Online dating has far less of a stigma than it did a few decades back, but that doesn’t mean that it’s suddenly easy for women to put themselves out there. Even if your friend group swears by a particular site or app, it can still be intimidating to choose your best photo for your dating profile, write a bio about your best attributes, and wait for matches to be made.
Luckily, plenty of sites and apps now make a point to provide a safe space for women. Thanks to new technology and progressive strides in the industry, female users can feel comfortable swiping and matching on apps that take their needs into account. And that benefits the whole dating ecosystem.
Overall Best Dating Apps for Female Users
Female-friendly dating apps can help singles form long-lasting connections, enjoy online chats, and arrange casual encounters. Whether you’re serious about commitment or just hoping for some fun, online dating is a good place to start. Here are some of the most popular sites and apps that women are using today.
1. Match
Match has become a trusted name in the online dating industry by catering to quality singles looking for love and romance. Since 1995, the dating site has developed a time-tested matching system to facilitate deep connections between men and women who share similar goals in life.
- In-depth matching appeals to women with high standards
- Video chat tools help online daters establish a rapport
- An established singles network in 50 countries worldwide
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
By far, one of the most popular dating sites is the one that helped start it all. Match launched in 1995, well before many households even had a dependable internet connection, and today it is excellent at creating mature connections.
The online dating site and app have over 15 million active users, making it one of the most popular worldwide. You can even use Facebook to sign into your Match account, which makes the initial registration steps just a little bit easier and quicker.
While the dating platform has plenty of free features, you can also opt into a paid membership plan that’ll give you more messaging features. If you’re newly single, or just new to the online dating game, we recommend starting with a free membership, and if you find a potential partner who’s not in your Top Picks, consider upgrading to start that conversation.
Christian Mingle is among the most recognizable names in the Christian dating scene. Its faithful community houses over 3 million men and women around the world. Its powerful communication tools and inspirational blog is a source of comfort and motivation for Christians seeking a long term relationship built on shared Christian faith.
- Specializes in fostering God-centered relationships
- Over 3.5 million Christians mingle online
- Rich profiles highlight your passions and beliefs
- Browse Christian Mingle profiles 100% free »
Many online daters consider it important to find a partner who shares their values, but they may not know where to find that special person. Christian Mingle is a great resource for Christians to meet other Christians. It’s the most popular dating service for Christian people, and particularly Christian women, who are serious about love and marriage.
Christian Mingle members can feel secure right off the bat that they’ll meet like-minded believers. Dating profiles in this niche community often speak openly about faith and family values, making it easier to find common ground before even meeting in person.
Since its launch in the early 2000s, Christian Mingle has proven successful at pairing Christian couples. Approximately 29% of all current Christian marriages can thank Christian Mingle for introducing them, which is a pretty decent success rate for the online dating world.
Elite Singles prioritizes quality over quantity, and its highly selective match system satisfies discerning single women looking for a true partnership. A majority of Elite Singles users have graduated from college, excelled in their careers, and want to find someone special to share in their success.
- Helping over 2,500 singles find love every month
- An intelligent match algorithm uses profile information to reccommend dates
- Caters to relationship-minded men and women
- Browse Elite Singles profiles 100% free »
It can be difficult to balance a thriving career and an active dating life, but online dating can help single professionals mingle on their terms. Elite Singles offers an elite dating scene where over 80% of members have a college degree. That raises the bar for online conversations and new matches, making it easier for a single adult to get in a mature relationship.
One of the many great things about Elite Singles? It pretty much does the matching for you. The online dating site was created with working professionals in mind. It’s like having a personal assistant who will weed out the incompatible matches and just show you the profiles that have true potential.
4. Bumble
Bumble has embraced its role as the world’s feminist dating app. The app launched in 2014 with the unique premise that women should send the first message and take the lead in a new romantic relationship. According to Bumble, over 85% of its users are looking for a long-term relationship, and less than 4% are looking for hookups.
- A female-friendly dating environment puts women in control
- Zero tolerance for bullying, misogyny, and rude behavior
- Conversations expire in 24 to 48 hours
- Browse Bumble profiles 100% free »
Bumble may be one of the best women-friendly dating apps. For one, it was founded by a woman named Whitney Wolfe Herd, who helped founder Tinder and left the company because she wanted to do more to put women first. Today, the Bumble app empowers women to make the first move and take control of their dating lives.
Bumble’s reputation as the first feminist dating app is most certainly earned, and the team continues to look out for single women of all backgrounds and uphold progressive values in the dating scene.
Women on this app will not be bombarded by unwanted sexts or inappropriate messages in their dating inbox because female users have complete control over who can contact them on Bumble.
Facebook launched a dating service, cleverly dubbed Facebook Dating, on a mission to expand its ability to connect people in meaningful relationships. The dating app is completely free to use and provides unique matchmaking features, including the Secret Crush option that taps into your Friends list to find mutual matches. Facebook Dating is only accessible through the Facebook app, and it has yet to gain as much traction as the more established names in the industry.
- Totally free communication for all users
- Dating activity is separate from the mainstream FB newsfeed
- Detailed profile information includes Facebook events and interest groups
- Browse Facebook Dating profiles 100% free »
Something like 3 billion people currently have a Facebook account. If you’re not one of them, Facebook Dating may be a good reason to finally join. This dedicated dating application is all about pairing up couples based on similar interests.
The Facebook platform provides a nice starting point for discovering common ground. For example, your perfect match may have gone to the same events as you, but you’ve just never run into them. Facebook can help make that connection by using the data at its disposal. But don’t worry, none of that dating activity shows up in your Facebook profile or any of your friends’ newsfeeds. Facebook Dating activity is completely separate from the user’s social media activity so singles can maintain their privacy in the dating world.
Best Dating Sites For Women Over 50
Women over 50 often feel overlooked and undervalued on mainstream dating apps. These older women have the maturity to know what they want out of life, and all they need is the support to find the right partner. Senior dating sites and apps provide the tools that connect senior people in their 50s and older.
6. OurTime
OurTime has empowered singles over 50 to find the one for them online, and the streamlined matching process has won over online daters interested in quality over quantity. The dating site generates dozens of daily matches to help seniors find a mutual match with no muss and no fuss. OurTime currently has over 1 million members, and it’s growing by leaps and bounds every day.
- Popular among mature, relationship-minded single women
- User-friendly features that highlight compatibility
- Real-time messaging, flirting, and mutual matching
- Browse OurTime profiles 100% free »
Created for single people over the age of 50, OurTime aims to uplift, engage, and connect individuals in the senior population. The online dating site is a great way to find meaningful connections. Senior women tend to outnumber senior men on mature dating sites, and OurTime is no exception. About 52% of its users identify as female.
You can sign up for an account to browse through eligible singles, but you’ll need to pay to send and receive messages with those outside your Top Picks list. OurTime offers advanced search filters to help identify compatible matches and inspire relationships that can go the distance.
SilverSingles is a premium dating site where mature men and women can feel safe having a conversation and getting acquainted. The site only allows singles over 50 to join, and it uses advanced profile verification techniques to ensure everyone is who they say they are. Anyone looking for love and romance can rely on SilverSingles to make them a great match.
- Women receive several match recommendations a day
- Intelligent matchmaking grounded in personal compatibility
- The site maintains strict privacy and safety guidelines
- Browse SilverSingles profiles 100% free »
If compatibility is what you’re looking for, SilverSingles may be the best site for you. Designed to find compatible senior dates, you’ll receive a few eligible matches every day through your email.
If you feel intimidated by the search (which is quite common, especially for women jumping into the online dating pool), it’s nice to have a site that will do the hard part for you. You can sit back and scroll through your curated matches while sipping on a cup of coffee — it’s that easy.
8. SeniorMatch
SeniorMatch offers mature women a safe place where they can meet genuine people. This senior dating site delivers personalized match recommendations every day and has advanced search tools to help singles find someone who meets their standards. Only singles over 45 can join SeniorMatch, and moderators vet every profile and profile picture for authenticity.
- Search for dates by age, location, keyword, and horoscope
- Free members can reply to messages from paid members
- A niche network of respectful and mature men
- Browse SeniorMatch profiles 100% free »
SeniorMatch is a great dating site worth checking out if you’re over the age of 50. One positive is the platforms automatically blocks all attempted profiles from people under the age of 40, so you won’t have to worry about pairing with someone outside of your age range.
Dubbed a place where “the young at heart meet,” SeniorMatch has been connecting seniors looking for both love and companionship since 2001.
Best Dating Apps for Women Seeking Women
Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women can embrace their dating journey in an LGBTQ+ dating community like the ones listed below. You can trust the following dating platforms to help you find the perfect woman.
9. HER
The HER team believes in the unequivocal power of queer womxn, and its niche dating community lets these strong female voices ring out loud and clear. Whether you’re looking for a date, a travel buddy, or an interesting conversation, you can mingle freely and safely here.
- Welcomes women of all orientations
- Moderators patrol the app 24/7
- Location-based matches and events
- Browse HER profiles 100% free »
Initially known as Dattch, HER is a dating app that helps women connect with other women. The network represents all people who identify as women, including lesbians, inter, non-binary, trans, and agender people.H
HER is a safe space populated by over 10 million people looking for love — or looking to take part in a positive and understanding community.
The women-only app started as a passion project by a lesbian woman who understands the importance of finding like-minded individuals. The core features of the app are free, and there is a strict no bullying code that keeps all women safe from harassment and hate speech.
10. LesbianPersonals
LesbianPersonals.com is powered by Friend Finder Networks, so it encompasses a vast network of sexually active women. The female-friendly dating site allows women, couples, and groups to create a profile and find online and offline romance. With over 2 million women in its community, LesbianPersonals is fast becoming one of the most popular lesbian dating sites around.
- Free membership includes viewing profiles and sending likes
- Exchange revealing photos and videos privately online
- Simple search filters by interests and appearance
- Browse LesbianPersonals profiles 100% free »
Women who identify as lesbians and bisexuals often rely on LesbianPersonals to meet new eligible singles for hookups. The mobile-friendly website is especially good if you’re looking for a casual partner or threesome. But, you never know — you may stumble upon a lifelong connection or two as well.
Anyone over the age of 18 can sign up to LesbianPersonals for free, and it costs nothing to view profiles, photos, and blog posts in the sex-driven network. Users can then opt to pay extra for add-ons that’ll enhance the dating experience.
11. Lex
Lex isn’t just a good place to connect with queer singles — it’s also a great place to learn about local LGBTQ-based events happening in your area. The downloadable app is also a great place to meet and communicate with new friends. Everyone is welcome to join, as long as they show compassion and kindness toward the thousands of people who use the social platform daily.
FAQs: Is Online Dating Safe for Women?
Yes — online dating is safe for women, but you still need to use precautions. As with any other kind of dating, you’ll always want to be on the lookout for red flags. If you’re chatting with a new person and get the feeling they’re not legit, perhaps by using words incorrectly or too often, or answering questions in a vague manner, there may not be an actual person behind the dating profile.
To be safe, you’ll want to make sure that you never give out too much information, especially before meeting in person. When you decide to meet up, make sure you choose a popular location, like a restaurant or park, where you won’t be alone. It’s also good to let your friends know you’ll be out with someone. Even without red flags present, it’s always good to have someone you trust know your whereabouts.
Avoid disclosing financial information, or giving your potential date any money over the internet. Romance scams are unfortunately becoming popular, and it’s a big warning sign for a date to ask you to cover a bill for them or lend them cash, especially early on in the relationship.
What’s the Best Female-Friendly App for Casual Sex?
One of the best female-friendly apps for casual sex is Ashley Madison. While the married dating site has gained popularity for promoting extramarital affairs, and it’s one of the few sites that is completely free for women to chat.
Most Ashley Madison users are married and looking for an escape. That could come in the form of harmless online flirting, or it could mean pursuing an affair with someone special. The dating site and app aren’t here to judge anyone for what they want. At the end of the day, Ashley Madison is all about following your heart — wherever it may lead.
- Proactive privacy and security measures
- Ability to hide your face in profile pictures
- Quick Reply to matches to show you’re interested
- Browse Ashley Madison profiles 100% free »
If you’re looking for a one-night stand or a casual relationship, Ashley Madison is here for it. The married dating site and app provide a global network of romantic options with no strings attached. Some members on Ashley Madison are looking to step outside their marriage for an affair, while others just want to indulge in an online fantasy without consequences.
This anonymous hookup app can help single and not-so-single people see who’s out there looking for a similar arrangement.
The Right Dating Platform Is the One That Meets Your Needs
When it comes to dating, there’s no “one size fits all” — each single person is looking for something a little different. Maybe you’re looking to get married in a year, or maybe you’re looking for an overnight partner, or maybe you need a plus-one for a relative’s wedding.
Just keep in mind that online dating success is not guaranteed with every new profile. Singles have to do their research, use good judgment, and put in the effort to attract and keep a new love connection.
The best thing to do is try multiple dating apps, and see what’s out there. Even if you’re uncomfortable at first, you’ll learn the ropes over time. With a little bit of patience, you too will find your perfect match.
