Texas dating sites can have a heck of an impact on a single person’s love life. Such networks pull together like-minded singles who call the Lone Star State home, and the high-tech algorithms create dating possibilities that don’t exist in the real world.

A single person can use online dating to conduct a smart search for date prospects in the same neighborhood, borough, county, or state. The top dating sites and apps automatically apply custom filters to ensure only the most compatible local singles appear in the potential match list.

Whether you’re looking for a hot date, a casual hookup, or a long-term relationship, the most popular dating sites for Texans can help you join a friendly crowd and start swiping and flirting for free. So what are you waiting for?

Best Overall Texas Dating Sites

We’ve tested hundreds of dating sites and apps to find the platforms that really work and deliver good results. Every dating service on this list has proven itself in the Texas dating market and is responsible for countless first dates and relationships. You can hang your ten-gallon hat on that.

1. Match

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.9/5.0
  • 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

Match has claim to the title of the overall best Texas dating site because its headquarters are in Dallas, and it has been in the dating industry longer than any of its competitors.

The Match Group launched the first version of its online dating site in 1995. At that time, Texas singles were a bit hesitant about searching for love on the internet. However, the Match algorithm has won people over with its time-tested compatibility matching and free communication options.

A free Match membership comes with a lot of benefits, including the ability to message individuals in your Top Picks list, which has been curated based on your interests, lifestyle, and location.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.9/5.0
  • Over 2 million monthly users
  • Premium members receive 20 wildcard matches a day
  • Search features include age, height, education, ethnicity, and lifestyle habits

EliteSingles is a dating website for single professionals seeking a potential partner who measures up to their high standards. The service offers in-depth matching tools based on age, religion, education, and family values to ensure couples see eye-to-eye on the important things in life.

You don’t have to be well-educated to make the grade on EliteSingles — but it sure helps. Over 80% of EliteSingles members have graduated from college, and many have gone on to get graduate degrees or doctorates. Whether you work at a hospital in Houston or a tech startup in Austin, you will feel in your element in this top-rated dating network.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • 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

A Christian theologian and psychologist founded eharmony in 2000 out of a desire to increase the marriage rate and lower the divorce rate in modern society. Its lengthy compatibility quiz has identified the essential factors in a successful relationship (communication style, temperament, family values) and empowered singles to make informed decisions about who to court and marry.

As of today, eharmony has inspired more than 2 million relationships in the United States, and it is rapidly growing its reputation around the world. Our eharmony review goes into more detail about how the online dating service works and what it can do for marriage-minded singles.

4. Zoosk

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Send messages to premium members for free
  • Over 3 million messages sent a day
  • Premium perks include photo verification and sending virtual gifts

Zoosk began as a Facebook application in 2007, and now it is among the largest dating platforms in the world. The Zoosk network currently reaches over 40 million singles in 80 countries, including the U.S. and the U.K.

Texas singles can expect to make instant connections on the Zoosk platform. Its dynamic matchmaking process can draw from a combination of profile information and like history to identify the most attractive match possibilities within the same ZIP code.

It’s not necessary to subscribe to a paid membership to get to know new people on Zoosk. The dating site and app provide some free greeting and communication options to keep singles engaged. However, only paid members can send unlimited messages and virtual gifts through the platform, so it may be worth upgrading if you’re serious about finding a real-life date in Texas.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0

ChristianMingle provides a support system for Christian singles searching for true love. Since 2001, this Christian dating website has empowered individuals to court people who share similar beliefs, traditions, and values.

According to ChristianMingle survey data, it is the most successful online dating service when it comes to inspiring Christian marriages.

ChristianMingle has over 15 million members worldwide, and it is particularly popular in the United States (aka the Christian Nation). Texas singles can proudly set down their beliefs and highlight their favorite Bible verses in their ChristianMingle dating profile, thus making it easier for faith-driven relationships to blossom online.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0

BlackPeopleMeet keeps things real as the most popular Black dating site in the U.S. and Canada. Its diverse following includes African American, biracial, and multiracial singles seeking relationships that are about so much more than skin tone.

BPM is on a mission to encourage Black love as well as interracial relationships. Texans do not have to identify as Black to qualify for a BPM membership. Anyone who wants to date within the Black community can join the BlackPeopleMeet website or download the app for free.

7. OkCupid

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0
  • Free, unlimited communication for everyone
  • Singles can swipe or search for a compatible date
  • Over 91 million connections every year

When it launched in 2004, OkCupid made a splash as a totally free dating site for singles of all types. Four Harvard math majors decided to make a formula for true love based on a virtually endless personality test — and online daters have jumped on the opportunity to express themselves and discover dates with matching quirks and opinions.

Texas singles can put away their credit card when mingling on OkCupid. All communication is 100% free, and the only restriction is you must create a mutual match to send more than one message to a single person. Upgrading to OkCupid’s A-List subscription will allow you to send unlimited likes and see who has liked your profile, but it will not increase your messaging power one jot.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0

Plenty of Fish is a free personals site known for inspiring a lot of flirtation day in and day out. The dating service creates over 57 million matches per week, and its active members exchange approximately 2.5 million messages per day.

The old saying “everything is bigger in Texas” is definitely true when it comes to Plenty of Fish, which has a massive following in the Lone Star State. The POF community is diverse, but personalized matchmaking tools help individuals locate their most promising local matches within minutes of browsing.

9. Tinder

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • 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

Since 2012, Tinder has become prime dating real estate where young singles can create matches and arrange dates in their free time. In terms of sheer size, Tinder can’t be beat. The dating app has been downloaded over 400 million times and created more than 55 million matches in 190 countries.

Tinder has a global membership base, but it organizes its swiping lists by location. Individuals can go into their settings to adjust their distance preferences. The app only allows singles to venture outside their local dating pool if they upgrade to Tinder Plus and access the Tinder Passport feature.

10. Bumble

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • 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

Bumble is the passion project of a former Tinder Co-Founder who wanted to bring greater civility to swiping. The Bumble app has pioneered a women-first messaging system that promotes progressive relationships and keeps men on their best behavior.

The idea behind Bumble is to create a better online dating experience for straight and bisexual women. You know, one without pervy pickup lines and unsolicited dick pics. By putting single women in charge, this feminist dating app has raised the caliber of matches and conversations that take place online.

In fact, over 85% of Bumble members say they are looking for a serious relationship, and fewer than 4% report that they are looking for a casual hookup.

Best Senior Texas Dating Sites

Senior singles likely remember a time when posting in the local classifieds was one of the most popular ways to pick up a date in Texas. But times have changed, and online dating services have largely replaced newspaper personal ads in the modern dating scene.

Senior dating sites can help singles over 50 start a new chapter in life and meet compatible people in their area. Here are some great places to start your journey:

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

SilverSingles has a solid reputation in the dating industry. This senior dating site was created by the same dating company that launched EliteSingles in 2009, and its matchmaking algorithm has been just as successful at identifying long-term compatibility.

Once you complete the simple registration process, you can go to the Preferences section to get specific about what you want in a romantic partner.

The SilverSingles site takes age, education, religion, and appearance into account when recommending matches, and it also asks users to disclose how far they are willing to travel to meet a date. Its search parameters can cover up to 300 miles, so Texas singles can cast a wide net on SilverSingles.

12. OurTime

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • Open to straight, gay, and lesbian singles over 50
  • Free match recommendations and conversation starters
  • Use Tokens to promote your profile and send virtual gifts

OurTime offers a personals site where senior singles are in the majority. You won’t find any photo-based swiping on OurTime. This senior dating platform provides a wealth of information on every dating profile and curates a potential match list based on common traits and interests.

Dating sites for young people can be too fast-paced and superficial for older singles, and that’s why mature networks like OurTime have sought to slow things down and allow online daters to get to know each other on a deeper level.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.7/5.0

SeniorMatch has been connecting single seniors since 2003, and it’s now at the top of its game. The niche dating site has over 1 million users and stimulates more than 1.3 million conversations per month.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many seniors could not socialize, travel, or date as they were wont to in the past, so they embraced virtual dating spaces like SeniorMatch as a worthy substitute. SeniorMatch fosters social distanced dating with its live chat features and discussion board, so singles don’t have to leave home to find the perfect match.

“Met the woman of my dreams on here at the start of the pandemic,” said a man in an online SeniorMatch testimonial. “We have been inseparable for the past few months. Moved in together a short while ago. Bought the rings a couple of weeks ago.”

Best LGBT Texas Dating Sites

Texas is a traditionally red state with conservative Christian values, but its population is becoming more of a rainbow every year. Gen Z and millennials are more likely than previous generations to identify with the LGBTQ+ community, and coming out of the closet is no longer as stigmatized as it once was.

Finding an LGBT date in Texas isn’t actually that tall an order, especially if you have a gay dating site or app handy. About 57% of LGBT individuals in Texas are under 35, and 71% do not have children. So you won’t be the only one seeking companionship in the queer dating scene.

14. MenNation

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • 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

As a gay sex site, MenNation has won lots of men over with its X-rated photo gallery, live video streaming, and overall sultry setting. The adult dating service has millions of members who identify as either a single man or a gay couple seeking male companionship.

MenNation allows gay, bisexual, and trans men to be themselves and pursue their passions freely. Texas singles can put in a ZIP code to instantly narrow this all-male dating pool to the most viable local guys. Browsing profiles and naked photos is completely cost free on MenNation, but sending private messages is considered a premium perk available to paid members only.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.5/5.0
  • Free membership includes viewing profiles and sending likes
  • Exchange revealing photos and videos privately online
  • Simple search filters by interests and appearance

LesbianPersonals is an all-around sexy place to meet an open-minded Texas woman. The lesbian personals site welcomes people of all sexual orientations and fetishes, so feel free to let your freak flag fly here.

Whether you’re a couple seeking a threesome or a woman seeking a lady love, LesbianPersonals can offer a lot of romantic possibilities in its chat rooms, search tabs, and community groups. It even has video streams and erotic blogs where women can be honest about their sexual desires and connect with people who feel the same way.

LesbianPersonals doesn’t judge women for wanting to hook up, and its swinger community has thrived over the last 20+ years.

16. HER

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.5/5.0
  • A quirky and unapologetic womxn-only dating community
  • Queer events get users connecting IRL
  • The constantly updated Feed facilitates social networking

HER is a women-only dating app with over 5 million members worldwide. And about 80% of its users live in the United States. For nearly a decade now, HER has become the go-to social networking tool for women who identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer, trans, or gay.

The HER community caters to women who are serious about making a match and building a genuine relationship. A single woman must verify her identity through a phone number, Facebook account, or Instagram account, and she must upload at least one profile picture to complete her profile. She can also choose to answer fun prompts and share local queer events to catch a local lady’s interest.

17. Grindr

Category Rating
★★★ 3.4/5.0
  • 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

Finally, Grindr has become one of the most famous gay dating apps on the market because of its ability to shorten the distance between single gay men in the dating world. The app pioneered location-based matchmaking in 2009, and it became an instant hit among guys looking for a whirlwind romance.

Although Grindr has the reputation of a hookup app, it also has the potential to spark gay friendships and relationships that last for years. The swiping scene is open to anything, and nearly 4 million Grindr users go on the app to meet new people on a daily basis.

“Grindr in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, or El Paso is just like Grindr in any other city,” said a single man on Reddit. “Maybe a little bit more Latino guys.”

Best Texas Hookup Sites

Looking for a casual encounter? Then you should consider posting a personal ad on the following hookup sites. These adults-only spaces encourage Texans to let go of their inhibitions and have a good time chatting up a sexy stranger.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.2/5.0

Ashley Madison has sparked controversy by marketing itself as a dating site for affairs, but it has been undeniably popular in the online sex scene. The platform currently has over 65 million members and is going on 20 years of anonymous matchmaking.

Cheaters don’t just prosper on Ashley Madison — they thrive. The dating profile allows members to identify as “attached” so their romantic prospects know to keep things on the down low. Members can also choose to mask or blur their faces in photos, and they are under no obligation to provide their real names, locations, or any personal details beyond their age, gender, and sexual orientation.

An Ashley Madison dating profile has no association with Facebook, Instagram, or other real-life social networks. Thanks to its ironclad privacy features, married men and married women can explore local dating prospects without anyone in their personal life being the wiser.

19. BeNaughty

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0

BeNaughty offers a safe, nonjudgmental space for singles who are frequently on the naughty list. This hookup website provides local search tools and photo swiping to help create chemistry between singles within driving distance of one another.

Texas singles of all types can come together on BeNaughty and build adult relationships that may last a few years, a few months, or only one night. It doesn’t matter if you live in a big city or on a horse ranch — as long as you’re looking for sexual encounters, BeNaughty is the perfect environment for you.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0

Adult Friend Finder is a popular hookup site that can connect sex-minded adults across Texas, across the United States, and across the globe. Over 104 million people have created an AFF account since the site launched in 1996, making it the world’s largest adult swinger network.

All AFF members must certify that they are at least 18 years old because the site is filled with mature content, including raunchy videos, nude pictures, and sexting stories.

Texans should note that AFF is a mobile-friendly site, so it can be accessed on any Android device or iPhone. But AFF does not currently have a downloadable sex app available on Google Play or the App Store. It was just too naughty for the general public.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0

FriendFinder-X is a most helpful guide in just about any local dating scene. Sex-driven singles, couples, and groups have flocked to this adults-only platform in hopes of expanding their social circle and spicing up their love lives.

After completing a short personal ad, FriendFinder-X members can search for compatible dates by age, location, appearance, and background. They can even specify a height range or weight range for their ideal type. FriendFinder-X has advanced search tools to put singles in control of their online dating experience and give them everything they need to make a smart match.

22. Flirt.com

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • Over 70 million registered users
  • Naked photos, videos, and private messaging available
  • Send a Flirtcast to get in touch with all potential matches

Flirt.com is a hookup site with a lot of flirtatious action. It has more than 70 million registered users, most of which live in big cities like Houston and Dallas.

Flirt.com allows all single women to chat for free, and it has affordable daily, weekly, and monthly subscription options for single men who want to join in the fun. Plus, all free members can choose to send a FlirtCast, a mass text message, to all dating profiles that fit within their match parameters.

During the coronavirus pandemic, hookup sites like Flirt.com have been trending upward and giving singles the opportunity to come together while keeping proper social distance.

How Do Texas Dating Sites Work?

The online dating process is pretty simple. First, you create a dating profile that expresses who you are and what you’re looking for in a date. Then you set your own match preferences or search filters based on age, location, religion, ethnicity, and other common dating dealbreakers. And, finally, you start sending likes, winks, or messages to the dating profiles that catch your eye.

Some dating services require users to become mutual matches (that means both of you have liked each other’s dating profile) or pay a subscription fee before they can send private messages. But free dating apps like OkCupid and Plenty of Fish do not put such restrictions on online daters.

Are Texas Dating Sites Safe to Use?

Safety is an important concern for online daters looking to put their hearts on the line. It’s natural for a single person to have some nervousness about setting up an online dating account and engaging in relationships with total strangers. But it is safe as long as you take the proper precautions.

Meeting a new person online is similar to meeting a new person at a bar or club. It’s a mixed bag. Though you may run into the occasional creep or liar, most people are decent and have good intentions in the dating scene. It’s up to you to vet potential dates and distinguish the fakers from the real thing.

People Lost $143M in Romance Scams in 2018

Romance scams often include requests for money or favors.

Vetting new dates is much easier to do on a dating site or app because you have a lot of information and resources available at your fingertips. Not only can you learn a lot about a person from his or her dating profile, but you can also conduct a search on social media sites like Facebook to see if your online crush is being honest with you.

I have a friend who met a charming single guy online, went on a promising first date, and then found his Facebook profile had pictures of a newborn son. He had never mentioned being a single parent — in fact, his dating profile said he had no children. His deception may have been easy to pass off in real life, but social media allowed the truth to come to light.

Some warning signs of fake profiles are obvious — no profile picture, using broken English, claiming to be a Nigerian prince — while others may take a little more digging to uncover. It’s a good idea to arrange a video call or phone call if you have doubts about a person you met online. And it’s a great idea to do some background research before falling in love with a complete stranger.

What are the Search Functionalities on Mainstream Dating Sites? Can You Search By Location?

Texas dating sites don’t kid around when it comes to finding the perfect match. As soon as you create a dating profile, you’ll find filtering options to narrow the dating pool to the most promising candidates. At the very least, a local dating site or app should have some sort of location-based matching to start things off. Many apps draw from a mobile device’s GPS data, while many websites require the user to manually input their ZIP code, city, or state.

Typically, you should be able to adjust your search by mile radius — go into your settings if this option isn’t readily available in the search tab — and let the dating site or app know how far you’re willing to travel for a new love interest.

Our dating experts recommend starting out with a relatively large search radius (50 miles or more) to get the lay of the land and maximize your online dating potential. After all, Texas is a large and populous state, so it makes sense to explore as much of it as possible and meet single people you may never have encountered otherwise.

How Do I Know How to Choose the Best Texas Dating Site?

The best dating site isn’t the same for every person. A single woman in rural Oklahoma will naturally have different dating standards and expectations than a single man in New York City, so online dating services can vary widely in popularity from state to state.

The most successful American dating sites and apps tend to be flexible enough to work in farm country, big cities, and suburban landscapes. So it really comes down to what type of romantic relationship you want and how much time or money you’re willing to invest in the online dating process. Some sites offer a lot of matchmaking assistance but few free features, while others are more of a sex-friendly free-for-all type venture.

Texans come in all shapes and sizes, so there is no one dating site or app that is best for everyone across the state. It’s up to you to determine what’s going to be right for you. Ask your friends what their experiences have been like, read some online reviews, and make a judgment call.

You Don’t Have to be Alone in the Lone Star State

Texas dating sites give a single cowboy or cowgirl plenty of opportunities to lasso a date and ride into the sunset. The free matching and communication tools do most of the heavy lifting, so singles don’t have to look far to find a desirable date and start a new relationship. All it takes is the courage to put yourself out there and say “how do you do?”

There’s no telling what can happen when you strike up a conversation with a local single, so remember to carry yourself with Southern pride and put your best cowboy boot forward on every match, and you should do just fine. Best of luck!

This article is a complete guide to dating sites for singles throughout the great state of Texas, with a particular focus on the online dating scene in these popular cities: Houston (TX), San Antonio (TX), Dallas (TX), Austin (TX), Fort Worth (TX), El Paso (TX), Arlington (TX), Corpus Christi (TX), Plano (TX), Laredo (TX), and Lubbock (TX).

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