost a third of all asked knew someone who had met their partner online.

However, 40% of those asked in this statistics study asked said that they did not know anyone who had successfully met a partner through a dating site or app. Realistically, this means that this is fairly evenly balanced or distributed in the investigation’s findings. While potential online daters may have wanted better-looking statistics, it may be a good idea to bear in mind what the answers would have been if the question had asked if people knew any men or women who had ended up in a long term relationship established via more traditional means. It is important to bear in mind that not every couple stands the test of time when they meet in a bar, through friends or at college.

Do The Compatibility Algorithms Work?

It is hard to answer whether compatibility algorithms really work as there are too many variables to create a scenario where there is a fair test involved. The reality of the situation behind online dating is that, as it increases your chances of dating at all, you are more likely to hook up with someone - arguably that could be the algorithm working or simply your increased dating that has helped.

How Do People Protect Themselves When Dating Online?

Perhaps one of the less thought about online dating statistics is how to stay safe while dating online. Yet, it is incredibly important for us all to do this so that when we meet someone, we know we are going to meet someone who has been telling us the truth. While some people may tell the odd white lie about their height or other parts of their appearance, some people lie about their true intentions of being on a dating site in the first place. Their intentions may not be honorable, and it is those users that you have to protect yourself against.

To ensure that they stay safe online, there are a number of practices that both male users and female users can and do use. A large portion of men and women search their potential partner’s name online as well as looking at their social media profiles to ensure they are who they say they are. Worryingly, however, almost a quarter of all users do nothing at all to ensure that they are safe when they use online dating.

The above actions tend to be ones that you can carry out when you have met a match online. However, if you have ever used a dating site, there are a number of things you can do to maintain your online security too. This means that you do not leave yourself vulnerable to being the victim of online fraud by hackers or online criminals that take advantage of learning about sensitive information through dating profiles.

Bearing this in mind, over a third of all users, employ the use of strong passwords while online and about a third also share very limited information over an internet connection. Ensuring that antivirus software is installed on their handheld devices and computers is also a popular option as well as making sure that apps do not have full access to contacts and social media accounts. This is so that online criminals cannot get access to your sensitive information over an internet connection and get hold of your sensitive data to help them commit identity theft.

Dating VS Online Dating

Ultimately, a lot of us who are tempted to start online dating don’t sign up as we are unsure as to whether it is successful. eHarmony, one of the first online dating sites, conducted studies to find out where couples meet.

They found that a fifth of all couples now meet through online dating. While the majority of couples meet through a friend given that over half of all relationships start in this way, it is still a large portion of all relationships that start due to an online dating experience.

Why Do People Prefer Online Dating?

There are many reasons that people prefer online dating than relying on friends to set them up with a potential partner or simply meeting in a bar or club. Many users say that many online websites and apps simply connect them with other single people in a far more efficient process than leaving it to find a mate down more traditional routes.

It possibly can improve the chances of success too. This is thanks to more and more niche sites and apps connecting more like-minded people and finding more like-minded people too. While meetings through friends can increase your chances of meeting people like you, a website can do this in a far quicker and more efficient way. It has huge databases of potential partners that have already admitted to having similar likes to yours.

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Do You Save By Dating Online?

Arguably, there are two elements of your life where you will save by using websites to meet others for relationships. You can save time and money by meeting other guys or women through an internet connection on a specialized website because you are meant to be increasing your chances of meeting others with the same intentions in mind.

FAQs

Online dating is now incredibly common. According to the statistics, in the US for example, around 30% of the population have used a website to meet other people online.

It can be hard to put exact numbers and statistics on which dating site has the highest success rate as dating websites around the world are likely to try to skew the statistics and underlying data when asked. However, if you are choosing websites purely on their success rate, it is beneficial to either choose a very popular one so as to increase your chances of meeting anyone - or to use one that has a niche that interests you. Again this will increase your success rate of finding someone to love.

The statistics behind the success rate of online dating around vary slightly according to the studies you look at. Plus, some studies can be skewed by what type of users are asked and what those users say about their experiences. However, it is fair to say that online dating can at least increase your chances of dating men or women in the first instance, and so the likelihood of meeting someone you may start a serious partnership with is therefore increased.
That being said, in some studies, it has been shown that around half the US population knows at least someone who is in a couple thanks to meeting their significant other online.

According to a Stanford sociologist, meeting a person through the means of the internet is the most popular method of meeting someone romantically around the world. Within the US, the same investigation found that it was how most heterosexual partnerships started.