The best LTR dating sites and apps don’t mess around when it comes to love. They offer proven matchmaking that’s rooted in human psychology and use relationship science to encourage meaningful connections that can last through the years.
If you’re looking for a long-term relationship, you may find yourself frustrated by swiping apps and their games. It’s difficult to have an honest and thoughtful conversation on apps that focus on photos over personality. That’s why we’ve highlighted the top dating sites where serious relationship seekers can come together.
LTR dating sites can provide smarter matches, quality-driven features, and a more efficient route from saying “hello” to living happily ever after.
Best Overall “LTR” Dating Sites and Apps
Some single people enter the online dating world with serious goals, and they need serious matchmaking tools to be their wingman. The top online dating sites and apps provide meaningful support and relationship guidance that goes well beyond the average hookup app. LTR dating sites can clear away obstacles on the road to true love and help singles get closer to marriage and starting a family.
All of the dating platforms on this list are free to join or download, so it won’t cost singles anything to give online dating a try and see where the matches take them.
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 »
Match is a clear winner in the matchmaking department. Since 1995, this dating platform has excelled at introducing couples who have a lot in common, including the desire to get in a serious relationship.
Throughout its history, Match has collected good reviews and established a solid reputation in the industry. Singles often turn to this dating site and app when they’re ready to stop fooling around and start meeting higher caliber dates. Approximately 75% of Match members are over 30 years old, and most of them have attended college.
Match.com caters to more mature and love-driven singles by putting personality ahead of looks in its match formula. The dating site searches for compatibility in terms of lifestyle and background, and its recommended Top Picks can communicate for free.
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 »
EliteSingles has cultivated a VIP dating experience for single professionals with successful careers, high expectations, and serious relationship goals. This is a dating site where quality comes first. The vast majority of EliteSingles members have graduated from college and are more interested in a long-term relationship than a casual hookup.
EliteSingles works well as a dating site for relationships because it raises the bar in its VIP membership and keeps spam and fake profiles to a minimum. The premium dating site is free to join; however only paid subscribers can view photos and send messages.
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 »
As a Silicon Valley dating app, Zoosk has powered a behavioral matchmaking system that can spark both casual dating and serious dating opportunities. The match algorithm takes its cues from the user and recommends compatible dating profiles based on the user’s browsing activity.
The Zoosk network has over 40 million members from all walks of life. Everyone from young adults to senior citizens can find a flirtatious outlet here.
Zoosk has the look and feel of a social media site. The newsfeed, matches, and activity log feature local dating profiles with photos, and many communication options are available at the click of a button. Zoosk members can send a virtual gift to show interest or invite a person to a private chat or video chat in real time.
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 »
Since 2000, eharmony has been a major player in the online dating space. The dating website’s founding mission was to strengthen relationships by ensuring compatible partners find one another. Today, eharmony is responsible for introducing more than 2 million couples in the U.S. alone.
The eharmony match algorithm digs deep to uncover the qualities and similarities necessary for a fruitful relationship. Singles who complete their dating profile and take the Compatibility Quiz share a lot of good information about their personality traits, communication styles, relationship goals, and core values. All those factors play a role in the dating platform’s match ratings and compatibility breakdowns.
Thanks to its innovative use of psychology and technology, the eharmony dating service has distinguished itself as one of the most successful matchmakers in online dating history.
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 »
ChristianMingle is a Christian dating site dedicated to guiding singles toward a life of commitment, family, and faith. The network is about 90% Christian singles and 10% singles who want to date and marry a Christian. The wholesome and spiritual community can be a breath of fresh air to relationship seekers with strong beliefs and serious intentions.
According to a third-party survey, ChristianMingle has one of the highest Christian marriage success rates in the online dating industry. The survey found that ChristianMingle was responsible for about 1 in 3 of the married Christian couples who said they met online.
ChristianMingle encourages a faith-first approach to dating and relationships. The dating site and app support blessed matches that uphold good Christian values and have the potential to inspire Christian marriages.
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 »
BlackPeopleMeet celebrates diversity and inclusion in the online dating scene. The dating platform has given Black singles the chance to be in the majority and meet potential dates who share similar perspectives and life experiences.
It’s important to note that BlackPeopleMeet does not discriminate against any race. Any single person can create a BPM dating profile. The purpose of the niche dating site is to support both Black love and interracial dating by making it easier to meet single people of color.
BlackPeopleMeet launched as a dating website in 2002, and now it is also available as an online dating app on Google Play and the App Store. The mobile app offers instant access to match recommendations and chat rooms, so Black singles can stay connected no matter where they go.
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 »
OkCupid is a free dating app where singles can express themselves and search for like-minded dates. The platform has over 4,000 match questions, 50 profile prompts, and several match lists to help fuel a romantic exploration.
OkCupid has taken a data-driven approach to love and calculates personal compatibility by identifying shared opinions, values, goals, and experiences. All OkCupid members can send a first greeting to anyone they fancy for free, but they cannot send a follow-up message until a mutual match has been established.
Every year, OkCupid creates over 91 million matches and spurs approximately 2.6 million first dates around the globe.
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 »
In less than 20 years, PlentyOfFish has grown from a Canadian dating site into an online dating sensation. Over 4 million singles currently visit the POF community every day in search of friendship and love. To date, this popular dating app has seen over 150 million registrations in 20 countries.
How did PlentyOfFish become so large so quickly? Two words. Free messaging. The POF site and app feature a direct messaging system that does not cost money to access. All POF members can send unlimited messages on a whim — no credit card required.
PlentyOfFish has created an online dating hack that accelerates relationships by getting out of the way of modern singles. The platform offers a straightforward way to get to know someone new. No mutual matching. No subscriptions. Just pure communication available on demand.
9. 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 became the world’s first feminist dating app in 2014 when it launched a matchmaking system that put single women in charge of their romantic destiny. When a man and woman form a mutual match on Bumble, only the woman has First Move Privilege, meaning she has the sole discretion to send the first message and start a private chat.
A former Tinder executive named Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble because she was tired of seeing women objectified and taken advantage of on mainstream apps. She upended traditional gender norms by inviting women to take the lead in a new relationship.
Bumble has distanced itself from the casual hookup scene by promoting respectful relationships and banning photos of people in underwear or bathing suits. As a result, serious daters have flocked to Bumble in droves. A Bumble survey discovered that over 85% of members said they wanted to find a long-term relationship on the app. Fewer than 4% said they were hoping for a hookup.
10. 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 »
Finally, we have to mention Tinder as one of the best LTR dating apps on the market. Over the last decade, Tinder has been downloaded over 430 million times and created more than 60 billion matches worldwide. Tinder’s widespread success stems from the fact that it invented swipe-based matchmaking and changed the way singles meet one another online.
Some online daters dismiss Tinder as a hookup app. And it’s true that casual daters can thrive here. However, Tinder has also proven its merits as an app for relationships. The Tinder app is responsible for sparking about 1.5 million first dates every week, and a fair number of those matches lead to long-term relationships.
We’ve even heard stories of Tinder marriages that began with a swipe and grew into a modern love story.
“The first Tinder girl I actually met in person went for a coffee date expecting it to be a quick first meet — ended up chatting in the coffee shop for eight hours then heading back to her place,” said a man on Reddit. “Been dating for over a year now.”
Best Senior “LTR” Dating Sites and Apps
It’s never too late for a long-term love to bloom. Senior singles often have a lot of dating and relationship experience behind them, and they go into online dating with a clear understanding of the value of a serious lifelong commitment. Our experts have picked out the best LTR dating site and apps for senior men and women who want another shot at falling in love.
11. SilverSingles
SilverSingles is serious about helping singles over 50 meet one another, and its network stretches across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The secure signup process includes profile verification and fraud detection, so new members must portray themselves accurately to gain access to the platform. By fostering a safe environment, SilverSingles helps men and women meet mature dates in their area.
- An exclusively senior membership base
- Over 800,000 monthly users worldwide
- App available for free on Google Play
- Browse SilverSingles profiles 100% free »
SilverSingles has taken sophisticated matchmaking tools and adapted them to fit the needs and interests of the senior dating population. Today, this niche dating site reaches millions of mature singles in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and beyond.
A free SilverSingles membership includes unlimited profile browsing, but it does not include instant messaging and access to photo galleries. For that, seniors must upgrade to a premium membership and invest in their online dating experience.
SilverSingles is available as a mobile app on Google Play and the App Store. The app has all the same bells and whistles as the online dating site. The only difference is the app delivers messages, new matches, and notifications directly to the user’s smartphone, tablet, or mobile device.
12. OurTime
OurTime is an over-50 dating site with a lot of helpful features to facilitate friendships and relationships. Senior singles can look for dates themselves using the search tools, or they can view a curated list of matches to find compatible folks. Singles can send likes, flirts, and faves for free, but they have to subscribe to send messages to their online crushes.
- 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
- Browse OurTime profiles 100% free »
OurTime connects singles to date prospects who are in the same age group, live nearby, and have a lot of love to give. The senior dating site has millions of members in its database and highlights compatible matches based on in-depth profile information and browsing history.
It’s completely free to sign up on the OurTime website or download the OurTime app. Free members are able to explore local dating options and reply to some messages in their inbox. OurTime has also developed in-house video date and call forwarding features to support authentic connections.
OurTime offers legit security features to keep all members safe throughout their online dating journey. The Scam Detection System acts like an online dating police scanner by working behind the scenes to discover fake profiles, spam messages, and scam accounts.
13. SeniorMatch
Since 2003, SeniorMatch has built its reputation as one of the world's leading senior dating sites. The site offers free communication and searches to help singles over 50 find companionship and love. If you're interested in a mature dating experience, this dating site can meet your needs.
- Doesn't allow members under 45
- Available as a dating app in Google Play
- Dating advice and safety tips shared by senior daters
- Browse SeniorMatch profiles 100% free »
SeniorMatch is an online dating site where experience and maturity count for a lot. When the site launched in 2003, its driving purpose was to connect singles in the over-50 crowd and put an end to senior loneliness. To date, SeniorMatch has collected over 36,600 success stories from its members.
“Met the woman of my dreams on here at the start of the pandemic. She was the second lady I corresponded with,” wrote a senior man who got engaged to a woman he met on SeniorMatch. “Both of us still have trouble believing this has happened, but we cannot deny the sheer joy and love we feel for the other.”
SeniorMatch has over 1 million members in the U.S., the U.K., and other countries. Singles join this international membership base hoping to find a friendship that grows into a long-term love affair.
Best LGBTQ “LTR” Dating Sites and Apps
According to a national study, LGBT folks make up about 4.5% of the overall population in the U.S. The mainstream dating scene is dominated by straight people, so a gay person may have trouble finding a potential partner through conventional means.
Fortunately, some niche sites have carved out space for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer dating — and they could be right up your alley.
14. 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 »
At first glance, MenNation may appear to be nothing more than another gay sex site, but its raunchy content can start conversations that lead to exciting affairs and adult relationships.
The MenNation platform gives men an outlet for their deepest feelings and fantasies. Any guy who is legal (aka over 18) can join the fun by providing an email address and username.
Some MenNation members are just looking for a short-term sexual release and gay hookup, but others are interested in following their passions and falling in love. It’s free to explore the database, join kinky group discussions, and search for a LTR with an attractive gay man. Single guys and gay couples are not shy about stating their intentions on MenNation, and that can save a lot of time in the gay dating scene.
15. 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 launched over 20 years ago with a simple mission to promote girl-on-girl action online and in the real world. And it has grown into one of the largest lesbian dating networks in the world. LesbianPersonals is an adult dating site where sex isn’t a dirty word and intimacy can start with a private chat or video stream.
Single women, lesbian couples, and straight couples have joined LesbianPersonals in hopes of spicing up their sex lives. The chats may begin casually, but they can quickly escalate to something more serious. LesbianPersonals can facilitate polyamorous relationships, swinger experiences, lesbian hookups, and other steamy encounters with women who know exactly what they want.
16. 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 »
In 2013, a lesbian woman named Robyn Exton left her day job and turned tech entrepreneur because she saw an opportunity to support LGBTQ+ love. Robyn created a women-only dating app that was originally named Dattch and is now known as HER.
HER has held space for lesbian women, bisexual women, queer women, and trans women seeking healthy and fulfilling relationships. No man is allowed to join HER, and no unicorn-hunting profiles will be tolerated. The lesbian dating app verifies all new profiles through Facebook to ensure male users and couples can’t slip past the radar.
The HER network encompasses over 5 million verified profiles. The majority of its users hail from the U.S., Canada, or Europe. These women may come from different backgrounds, but they share similar values. A queer person can find solidarity by browsing the HER app and chatting up women who have a heartfelt desire to build a friendship or relationship.
17. 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 »
When Grindr launched in 2009, it was one of the first dating apps to leverage geolocation data into its networking capabilities. Grindr also happened to be one of the first apps to focus solely on male-to-male introductions. The gay dating app currently has over 27 million users who identify as gay, bisexual, queer, or questioning.
Grindr has earned a spot among the best gay dating apps of all time. The app offers free swiping, matching, and chatting, and it is responsible for countless gay hookups and gay relationships throughout the world.
“I found the love of my life on Grindr,” said a 20-something man on Reddit. “It’s so weird knowing that I got into a relationship from a hookup app — but it does happen! Good luck to all the hopeless romantics on this app!”
What Does LTR Mean?
LTR is an abbreviation for long-term relationship. Single people tend to use it on their dating profiles or personal ads to save space and convey their openness to a serious commitment.
How Do the Best LTR Dating Sites and Apps Work?
The best LTR dating site and apps use smart algorithms to make finding a perfect match a much easier and less time-consuming process. All singles have to do is create a dating profile, fill in their date preferences, and start swiping or searching. The dating platform should automatically prioritize nearby dates with desirable qualities.
Dating sites put exciting romantic opportunities into a single person’s hands.
An app’s swiping and search lists are personalized to the user either by implicit information based on browsing history or explicit parameters set by the user. Relationship-oriented dating apps tend to focus on lifestyle habits, personality traits, and cultural background when pairing up potential matches.
Age is another important factor in the matchmaking process. Mainstream dating sites will assume singles are looking for a date within the same age range, but singles interested in cougar dating or age-gap dating can go into their settings to adjust those preferences.
All dating platforms are different when it comes to communication. Some require users to form a mutual match before they can chat or exchange photos or videos. Others keep chat features behind a subscription paywall. And then there are free dating apps like OkCupid and PlentyOfFish, which don’t charge for messaging or require mutual matching to say hello.
Are LTR Dating Sites and Apps Safe?
Yes, online dating is perfectly safe as long as singles vet their potential love interests and keep an eye out for red flags in an online relationship. Take things slow when you’re meeting a stranger. Those first few conversations should be about getting to know each other and building trust.
It’s healthy for singles to have boundaries and take precautions to keep themselves safe when meeting someone new. Maybe that means setting up a video chat before meeting in person or going on social media to view your crush’s Facebook or Instagram photos. That vetting process is important and can actually strengthen a new love match. Couples who meet online and create the foundation for their relationship are more likely to stay together in the long run.
Online daters are not always on the same page when it comes to the pace of relationships — or the idea of wanting a relationship at all. That’s why serious daters have to express their expectations and be clear about what makes them feel comfortable and uncomfortable. A good partner should respect those needs, provide reassurance, and take steps to create a safe space for intimacy to grow naturally.
Don’t let a stranger pressure you to go outside your comfort zone. It’s better to hit the block button and start over with someone new than compromise your happiness, health, or safety. Building a real relationship takes time, and it’s not safe to rush into a commitment or a hookup without thinking it through first.
How Do I Go About Choosing the Best LTR Dating App?
When choosing a dating site or app, it’s important to consider your needs and expectations. Everyone enters the dating scene for different reasons. For example, some Jewish singles are primarily interested in meeting and marrying a Jewish person, so they will have more success on Jewish dating sites like JDate or Supertova than they would on Christian dating sites like ChristianMingle or CMatch.
Of course, religion isn’t the only factor influencing niche dating sites. Online daters can search for potential matches based on age, ethnicity, appearance, location, and relationship goals as well.
Some dating platforms prioritize relationships above casual hookups. Coffee Meets Bagel is a dating app that launched in 2012 to bring greater sincerity and thoughtfulness to online dating. The CMB app limits the number of dating profiles a person can view in one day.
Coffee Meets Bagel helps online daters establish a friendship based on common interests.
Coffee Meets Bagel puts quality above quantity. The app doesn’t have the largest dating pool, but its algorithm digs deep to discover personal compatibility and satisfy app users who are seeking a quality match.
If you’re looking to meet a whole slew of singles at once, you may want to skip Coffee Meets Bagel and go for more popular dating apps that have more swiping and texting options at hand.
Singles have hundreds of dating sites and apps to choose from in the online dating scene, which can be overwhelming. A good way to start whittling down that list is by reading reviews, asking friends for recommendations, and creating a few free dating profiles on the apps that stand out to you.
Finding a Long-Term Relationship is Easier Online
At some point, casual dating gets old. Singles can only shoot the breeze on chat rooms and shout over the music at nightclubs for so long before they begin craving something more than a superficial chat. The best LTR dating sites and apps help singles form deeper connections grounded by shared values and plans for the future.
If you’re in the online dating scene for keeps, then the typical free dating app or hookup app may not have the substance and matchmaking chops to meet your expectations. You may have to search more elite and premium circles and possibly even pay a membership fee to up the caliber of your matches and get one step closer to true love.
All of the dating sites and apps on our list are free to join, so serious daters can get the lay of the land before they have to make an investment and start building real relationships. Good luck out there!
