Whenever we hang out, my friends and I talk a lot about our online dating experiences and the best dating apps for women. We don’t usually agree about which apps are the best though because we all have different goals, priorities, and personality types. And a lot of luck is involved, too.

For instance, I met my boyfriend on a dating app called Hinge, but my best friend has been swiping on that same dating app in a different city for over two years and only gotten a handful of second dates out of it.

Online dating can be frustrating if you’re on the wrong dating app for your demographic or niche interests, so our experts have put together a comprehensive guide for single women. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular dating sites and apps where women reign supreme.

Best Overall Dating Apps for Women

Our experts have determined that the overall best dating sites for women should have a few key features in common. First of all, they ought to offer free registration for all users, regardless of gender identity. Secondly, a filtering system should be in place to help single women find their type of guy or gal. And, last of all, the dating platform should have testimonials, positive reviews, or success stats to prove it can and has worked.

Those are the standards we used to judge and select the following top-tier dating platforms.

1. Match

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.9/5.0
  • 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

Match tops our list of the best dating apps for women because it has been around the longest and has the most relationship success stories to its name. Since 1995, Match.com has honed and perfected its matchmaking algorithm to identify true compatibility in temperament, values, and lifestyle.

Women can upgrade their dating life with a Match profile. The membership base supports serious relationship seekers by putting quality first. According to Match.com’s internal stats, about 75% of members have attended college, 46% do not have children, and nearly 50% are between 30 and 50 years old.

The Match app allows free chatting between members who score a high compatibility rating and make it into each other’s Top Picks list.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.8/5.0
  • 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

Elite Singles is a high-caliber dating site and app geared toward single professionals. The elite network includes over 13 million singles in the U.S. and Europe. The vast majority of users are college graduates in search of love and marriage.

A quick relationship questionnaire is the foundation for every Elite Singles match. Singles must answer an array of questions about their dating preferences and lifestyle to help the algorithm find the perfect match.

Downloading the Elite Singles app is free, but app users should note that not all features come with a trial membership. Only premium users can send private messages, attend live dating events, and view unblurred photos.

3. Zoosk

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Facilitates friendship, dates, and relationships
  • Behavioral matchmaking technology recommends compatible men
  • Search filters by gender, age, distance, appearance, and more

Zoosk started in 2007 as a Facebook app for casual dating, and it has grown into a global dating platform in its own right. The Zoosk network has over 40 million members in 80 countries, most notably in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

Harnessing advanced technology has been the key to Zoosk’s continued popularity and success. The app uses a behavioral match algorithm to direct singles to viable matches, and it has photo verification tools to ensure the connection is the real deal.

Zoosk offers a variety of communication options, many of which are free, so local singles can express interest in a profile and create a new relationship in multiple ways.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Designed to satisfy marriage-minded single women
  • In-depth compatibility quiz generates high-quality matches
  • Personalized Match Preferences on gender, age, income, religion, education, and more

A Christian theologian and psychologist founded eharmony in 2000 in hopes of strengthening the relationships and marriages of the future. Over 20 years and 2 million happy couples later, eharmony remains one of the leading dating services for relationship-minded singles.

The eharmony platform offers a safe and friendly haven for single women who are frustrated by superficial swiping apps. Every eharmony profile features a lot of information about personal experiences, hobbies, goals, and opinions, and the compatibility quiz provides an even deeper dive into the individual’s psychology. By taking a smart approach to online dating, eharmony has led countless members to a new love connection.

5. Bumble

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • A female-friendly dating environment puts women in control
  • Zero tolerance for bullying, misogyny, and rude behavior
  • Conversations expire in 24 to 48 hours

As the world’s first feminist dating app, Bumble has a lot of value and opportunity to offer modern single women around the world. The app was created in 2014 by a female entrepreneur who was a co-founder of Tinder and wanted to do better by her single sisters. Now over 100 million people have downloaded the app for free.

Bumble gives women the power to direct their online dating destinies. When a man and woman match on the app, only the woman can send the first message. She has to make the first move before the match expires. Nothing happens on Bumble without a woman’s say-so. As a result, Bumble has gotten the reputation for being a progressive, respectful, and dynamic place to meet new people.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Quick and easy registration for Christian women
  • Discovery Preferences help users make a strong connection
  • A values-driven network full of respectful and genuine men

ChristianMingle is a Christian dating site and app with over 15 million members worldwide — and counting. Any person who wants to date a Christian will find a lot of spiritually and romantically eligible options in this faith-driven network.

Faith is a top priority for ChristianMingle members, and that sets them apart from the mainstream dating scene. Single women who are looking for a Christian-friendly alternative to secular apps can set up a free account on ChristianMingle and get acquainted with like-minded locals.

ChristianMingle can guide singles toward a God-centered relationship and marriage by fostering interesting conversations about Biblical values and beliefs.

7. OkCupid

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Only messages from mutual matches appear in your inbox
  • Insightful profile questions help singles get to know one another
  • A-List members receive additional perks such as seeing who liked them

OkCupid began with four math nerds from Harvard trying to come up with a formula for love. The dating website and app used a questionnaire to identify compatibility and predict relationship success. Today, OkCupid features over 4,000 match questions ranging from “Do you like beer?” to “Do you feel obligated to help your fellow human beings?”

Singles can learn a lot about a potential date by exploring the in-depth OkCupid profile and questions section. This informational approach can help streamline the online dating process and enable women to focus on date prospects who measure up to their standards.

What’s more, all communication is 100% free on OkCupid, so it’s well worth filling out a profile to gain access to this fun crowd.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0

BlackPeopleMeet is a Black dating site and app with a large following in North America. The diverse membership base includes single folks of every race, religion, and sexual orientation — and it has over 1 million profiles available for free swiping and matching.

People Media launched this niche dating website in 2002 to empower individuals to date within the Black community. The BPM app came a little later to expand the network and encourage real-time chatting while on the go. Both the app and dating site have proven effective at inspiring Black love and interracial relationships.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • Prompts more conversations than any other dating site
  • 30% of members get in a relationship within a month
  • Success stories include engagement and wedding announcements

Diving into the dating pool on Plenty of Fish won’t cost a thing, so it’s worth a shot. The free dating app provides instant communication and video features to engage single people’s interests. Plus, the POF chemistry test gets to the heart of who a person is and what type of date is most compatible.

Plenty of Fish welcomes single people of all ages, orientations, and backgrounds. More than 150 million people have created an account, and members send approximately 3 million messages per day.

Singles on a budget will be satisfied by the affordable features available on this app. Go ahead and put away your credit card because Plenty of Fish is completely free from start to finish.

10. Tinder

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0
  • Women can decide who shows up in their inboxes
  • Upload a picture and create a byline for free
  • Mutual matching system leads to 1.5 million dates per week

Finally, we couldn’t very well list the best dating apps for women without mentioning Tinder. This online dating app invented swipe-based matchmaking, for goodness sakes. Millions of singles use Tinder as their go-to hookup app because it moves fasts and highlights photos, but Tinder can also be useful for building friendships and relationships.

“There are tons of different types of people on Tinder,” said a Tinder user on Reddit. “It has everyone in it. It started as a hookup type thing and has just grown and is the number one dating app.”

If you’re looking at the numbers, Tinder is an obvious winner in the online dating industry. Since 2012, the Tinder app has been downloaded over 400 million times and created over 60 billion matches. It is currently available in 190 countries and has been translated into 40 languages.

Best Senior Dating Apps for Women

Once a woman reaches a certain age, she may feel invisible or undesirable in the mainstream dating world, but she doesn’t have to surrender to those feelings. She can take action by joining a cougar dating app or a MILF dating site and reclaim her right to date, flirt, and stay young at heart.

Here’s a quick rundown of some senior dating apps that welcome older women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and up.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0
  • Women receive several match recommendations a day
  • Intelligent matchmaking grounded in personal compatibility
  • The site maintains strict privacy and safety guidelines

In the last few years, SilverSingles has risen in the ranks to become the top senior dating site and app for finding love and companionship. The online dating site is an offshoot from the Elite Singles brand, so it uses a similar personality test and match algorithm to inspire long-lasting relationships.

SilverSingles empowers senior women to dive into the online dating world and rediscover the excitement and passion of a new romance. The dating site recommends age-appropriate matches to spark interest. A free membership includes unlimited profile browsing and some communication tools, but only premium members can exchange personal emails through the dating service.

12. OurTime

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • Popular among mature, relationship-minded single women
  • User-friendly features that highlight compatibility
  • Real-time messaging, flirting, and mutual matching

The OurTime mantra is “It’s never too late for love,” and that message can be inspirational for single women who have entered their golden years. This mature dating website has welcomed widows, divorced singles, and other lonely hearts in search of a soul mate.

OurTime can introduce a senior person to a potential date who shares similar interests and life experience. The dating service has search filters based on age, gender identity, religion, education, family, and background information to help compatible couples find one another.

“We wanted to let singles over 50 know they don’t have to conform to stereotypes,” said an OurTime spokesperson. “They’re a hugely varied group. What matters most is being able to enjoy life.”

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • 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

SeniorMatch offers a safe dating scene for singles over 50. All dating profiles are screened for authenticity, and private messaging is limited to premium users only. Plus, SeniorMatch has a community discussion forum where seniors can share dating advice, first date tips, and even travel ideas.

This senior dating site has been matching older folks since 2003, and it launched a companion dating app a few years ago to augment the online dating experience. The app is available on Google Play and the App Store.

SeniorMatch boasts facilitating approximately 1.6 million conversations per month. Its members are in the same age group, so they share similar backgrounds and sensibilities, which makes it easier for them to connect online.

Best LGBTQ Dating Apps for Women

Let’s be real, queer women have to deal with a smaller dating pool and a greater chance of harassment from jerky guys, so getting good results on a traditional dating app can be very difficult. LGBTQ+ women need custom tools to help them block heterosexual matches and focus on real lesbian dates.

Our female dating experts have selected two popular lesbian dating apps — one for hookups and one for relationships — to satisfy queer ladies who are ready to mingle in the LGBTQ+ community.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.7/5.0
  • A sexy online community made up of women, couples, and groups
  • Over 25,000 new photos and videos added every week
  • Chat via instant messenger or live two-way webcam

LesbianPersonals is a casual hookup site where lesbian, bisexual, and queer women can come together to let their freak flags fly. The platform is not all-female — heterosexual couples are allowed to join the fun — but it is female-led, meaning all members must be looking for a lesbian date, not heterosexual matches.

It is free to create a personal ad on LesbianPersonals and browse the database for a potential match. The website is open to all types of sexually charged interactions. And just about anything goes. No one will judge a queer woman for posting slutty photos or being a little bi-curious in flirty chat rooms.

LesbianPersonals supports singles and couples with girl-on-girl fantasies, and it provides matchmaking tools to land a hot date in real life.

15. HER

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.6/5.0

Since 2013, HER has distinguished itself as one of the most popular and trustworthy lesbian dating apps on the market. The app has over 5 million members, all of whom identify as female or non-binary and have been verified through Facebook. The HER team is quick to remove any fake profiles or male users from the membership base.

“Fake people and fake profiles have no place on HER,” the team declares in its community guidelines. “While we do all we can to prevent this from occurring, we want you to have the resources to safely navigate this online space. ”

HER promotes a friendly social space where a queer woman can publish photos, post a status, RSVP to a local event, and get to know LGBTQ+ people without worrying about unicorn-hunting jerks ruining the good vibes.

Best Hookup Apps for Women

When you’re sitting at home alone, a casual hookup can feel totally out of reach. But all it takes is a free hookup app to change the game and bring singles out of their shell. Thanks to the following sex-positive apps, single women don’t have to wait around for their Prince Charming to come knocking — they can swipe their way to a hot date on demand.

16. BeNaughty

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0
  • Women can stay safe and anonymous while looking for a hookup
  • Like Gallery showcases the most viable men
  • Extra perks and more flirts available for premium daters

BeNaughty is similar to a local bar or nightclub because singles flirt and hang there in their free time. But this casual dating site has no last call. Any time a single woman is feeling lonely, horny, or chatty, she can log into her BeNaughty account to mingle with strangers and let off some steam.

Women are at an advantage on BeNaughty because they have access to unlimited free communication. All they have to do is upload a profile picture, and they’re good to go. BeNaughty has some paid perks, including incognito browsing, but women can remain free members forever and have a great time sending messages, likes, and favorites to their online crushes.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0

Adult Friend Finder launched in 1997 to tempt and tantalize sexy people online. It is the original adult dating site. Over the decades, the website has adapted to the fast-growing mobile scene and launched a hookup app that instantly connects local singles and couples seeking casual sex.

Today, the AFF community has grown to reach over 105 million members around the world. The website and app offer access to X-rated photo galleries, adult video livestreams, and erotic discussion groups to arouse interest and stimulate intimate connections.

A single woman can explore her sexuality and meet a potential partner on Adult Friend Finder, which is the longest-running sex site in the world.

18. Flirt.com

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • A female-friendly flirting zone that's free to join
  • Browse anonymously without a photo, name, or birthdate
  • Exchange private photos and videos through the instant chat feature

Browsing for a date on Flirt.com is quick and easy, especially for single women. All female members can chat for free on this hookup site as long as her dating profile has been approved and features a real photo. Fake profiles without photos are routinely removed from the database.

Flirt.com features millions of profiles and hosts live conversations that can lead to sexy encounters in the real world. Every user must confirm he or she is over 18 years old and mature enough to join the adult fun.

The dating website’s team says, “Flirt specializes in connecting like-minded singles, so whether you’re looking for something serious or something casual, you can quickly find an attractive match.”

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0

Since its launch in 2001, Ashley Madison has made a name for itself as the top dating service for having an extramarital affair and casually dating on the down low. The platform welcomes single and attached daters, and it allows them to be honest about their relationship status and romantic goals.

Over 54 million people have created a dating profile on this married dating site. Most members are looking for short-term gratification and a sexual release. Ashley Madison offers a no-strings escape for people who are looking for something more and want to see what’s out there. After all, monogamy isn’t for everyone.

Ashley Madison is available as a free dating app for Android and iOS. The app has a discreet icon and locking PIN to ensure prying eyes won’t know what you’re getting up to in your spare time.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0
  • An exciting dating environment for threesomes, flings, and sexual encounters
  • 64% of users are men, so straight women have tons of options
  • Connect via a two-way web cam and instant messaging

FriendFinder-X starts on a sultry note by advertising itself as the hookup site “where good girls do bad things.” A single woman can let go of her inhibitions here and flirt without fear of harsh judgments or slut-shaming.

Adults can view racy photos, exchange pickup lines, arrange video chats, and find a potential date who is down for casual sex. The adult dating website also features poly dating options for singles and couples seeking a threesome.

FriendFinder-X members are famously open-minded and sex-positive, so it’s perfectly acceptable to talk about fetishes and sexual acts on this platform.

How Do Dating Apps for Women Actually Work?

The best dating apps for women may differ when it comes to profile prompts or community guidelines, but the core experience is pretty similar no matter where you go. It’ll start by asking you to supply some information for your dating profile — this usually includes uploading at least one photo of yourself. Some dating apps have started requiring multiple photos (about three to six) to deter potential catfishers, scammers, and fake profiles.

Photo of a single woman on her phone

It should take no more than 10 minutes to set up a dating profile on a popular app.

Once the dating profile is complete, it’s time to start searching for a potential match. A traditional dating app will typically have a swiping list (it may be called Discover, Browse, or simply Matches), and it will provide some filtering options based on age, gender, religion, and other defining traits. Dating app users can also benefit from location-based searches with an adjustable mile radius.

Communication tools can vary. Dating apps can connect users through instant messaging, email, or video chat, but they typically institute rules to keep the conversations above board. Free dating apps may offer chatting between all users or only between mutual matches, while premium dating apps only allow premium subscribers to chat.

How Do I Choose the Best Dating Apps for Women?

Online dating sites and apps offer a range of services to meet diverse needs and interests. For instance, a single woman who is looking for a serious relationship will naturally shy away from the same hookup apps that help other women who are into casual sex.

A single person’s ideal dating app will vary based on who they are, where they are, and what they want. Jewish singles may get lots of matches on JDate, which is a Jewish dating site, while Christian singles may prefer a different app with a larger Christian following — such as eharmony or Christian Mingle.

It’s a good idea to talk to friends who are similar to you and live in the same area to get a sense of which dating apps are most popular and effective. Reading dating site reviews can also be helpful in making an informed choice for your dating life.

Are Dating Apps for Women Safe to Use?

Single women typically have more safety concerns than men do when it comes to online dating. And for good reason. Statistics show that women are more likely to experience online harassment, including unwanted messages, being called an offensive name, and physical threats of harm. On top of that, a young single woman has the highest risk of becoming a victim of date rape when meeting a stranger in person.

That said, women can take some precautions to make the online dating experience safer. For instance, pretty much all dating apps have a block button to ensure unwanted contact can end abruptly and permanently. App users can also report dating profiles that are suspicious, threatening, or inappropriate, and the moderators will address the issue.

Photo of an online scammer

Women should keep in mind that an online dating profile can be deceptive or misleading.

Online dating companies have taken strides to identify unsavory characters in the membership base and put a stop to online harassment and romance scams. Over the last year, a new industry trend has emerged: Dating apps with background checks. Match Group partnered with a tech nonprofit called Garbo to develop a premium feature that would allow app users to research each other’s criminal history.

Of course, app users can also do their own background research through Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or a general Google or social media search.

All in all, online dating is a safe way to explore the social scene, chat with local singles, and build trusting relationships. Just make sure you stay within your comfort zone and exercise good judgment when getting to know someone new.

Does AARP Recommend Any Dating Apps for Women?

The American Association of Retired Persons has over 38 million members, all of whom are in the over-50 age bracket. The nonprofit organization helps these individuals deal with the challenges that come with aging and retired life, and that can include senior dating.

The AARP website provides online dating advice to support senior singles in search of a potential match. Its advice articles sometimes recommend dating apps based on the author’s judgment, but AARP has not officially endorsed or partnered with any senior dating apps.

Is Coffee Meets Bagel a Good Dating App for Women?

You may have noticed that Coffee Meets Bagel didn’t quite make our top-10 best list or any of the niche categories. Coffee Meets Bagel is a popular dating app that markets itself as being made by single women for single women.

The story is really cute actually. Three Asian American sisters in Silicon Valley put their heads together in 2012 to develop a dating app that puts quality before quantity. The founders appeared on “Shark Tank” in 2015, and they famously turned down an offer to buy the company for $30 million.

Screenshot of Coffee Meets Bagel

Single women have more targeted match suggestions on Coffee Meets Bagel.

Coffee Meets Bagel is a decent app for relationships, but it has some drawbacks. For one thing, online dating is a numbers game, and viewing fewer profiles with less frequency isn’t the best strategy for all singles. It’s great if you’re facing an overwhelming number of choices on other dating apps. It’s frustratingly slow if you just want to meet a single person ASAP.

With only about 21 million users, Coffee Meets Bagel doesn’t have the largest membership base, by any means, and singles in rural areas will find local dates are few and far between.

Dating Apps Can Steer Women Toward Their Perfect Match

Single women can face a lot of obstacles and frustrations (not to mention creepy messages) in the online dating scene. Sometimes a bad experience on a particular dating app can turn them off a particular platform, but the good news is there are hundreds of online dating services out there. It’s only natural to look for greener pastures and hunt for the best dating apps for women.

Our experts have joined this debate not to crown a winner but to empower single women of all types to find their own personal champion and decide what’s best for their needs and interests.

Hopefully, this list of dating apps can help single ladies in search of a one-night stand, a happily-ever-after ending, and everything in between. Best of luck!

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