After my friend broke up with her girlfriend of three years, she was eager to move on, so she immediately joined the a lesbian dating app and began searching for local women to wine and dine.

Even though my friend had heard online dating can be difficult for single lesbians, she was determined to beat the odds by doing her research and maintaining active profiles on a bunch of dating apps at once. She dove into the experience, sent out dozens of messages, and filled her calendar with dates.

Popular queer dating apps can offer LGBTQ people a chance to recover from a breakup, regain their confidence, and build relationships with like-minded singles. You don’t have to be serious about meeting “The One” to enjoy yourself on a dating app for lesbians. The following resources work for women of all ages, backgrounds, and dating goals.

Overall Best Lesbian Dating Apps

When you’re looking for lesbian dating websites and apps, you should do your research to decide which ones can meet your specific needs. If you like having a lot of options and whittling them down, then you should pick a popular dating app like Grindr that has free communication features. If you want the app to do the legwork for you, then pick one with a robust algorithm and a highly selective match list.

We’ve reviewed a few of the best of the best queer dating apps in the online world to help single lesbians get their flirt on.

1. Match

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.8/5.0
  • Women enjoy an expert-led online dating experience
  • Can set specific date preferences for age, education, pets, etc.
  • Premium messaging and video chat features keep the riff-raff out

Match is like the matriarch of the online dating world because it has been around longer than any other dating platform, and it has more success stories to its name, too. Since 1995, Match has established a fierce reputation among lesbian and bisexual singles seeking the real deal.

People of all orientations are welcome to join Match’s dating website or app and use the free membership to search for compatible profiles within a certain mile radius. You can identify yourself as a woman seeking women upon signing up, and that’ll effectively remove all men and straight women from your match list.

If you’re bisexual, gender fluid, nonbinary, or bi-curious, you can easily adjust your gender preferences in the settings while exploring date prospects. This wasn’t always possible on Match, but the dating company has recently made efforts to create a more inclusive dating pool. Ultimately, Match is about dating on your terms, putting you firmly in control.

2. HER

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0
  • Free private messaging to all mutual matches
  • Post comments or send likes to connect with local lesbians
  • A safe, friendly, and one-of-a-kind dating app

Unlike the other apps on this list, HER is actually an all-women space designed to serve the LGBTQ+ community. A lesbian woman named Robyn Exton got into the online dating game to make sure lesbian, bisexual, bi-curious, transgender, and queer women had a safe and respectful place they could call their own. Think of it like Grindr for lesbians.

The LGBTQ-friendly dating app currently has over 15 million members, and it’s still growing by word of mouth. HER authenticates every profile through social media and removes the fake profiles, frauds, and creepy dudes automatically. This is a strict no-jerks and no-dicks zone, and you can tell from the community guidelines that the team takes that seriously.

From the moment you join the HER community, you’ll see lots of pictures, blurbs, and events shared by women who are eager to meet mutual friends, find dates, and build strong relationships. Recently, #WeMetOnHER posts have been piling up as womxn fall for each other on this popular lesbian dating app and share their stories on social media.

3. OkCupid

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • A wide range of sexual orientation options available
  • Use the search filters to find nearby lesbians
  • A savvy system leads to meaningful relationships

OkCupid operates under the motto “dating deserves better.” This dating app is all about improving the online dating process, and it can offer better quality matches by using its time-tested formula.

Since 2004, OkCupid has endeavored to use math to create love — and it’s been rather successful. The algorithm compares dating profiles and identifies compatibility in demographics, values, and relationship goals. You can make your compatibility ratings more accurate by providing more information to the app via the personal questions section. The questions include “Could you date someone who’s messy?” and “Do you like the taste of beer?”

OkCupid is a personality-driven dating app where who you are counts for a lot. It also happens to be one of the most LGBTQ friendly apps with 22 gender options and 13 orientation options included in every profile. You can send messages for free on OkCupid, so there’s no harm in giving it a try to see if it works for you.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • Supports single lesbians seeking love and relationships
  • A popular dating site for meaningful conversations
  • Ability to report and block any unsavory characters

Plenty of Fish is a fast-paced, fun-loving dating platform where singles can flirt as long as they like. Communication is a free feature on Plenty of Fish, and that’s probably why it sees over 4 million daily active users.

Over the last decade or so, Plenty of Fish has become a global sensation with members in 20 countries. The app has also been translated into 11 languages. In total, the POF community includes over 150 million registered users, including the U.S., France, Brazil, and Germany, and it sees more than 65,000 new registrations each day.

Of course, all those numbers are meaningless if couples aren’t actually meeting on Plenty of Fish. The good news is they are. POF has received numerous success stories from straight, gay, and lesbian couples who met on the app or site and fell in love. Camille and Nigel said, “Thanks Plenty of Fish for helping me find my lover, best friend, and soul mate!”

5. Tinder

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0
  • A growing network of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women
  • Set gender preferences to "women" or "men and women"
  • Responsible for over 97 billion matches worldwide

Tinder needs no introduction. It’s easily one of the most popular dating apps of all time, responsible for over 97 billion matches since its launch in 2012.

This dating app pioneered the swiping-based matching system that’s become standard operating procedure for most dating websites and apps, so we’ve got to give credit where credit is due. If you want to view a lot of gay dating profiles and form a lot of matches quickly, then Tinder will be your jam.

Tinder is relatively gay-friendly, and its open-ended system allows women to set their own standards and pursue any type of relationship they want. “I actually met a girl I dated for four months on Tinder,” said Bezzella in a Reddit post. “Just watch out for couples looking for a third.”

6. Bumble

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • A global network of strong, confident women
  • Conversations expire within 24 hours of a match
  • Less than 1% of Bumble women are looking for hookups

Since 2014, Bumble has made a name for itself as the female-friendly alternative to male-dominated dating apps. Men typically outnumber women on most dating websites and apps, and that can spell bad news for women who don’t want to be badgered by creepy messages and dick pics.

Fortunately, Bumble has come up with a simple solution to keep the creeps at bay, and we can summarize it in two words: Ladies first. Bumble shakes up the traditional gender dynamics of online dating by empowering women to make the first move (i.e. send the first message) and control who shows up in their inboxes.

Of course, this is a moot point for a person seeking a same-sex relationship — in that case, you’re both able to send messages to your mutual matches without waiting for anyone to go first. All in all, Bumble is a proactive and progressive dating app for lesbians seeking new connections and love interests.

Best Senior Lesbian Dating Apps

Single seniors often grapple with loneliness in their retirement years — maybe they’re mourning the loss of a partner or maybe they haven’t made a new friend in over a decade — but modern technology is doing its part to connect and support older adults and give them a community they can rely on as they enter a new chapter of life.

Online dating has become a fantastic resource for singles over 50 within the LGBTQ+ community. Since they’re dating a smaller segment of the population, having specialized search tools and a niche network is invaluable. These apps can help lesbian seniors break out of their shell and meet women of a similar age.

7. OurTime

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0
  • Free profile searches by sexual orientation, age, location, ethnicity, and height
  • Age-appropriate matches for lesbian women over 50
  • Today's Matches features up to 11 profiles

OurTime is one of our favorite free dating apps for seniors because it offers a simple setup and straightforward matching system. You’re surrounded by date options from the moment you complete your profile, and it’s easy to get attention by sending flirts or likes across the platform.

OurTime not only supports online connections, but it also hosts members-only events to encourage people to get to know one another. The app goes to great lengths to make senior singles feel comfortable mingling online and offline.

If you get to the point where you want to exchange numbers with your online crush, you can use the ConnectMe tool to automatically generate a phone number that will forward messages and calls to your phone. That way, you can keep yourself safe until you establish more trust with the person.

Best Lesbian Hookup Apps

Not all women want a relationship right now — or ever. Maybe they’re on the rebound or just aren’t the marrying kind. Fortunately, legit hookup apps can help lesbian women explore their options and enjoy no-strings-attached dates that lead straight to the bedroom. The best sex apps offer the freedom to pursue pleasure without apology, and that’s why we love the following resources.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0
  • Sexually active women in the U.S., Canada, and Europe
  • Advanced search parameters include orientation and body type
  • Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women connect in private messages

Everything about NaughtyCharm screams sex appeal. From the advanced search filters to the free-wheeling Like Galley, it’s easy to come across hot local dates here.

Thanks to its matching game, NaughtyCharm can introduce lesbian women to singles with wild imaginations and zero inhibitions. The sexually charged atmosphere facilitates hookups, threesomes, and one-night stands between sexually active individuals.

NaughtyCharm really stands out as a hookup platform thanks to its numerous safety features and quality-assurance policies. You can activate Safe Mode in your settings to ensure only Verified members can contact you.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0

Adult Friend Finderis a sex-positive dating site where millions of singles and swingers can satisfy their desires. Lesbians are more than welcome here — especially if they’re unicorns, aka women who enjoy threesomes.

There are so many ways for a straight or queer person to connect on AdultFriendFinder that it’s easy to get lost in a series of X-rated chats, video broadcasts, and blogs. The dating forums are particularly popular, with more than 170,000 groups and over 14 million group discussions. This stimulating content can lead to a sexual awakening and inspire steamy romances between anonymous strangers.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0

FriendFinder-X characterizes itself as the site where “good girls do bad things,” and that pretty much sums up what it’s all about. Singles, couples, and groups become FriendFinder-X members because they want to find a sexual playmate and get frisky on their nights off.

The free dating platform highlights local dating profiles and facilitates casual encounters online. It’s easy to get into the swing of how the matching process works. You can use search filters for age, distance, and appearance to find a woman who’s your type, and then you can send flirts or messages to see if she’s interested too.

You’re never very far from a hot date thanks to the connective power and sexually active user base on FriendFinder-X.

What’s the Best Free Lesbian Dating Site?

I’ve heard this question from friends, acquaintances, and strangers at drag shows, and the answer changes depending on who’s asking. That’s simply because all women are different and want different things. The best dating site for a woman in her 50s may not be the best one for a casual dater in her 20s.

Nevertheless, we do think one lesbian dating platform far exceeds its competitors and has done a great job of meeting the needs of all sorts of women. And that’s HER.

HER

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0
  • Free private messaging to all mutual matches
  • Post comments or send likes to connect with local lesbians
  • A safe, friendly, and one-of-a-kind dating app

HER has our vote as the overall best dating platform for lesbians because its all-female community, progressive policies, and social media-like interface help people reach out and build relationships. HER has created a global network of more than 15 million members, and its friendly vibes can make online daters feel right at home immediately.

Is Tinder Only for Straight?

As we mentioned earlier in the article, Tinder is a gay-friendly dating app that can help lesbian women, gay men, and everyone in between. The mainstream dating app welcomes singles of all orientations, though some trans singles have raised concerns about Tinder’s lack of non-binary options and tendency to flag trans profiles as fake profiles.

Our dating experts consistently rank Tinder among the best gay dating platforms because its user-centric swiping system has facilitated over 97 billion matches. Queer people can use Tinder to find gay dates — but you may have to put up with straight men propositioning you for a threesome along the way.

Is Bumble for LGBTQ People?

Yes, Bumble can work for singles of all orientations. If you’re a woman seeking women on the app, you’ll be able to like and message people without worrying about who’s going to go first.

Either party can initiate a conversation in a same-sex match. No game playing. No nonsense. Just good conversations with open-minded women in your mutual friends’ list.

Photo from Bumble
Bumble is a top-notch dating app geared toward women of all orientations.

Bumble also uses a social media check to automatically flag fake profiles and make sure active users are being real with each other.

No matter where you fall on the sexuality spectrum, you can use Bumble to form deep bonds with someone special. The free dating app welcomes people from all walks of life, including queer folk, and it’s completely free to create a dating profile and match with single lesbians or queer ladies here.

Can You Find Girls on Grindr?

No. Grindr is an all-man dating network, and it only has gender options for men seeking men.

So, if you’re looking for women on Grindr, you’re in the wrong dating pool. Much like HER is a lesbian dating app exclusively for single women, Grindr is a gay dating app exclusively for single men. If you’re a gay guy, that’s great news. If you’re a woman or a straight guy, you should try some other ways to meet women.

Check Out Lesbian Dating Apps for Singles

Lesbian dating apps can help women who have just left a relationship, have never been in a relationship, or are in an “it’s complicated” situationship. Basically, anyone who wants to explore the dating scene is welcome to download a dating app and start swiping through new prospects.

Many LGBTQ+ women, like my friend, have truly mastered online dating and often go on dates with compatible partners. The popular dating apps mentioned here can help lesbian singles broaden their search for love and find someone who shares their interests, values, and goals.

We recommend that a lesbian woman try multiple dating apps — the average single uses two or three at once — to see which one suits best and can successfully spark a love connection. Happy swiping!

Advertiser Disclosure DatingNews.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear on the page (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingNews.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers. Our Editorial Review Policy Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.