The most successful free dating sites for men have gained popularity through word of mouth, but word doesn’t always spread to everyone everywhere, and that’s where we come in.
Our dating experts have scoured the web to find and promote the top online dating sites for guys seeking dates and relationships, and we’ve sorted them by category for your convenience. Our list includes some of the most best dating websites and popular apps of all time — plus, they’re all free to try.
Whether you’re looking for one-night stands or long-term relationships, you can use the following online dating sites and apps to connect with genuine singles who are looking for established men like you.
Best Overall Free Dating Sites for Men
We’re going to start our list strong with the best overall dating websites for men. These free online dating sites have it all in terms of popularity and matchmaking power, and any of them would be a suitable wingman in today’s fast-paced dating scene.
1. Match
Since 1995, Match has made a name for itself as one of the most successful dating platforms in the world. The site empowers singles to find compatible dates and make a deep connection based on shared interests and lifestyles. Match.com is responsible for countless love stories, and the next one could be yours.
- Find quality women with advanced search filters
- Communicate with your Top Picks for free
- Add up to 26 photos to your profile
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match has been matching singles since 1995, and the dating service and algorithm have only gotten more effective and intuitive with each passing year. This dating site identifies compatibility based on shared interests, goals, and lifestyles, and it has proven successful time and time again.
With over 30 million users, Match is easily one of the most popular paid dating sites around, and it also has one of the most sophisticated matchmaking systems available.
Match offers a combination of search filters and match suggestions to generate interest and help newcomers navigate the online database, and it offers free communication to everyone in your Top Picks list.
Elite Singles appeals to the cream of the dating crop with its smart, personality-driven matching system. Over 80% of its members have at least a bachelor's degree, and these well-educated singles are looking for someone equally ambitious, attractive, and clever. Elite Singles focuses on helping relationship-minded men and women find someone who meets, or even exceeds, their high standards.
- More than 2 million monthly users
- A growing network of female professionals in 25 countries
- Elite Singles offers daily match recommendations and expert profile advice
- Browse Elite Singles profiles 100% free »
Elite Singles is a high-end dating platform for single professionals seeking smart matches. Men can meet many well-educated, successful, and like-minded people in this elite network.
You don’t have to settle for second-rate dates when you have an Elite Singles membership. Over 80% of Elite Singles members are largely academic singles who have graduated from college, and over 90% say they’re looking for a serious relationship on the site.
With its premier membership, Elite Singles has distanced itself from swiping culture and offers an upgrade for singles over 30 looking for something real.
3. Zoosk
Zoosk is a dynamic dating site with over 40 million members worldwide. This general dating platform caters to singles seeking short-term and long-term relationships, and you don't need a paid subscription to join the fun. Zoosk members can send messages to premium members for free, and they can use Zoosk Coins to earn added perks.
- Free trial with unlimited profile browsing
- Flirt with women in 80+ countries
- Behavioral matchmaking system pays attention to your likes and views
- Browse Zoosk profiles 100% free »
Love to chat? Then you’ll love Zoosk, a social dating site and app with over 40 million members. Zoosk has a ton of free and paid communication options, so online daters can do more than send a message — they can send virtual flirts and virtual gifts to get in touch.
Zoosk gives singles the ability to find dates by using search filters, or they can go to the Carousel to swipe through compatible options. The site employs behavioral matchmaking, so the more you like, view, and message profiles, the more refined your match recommendations will be.
Whether you’re looking for new friends, one-night stands, or just good conversations, Zoosk can give you plenty of avenues to connect and bond with people like you. Check out our full review for more detailed information on the online dating service.
4. eharmony
When it comes to long-term relationships, eharmony doesn't mess around. This dating website has crafted a time-tested matchmaking formula that identifies key personality traits and areas of compatibility. It provides hard data on how you stack up against potential dates and delivers a curated list of match recommendations to your inbox every day.
- Over 2.3 million messages sent every week
- Match formula pinpoints compatibility in lifestyle, temperament, and goals
- Relatively even gender split of men and women
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
If you’re looking to get in a relationship, then eharmony can seriously help you out. This top-notch dating site was designed to help men and women find their perfect match for life, and over 2 million couples have met through its dating service.
Since 2000, eharmony has developed a sure-fire, psychology-based, and values-driven matchmaking system that has taken the online dating world by storm. Single men can fill out an in-depth profile and take the 80-question personality test, and then eharmony will use that personal data to generate accurate compatibility ratings.
Every 14 minutes, someone finds love on eharmony, and a free eharmony dating profile could be the start of your love story if you give it a chance.
Christian Mingle caters to men and women who desire a God-centered relationship. The site's values-driven features can lead Christian singles to find the right one for them by focusing on what matters. ChristianMingle profiles are rich with information about the person's faith, upbringing, education, and interests. Nearly 60,000 singles sign up each month in hopes of making a soulful connection here.
- More than 3.5 million monthly users
- Geared toward Christian men who want to settle down
- Free signup and profile verification
- Browse Christian Mingle profiles 100% free »
Christian Mingle offers a values-driven dating experience for Christian singles seeking love and marriage. If you’re looking for a good Christian woman to call your own, then this free online dating site is right for you.
It’s free to join Christian Mingle and start swiping on date prospects who meet your standards. Not everyone in this database is Christian (about 90% are), but they’re all open to dating and marrying someone of faith.
Christian Mingle has collected a lot of success stories from couples who met on the niche dating site. “As soon as we began to talk on Christian Mingle, I knew he was the one,” Lilly said. “We are truly grateful for Christian Mingle and would like to encourage others not to give up on finding love.”
BlackPeopleMeet is a go-to dating site for Black and biracial singles in North America. The platform's simple yet powerful matching system has led to many successful first dates as well as countless relationships and marriages. Whether you're looking for something serious or something casual, BlackPeopleMeet can hook you up with its match recommendations list.
- Find women who share similar backgrounds and goals
- Over 1.5 million monthly users in the U.S. and Canada
- Virtual gifts, match alerts, boost visibility, and other perks
- Browse BlackPeopleMeet profiles 100% free »
BlackPeopleMeet has the distinction of being the largest black dating site in the world with thousands of black singles seeking dates and relationships here.
Black singles are in the majority on BlackPeopleMeet, and they can use the search filters on the niche dating site to find an online love interest who shares similar backgrounds and life experiences. It’s free to create a dating profile and look for matches in the BPM community, but only paid subscribers can send messages.
“I really enjoyed being on this site for the short time I’ve been on here,” said a Georgia man in a testimonial. “My reason for leaving this site is because I met this beautiful lady on here recently and we have hit it off great. She is a very special.”
7. OkCupid
OkCupid inspires dates and relationships by identifying specific areas of compatibility. The dating site and app has an endless questionnaire that allows single men to express who they are and what matters to them. OkCupid uses this treasure trove of information to generate highly accurate match recommendations and compatibility ratings.
- Men can leave a message to anyone they fancy
- A sophisticated match algorithm developed by Harvard math majors
- The site and app facilitate over 50,000 dates every week
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
As far as dating sites for men go, OkCupid is among the best of the best and the freest of the free. You don’t have to pay anything to create a dating profile or send messages on OkCupid, and its personality-driven search tools are sure to help you find the perfect match.
OkCupid launched in 2004 with the promise to remain free forever. So far, so good. The free online dating site and app can prompt singles to find common interests and express themselves with humor and authenticity thanks to the in-depth profiles, personality test, compatibility ratings, and mutual matching system.
Every year, OkCupid creates over 91 million connections, and it has gotten more mentions in “The New York Times” wedding section than any other dating platform.
Plenty of Fish is great for single men who are ready to get off the sidelines and into the action. The dating site offers 100% free communication for everyone, so nothing holds you back from a new connection. Chatty POF users send over 1 billion messages per month here, and the database is constantly expanding to include more active daters worldwide.
- Send unlimited messages to single women online
- Membership includes a free Relationship Chemistry Predictor
- Dating forums offer guidance along the way
- Browse Plenty of Fish profiles 100% free »
Plenty of Fish is a totally free dating site and app with a massive user base. Over 150 million people have created a dating profile on Plenty of Fish, and over 4 million members visit the site or app on a regular basis (i.e. at least once a month).
While Plenty of Fish supports a chatty and flirtatious environment, it also looks out for genuine daters and deters spammers and scammers online. The moderators flag and remove profiles with inappropriate content, and they limit the number of first messages people can send in a single day.
The Plenty of Fish signup process doesn’t require users to upload photos, but it is highly recommended. POF profiles with photos receive 10 times as many views as profiles without photos, and that can make a huge difference in the search for a date.
9. Tinder
Tinder gives singles a fast and fun way to mix things up online. The dating app's motto is "Single is a terrible thing to waste," and its swiping system encourages singles to explore the dating scene without making any big commitments. Tinder is free to download on Google Play and iTunes.
- Connect with attractive women near you
- Free chat and matching features
- Responsible for over 97 billion matches to date
- Browse Tinder profiles 100% free »
The Tinder dating app became famous in 2012 because of its innovative matching system, and now swiping is the status quo in the online dating world. This free app changed the way singles meet one another, and it remains critical to the romantic futures of millions of people.
To date, Tinder has been downloaded over 340 million times, and it has created over 43 billion matches worldwide. With a free Tinder membership, you can swipe through attractive options and spark conversations with local singles. The app is currently one of the most successful options out there, leading to 1.5 million dates per week.
Tinder attracts a pretty young crowd (over half of users are between 18 and 25), and that makes it great for men who want to play the field, keep their options open, and enjoy a lot of flirtatious interactions.
10. Bumble
On Bumble, men don't have to worry about coming up with pick-up lines or witty greetings. They can sit back and let women come to them. Only women can send the first message on Bumble. All matches expire after 24 hours (or 48 if you choose to use the extend option), so the pressure is on to make a connection and take the relationship offline.
- Bold women reach out to men on Bumble
- A gender-balanced environment takes the pressure off
- Facilitating millions of matches each month
- Browse Bumble profiles 100% free »
Bumble may market itself as a female-friendly dating app, but its women-message-first policy is actually great for single men, too.
Think about it: you no longer have the pressure of coming up with a good one-liner. You don’t have to wonder if your match is really interested in you. On Bumble, single women come to you and message you first, and that can be a pretty refreshing change of pace for most straight single guys.
“Swiping is a whole lot better than sending thousands of messages,” Rick James said in a Bumble review. “The women have to swipe back and send a message first if they’re interested — it is the BEST idea for a dating site.”
Best Free Senior Dating Sites for Men
Once you reach a certain age, you may start to view the dating scene a little differently. The idea of hunting for dates at bars or clubs isn’t all that appealing to hard-working professionals and retirees, and most seniors aren’t comfortable approaching random people in person.
Fortunately, online dating has become increasingly popular among seniors seeking romance and love.
11. SilverSingles
Since 2002, SilverSingles has reached out to the senior community to give mature singles a second chance at love. This exclusive senior dating site uses an intelligent matchmaking system to introduce its members to compatible dates of a certain age. As part of Sparks Network, SilverSingles maintains a global audience in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, and other countries.
- 59% of users are women seeking a date
- Set match preferences by gender, age, height, distance, photos, or similarities
- Detailed and easy-to-read profiles
- Browse SilverSingles profiles 100% free »
Silver Singles is a premium dating site designed to help senior men and women meet one another. The site offers a nice blend of newfangled technology and old-fashioned matchmaking to make the online dating experience run smoothly.
You can set customized dating preferences on Silver Singles and let the match algorithm know what type of date or companion you’re looking for. Maybe you’re only interested in a certain age range, for instance, or maybe you’d rather meet someone who doesn’t have children. These details can help Silver Singles curate a list of matches that fit you.
12. OurTime
OurTime is powered by People Media, so it has a vast singles network to draw from when suggesting potential love interests. Over 1 million subscribers have used this platform to land first dates and build meaningful connections. OurTime caters to singles over 50 and takes the guesswork out of online dating with its smart matching features.
- Mature men have plenty of date prospects available
- Send women likes, flirts, faves, messages, and virtual gifts
- ConnectMe facilitates private conversations over the phone
- Browse OurTime profiles 100% free »
OurTime has won over a lot of single men with its senior-friendly interface and matching. This senior dating site appeals to singles who enjoy being active and meeting people both in person and online.
OurTime consistently ranks among the best online dating sites and apps for an older man or woman seeking arrangement with a compatible match in the 50+ age group. But you don’t have to take our word for it. You can start with a free membership to explore the user base and check out incoming messages to get a feel for if this is the best dating site for you.
13. SeniorMatch
A good woman is just click away on SeniorMatch. This senior-friendly dating site has thousands of active members and offers free chat features to help get the ball rolling. Single men who want to find romance and love can join SeniorMatch today.
- Create an account and search for senior women profiles
- Limited free messaging
- Send winks or add to hotlist to show your interest
- Browse SeniorMatch profiles 100% free »
The SeniorMatch slogan is “You don’t have to be alone,” and that’s a pretty powerful statement to send divorcees and widowers in the dating scene. Women outnumber men on SeniorMatch, so you should have your pick of lovely ladies online.
Over 1 million singles over 50 have joined SeniorMatch since its launch in 2003, and the dating site currently fosters over 1.6 million conversations each month.
“I met the most wonderful guy here. He is so lovely,” said a woman who found love on SeniorMatch. “We have decided to live together in a month. Then to marry and travel and explore the world.”
Best Free Gay Dating Sites for Men
Gay dating websites allow men to be themselves and seek dates and partners on their terms. The easy search tools on a dating site can take the guessing games and mixed signals out of picking up a date, and it can be a great way for gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men to put themselves out there.
According to a recent survey, 65% of gay couples said they met one another online — possibly on one of the following free online dating platforms for gay men.
14. MenNation
MenNation allows gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men to explore relationships with hot guys in their area. Thanks to its global network, MenNation can connect members to date prospects all over the world, but its location-based searches facilitate local connections as well. Single men and gay couples can join MenNation for free to see what their options are in the online dating scene.
- A flirtatious all-men network spans the globe
- Anonymous chatting via text and video
- Send emails, flirts, gift certificates, and voice messages
- Browse MenNation profiles 100% free »
MenNation has caught the attention of gay men by offering a hookup site that caters exclusively to men seeking men. This takes a lot of frustration and guesswork out of the LGBTQ+ dating scene and empowers men to go after what they want.
You can join MenNation for free as a gay single or a gay couple and start exploring your date options and matches at your leisure.
MenNation has search filters to help direct daters with a certain type in mind or specific standards they want met, and the list is organized by distance and latest activity to ensure locals can find one another without any hiccups.
15. Grindr
When Grindr launched in 2009, mobile dating was just taking off, and the app's men-only, location-based matching system caught people's notice. Today, Grindr is one of the most popular gay dating apps in the world. To date, over 27 million men have created profiles on Grindr.
- A men-only dating app reaches 192 countries
- Find dates that are just a few feet away
- Moderators review every photo and dating profile
- Browse Grindr profiles 100% free »
Grindr is another great option for gay and bisexual men in the dating scene. This gay dating app is famous for its fast-working location-based matches, and it frequently arranges dates and hookups between horny guys.
Over 27 million men have joined Grindr since its launch in 2009, and the app currently sees 3 million daily active users.
Grindr has distinguished itself as a staunch ally to the LGBTQ+ population, and you can rely on its location-based matching to hook you up as you prowl bars and clubs for casual dating experiences. Although Grindr is a free dating app, users can choose to upgrade to Grindr Xtra to get more perks, including additional filters and a PIN to open the app.
Best Free Chat Lines for Hookups
Let’s be real — not all guys are the marrying kind. Some would rather play the field and see how many times they can score. If you’re more interested in sex than love, you’ll get the best results on a hookup site that caters to your needs. The singles on the following three hookup sites are sexually active and up for just about anything with anyone. Enjoy!
16. Ashley Madison
Ashley Madison is a breath of fresh air for single or attached folks experiencing a sex slump. This exciting dating site and app offer tons of opportunities to mingle, match, flirt, and hook up discreetly. Over 80 million profiles await you on Ashley Madison, and it's free to create an anonymous account.
- Discreetly arranges one-night stands and extramarital affairs
- More than 80 million profiles worldwide
- Travel-friendly features for seeking matches in other cities
- Browse Ashley Madison profiles 100% free »
Ashley Madison is widely known as the best dating site to start an illicit affair. This casual hookup network includes married people as well as single men and women who are open to secret affairs. No matter your relationship status or sexual orientation, you can browse Ashley Madison and discover a potential partner available for chatting.
In addition to the standard swipe and like features that come with a free membership, Ashley Madison also offers incognito browsing and masked photos to keep things spicy and discreet. Meeting a new person on the down low is simple thanks to this affair dating website and app’s unique setting.
17. BeNaughty
BeNaughty is among the top casual dating sites available to frisky singles in the U.S. and abroad. This site keeps things simple and streamlines connections in private messages. BeNaughty's messaging and matching system encourages sexy singles to get off the sidelines and create instant connections in the online dating scene.
- Over 13.3 million monthly users worldwide
- Cute or Not swiping game introduces you to hot women
- Switch to Full Safe Mode to limit contact to verified members
- Browse BeNaughty profiles 100% free »
BeNaughty is our top pick when it comes to hookup sites for men because it is affordable, discreet, and efficient.
It’s easy to get the ball rolling and find sexy playmates on BeNaughty. The site offers free chatting for everyone with an approved photo, and you can even send mass flirty messages to everyone who meets your standards in terms of age, location, body type, and other factors.
Men can browse BeNaughty anonymously — no first or last names required — and pick up dates without going too far outside their comfort zones.
Adult Friend Finder is among the longest-running and the largest sex communities in existence with tens of millions of profiles to its name. The hookup site has over 93 million members, many of whom are actively searching for flings, threesomes, and other sexual experiences. AFF members can feel free to discuss their desires, fetishes, and sexual preferences in the live chat rooms and dating forums.
- A global community of single women and swinger couples
- More than 25 million monthly users
- Free unlimited browsing of hot profiles
- Browse Adult Friend Finder profiles 100% free »
Adult Friend Finder is undeniably one of the best sites for men who are feeling horny, thirsty, or sexy and want to find adults who feel the exact same way.
This hookup site has been around since 1996, and it has amassed a database of over 99 million singles and swingers in that time. It’s free to create a personals ad on Adult Friend Finder and try your luck in a sexually charged atmosphere.
It’s free to create a profile in the AFF community, but you’ll need to subscribe to watch videos and send messages to hotties online. You can read our full review to learn more about how the matching system works and how much a subscription costs.
19. FriendFinder-X
FriendFinder-X is a discreet hookup site where men, women, couples, and groups can mingle freely. It's easy to create romance in such a sinfully enjoyable atmosphere. This dating site has published millions of profiles and helped countless members turn sexual fantasies into sexual realities.
- Appeals to single men and couples looking for sex
- No long-term commitments or required upgrades
- Instant messaging, video broadcasts, and community blogs
- Browse FriendFinder-X profiles 100% free »
FriendFinder-X characterizes itself as the hookup site “where good girls do bad things,” and that has intrigued many single men and couples seeking a wild sexual experience.
True to its name, FriendFinder-X powers local searches for X-rated date options, and it doesn’t censor users who are looking to get down and dirty, and aren’t afraid to say so. You can cut right to the chase in your bio and in your messages because FriendFinder-X encourages people to unleash their naughty sides and pursue their pleasures.
Which Dating Sites are Completely Free?
A lot of paid dating sites are free to join, but only a handful can say they’re completely free from start to finish. Plenty of Fish is among the most popular free online dating sites out there. The POF community offers 100% free communication between all members at all times.
Plenty of Fish prides itself on being one of the best dating sites for conversations. It supports 100% free and unlimited messaging for over 120 million monthly users in 20 countries. Since its launch in 2003, Plenty of Fish has developed a science-based matching system that has proven successful.
- Free registration, searches, and messaging
- The Chemistry Test creates a compatibility framework
- Over 1 billion messages sent per month
- Browse Plenty of Fish profiles 100% free »
Plenty of Fish does limit singles on how many unsolicited first messages they can send (up to 55 messages per day), but it does not have any character limits or restrictions once someone has liked and messaged you back.
Another online dating app that has free chatting is Facebook Dating. It doesn’t take a premium membership to communicate with potential match on this dating service. All you need to do is download the Facebook mobile app and create a dating profile to access the casual dating network.
Are There Any Legitimate Free Hookup Sites?
Absolutely! The hookup scene can get a bad reputation in some circles, but we’re not on board for slut-shaming or judging people who want to get laid. Many legit hookup sites work hard to support sexually active singles and couples by providing both anonymity and online security.
Adult Friend Finder requires users to be over 18 years old, and the moderators check new profiles, photos, and discussion posts to make sure nothing inappropriate goes on. The moderators boot fake profiles from the dating pool to ensure users can get to know a compatible match and meet in real life safely.
Which Dating Sites Actually Work?
I met my boyfriend on a dating app
last year, so I can say with certainty that many of them do actually work. You just have to put in some effort to find that diamond in the rough. The most successful dating sites and apps have quality-driven matchmaking tools that help online daters filter, vet, and connect faster than ever before.
As the original matchmaker in the online dating world, Match has more success stories — including long-term relationships and marriages — than any of its competitors. The online dating service continually provides match suggestions to help singles find the perfect match for lasting love.
Match.com has come a long way since it launched in April 1995. This well-reputed dating site has honed its match algorithm to identify long-term compatibility and facilitate countless first dates, serious relationships, and successful marriages. Match's esteemed dating experts go to great lengths to guide singles to a seriously good match.
- Match is the world's longest running dating site
- The Discover section has search filters by interests, looks, lifestyle, and more
- Match is available in 50 countries and 15 languages
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match is our favorite dating site that works, but you can also find success on its sister sites and online dating apps. The Match Group dating company owns many top online dating brands, including Tinder, Plenty of Fish, OkCupid, and Hinge.
These international dating resources work like a charm for any single person seeking the a short-term date or long-term partner online.
Is OkCupid Really Free?
Yes, OkCupid is really, truly, and genuinely free to all online daters. It’s free to join, and it’s free to match with someone, and it’s even free to send unlimited likes and messages. The one restriction is you can only send one message to someone who hasn’t liked your profile. Once you’ve both liked each other, you can chat all day every day on the OkCupid app or site.
In 2004, OkCupid's founders decided to create a fool-proof formula for love, and they launched a free dating site to delve into what personal attributes made relationships work. OkCupid members can send unlimited messages for free. It's easy to discover mutual interests and compatibility on the platform's information-rich dating profiles.
- Free, unlimited communication for everyone
- Singles can swipe or search for a compatible date
- Over 91 million connections every year
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
Some singles think OkCupid isn’t a completely free dating app because of its A-List subscription plan, but this is 100% optional. You don’t have to upgrade your account to meet people on OkCupid. A-List subscribers appear higher in search results, and they can see who’s liked and viewed their profile, so sometimes it’s worth upgrading to get some extra privileges.
Dating Websites Help Men Meet Like-Minded People
The best free online dating sites for men are the ones that have proven track records and tons of date options available 24/7. You won’t find any duds on this list of time-tested online dating apps and sites. Every dating platform is here for a reason — it could be the impressive matchmaking or the free chatting tools — and every single one is free to try for as long as you like.
We’d recommend signing up for multiple free and paid dating sites at once to up your odds of meeting someone special online. Just make sure you create a unique dating profile each time so you don’t sound too scripted to experience online daters.
Online dating sites can’t do all the work for you, but they can make it easier to meet like-minded people either in your area or in another part of the world, and that can make a huge difference for men seeking sex, romance, or love. Good luck!
