The best dating apps for 2022

If you’re totally new to the world of online dating, where do you start? That depends on a few factors, like your age and what you’re looking for from online dating.

Searching for a serious relationship? We’d recommend avoiding apps aimed at — or commonly used for — hookups, like Tinder and Pure, and opt for those providing paid membership. Apps like Match, Hinge, and Heybaby tend to attract members looking for something more serious than a hookup — or download a local dating app such as Happn if you’re keen to discover potential dates in your neighborhood. These same unofficial rules apply for older daters too — paid apps tend to appeal to a more mature audience, so avoid gamification and “swipe left/right” apps in favor of those apps that ask you to include a bit more than just a picture on your profile.

Younger daters under the age of 18 will often find most dating apps require you to be over 18 to use them — and although there’s often no age verification process, the requirement is for your own safety, so sticking to it is recommended. Apps like Kippo and XO — where the focus isn’t solely on dating but on sharing interests, activities, and games — would be our recommendations for younger people dating online, but do check the terms and conditions before downloading apps and signing up.

Do you find yourself yearning nostalgically for the pre-social media days of ’80s “chat lines”? Even if you’re too young to remember them, there’s no denying online dating seemed easier before things went social. Flirtini aims to change all that.

Inspired by the aforementioned chat lines, this new innovative dating and social discovery app wants to make dating fun again with flirty conversation rather than endless swiping. The app connects you with other users based on conversational chemistry and has a number of conversation starters to spark a discussion with your potential beau.

A sleek design, gamification component with a rewards program, social stories, and expiring matches — you only get 15 minutes to strike up a conversation, or you’ll lose your new match forever — add up to create an interesting and worthwhile experience. But where Flirtini excels is in its safety and security. The app protects against screenshots and recordings, features AI-enable detection and deletion of fake profiles, and lets you change the app icon for privacy. Future planned tools include anonymous mode and augmented reality (AR) masks and filters you can use on your profile or during private calls.

Following a user survey in which the company found almost 70% of women on online dating apps received unsolicited nudes, the app implemented its new C*ckblock feature, which uses AI neural network technology to detect sexually explicit images and prevent their transmission.

Flirtini offers a free trial, after which you’ll need to sign up for a membership to continue using the app. The Premium membership starts from $10 per month, with access to features such as Likebook Booster, which promotes your profile, Story Booster to promote your stories, and Undo Rewind, great if you’re an indecisive type who skipped a profile but changed your mind. Flirtini is still fairly new, so it doesn’t have the same user base as larger, more established apps, but what it does offer is solid, and the app gets four out of five stars on the Apple Store.

Fairytrail is a fairly new app aimed at remote workers, digital nomads, and travelers. The app claims 93% of its users are fully mobile or aspire to live this type of lifestyle. So if you’re never in one place for too long or you’d like to travel more, this is a great way to meet a like-minded mate.

You can sign up with email or your Google or Facebook account, after which a cute animated owl asks you some questions about yourself. The profile you’re creating digs a little deeper than with some other dating apps, asking you questions like, “What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?” and “What values matter most to you?” Then you’re asked to choose a Fairytrail character from a selection of characters, each with their own specified personality type — such as Rapunzel (adventurous) or Pocahontas (open-minded). Upload three profile pictures — one of which must show your face, and another which has to show your full body — and you’re good to go.

You can get started exploring profiles straight away or set your preferences. You can choose what type of character you’d like to meet, like Aladdin (ambitious) or Peter Pan (youthful), or filter matches by age, gender, current country, mobility, religion, ethnicity, and more. In the Explore tab, you can view profiles, tapping Skip to pass over the person or Adore to like them — it’s that simple. It’s worth noting you won’t be able to chat until you pay your one-time entrance fee of $3. Profiles here are more in-depth than some other apps, covering things like hobbies, values, top wishes, how mobile somebody is (in terms of traveling or being a digital nomad), as well as their height, religion, and the languages they speak. If you both “Adore” each other, it’s a match! You can then video or text chat through the app for your first date.

If we had any criticisms of Fairytrail, it’s that it isn’t particularly inclusive. You can only choose between two gender options, male or female, when creating your profile, which is sure to turn many users off the app. There have also been some complaints that the small fees you’re charged for various activities can quickly add up — and there isn’t much information about this when you first download the app. Fairytrail also seems to focus quite heavily on looks, with a guide to what’s attractive available on the photos upload page, plus the requirement to upload a full body picture. It’s also not the most colorful app around, and the design is fairly basic, so if this is important to you, you might want to look elsewhere. Finally, it’s worth noting that Fairytrail is fairly new, so it might be harder to find a match if you’re not willing to explore living a fully mobile lifestyle or if you want to match based on a more obscure location.

Heybaby is the dating app for those with kids or those who know they want them someday. If that’s you, you’re in luck. Unlike other apps, where you need to have the awkward, “So do you … um … want kids?” conversation, you already know that if somebody’s on Heybaby, they most definitely want kids, or they already have them. They may even have some and want more. The app is a great place for single parents to connect with others, but it’s also ideal if you’re thinking about starting a family in the near future and don’t want to waste time dating those who aren’t of a similar mindset.

Heybaby was founded by Diko Daghlian, Chas McFeely, and Rene Van De Zande, three dads who decided “the kid conversation” should be front and center when dating. When you sign up, you’ll answer questions about your family and your hopes and dreams for the future — such as if you already have kids and if you want to have more. The app also asks you lifestyle questions about your work, travel preferences, and interests in a bid to connect those with a compatible lifestyle and views on parenting.

With its sleek, modern design and minimalistic interface, Heybaby is a delight to use, but it’s anyone’s guess how the app’s user base will grow. There are plenty of positive reviews so far, with the main complaint among users being that there aren’t enough people on Heybaby to match with just yet — the user base is pretty small as Heybaby has only been around since the summer. The app launched first in San Francisco, so if you live here, you might strike gold — and, generally speaking, those in major cities have more chance of finding a like-minded match than those living in more rural areas. The latest features include the option to record a 10-second video for verification purposes and to introduce yourself to others. You can choose to show this on your profile or keep it hidden. Heybaby is iOS-only for now, but an Android version will hopefully soon be in the works.

Chispa is the largest Latino dating app with over four million downloads. Created by Match Group, it’s designed to help single Latino men and single Latina women connect with those who share similar interests. The app operates on a swipe functionality: swipe right if you’re interested — and if the match is mutual, you’ll be able to chat — and swipe left to pass.

There are plenty of options available to customize your search for the perfect partner, whether you’re looking for somebody who’s a specific height or body type or prefer to match on shared interests. It’s free to use the app but you can upgrade to Premium for $10 per month, which gives you unlimited swipes, five “Super Chispas” (like Tinder’s Super Likes) a day, profile boost, and the ability to rewind swipes. There’s also Elite membership, which gives you all the aforementioned features plus the ability to see who’s liked you.

The most recently added feature is a collaboration with Tragos (the Latino party card game) which acts as an ice breaker, using common Latinx themes and universal cultural anecdotes to pose hilarious questions that you can display answers to on your profile. It’s a great opportunity to connect with others on cultural references and upbringing, with questions like “Do you fear la chancla?” or “Ever get hit with ‘¿el novio/la novia?’ at family gatherings?”

It’s worth noting that Chispa isn’t available in the U.K., so if you live there you’ll want to choose another app from our list instead.

Her is the largest and most popular free dating app in the world for LGBTQ women, with 7 million users worldwide. You’ll need to use your Facebook or Instagram account to sign up, after which you can view other verified users both locally and around the world. The app isn’t just about finding a date or your perfect match, though — there are informative articles about LGBTQ issues, queer events local to you, and a community to be part of, so you can make friends with like-minded women who believe in LGBTQ+ equality and empowerment. To match with another user, just like their photos — if the interest is mutual, the app connects you so you can chat.

Her also hosts social meets and parties in 15 cities worldwide (like London, New York, and Los Angeles). You can find out when the next event is by downloading the app, and you can also get discounts on tickets.

Her is free to use, but there’s a premium subscription available that lets you see who’s online right now, filter searches by sexuality, and more. Premium starts at $15 per month.

OK, so Pure is designed for hookups rather than serious dating, but don’t judge a book by its cover — or in this case, an app by its intended purpose. Pure is for those who prefer their dating life with no strings attached, so if that’s you — we’re not judging — then it’s well worth checking the app out. Designed with some pretty cool art, there’s a millennial vibe to Pure — and it’s a space for over-18s only, with a strict no nude photos rule.

When signing up, the app asks for your phone number to prove you’re a real person and uses your location to find potential matches — or you can sign up with your Apple ID on the iOS app. Make sure you outline what you’re looking for when creating your bio — as well as mentioning any boundaries. The aim here is anonymous, spur-of-the-moment connections, so your bio, selfies, matches, conversations, and likes automatically self-destruct every 24 hours — and they’re only visible to others when you’re online. Privacy isn’t a concern, as any photos you send in messages can’t be saved — and if anyone tries to screenshot an image you’ve sent, the app notifies you. Pure recently added an anonymous video chat feature where you can wear a virtual mask to hide your identity.

The user base right now is admittedly a little sparse, so unless you live in a major city, you might strike out with Pure. On the plus side, a smaller user base means fewer bots and people trying to scam you — so Pure remains a fairly safe app to use. On the downside, retyping your bio and uploading your photos every 24 hours can get old pretty fast, but it’s great if you prefer your apps with no strings attached. You can communicate with anybody who messages you for free, but to see other profiles, you’ll need to upgrade to Pro for $13 per week or $30 a month.

Pure’s newest features include video chat, where you can enjoy a totally anonymous video chat and opt to “wear” a virtual mask to hide your identity, giving you the opportunity to get to know your match a little better before deciding to meet up in person.

Our next app is a little bit different from the others on this list — it’s strictly for those who are into astrology. Not the “Today you will win the lottery” horoscopes that you find in every magazine and newspaper on the planet, but actual, real astrology. We’re talking about the time of your birth, which, along with your sun sign, can be used to create your birth chart — but who has time to create a birth chart to work out your supposed compatibility with your potential match? NUiT takes care of all that, asking you to sign up with your date of birth, then creating your own unique birth chart, which will not only give you insights into your own personality but can also help you see how you connect or clash with others. There are daily horoscopes too, if you’re into that.

NUiT is actually a lot of fun, and it’s a gorgeously designed app that’s free to use. OK, so it can’t tell you if that Cancerian born at 4:45 p.m. on July 5 is going to be your soulmate, but it can give you insight into behaviors, letting you use that insight to understand why people act and think the way they do. NUiT is geared toward inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community, and includes non-binary gender identity, as well as an expanded spectrum of orientation preferences — so if you’re looking to date somebody of the same sex, your profile won’t be shown to straight users, unlike most heteronormative dating apps.

NUiT’s user base is fairly small, but hopefully, this will grow in the future, and the feedback from users has been mostly positive, with many commenting that they use the app to make friends as well as find potential matches.

OkCupid was once one of the biggest names in the dating biz — and the desktop version has been around for what feels like forever (long before apps were even a thing). These days the reviews for the app are fairly mixed, but it’s still a popular choice if you’re getting back in the dating game. After creating a username, you’ll start your OkCupid journey by filling out a very long profile, which you can link to your Instagram account. You can answer questions, giving both your answer and what you’d like your potential match’s answer to be — creating a percentile score that reflects compatibility between users. The survey has been recently changed to include questions about contentious issues like climate change, so you can filter out people with diametrically opposed views to yourself. You can also choose to make your answers public and note how important they are to you, so prospective matches can see for themselves how compatible you’re likely to be.

LOLO (formerly XO) is a solid Android-only dating app, but with one big difference: Instead of the usual corny pickup lines and awkward first chats, you and your match play a fun game together, which allows you to get to know each other in a much more natural way. There are a number of icebreakers available, including drawing and word games, so you should be able to find something worth playing with every one of your matches. Playing a game helps to make conversing much more natural, and it gives you an easy conversation starter — even if it’s only about which games you prefer. You can also share funny results on social media, which helps to immediately introduce your new amour into your social circles.

Matching works similarly to other dating apps. You can match with individuals from your Match screen and tap the check mark for anyone you’re interested in meeting. Or, if you’re the more adventurous type, you can tap the Blind Date option to be matched with someone completely different. You’ll play a game with your blind date and only have your identities revealed at the end of that first game. While you may find that a little scary, the chance to reach outside of your usual physical type may reap dividends, as you could end up connecting with someone you might usually not have.

The free version gets you a limited version of the app, so you’ll need to subscribe for additional features like unlimited likes, seeing who’s liked you, changing any mistaken selections you’ve made, and stripping out ads. A monthly subscription is expensive at $15, but you can buy six months for $60 or a year for $95 to save a little extra cash — though, as always with dating apps, paying upfront can be a little risky, as you’re essentially paying with the hope of not needing it eventually.

Recently added features include the option to invite people to play games by username, so you can play with your friends or a crush; Group Date, which lets you play a four-person game; the Love Letters game; Astrology Match, which matches you with other users based on your star sign — if you’re into that kind of thing; and Mystic Mondays. Also new to the app is Third Wheel, which is pretty much what it sounds like — you’ll be matched with someone, but a member of the LOLO team will also be in the chat as the third wheel on your date! They’ll perk up your conversation if it gets stale, help out with topics, and play group games with you to help you get to know each other. If you’ve joined the app with a friend who’s also single, check out the new Double Date feature, which lets you hunt for matches together. The Role Play feature is also a fun way to see how you and your match navigate different scenarios.

On the downside, the app is still quite new, which means its audience is going to be quite a bit smaller than other dating apps. If you live in a less-populated area, this might mean you’re much less likely to find someone within close proximity to yourself. However, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on, as the icebreaking games are definitely a new and fun way to meet people.

The first dating app you can download (guilt-free) if you’re not single, Ship has a unique concept. Rather than just being a one-on-one affair, this dating app allows your friends to get in on the dating process by vetting potential matches and sending them over to you — with a few thoughts of their own, most likely. Otherwise, you can use it as a regular dating app, with the option of inviting friends later to get their thoughts before you commit to a date.

Getting started is easy. If you’re looking for love, you download the app, set up your account, and then invite people to join your Crew. Once set up, you can send profiles to your Crew, who’ll then be able to check them out for you and let you know if they think you’ll be a match. If you’re more the matchmaking type, you can individually search on your friend’s behalf and send them any potential suitors, along with your thoughts. A recent update has increased the number of Crews you can have, so you can have separate Crews for different groups of friends.

Once a match has been found, you can chat with them through the app. If you’re a more private individual, you probably don’t see the attraction here. But if you’ve ever sent over screenshots of a potential match to your friends for approval and discussion, then this app is an absolute must-download.

If music is the food of love, then it’s likely to break your heart if a potential life partner can’t stand your favorite tunes. Tastebuds’ dating app gives you a chance to avoid that, with dating and social pairing matched primarily on musical love. Simply sign up, add the music you like, and get matched up with nearby people who share a similar taste in tunes. If your taste is constantly evolving, you can add your Spotify profile, too, so your profile is kept impeccably up to date. There’s a website version, too.

Coffee Meets Bagel used to require Facebook to create an account, but that’s thankfully no longer the case. Instead, you’ll need to use your phone number to verify yourself, making signing up even easier — and slightly less intrusive.

Once you’ve set up your profile and input your dating preferences, Coffee Meets Bagel will send you a few “bagels” a day — otherwise known as a potential match’s profile. You then have 24 hours to decide whether you want to “like” or “pass” on your bagel. If you like your bagel and they have also liked you, you’ll connect and be able to message one another in a private chat. That chat room expires after eight days, regardless of whether you’ve talked with your bagel or not, and that expiration date imbues an immediacy not found in most other dating apps. You can also earn “beans” that allow for extra app functions, either by purchasing them outright, recommending the app to your friends, or logging in on consecutive days.

The service also offers more specific preference options, so you can narrow choices to certain religious beliefs or ethnicities if those are particularly important to you. You can load up to nine photos and create a much more prolific profile than some other apps. And if you’ve entered any icebreakers into your profile, the app will send one of them to a bagel you’ve connected with as the first message, allowing for a convenient, immediate connection. The fact that chat rooms expire after a week puts some pressure on you to exchange phone numbers or meet up in real life, or you can just quietly fade away without any fuss. The interface is also relatively user-friendly, with large photos and clean text.

Appearances can be deceiving, though. Although Coffee Meets Bagel allows for a range of super-specific preferences, the bagel it sends you may or may not match your specified preferences, and, more often than not, if they do, they will be a significant distance away. The app can also be glitchy, often resulting in slow update and load times, and sometimes it’s frustrating that it sends you only a single bagel a day. You can speed things up a bit by using the Give & Take option, but it’ll cost you a hefty 385 beans to like someone who catches your eye. When you consider a bag of 200 beans will set you back $3, it can quickly become expensive if you’re the impatient type.

You can also subscribe to Premium from $35 per month, $75 for three months, $120 for six months, or $180 for 12 months. This gives you access to read receipts, so you won’t waste time wondering whether your potential match has read your messages, as well as activity reports, which show you how your potential match interacts with the app — and whether they’re likely to make the first move.

Despite the expiration of bagels, the slow pace and infrequency of connecting with potential matches make it all too easy to be super-passive with the app, which can render it useless. However, if you prefer a slower pace, then Coffee Meets Bagel is appealing.

Load up Hinge, and you might think you’ve accidentally booted into Tinder. Yes, Hinge looks a lot like Tinder’s younger sister, and given the dating context, that might make you a little uncomfortable. But dive a little deeper, and you’ll uncover more differences. Function-wise, it’s very different and uses common interests to pair with prospective matches. It does this by having you answer a bunch of questions through a Tinder-like interface. Have you been to Berlin? Swipe right. Don’t play croquet? Swipe left. This makes answering questions far easier and less time-consuming, not to mention more fun. The questions themselves aren’t as asinine as those in some other dating apps, and they give you a better sense of someone than 500 characters of description can.

People can message you only if you’ve matched, so there are no unsolicited greetings. You can immediately see what sort of relationship people are looking for, and while that doesn’t sound revolutionary, it reflects the fact that Hinge carries more of a dating expectation than a hookup expectation à la Tinder. Best of all, since the matches are curated by your answers to questions, it’s quite a bit harder to come across someone who’s just looking to send inappropriate pictures — and that’s a big plus in our book.

There was no way we could discuss the best dating apps without mentioning the granddaddy of them all. Match was at the top of the dating game long before dating apps like Tinder existed, and its experience shows. Signup is simple but can take a little time — it involves entering your details, answering a few questions about your preferences, and adding a couple of photos. Facebook registration isn’t needed, thankfully.

Match’s version of flirting is sending someone a “wink,” and you can search through the Match database to find winkable people. The service will also provide you with daily personalized matches, which take your interests into consideration. There’s also a personalized dating coach that sends recommendations of people who match your desires — one of the most popular features mentioned in user reviews. The Match interface is also pretty sleek and minimalist, but it’s not as easy to use as, say, Tinder. It uses a set of tabs that run along the top of the display (Matches, Search, Viewed Me, and Mixer), which break up the service’s various functions. It’s not an overly complicated app, but it does take a few minutes to get used to.

However, to make the most of Match, you’re going to need a subscription, which can get a little pricey — the cheapest option currently available will run you $16 a month for 12 months. If you don’t want to sign up for a year, it’ll cost $28 a month for three months or $20 a month for six months. Is it worth it? Probably — a premium subscription does allow you to see who’s recently looked at your profile and who has liked your pictures, and it includes a host of other features.

The app’s latest updates include the option to start free conversations with your Top Picks.

Bumble looks eerily similar to Tinder but functions a tad differently. The big catch with Bumble is that when opposite genders match, the woman must message the guy first — and she only has 24 hours to do so. Guys don’t have as much power, but they can extend matches for 24 hours if they’re really hoping to hear from a particular woman. Ladies can do the same thing if they want to chat with a match but haven’t had time during the first day. For same-gender matches, either person can initiate the conversation first.

It’s a system that promotes an active approach, but not enough to be punishing. The 24-hour time limit to connect with someone adds just enough pressure to start a conversation, so matches don’t languish and get reshuffled into the deck. And if you accidentally nixed someone, just shake your phone to undo your rogue swipe. Profiles are concise, and settings are pared down, like with Tinder, and swiping up allows you to scroll through additional photos. 

Bumble also checks the boxes for usability, a slick user interface, and easy profile setup. Also, the relatively ballsy move of designing a dating app where women take the driving seat definitely pays off. It’s the only app that states plainly and prominently that it prohibits pornographic material, requires its users to respect one another, and has a code of conduct in place specifically to make it a safe and friendly place.

If you’re a woman and you hate being the first person to initiate a conversation, then Bumble definitely isn’t for you. Profiles are also very short, consisting of a concise blurb and six photos max. This can make it hard to gauge whether or not you’re interested in someone, even at the most superficial level. Furthermore, because Bumble places the onus on the woman to initiate the conversation, we’ve found that it can attract a more passive crowd than other dating apps. However, if you’re a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to get it, Bumble is worth a shot.

Bumble recently added in-app voice and video chat functions, as well as the option to send audio notes if you don’t fancy chatting in real time.

How often do you cross paths with the love of your life before you actually meet them? Maybe you smile at your crush every day when you get your morning coffee, but you’ve never built up the courage to talk. If so, Happn could be for you. It’s a dating app that shows the profiles of other singles and pinpoints the last place and time you were near each other. All your prospective matches are people you’ve crossed paths with, so you’re always starting out with something in common.

You can like people secretly, and they won’t find out unless they like you, too. If you’re comfortable being bolder, you can tap the Charm button to let them know you’re interested. However, Charms cost coins, which you’ll have to buy with real cash via in-app purchases. When you get a match — which Happn calls a Crush — you can start chatting with each other.

It’s very quick and easy to set up and use. The profile creation is pretty standard. You add photos, age, profession, and interests, and you can also specify what you like doing, whether that’s taking a walk in the park, seeing a movie, or going for a drink. Happn also has some nifty integrations — you can use Facebook to set up your profile, hook up your Instagram account to automatically add photos, and add Spotify to see if your musical tastes align with matches.

Happn uses the GPS functionality on your phone to track your movements. If you’ve been within 800 feet of a potential match, then you’ll see their profile. For that reason, it works best for city dwellers. People can’t contact you unless you tap the Heart on their profile. Happn never displays your position to other users in real time, and you can also block users if you have stalking concerns.

Recently added features include video calling — just go to the conversation tab and tap the Video Camera icon to start a call.