College is a prime dating time for many young adults, and many dating sites and apps for college students have become the hot places to flirt on a Saturday night.
With over 8,000 dating platforms in existence, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the college dating apps out there, but we’ve done our homework to make it easier to find your way. You can think of this list of top-notch dating sites and apps as an online dating study guide — it can help you learn what you need to know to make the grade.
No matter your sexual orientation or relationship goals, you can find a dating platform that caters to you and has your romantic interests in mind.
Overall Best Dating Sites & Apps for College Students
If you’re a college student or a recent grad, you’re probably looking for a free dating site or app that can introduce you to dates without making you take out your credit card. There’s no need to get into debt just to get a date on a college dating site — here’s our cheat sheet for college students looking for a free ride and a fun distraction in the online dating scene.
1. Match
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 »
When it comes to online matchmaking, Match has always been at the head of the class. This dating site (and its companion app) has been around since 1995, which makes it older than some of its current users!
Match stands out in the online dating scene because it uses personality traits, interests, and dating preferences to inspire deeper connections than you’ll find by simply swiping through photos. That’s why we’ve consistently ranked and reviewed Match among the top dating sites in the history of online dating.
Match is free to join. Its free features includes unlimited browsing and limited communication. Match members can message their Top Picks for free; however, they’ll have to subscribe to a monthly plan if they want to message to any dating profile they see on the dating site or popular dating app.
EliteSingles.com maintains a sophisticated network of young professionals seeking a relationship. Over 80% of its members hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, and over 90% are over the age of 30. Elite Singles uses an intelligent matchmaking system to introduce daters to someone on their level.
- Over 2 million monthly users
- Premium members receive 20 wildcard matches a day
- Search features include age, height, education, ethnicity, and lifestyle habits
- Browse Elite Singles profiles 100% free »
Elite Singles is a high-end dating site for any university student or graduate who is serious about settling down. You won’t find flaky dates or casual sex-driven singles here. The vast majority of Elite Singles members have their hearts set on finding “The One” online.
Over 82% of Elite Singles members have earned a college degree, so you can compare notes about the college experience and find potential dates who are on your level in terms of intellect and education.
Elite Singles is technically a free dating site — because it’s free to join — but communication is a premium member feature, so it may be worth upgrading to a paid membership if you want to get in touch with single people in this elite network.
3. Zoosk
Zoosk is a socially savvy dating site known for its diverse membership base and behavioral matchmaking system. Over 40 million singles in 80 countries have joined the network so far, and it's growing larger every day. The platform offers many different ways to communicate and express interest in members, so it's easy to form a fast connection here.
- Send messages to premium members for free
- Over 3 million messages sent a day
- Premium perks include photo verification and sending virtual gifts
- Browse Zoosk profiles 100% free »
Zoosk is a socially savvy dating site and app with a global following. Over 40 million singles in 80 countries have joined the Zoosk network since 2007, and it continues growing as young singles come of age and go online to meet people.
Generation Z has embraced Zoosk in a big way in recent years. According to the dating site’s internal numbers, Gen Z users are more likely to swipe yes on dating profiles, and they’re more likely to set up casual coffee dates for a first encounter in real life.
Pro tip: Zoosk uses behavioral matchmaking to identify compatibility between users, so the more you view photos and like profiles, the better the match algorithm will get at predicting who you’ll like.
4. 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 »
College students aren’t always into casual hookups — sometimes they want to find a partner to build a life with them. That’s where eharmony comes in. This premium online dating site was originally designed (back in 2000) to inspire long-term relationships and marriages, and it has brought over 2 million couples together.
The eharmony matchmaking system is great for people of all ages because it focuses on where you are in life and where you want to go in your relationships. You can fill out an in-depth dating profile and an 80-question personality test to help the eharmony team get to know you better and identify key personality traits. The dating service recommends your perfect match based on the personal information you provide, so make sure you’re honest when setting up your account.
Our full eharmony review can tell you more about how the dating site works, but the TL;DR is this site can help singles get serious and meet people who are ready to settle down.
Christian Mingle is a faith-based dating website for singles who want a relationship grounded in Christian values. People of all religions and backgrounds turn to this site in hopes of meeting a good Christian man or a good Christian woman. Christian Mingle's claim to fame is that it has the highest percentage of Christian members of any dating site or app in the world.
- For singles interested in God-centered relationships
- Over 3.5 million monthly users around the world
- Available as an app on Google Play and the App Store
- Browse Christian Mingle profiles 100% free »
Christian Mingle is a values-driven dating site where Christian singles mingle freely. Although not everyone on Christian Mingle is a devout Christian, they’re all willing to date and marry a person of faith.
The biggest upside on Christian Mingle is that you don’t have to have that awkward “What’s your religion?” talk before or on the first date. You’re already on the same biblical page, so to speak, because you both chose to seek a potential partner on a God-centered dating website.
Christian Mingle has many heartwarming success stories to its name, and many of them come from college-aged singles who found their ideal match on the site or app. “I knew within an hour at our first date over coffee,” Kimberley said in her testimonial. “Rich knew after the third date — he picked out the ring that night! Five months of dating, five months of engagement, and we are set to marry in two weeks.”
Since its launch in 2002, BlackPeopleMeet has created an African American singles network that stretches across North America. This niche dating site has 1.5 million members who are attracted to Black and biracial people. It takes less than two minutes to create a full profile and start browsing through profiles sorted by age, location, and orientation.
- One of the largest Black singles networks in existence
- Straightforward search and matching features
- Use Tokens to appear higher in search results
- Browse BlackPeopleMeet profiles 100% free »
If you want to date in the black community, then BlackPeopleMeet should be your go-to dating site. Its mission is to empower singles of color and create a dating environment where they have the run of things.
BlackPeopleMeet offers a free registration process and user profile browsing, but it does charge for the privilege of sending messages to its members. That paywall naturally weeds out folks who aren’t really invested in online dating and don’t have extra funds to spend on their dates. Still, tens of thousands of people have joined BlackPeopleMeet and made it one of the most popular dating sites for African-American singles and their admirers.
“I was able to find a wonderful woman through the use of your site,” said a Maryland user. “After one month, I truly feel as though she is the woman of my dreams, and when the time is right, I will ask her to marry me.”
7. 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 »
Since 2004, OkCupid has been one of the most popular dating sites and apps in the business. It’s no secret why — OkCupid is completely free for everyone always, and that includes sending as many messages to your matches as you want.
The OkCupid team has promised to offer singles a lot of bang for their buck, and they don’t charge for browsing, searching, liking, or contacting people on the site. Every year, OkCupid is responsible for making over 91 million matches and inspiring 2.6 million dates.
OkCupid takes a data-driven approach to matchmaking, and it constantly polls its users to keep abreast of the newest trends and opinions in the dating world. According to OkCupid’s stats, singles from the University of Nebraska, the University of Iowa and Yale receive the most likes from members in the DoubleTake section, and Harvard singles are the most likely Ivy Leaguers to say they want a serious relationship.
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 »
PlentyOfFish is another always-free dating site and app for college singles and college grads. The dating service has over 150 million members, and it sees over 4 million monthly active users.
You may think this free-wheeling dating site is best for online chats and hookups, but it has actually become a wingman for many serious relationship seekers as well. A POF survey found that 52% of men and 47% of women on POF are interested in becoming exclusive with the right person.
Thanks to its match suggestions and personality test, POF online dating site can help singles meet a potential partner who has similar personality traits and lifes goals.
9. 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 a no-brainer for lists like these. It’s easily one of the most popular dating apps for young people, and it’s also one of the most effective ways to meet a lot of people in a short amount of time.
Tinder has some impressive stats and a great reputation to back its services. Over half of Tinder users are under 25 years old, and they send about 4.2 million GIFs per week. Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has created over 43 billion matches, and it has been downloaded over 340 million times.
As of 2019, almost 5.9 million people have subscribed to Tinder to get access to its extra features (including the ability to swipe on profiles in different cities), but it’s not necessary to subscribe to pick up dates on this swipe-happy dating app.
10. 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 »
Bumble appeals to Generation Z because its women-first dating service upholds progressive and egalitarian values. It’s not just a dating app — it’s a feminist movement that challenges today’s dating culture and gender norms.
A 20-something entrepreneur named Whitney Wolfe Herd founded the Bumble app in 2014. As a former Tinder executive, Whitney understood the online dating scene was problematic for women, and she wanted to give them more power to filter matches and find a potential date, so they wouldn’t be at the mercy of the creeps and jerks running rampant on other mobile dating apps.
Today, 72% of Bumble users are under 35, and over 90% of them are looking for a serious relationship. Bumble has created over 750 million matches, and it is responsible for over 5,000 weddings and engagements.
Bumble is the best online dating app for single moms and young women who want to escape the casual hookup scene and meet single men who treat them with respect.
Best LGBT Dating Sites & Apps for College Students
Generation Z could rightly be called the Rainbow Generation because 30% of Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ are under 24 years old. To put that in perspective, the over-65 crowd makes up just 7% of the LGBTQ+ community.
Looking for a same-sex relationship in a college town is a pretty smart strategy because about 60% of LGBTQ+ individuals have gone to college, including 13% who went on to get post-graduate degrees. Here are some of the most popular online dating sites and apps for singles who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning.
11. 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 hookup site where being gay is A-OK. Its online dating service caters to gay men (both singles and couples) who know exactly what they want and aren’t afraid to go after it.
If you’ve got sex on the brain, then MenNation can satisfy your lust with a gallery of sexy photos and profiles. You can create a personals ad within minutes and join the fun without paying a cent; however, only paid subscribers can chat without inhibitions on MenNation.
MenNation has a global dating pool of gay men, and its search features allow singles to cast a wide net or set specific standards according to their dating wishes.
12. LesbianPersonals
LesbianPersonals.com is powered by Friend Finder Networks, so it encompasses a vast network of sexually active women. The female-friendly dating site allows women, couples, and groups to create a profile and find online and offline romance. With over 2 million women in its community, LesbianPersonals is fast becoming one of the most popular lesbian dating sites around.
- Free membership includes viewing profiles and sending likes
- Exchange revealing photos and videos privately online
- Simple search filters by interests and appearance
- Browse LesbianPersonals profiles 100% free »
LesbianPersonals has a lot to offer LGBTQ+ women seeking one-night stands, threesomes, and other sexual experiences. This casual hookup site supports adults who love to love women, and its sexually active user base includes lesbians, bisexuals, and couples of all ages.
You won’t need to look very far to find potential date options and sexy partners on LesbianPersonals. This lesbian hookup site is one of the largest of its kind, and it has attracted millions of signups over the last two decades.
It’s free to create a user profile on LesbianPersonals and start looking around to find the woman of your dreams. Then all you have to do is get a paid membership to say hello and arrange a steamy first date.
13. 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 »
HER is a womxn-only dating app designed to create real relationships and friendships in the LGBTQ+ community. Over 4 million womxn have jumped on board this app, and all of them have been verified as authentic and genuine.
The HER app acts as a social network with live feeds, queer events, and private messages to help keep lesbian, bisexual, and queer womxn in touch with one another. Free members can set up a full profile to make a positive impression on the HER community and send likes and comments to womxn who catch their eye online.
In a recent survey, 81% of surveyed HER users said they had fallen in love with someone on the app, and you can read many #WeMetOnHer stories on Twitter and Instagram.
14. 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 »
With over 27 million users, Grindr has the distinction of being the most popular gay dating app on the market, and it’s completely free to download, match, and chat.
Grindr is a location-based online dating app, which means a hot date is always within your reach. You can log in whenever you’re feeling frisky and match with single men on campus, at the local bar, or in your area. Most Grindr users are looking for an instant connection and steamy romance, so you don’t have to feel shy about asking a person to meet up right away.
If you’re looking for men in the LGBTQ+ dating scene, then Grindr should be high on your priority list. This app can get you swiping and dating at a fast clip, and you never know where those online conversations and connections will take you.
Best Hookup Sites & Apps for College Students
Some college students are in no hurry to settle down. They’re young and vibrant, and they want to play the field while they can. The average student reports having five sexual partners during their college days. The top dating sites for hookups can help you pursue an above-average dating experience and meet many desirable single men and women in your college town.
15. BeNaughty
BeNaughty invites singles to walk on the wild side and explore their sexuality in a fun, free-wheeling environment. This adults-only dating site is full of X-rated content, but users can blur nude photos if they'd prefer to leave some things to the imagination. Premium subscribers get the most bang for the buck because they can send messages, browse incognito, and receive alerts when their messages have been read by someone special.
- Sexually active adults in 10 countries
- Browse the Like Gallery for hot singles
- Stimulate conversation in intimate private messages
- Browse BeNaughty profiles 100% free »
We consider BeNaughty to be the top dating website for sexy singles because it offers completely free communication with virtually zero limits. As long as you have a photo on your user profile, you can send individual chats or mass messages on this dating platform.
The fast-paced world of BeNaughty can be overwhelming at first glance, but you can use the search filters to find a potential match who fits your image of a perfect date. BeNaughty lets users filter the database by age, gender, location, orientation, appearance, online activity, and popularity, so a hot date is only a few clicks away.
Not sure what you’re looking for? Then head to the Like Gallery where you can swipe on photos until you find someone in the user base worth liking and messaging.
In 1996, Friend Finder Networks began harnessing the power of online networking to help adults meet sexually active singles in their area, and it has now grown into a global X-rated phenomenon with over 93 million profiles. Adult Friend Finder provides a safe, anonymous dating platform where singles and swingers can hook up with another.
- Among the largest online sex and swinger communities
- Completely free no-obligation registration
- Live chat rooms and discussion forums open 24/7
- Browse Adult Friend Finder profiles 100% free »
Adult Friend Finder is among the world’s largest casual dating sites — it has over 100 million profiles, and it has created over 4 million sexy connections to date.
Whether you’re looking for a one-on-one connection, a threeway, an orgy, or a strip tease video, you can explore many erotic discussions and X-rated profiles by becoming a full AFF member. While joining AFF is free, you won’t be able to get all the benefits of the community until you subscribe for less than $1 a day.
Our full review named AFF one of the most legit hookup sites in the online world, and we’d recommend it to college students with a high sex drive and few inhibitions.
17. FriendFinder-X
FriendFinder-X specializes in delivering hot dates to your inbox. For the last 20+ years, this hookup site has amassed a huge following around the world and led to countless sexy encounters. Millions of people have created an account and searched for singles, couples, and groups who can satisfy their deepest desires.
- Open to casual daters in the U.S. and abroad
- Free members can browse profiles and watch sexy videos
- Chat anonymously in the forum or private messages
- Browse FriendFinder-X profiles 100% free »
FriendFinder-X is among the top dating sites for sexually active singles and swingers over 18. The site prides itself on being “where good girls do bad things,” and it is open to people of all orientations and gender identities.
As a discreet platform, FriendFinder-X doesn’t require users to mingle under their real names, and it does not connect to anyone’s social media account. You are completely anonymous and free to follow your desires in a judgment-free zone. If you’re looking for casual dating, look no further — FriendFinderX can help you find your way to an easy lay, and it doesn’t cost anything to get started.
What is a Good Dating Site for 20-Year-Olds?
Many 20-somethings favor OkCupid because it is totally free to use. You never have to pay anything to create matches and send messages on OkCupid, and it also doesn’t charge for its matchmaking questionnaire, which includes over 4,000 optional questions.
Since 2004, OkCupid has set itself apart by turning online matchmaking into a numbers game. The dating site and app uses highly sophisticated algorithms to assess compatibility between two individuals and recommend great date prospects. Single women can search the site by age, location, interest, or keyword to find a guy who measures up to their standards.
- 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
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
We’d also say Zoosk is a good option for college-aged singles seeking conversation, connection, or a casual relationship. The dating platform has a lot of free features, including limited messaging, and its members send over 3 million messages per day.
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 »
Most mainstream dating sites and apps cater to a fairly young single crowd, so you can’t go wrong as a 20-something in the online dating scene. You’re in the driver’s seat here, and you don’t have to settle for anything less than an ideal match with a premium member.
What is the Best Dating App for Singles?
Hands down, Tinder is the best dating app for singles who are active in the dating scene — especially if you’re in your early 20s. More than half of Tinder members are between 18 and 25.
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 »
In a Badoo survey, 84.4% of college students said they actively use Tinder to find a potential date, so its one of the most popular mobile dating apps for young people.
Tinder has been downloaded 300 million times since its launch in 2012, and the online dating service arranges over 1.5 million first dates a week.
What is the Most Successful Dating Site?
Different dating sites appeal to different people, but Match is for everyone.
Match.com was among the first dating sites to launch in the early days of the internet, and it remains a force to be reckoned with almost 30 years later.
As a serious dating network, Match boasts having arranged more first dates, relationships, and marriages than any of its competitors, and it is responsible for the birth of over 1 million babies.
Match has become a trusted name in the online dating industry by catering to quality singles looking for love and romance. Since 1995, the dating site has developed a time-tested matching system to facilitate deep connections between men and women who share similar goals in life.
- 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
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match is definitely the most successful dating site on the market today. Not only has it been around the longest, but it also has more real-life success stories to its name.
If you’re serious about meeting folks, we’d recommend upgrading to Match’s paid membership plan. A premium member can make the most of this online dating service and chat up a potential match in the local dating scene.
What Percentage of College Students Use Dating Apps?
In 2016, 27% of 18- to 24-year-olds reported trying an online dating site or dating app, which was a marked increase from the 10% who’d said they had tried online dating in 2013. We’d be willing to bet that stat has only increased in recent years what with the rise of swiping and mutual matching on mobile dating apps.
In fact, in 2019, more couples than ever before (22%) said they had met their spouse online, and 30% of those couples were originally matched by Tinder!
We Give Today’s College Dating Sites & Apps an A+
College students have a lot of options in the dating scene. Many dating sites and apps are full of promise, and many appeal to young daters, but only a select few passed our test in terms of membership numbers, success rate, and free features.
We’ve ranked the best free dating sites and apps for college students seeking romance and love. Our best dating site reviews can tell you everything you need to know to get ahead of the dating curve and hone your flirtation skills for your next romantic relationship.
You can make the most of your college years with a solid dating site or app in your pocket. All you need is a free membership to give yourself a head start and raise your profile in the local dating scene. Good luck!
