If you’re a single person living through 2020, there’s a chance that you’ve downloaded a dating app during the new coronavirus pandemic. And if you were already on the dating apps, there’s a possibility that you’ve swiped so much that you’ve reached the end of Tinder. Or maybe you’re simply looking to try something other than the usual apps. Well, friends, I’m here with good news: There are tons of other apps to try if you’re interested.
Below you’ll find a list of 16 best dating apps worth exploring. If you’re in the mood to mix things up, or you’re looking for an app that’s tailored to your interests, you might find a few good options here.
1. XO
After a while, swipe apps start to feel like a game, but XO has taken it one step further. Instead of wasting energy to find the perfect pickup line, you can play games with your matches. What kind of games? Harmless icebreakers (like Two Truths and a Lie) or games where you both have to answer a random question.
2. Ship
If you are tired of swiping, Ship is a solid option. You can enlist friends to swipe on your behalf, and if you match with someone (whose friends are presumably swiping for them), you can start chatting. The fun thing about Ship? There’s a group-messaging feature in the app so you and your friends can argue discuss potential matches in detail.
3. Facebook Dating
If you’re interested in entering the pool of people on Facebook looking for romance, you simply opt in and set up your profile to get started. The main draw here is that Facebook has a huge pool of users, so you’ll have options. Luckily, the app doesn’t scour your Facebook friends, so you’ll avoid that embarrassing moment when you see someone you know on the app. And if there is someone on your friend list who you’re into, you can use the Secret Crush feature to drop a hint.
4. Hinge
As “the dating app that’s designed to be deleted,” Hinge has lots of devotees. Profiles include interesting questions that help users find common interests. The app also checks in to find out if you’ve met your match, and that can nudge you to follow-up on potential connections. Will you end up finding love and deleting that app? Unclear, but the interface is definitely more in-depth than the apps that ask for only 240-character bios.
5. Tastebuds
If you’re a person who swoons over a carefully curated playlist, this might be one of the best dating apps for you. With music lovers in mind, Tastebuds allows you to match with people based on musical interests and exchange songs with them. Bonding over your love of pre-pandemic metal concerts might be the spark that ignites a lifelong connection.
6. Raya
Known as “Tinder for famous people,” Raya is an invitation-only app with a pretty intense waiting list and application process. The app doesn’t have any free features, but if you’re accepted, it’s less than $10 for one month. Whether or not you’ll find love is anyone’s guess, but there’s a chance you’ll spot someone semifamous if you swipe long enough.
7. CoffeeMeetsBagel
This app is designed to create “meaningful connections” among users. So, instead of unlimited swiping, the app releases a batch of “fresh bagels” every day at noon. In theory, the limited number of options encourages more discernment than a traditional app, and icebreaker conversations prompts are meant to push you beyond “Hey, how are you?”
8. Hornet
If you’re looking for an alternative to Grindr, Hornet is an app that centers men looking to date other men. The interface is pretty intuitive, letting you browse and match easily, and as an added bonus, you can send profiles to other people, which allows you to play matchmaker and discuss profiles with your group chat before you match.
9. Chorus
If you’re tired of swiping and you have a bunch of friends to do your bidding, Chorus might be the app for you. You create your own profile and select a “chorus” of loved ones who will swipe on your behalf. The app is meant to be a throwback to the days when friends would fix each other up. Chorus also has a feature called Date Roulette, whereby you’re paired with potential matches for five-minute video chats. It’s like speed dating without leaving your house.
10. Loosid
In a time when maintaining sobriety is challenging, connecting with other alcohol-free people might be helpful. Loosid is a dating app, but it offers community support and platonic connections as well. If you’re looking to connect with someone who is alcohol-free, or you simply don’t want to explain to a match that you’re not into wine-down Wednesday and quarantinis, this might be the app for you.
11. Feeld
If you’re looking for a threesome and tired of wading through Bumble and Tinder to find the right partners, Feeld might be a contender. Couples can join the app together, and singles can sign up on their own. This creates the perfect environment for couples and thirds to find one another. Since everyone on the app is at least remotely interested in a potential threesome, you can cut through the awkwardness and figure out whether or not you’re actually compatible.
12. S’More
Let’s face it: A lot of us are swiping based on physical appearance. S’More aims to interrupt that tendency by creating a user experience through which you learn actual things about your matches before you see their face. As you chat, each person’s profile photo unblurs. There’s even a blurred video dating function so you can talk like cast members from Love Is Blind. As of right now, the app is live only in New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. But if you’re up for experiencing someone’s personality before you see their face, this is a solid option.
13. Her
Her is a dating app for queer women and nonbinary people. With millions of users and robust communities based on interest, the app allows folks to match and connect in an environment that hopefully feels safe and inclusive (there are Her moderators to enforce community standards). The free version of the app is pretty limited, and premium membership will cost around $15 per month, so keep that in mind when you download it.
14. NuIT
If you’re into astrology, then a dating app that factors birth charts into potential matches is a dream come true. Not only can you see if your love is, as the app says, “written in the stars,” but finding someone as passionate about planetary retrogrades as you are is a surefire way to have interesting conversations.
15. Meet Mindful
The website says that singles who use Meet Mindful “show up fully, connect with intention, and build strong relationship foundations.” So, if you’re all about living as mindfully as possible and want someone who feels the same, by all means, get connected. The app looks and operates like a typical swipe app, but keep in mind that (like many other niche apps) this might be best suited for folks who live in major cities.
16. Lumen
If you’re over 50 and looking to date folks around your age, Lumen may be an excellent dating app choice. The company website says that many of the other options for the over-50 crowd are “dry and boring,” but Lumen is designed for interesting people who are looking to connect with like-minded folks. And if you’re worried about bots and catfish, the app verifies all of its users.
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