The challenge of putting together this list is teenagers aren’t all the same. Not only are they diverse in personality, style, and background, but their ages vary from 13 to 19 — and a ton of growth and change happens during those years.
I’ve decided to focus on the older part of the teenager spectrum — the about-to-graduate crowd and the college freshies — because, seriously, if you’re still in middle school or high school, you have plenty of time and opportunities to meet people in class or after-school activities, and online dating should not be on your radar just yet.
Besides, 90% of mainstream dating platforms are strictly 18 and older for safety reasons.
The online dating world is filled with unique spaces, and we’ve spotlighted the best ones that cater specifically to today’s younger crowd.
Best Dating Sites for 18- and 19-Year-Olds
Between school, friends, and work, teenagers have a lot on their plates, and they may not have the energy or inclination to hunt for dates IRL. Luckily, a lot of flirtatious action happens online these days. About 65% of Gen Zers say they use an online dating app to meet interesting people in their free time.
Many dating sites appeal to young people and offer search, chat, and matching tools to get the ball rolling and help you find a new friend faster than ever before. These sites allow people 18 and older to join.
1. eharmony
Since its launch in 2000, eharmony has endeavored to find the formula for love. Its 32-dimension personality test uses psychological truths to identify areas of compatibility between two individuals. The dating site's mission is to foster relationships that last, and every potential match has a reason behind it.
- Over 2 million people have found love here
- Users can filter their match recommendations by age or city
- Compatibility Quiz identifies common interests, lifestyles, and goals
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
The founding mission of eharmony is to strengthen relationships by ensuring that the right people get together. This platform doesn’t throw singles into the dating pool and hope they figure it out — its matching system offers clear-cut personality assessments, compatibility ratings, and match recommendations to light the way.
You can think of eharmony as a study guide for picking quality dates and building solid relationships. The psychology-driven site offers a rubric (aka a dating algorithm) for how to spot the date candidates based on specific preferences, quirks, and life goals.
Most singles who use eharmony are looking for a soulmate, so don’t join up if all you want to do is mess around and date casually. This is most definitely not a hookup app. The eharmony dating site and app have inspired over 2 million relationships in the U.S., creating a new match every 14 minutes.
2. OkCupid
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 »
OkCupid operates under the motto “Dating deserves better,” and it provides a range of free features to provide better matches that lead to better relationships. It has offered free and unlimited messaging since before it was cool (founded in 2004), and singles get a lot of value out of its quirky match system.
Basically, a group of Harvard math nerds founded OkCupid because they were curious if love could be condensed into an algorithm. The old-school dating platform used an ever-growing questionnaire to collect massive amounts of personal information about people’s likes, hobbies, opinions, sexual history, and dating dealbreakers.
According to OkCupid, the free dating site now has over 5,000 personal questions that get to the heart of who you are and what you want, and users can answer as many or as few as they want.
OkCupid uses a combination of profile information and match questions to calculate compatibility between two users. The more information it has, the more accurate its prediction will be, so don’t be shy. You can always mark your answers as private or hide your dating profile if you’re worried about oversharing.
3. Tinder
In 2012, Tinder pioneered a swiping-based match system that empowered singles to connect with dates who liked them back. Tinder users can message their mutual matches for free on this fast-paced dating app. Since its launch, Tinder has created over 97 billion matches worldwide.
- Supports active daters in 190+ countries
- The swiping system creates over 12 million matches per day
- Tinder Plus members have unlimited likes and 5 Super Likes
- Browse Tinder profiles 100% free »
Tinder is the go-to dating app for millions of teenagers looking for a date. About 50% of Tinder members are Gen Z singles under 25 years old.
Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has been downloaded over 630 million times and created more than 97 billion matches worldwide. Yeah, that’s a billion with B. This app is one of the most popular of all time, and that can be either a blessing or a curse depending on what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking to take a break from homework, check out some hot pics, or even find a date, go ahead and swipe away to live your best life.
Tinder has turned online dating into an engaging experience, and many find it quite addictive. The main challenge on the app is dealing with people who troll, creep, and ghost, making it difficult to form genuine connections, focus on one person, and actually go out on a date.
In the average week, Tinder users swipe on over 7 billion profiles, send over 4.2 million GIFs, and yet only go on 1.5 million dates collectively. That’s a pretty poor batting average if you sincerely want to grab a cup of coffee, but it’s fine for teens who are more interested in #SwipeLife.
4. Bumble
Since its launch in 2014, Bumble has positioned itself as one of the queens of the online dating world. The dating app turns gender stereotype on its head by empowering women to make the first move in a conversation with a man. Once you've made that mutual match, you have up to 48 hours to respond and make a connection.
- A feminist dating app puts singles on equal footing
- 60% of Bumble matches turn into dates
- Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF spark non-romantic connections
- Browse Bumble profiles 100% free »
Rounding out our list is Bumble, aka the world’s first feminist dating app. Bumble burst onto the dating scene in 2014 with an empowering message for women: Make the first move. Only women can send the first message when they match with men on the app, and they have 24 hours to initiate contact or the conversation disappears.
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd was one of the founding members of Tinder, and she became fed up with the sexism running rampant in the tech industry. So she took action. She sued Tinder for sexual harassment, won $1 million in a settlement, and used her experience and money to become Tinder’s biggest rival. Talk about clapping back.
Today, Bumble has emerged as the female-friendly alternative to Tinder, and its commitment to integrity in dating has encouraged over 100 million users to give it a try.
Best for LGBTQ+ Teens
Everyone discovers their sexuality at their own pace and in their own way. It’s a journey of self-discovery, and it may take some time to figure it out completely.
In a Pew Research survey, most gay and lesbian respondents said they were around 13 when they first thought they may not be straight, and over 92% said they knew they were LGBTQ+ by age 17.
Whether you’re out, questioning, or just curious, you can use gay dating sites as a testing ground for your feelings. These platforms can offer a safe space to explore your attractions and pursue your desires, and it doesn’t cost anything to sign up.
5. MenNation
Since 1996, MenNation has connected over 93 million men around the globe. This men-only dating site measures its success by the number of conversations and dates it facilitates with its intuitive matching system. Gay men love having a site to call their own, and its helpful features keep members engaged and entertained as they look for a hot date.
- One of the largest gay hookup sites in the world
- Search filters for age, location, physical attributes, and more
- Available in 12 languages and counting
- Browse MenNation profiles 100% free »
MenNation is a casual dating site geared toward men seeking men. This is a strict adult-only zone, so a new user must be at least 18 years old to join.
Most singles and couples stumble upon MenNation because they’re looking for no-strings sex, and the dating service’s erotic search tools offer tons of attractive options. You don’t have to give your real name, phone number, or location to become a part of MenNation, and the anonymous flirting is pretty exciting — especially if you like a man of mystery.
6. HER
HER is a women-only (or "womxn" as the team says) dating app that helps cis, trans, and non-binary identified singles come into their own. This is a strict no-boys-allowed zone. HER encourages LGBTQ+ women to mingle by commenting on photos or events in the Feed, or they can like profiles to initiate a private conversation with a mutual match.
- A quirky and unapologetic womxn-only dating community
- Queer events get users connecting IRL
- The constantly updated Feed facilitates social networking
- Browse HER profiles 100% free »
Since 2013, HER has established a heartfelt community of women of all ages, races, sexual identities, and backgrounds. Over 15 million lesbian, bisexual, and queer women have created profiles and been verified by the moderators, and the dating app continues to grow by word of mouth.
You won’t find any creepy dudes or straight couples here because HER is serious about removing anyone who isn’t an LGBTQ+ woman. The app also doesn’t allow nude photos, bullying, fake news, spamming, or cross-posting.
HER is committed to nurturing genuine relationships, and its community guidelines clearly outline what’s acceptable and what’s not.
“We are all different shapes, sizes, colors, identities, and that’s pretty badass that we can share this space together,” the HER team says. “Treat people the way you want to be treated (as cheesy as it sounds, you know it’s true) and report those who aren’t following these guidelines in any way, shape or form.”
7. Grindr
Grindr became the world's first gay geosocial app in 2009, and it continues growing its all-male user base more than a decade later. The app uses real-time GPS data to locate nearby date prospects and give gay and bisexual singles a chance to connect while they're out on the town.
- Social networking for gay, bi, trans, and queer men
- Location-based matches spark instant chemistry
- Grindr Equality advocates for LGBTQ+ interests on the global stage
- Browse Grindr profiles 100% free »
Grindr is the OG of the gay dating scene. This out-and-proud dating app launched in 2009 when gay marriage was still illegal in 45 U.S. states, and it was a pretty ballsy move if I’m being honest.
Grindr completely transformed how gay singles connect (and let’s not forget bisexual and trans men) by providing a private men-only chat space where you can easily meet up without needing to rely on your gaydar.
Grindr currently has over 27 million members, and it sees over 3.8 million views per day.
From the beginning, Grindr focused on fostering friendship, romance, and love by using a person’s GPS location to generate a list of nearby profiles. A couple of minutes of swiping is all it takes to match with someone special — or just someone local.
FAQs: Are There Apps for Teenagers Only?
Yes, we’ve already mentioned a few quality dating apps for young adult singles out there. But if you want one that’s designed for teenagers, here are some recs.
Yubo is a networking app for finding new friends. It imitates the swiping mechanism of an adult dating app, but it’s more casual, and you’ll see people of all gender identities. Not everyone is looking for romance. It’s more about chatting and seeing where things go.
The PNK app offers a teenage chat room that’s gotten some good reviews (and some complaints about its ID check). The Android app has seen over 50,000 downloads, so it’s not the biggest app ever, but it can make some interesting connections between teens who are bored and chatty.
If you’re looking for an app that’s exclusively for teenagers, then Spotafriend could work for you. This app is more about making new friends than arranging dates, but it basically copy-pasted Tinder’s setup, so you can definitely mingle with young adults like you.
Spotafriend has created over 112,000 matches in total, and it has over 1 million users in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, France, and Canada. That’s not huge in comparison to mainstream dating apps, but at least you won’t be kicked out for being under 18.
Can a Teen Under 18 Join Tinder?
No, Tinder has an age limit of 18 years old, so it does not allow users to swipe, chat, or mingle on the app if they are under 18. The dating app blocks all underage users until their 18th birthday has passed. I know that’s a disappointment for high schoolers, but maybe a Tinder profile could be a fun birthday present to yourself when the time comes.
Tinder’s endless profile list can be oh-so-tempting to a young person on those boring nights at home. Over 50% of its members are between 18 and 25 years old. But if you’re under 18, it’s not the right space for you.
Are There Minors on Grindr?
The Grindr app doesn’t explicitly allow underage users to join its gay dating pool — but it’s fair to say that doesn’t stop all comers. Some teens download Grindr under an alias and swipe on the down low, without revealing that they’re underage.
The Grindr team polices new profiles, including age verification, to identify fakes, trolls, and minors, but no online moderation system is 100% effective.
“Please note that your government ID is immediately deleted from our system after we’ve verified your age.” — Grindr
Grindr is a popular dating app with a lot of heart, pride, and valuable matching tools — but the rules state you have to be over 18 to check it out. The age restriction may be a bummer for a high school kid, but there are safe LGBTQ+ communities like Trevor Space that could be a good alternative.
Up Your Game on a Teen Dating Site
Look, there are good reasons and bad reasons to join a dating site for teenagers. If you’re having trouble meeting age-appropriate dates in your area, that’s a good reason to give online dating a try. If you’re just bored or want an ego boost, that’s a bad reason.
The online dating experience is only as good as your intentions. Local dating sites and apps can give young adults the opportunity to explore the dating scene in a safe and proactive way, but they can also lead to ghosting, catfishing, and awkward kissing, so be sure to vet a new person before agreeing to meet.
As a teenager, you might be excited to meet fascinating people, form deep connections, and embark on a romantic adventure. Online dating is just one of many ways to explore these opportunities. Enjoy the journey!
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