Online Dating Apps

Almost everyone in developed countries has a smartphone. This technology brings also dating to a new level. In 2023 around 25% of the relationships in western countries begin from online dating applications, and the number is likely to be even higher in the future. Here we have listed the most popular and the best global dating apps. Remember that many countries have their own specific local dating apps which are not mentioned in this article.

Tinder

Tinder is probably one of the first, if not the first online dating app that received a massive public success since it's launch in 2012. Basically, Tinder changed the way that we date people online. This is all proven by the fact that Tinder boasts on average 1.4 billion swipes globally per day, whilst being available in over 200 countries worldwide.

Tinder was also the first dating service to implement what we know today as the "swipe left or swipe right" in order to skip or like somebody, respectively. It also has the location filter, which you can set to your preferences and it will help you connect with the folks in the nearby vicinity if desired so.

Basically, all you need to start using Tinder is to download the app and login with your Facebook account. The app will gather all the required information about you, such as your name, age, sex, location, work history, interests, friends, etc. and implement it into your Tinder profile. As of lately, you can also link Instagram account for easier picture importing between the two. You can even link it to your Spotify account, and people will know your music taste as well!

It is also free to use at all times, but you are asked to pay a small monthly subscription if you want some extra perks, such as being able to show up in featured people, thus being exposed to a larger group of people. It also includes some other perks such as being able to change your last vote if you "swiped left" and you just changed your mind, or being able to have an invisible profile, so that you are not shown to the people who don't have the subscription. Due to everything that was mentioned above, it is a perfect app if you are looking for something short-term and casual, as you are basically determining if you want to connect with somebody only by looking at their picture. All it takes for you to do is to swipe right until somebody likes you as well, which then becomes your "match", and you are able to chat with that person, similar to Facebook Messenger.

All in all, it is a great app and it has become an epitome when it comes to online dating and hookups.

Read more: Tinder

OkCupid

Some say that OkCupid is the best place to find new people if you want the partnership to truly be equal. Although it is not as popular as Tinder, OkCupid belongs to the OG dating sites, as it was founded in 2004 believe it or not! What makes this site so popular is the fact that it is open for any gender and sexual preference, and it lists a lot of them. You can also insert a random "Did you just assume my gender?" meme here and you are good to go!

You basically start by registering your profile with usual information, but before you can browse through members, you are asked to answer a couple of questions, so that their algorithm can determine your "personality" and give you the best chances to reach someone who is similar to you. After you've done the so-called "Personality test", you are prompted to the main page. But you can always go back and answer extra questions in order to give a more accurate description of yourself.

Also, the interface is very user-friendly, as you are not bothered with endless notifications. In fact, you only get a match and a message notification, and that's about it. Also, a huge plus is that they actually don't bombard you with e-mails and useless messages from admins all the time, as that is the case with many other similar apps. OkCupid also has 2 subscription plans with some extra perks. Overall, a good app for anybody who wants to chat, flirt, or date.

Read more: OkCupid

Badoo

Founded in 2006 by the Russian businessman, Badoo was initially inside the Facebook as a sort of dating game, until it became a separate app in 2012. Unlike the other dating apps, Badoo claims to be more of a social network (as it was a part of Facebook), with a focus on online dating. But after they made the app available for smartphones, they eventually switched to a full-fledged dating app, thus removing some of the earlier features. Badoo is mostly catered towards the younger generations, but it has a fair group of older people as well.

Registration is usual and easy, and it takes only a couple of minutes. However, this is the standout for Badoo: you are asked to verify yourself by taking a selfie inside the app in a specific pose (for example, you are asked to lift your hand and wave or point at the camera) which will then be verified after the comparison with your other pictures. This is the best way of getting rid of fake profiles, as everybody who is picture-verified has a blue checkmark after their name.

Badoo was very popular in early days, however, it was slightly overshadowed by the massive success of Tinder. But you can still find a lot of people using the app on a daily basis. The matching system is the same as Tinder, you swipe right or left through the "encounters" game, and everybody who swipes you back will be matched with you, and you two will be able to send messages to each other. Messaging was free for a long time, but as of lately, there is a limited small number of messages which you can exchange with a certain user before you are asked to buy the credits. Other than that, there is also a monthly subscription with added perks, or pay to get your photo listed on the "featured" page for 7 days. Overall, it is quite a costly app, because the free version only has basic options, and will most likely not get the job done.

Read more: Badoo

Bumble

Bumble is an online dating app, founded in 2014 by an actual former Tinder employee, stating that the dating apps should let women have more control, and thus, after the match is made, women are the only ones who are allowed to send a poke message first, and then the man can reply if he is interested. The reason behind this is stated to be the need for the best user experience while using the app.

The registration process is very easy, as you can register using your Facebook account or phone number, and it will also gather all the required information so that you don't have to fill anything by yourself. But you can change your description at any time if you feel like doing so. Messaging is free at all times, but after the match occurs, a woman has 24 hours to send the first message, and the man has 24 hours to respond if he wants to. After that period expires, the match will be disconnected and they won't be able to chat again. For homosexual couples, both parties can send the first message an then continue the same way as man/woman conversation.

As it is the case with every app of this kind, there are in-app purchases that come with benefits and perks, such as extending the connection or renewing the expired connection, and variety of other goods.

Read more: Bumble

Happn

Happn is an online dating app released in 2014. Unlike the other apps, it has a huge focus on proximity, and you are only shown the matches from the people that you have encountered or passed by in real life. But you can browse users from a maximum of 250 miles away.

While the registration is free and easy, and it only requires a Facebook account to get started, there is a big downside to this app. After you match with somebody, you can send them the "Hi!" message to show that you are interested. Then, if they are interested, they can send the "Hi!" back to you, and that will result in a "Crush!", after which the chat will be open and free at all times. However, sending the "Hi!" message costs 1 coin, and you are only given 10 coins upon registration. So, when you spend those, you are kinda locked out until you buy more. However, a basic bundle of 10 coins is only $3, and that should be affordable for everybody. There are also monthly subscription perks and benefits if you want to pay for them. Also, there are some in-app games, something similar to "Guess me". You are given 4-6 pictures of the people who you've encountered in the past, and one of them has liked you. If you guess correctly, you don't have to spend a credit to send "Hi!" message, and the chat will be opened for free. This is a nice addition, as it makes the app somewhat free to use.

Read more: Happn

Match

Match has been around for years and has a huge number of members to choose from. Whether you are looking for a casual hookup, or something more serious, Match has that! What makes this even better is that the women/men ratio is around 65/35% respectively.

The sign-up process is fairly easy. You fill your own personal information, then you fill your preferred partner's information, and the 3rd step is "In your own words" where you enter additional and more specific information about preferred partner and the kind of relationship that you are looking for. The app itself is very simple, aside from search options you have a page of recommended matches, which is generated based on your set preferences. You can also check how compatible you are with your matches, by answering a bunch of questions, and then comparing your answers to theirs. Also, beneath every member's picture, you can see a short thesis of their preferred partner and what are they looking for.

While the premium subscription is not very costly, from $8-12 a month, depending on the plan which you chose, they also offer a "Match guarantee" option. Basically, you buy a 6-month subscription package, and if you don't find somebody within those 6 months, they will give you a new 6 months for free! And to say the least, according to user reviews, countless relationships and marriages have started on Match!

LOVOO

Founded in 2011, Lovoo has become one of the fastest growing social networks worldwide. In 2017, they introduced the dating app hosted by The Meet Group.Inc (which also operates Tagged, Skout, and MeetMe.) In early 2019, they also introduced the "Lovoo Live Video", which allows the users to stream live video content and watch other users as well. This way, the user can earn Lovoo Diamonds, which can later be exchanged for chat credits or real cash.

This app became very popular in Europe, and the statistics say that over 80% of users are European, while the remaining 20% is from the US and the rest of the world. Men/women ratio is perfectly balanced at 50/50, and almost all members are younger than 35.

Registration is fairly easy. You are asked to provide some basic information, and then verify the e-mail and pass the SMS code verification. There are two possible ways to discover and meet new people. First is the "Discover" option, which is just a basic search with included filters. However, second is the "Match Game", which is a roulette-like game that will show random users that are most likely to be similar to you, according to the information that you provided. Profiles are designed in such a way that they show only 3 pictures and basic information until you get a match with somebody, and only then you can view their complete profile. The newest addition to the app is the "Lovoo Radar", which will show you all users who are in the nearby vicinity of your set location. The downside of this app is the fact that you can only send 1 "icebreaker" message per day for free. However, their premium subscription plans are quite affordable, and you can get a month of a premium plan for a mere $5.

SKOUT

Skout, which was initially a social network (much like Facebook) was initially founded in 2007. Currently, it is still some sort of a social app with a focus on users who are looking for a partner, friendship or just to expand their social circle. The Skout mobile app is filled with a lot of awesome content, and with a span of over 10 million users worldwide, you can never run out of things to do in the actual app.

Registration is really easy, as you can use any of the existing accounts, such as Facebook or Gmail, and it requires little to no information to be able to browse other user's profiles. However, this is also a big minus, as there are a lot of fake accounts, but with a little eye for detail, you can easily spot those users and ignore or block them completely.

Messaging is completely free for all users, but you have to send a chat request first. If the other person accepts it, you will be able to chat with them at all times.

Also, the app has many exciting features such as "Backstage", which allows you to hide your pictures and the other users have to spend coins in order to see them. You also get a percentage of those coins added to your wallet. There are also some other unique features such as "Skout travel", "Buzz", "Shake to chat" etc. Skout is also unified with the "MeetMe" app, so you can browse those profiles within the app as well.

Overall, it is quite a good app and premium subscription is rather cheap, but we would not suggest it if you are looking for a casual hookup or something short-term, as some people are here just to chat and make some new friends. However, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't download and try the app yourself!

Mamba

Mamba was launched in 2002, and it was formerly only available in Russia. It currently has over 10 million users worldwide, but the biggest part of the user base is located in Eastern Europe. Since it was originally available only in Russia, this is understandable. But right now, in 2019, it is available in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Registration is pretty straight forward, you can sign up using Facebook, Yandex, Gmail, and many other accounts. However, since this is a kind-of serious network, it requires some sort of verification, SMS or Facebook. After you're done, you are prompted to the main page, and you can start browsing immediately. However, a lot of profiles are quite incomplete, as they don't require you to input any information, however, you have to have a picture in order to be visible to other members. To search for other members, you can either use the filter-based search option or have the app give you suggestions to swipe left or right.

Their newest exciting addition was the introduction of live streams, as you can stream your own video or watch other user's streams. They also offer a premium membership plans, which give you some bonus perks, but the app is 100% usable on free plan as well.

Twoo

Twoo was launched in 2011 and held by Massive Media, and it quickly grew up to its current status as one of the biggest social networks in the world. What separates Twoo from the rest of the pack is the fact that it actually doesn't have a matching system, although it possesses an algorithm that can connect you to the members nearby and those who are most likely to match your preferences. After some time since it's founding and immediate success, Twoo became a part of the Match Community, the leading providers of what we call the most successful dating sites and apps today, together with Tinder, Badoo, OkCupid, and others. This led to a huge rebranding and app updates and revamps during the summer of 2018. As of now, Twoo is available in 38 languages, and it operates in almost every country in the world. Statistics have counted more than 50 million members, while the largest groups are located in Europe and South America, but is also prominent in the other corners of the world.

The registration process is fairly easy and it takes only a couple of minutes, as you can use your existing accounts such as Facebook or Instagram, and you are good to go. However, you are required to pass one of the verification methods (picture, SMS, etc.) Also, you can set your profile picture from those as well. You also get 50 free tokens upon joining, which you can use to send super likes or rate other user's pictures with the highest grade to get their attention. Other than that, standard premium membership includes some extra perks for you to enjoy, such as giving you the option to chat with premium members, since you can't do that if you are using the free version.

Overall, it's quite a useful app, as it is very easy to use, contains a lot of exciting stuff to do like rating other people's pictures, and is 100% free from fake profiles, scammers, bots and other annoying things, as it requires a guaranteed verification method upon registration. For sure, it's one of the hottest and highly recommended apps at the moment, due to its large community and everybody being active on a daily basis!

Zoosk

Zoosk was founded in 2007, and it's an online dating community which, at this current moment, consists of over 38 million users worldwide, located in over 80 countries. Its function is somewhat of a matchmaker, but it is mostly seen as a personality upfront promoter. The app takes the information about you and gets to know you better while you are using it, thus giving you recommendations for the people who could suit you as a match.

Sign-up is very easy, you can use almost any other account such as Facebook, Gmail, etc. It takes a couple of minutes to upload some pictures and fill out basic information, such as body type, weight, height, hair color, etc. You can also choose to include other information, mostly based around the type of the partner which you would like to be matched with.

You can browse through the user base using the free search options. However, the big downside of this is that you can't contact or chat with other members unless you have a paid subscription. But you can send a wink, which is sometimes enough to get somebody's attention, and maybe they would reach for you! Overall, the quality of the profiles on Zoosk is very good and it gives very good information about the person. There are almost little to zero fake profiles, as most members are verified via either Facebook or Twitter account or phone number. You can see this near their name, as well as their status and the last time that they were online. Other than that, the app has some interesting features, such as "Dating Insights" or "Carousel." Essentially, the more time you are using the app, their algorithm will have more info about you and your preferences, and it will drastically increase your chances to connect with somebody who is closely tied with your preferences and interests.

Mint

Mint is a dating app focused around chatting and dating with the nearby people. It is one of the cleanest apps in the sense that it doesn't have any fake and annoying things, no fake profiles, no spammers, no scammers and most importantly, even their smartphone app version is ad-free.

The registration process is very fast, all you need to do is to do a one-time sign-up with a Facebook profile, however, your Facebook profile has to be complete and have a certain number of pictures, as a proof that you are a real person. The biggest feature of this app that stands out is the fact that the app is 100% usable on the free plan. You can even chat with the members that you aren't currently matched with! When it comes to population versatility, most of the users are younger than 35. So, sorry for some of older folks out there, but unfortunately, this might not be your thing!

The app contains a premium membership plan with added perks, such as being able to have an invisible profile, and being able to see your admirers and people who watch your profile. However, ladies get some of the premium membership perks for free, as they can see who viewed their profile for free! While the premium membership is not that costly, the interesting thing is the fact that it can use the money from your iTunes account to renew the subscription, if you choose to do so!

The Inner Circle

As the name of the app says, The Inner Circle is designed only for the specific targeted population, as it requires you to have active Facebook and LinkedIn account to even begin with the sign-up process. After that, you have to fill in a lot of information and complete your profile, but that is not the end. There is a screening test which is performed by their admins, and they have to approve you in order for your account to be active. A lot of the people have reported that they got rejected even though they met all the requirements for the registration.

However, if you pass the screening test and get approved, the app itself is amazing! The interface is really professionally and well designed, the profile designs are great and you can get a really good idea about the person that you are interested in just by viewing their profile. Another great thing is that the chat is free for all members, however, it does not support anything besides text messages. So, no pictures or videos, unfortunately. What makes The Inner Circle stand out from the rest of the pack are the exclusive events and parties for their members which are hosted under their organization in certain cities. You will get a notification a week prior to the date of the event if you are located in the nearby vicinity, even if you are using the app's free version. However, you are required to buy a ticket in order to attend. And no, you can't just crash the party by showing up, as they are held in the closed venues.

As it is the case with most of the apps, there is a premium subscription if you really want to get the best out of the app. Overall, if you are a working single in the US, this is the app that you should definitely check out!

MeetMe

As some of the apps above, MeetMe is also somewhat of a mix between dating and a social media platform. It was founded in 2005 by The Meet Group. Also, it is one of the OG apps, which has been successful over the years even against the fierce competition! The user base is huge, however, the minimum age requirement to sign in is 13, so there is a lot of minors, which might not be the thing that you are looking for.

The sign-up process is probably the easiest out of all apps here, as it only requires a single step after which your able to browse and look at other member's profiles. Chatting is free for everybody, so you can feel free to reach out to anybody who gets your interest. However, keep in mind, due to little to no restriction or requirements, there is a lot of fake profiles, spammers, perverts and generally rude users, so getting naked and inappropriate messages is to be expected, especially for girls.

MeetMe app is much better than their browser version since the second one looks outdated in both aesthetics and functionality department. It looks somewhat similar to the old Facebook interface.

Although the app in its free version is useful and will provide the same experience as the premium version, and contains a lot of fun features such as video streaming, various personality tests based on questions, regular swiping system, the premium version is still a bit better with a lot of useful perks, which can help you make your profile stand out of the crowd. Also, it adds some other features, such as being able to check which members are viewing your profile, remove those annoying ads and commercials, or browse anonymously. And their subscription plans are very cheap, if not the cheapest out of all competition. Overall, if you are looking to make social interactions and meet new people, this might just be the perfect way of doing so.

Jaumo

Founded in 2011, in Southern Germany by Jens Kammerer and Benjamin Roth, Jaumo is the main dating app for residents on Germany and their European neighbors, however, it has a fair share of users in US and Brazil as well! The names from the Aramaic word "jaumo", and it means sunrise. Their mission was to reinvent online dating to the one known today. Today, the app boasts over 30 million users in total.

The registration process is very easy. If you have a Facebook profile, you just have to sign-in using your Facebook account, and the app will gather all the required information and a couple of pictures to assemble your profile. The app is pretty much based on the matching system consisted of swipes, which we already mentioned earlier. If someone swipes you back, the match will be made and you can start chatting with that user for free. However, if you want to show somebody that you are really interested in them, and to get their attention faster, there is also a super like option as well, but the free users are limited to only one super like. Free users can also view other profile and pictures without any restrictions. Jaumo's profiles are much better and more informative when compared to other apps, as you can fill in some extra information such as height, smoking or no smoking and drinking preference as well, and that is the information that some users find very useful when searching for the right partner.

There are also some other good features which come in with a free plan, such as video streaming and liked list, which shows you a list of users who have swiped right on your profile. Most of the other apps require premium membership in order to see this list.

The only thing that makes the difference between a premium user and a free one are the unlimited super likes, ad-free browsing, and being able to access most popular profiles, as well as the other premium users. Also, Jaumo offers a 7-day premium trial for free for all new users, after which you can continue to use the app as a free user. However, many customers report that the premium membership is much better in comparison to a free plan, and it is not expensive after all. $6-12 per month depending on a plan that you choose.

eHarmony

eHarmony belongs to one of those older dating sites as well. Founded in 2007 in the USA, they claim to have had a lot of success in bringing people together. What makes a difference is a fact that there is no search or explore option inside the app! It solely relies on its complex algorithms when it comes to suggesting potential matches. Due to this, it is hard to determine the age range of the members, however, it is reported that the ages vary all over, from 18 to over 55!

The registration process is fairly easy, although it will take some time to fill all the required info, as the app has a lot of personality surveys and questions that you need to answer before your profile is fully filled and active for use. They will ask you various stuff, from personal beliefs, preferences, to actually stating the words that your friends would use to describe you. It is quite an interesting approach from the app designers, for sure! Although there are a lot of questions to answer, eHarmony will keep you notified with how far have you progressed. These answers will be used to determine your personality and other traits and will result in matching you with people that share similar traits, and would most likely be a good match to you based on your answers.

After you get a successful match, you will go through three rounds of back and forth questions with your match. Those are quite random, trivial questions, such as "What do you like to do on weekend evenings?" When you finish with this, you can opt to move to e-mail communication, and send free messages to your match. However, paid members will have an additional option, which is called "SecureCall." This lets them chat to their match using text messages on their phone, via eHarmony's platform, without revealing their phone number for security reasons. Other than that, paid membership doesn't have too many extra perks, but it tends to get costly if you opt to buy one, ranging from $10-50 per month, depending on which plan you choose to buy.

Tagged

Tagged was launched in 2004, under the brand "The Meet Group", which we already mentioned above. Like some other apps, it started as a social network, but with a heavy emphasis on friendships and dating. Tagged was widely praised by many community members, as it was one of the few apps that didn't die out with the rise of Facebook. It has over 300 million users worldwide, ranging from 18 to over 50 years.

The registration is quick and easy. After filling some basic information, you just have to verify your account via the code that is emailed to you, and you are ready to start using the app or desktop version, whichever one you prefer the most. You can also use the Facebook or Gmail account to sign-in, making the whole process even easier. Messaging is free and unlimited for all users, however, the matching doesn't seem to be the main thing on Tagged, but you can still look for your matches in the dedicated tab if you are using the desktop version. Your so-called default homepage when you log-in is actually the news feed, similar to the one on Facebook or Instagram. However, the smartphone app is much more designed towards dating and hookups.

What stands out for Tagged are certainly very well designed profiles that contain a lot of information and content. The layout is similar to My Space. You can link YouTube videos' thumbnails, attach Gifs and pictures. There is also a background theme which you can select from the ones that are already available, or you can create your own. You can also change the layout of headings, font, paragraphs or anything else that you would like. All this is available to both free and premium users as well, making both the website and the app fully usable without the need to pay for the subscription. The premium subscription itself is also quite cheap, ranging from $5-10, depending on the chosen plan.

9chat

9chat is one of the fastest growing communities worldwide, with its basic concept being a way to connect 9GAG users into a single community for chatting, sharing memes and GIFs, making new friends, or something even more. Yeah, 9GAG, the meme site we all know and love!

But, if you are looking for a casual hook-up or something like that, this might not be the thing for you, as this is more or less a forum like Reddit. However, there is a dating section, or subthread as you might call it. But what most of the people do here is actually post content and share pictures. There are a dozen ways to interact with any member of the community, be it via instant chat, private messages, or posting comments below different content. You can basically share anything that you would like to, something out of your personal life, your interests, you name it! The news feed is very rich and there are tons of new things every minute! Although the app has received some bad comments and reviews, most of the users say that they can never run out of things to look at or people to chat with. So, if you are into that kind of thing, the app is really easy to download and set up, and it is available for almost any operating system and device, be it Android, iOS, Windows Phone, etc.

Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel or CMB as some refer to it was founded in 2012, and it was formerly mainly a San Francisco based dating app, but it quickly spread to the rest of the world, with the main focus on the world's largest cities. Its creators say that the main emphasis of the app is to counteract endless swiping and meaningless connections, which tend to oversaturate online dating in general. They created a service known as #LadiesChoice, in order to elevate the quality of online dating.

Basically, men will receive match suggestions, known as "Bagels", and they have 24 hours to like or pass. Among those who hit like, the app will evaluate and sort out those who would most likely be the perfect matches, and then the woman will be presented with 6 potential matches every day, from which she can choose to hit like or pass. If the match is made, the users will be able to chat through the app for the next 7 days, but they can always exchange their other contact details, such as an e-mail. There are also public chatrooms if you want to engage in some group conversations.

Signing up is very easy as well. Once you download the app on your phone, you are guided through simple steps for creating a profile. You need to fill in some basic information, and you need to finish with these three phrases: "I am...", "I like..." and "I appreciate when my date...". After you finish that, you can either upload some pictures or import them from your facebook profile.

Another unique feature is that the members are strongly encouraged to put three tidbits, which will not be shown on their public profile. Instead, these tidbits, known as the "icebreakers", will be shown to your matches in the chat box to help them get an idea about the topics and the way that you would like the conversation to move forward. Of course, this is available to all members, regardless of being a free or premium user.

However, if you decide to buy a premium subscription, keep in mind that it is a bit costly in comparison to other apps, but not by a large margin.

Hinge

Hinge was launched in 2011, with a premise to integrate your Facebook and other social media accounts into the app, so that you are getting matches from your virtual friends or their friends. Essentially, it simulates the old school dating, when you were getting set up to a blind date with another single person who was just randomly invited there by your friends. The reason behind this is stated to be that you are more likely to get a perfect match with someone from the group of mutual friends, instead of matching you with a random person that you know nothing about. But let's go forward to 2016. Hinge was relaunched with a focus of creating better and more engaging profiles, instead of just using the regular swiping system with user's pictures.

The registration is still quite easy as you just need to connect your Facebook profile and the app will import all the required information, and some pictures as well. You are guided through the remaining questions such as location and preferred partners, religious beliefs and some questions to prompt easier beginning of the communication. They also encourage you to write as much as possible about yourself, such as pointing out your music taste, your hobbies, friends and such. After you finish setting up your profile, you will have match recommendations from the app. It will also review the people that you liked to better understand what you are looking for, what age range, physical, appearances etc. While viewing profiles, you can click a heart button or question answer to let that user know that you like them, and leave a comment on their picture to get the conversation started. Of course, those comments are private, and only that user and you can see it. Once the conversation has begun, it is free for all users.

However, Hinge doesn't have a free membership plan. Instead, you have a trial period of 3 months, and after expiration, you will be unable to access the app until you buy the subscription. The price is $7 per month and you can pay via your mobile provider by sending a specific SMS, or via iTunes or Google Play account wallets.

Raya

This one is really weird, as it has nothing similar to the apps that we mentioned above. Some like to call it "Illuminati Tinder", as it is focused only on people from creative industries, celebrities, and well-established individuals. But not just any type of creative person, you need to be at the top of the game in order to get approved. Other than these groups, you are most likely to find top-level executives, athletes, and other high standing singles. The administration consists of highly reputational private individuals, and their job is to determine if you got that something "special" to join this network.

The registration process is very easy, however, it is an approval that is hard to get. One of the required steps includes granting their admin access to your Instagram account, proven that you have more than 10.000 followers, but the preferred number is 100.000 plus. Then they have to know how many and if any of the current Raya members are following you on Instagram. It is highly preferred that you have somebody who is already using the app refer you, and then, still, the administration will check on their Instagram account to determine their overall influence, which will play a huge role in your approval. At the moment, their waiting list is huge, and it could take you anywhere from one week to a couple of months to get any response. If you don't make the cut, they will send you a "Raja rejection letter" that lets you know why you didn't pass. So, if you decide to take a shot, here's what you'll need to do: First of all, you need to provide basic information, such as your name, age, gender and location. Secondly, you are given a panel to sign-in with your Instagram account. The third step is describing your occupation and career field. Keep in mind that this will most likely be checked by their employees, so don't try to fake it! Then you have to verify your phone number by a code that they will send you via SMS. And the fifth, final step is naming a person from your contact list that is a current member of Raya. However, if you don't know anyone, you can skip this step, but this will most likely result in your application being rejected, so make sure that you know somebody who can refer you, as this is the most important step. Other than these, everything else is pretty straight-forward.

If you happen to get in, you have to accept their user policy which is very strict and everything is kept in high-level of privacy. In fact, you are notified if you try to take a screenshot of somebody's profile, as this would break their policy and could result in them filing a legal affair against you if that image happens to end up somewhere online.

Their profiles consist of a slideshow which is made from Instagram pictures, and it is set with a soundtrack of user's choice. Matching works as a regular swiping system, and once the match is made, the messaging is free.

However, there is no free membership, and every user has to pay a fee of $7.99 per month, which is extremely low when you take into consideration the type of people who are eligible to use the app.

POF

Plenty Of Fish (or POF, as we will refer to it) is one of the earliest dating sites, founded in 2003, and still growing strong until today. They claim to be the largest dating community, with almost 100 million registered users worldwide. Their statistics count over 3.6 million logins daily with over 10 million conversations daily. They also claim that over 1 million relationships per year are born via their dating service. POF is somewhat a mix between a dating site and a matchmaking service. You can freely browse and search through other profiles, or you can use POF's matchmaking system to get match recommendations based on your description and preferences. POF kinda utilizes various features from other dating apps and sites. You have a location-based search and a swiping system as well.

Unlike other sites that have features that enable registration to be done using Facebook or another social network account, POF does not support this way of registration. Instead, you have to go through a rather long questionnaire, answering to questions such as your gender, type of relationship that you seek, language, career, ambitions, do you own a car, desire to have children etc. All these questions are mandatory in order to proceed with the sign-up. But when it comes to pictures, you can link either a Facebook or Instagram page to import them from there, or you can upload pictures manually from your computer or phone. Profiles are quite detailed and very well designed. Apart from the mentioned questions, you are also asked about what are you looking for in terms of hangouts, friends, dates or long term commitments. This level of details is quite unusual for other dating sites and apps, but this is mostly due to a lack of the option to import data from another social network profile.

Chatting is also free for both free and premium users, making the free version totally operating and usable. Another exciting feature is being able to record a voice message, which is a unique feature, as you don' really get to hear your match's voice until you two get comfortable sharing your phone numbers. Apart from that, if you want to buy a premium membership, it is quite cheap and comes with some nice perks, and add-free browsing as well.

The League

The League was founded in 2015 by Amanda Bradford. She stated that she was quite frustrated about her own experience with online dating apps and that she wanted to try out something new and more effective. And thus, The League was invented. It mainly targets ambitious people, who are career-oriented, who are too busy to get out and meet new people in real life.

The League has a very strict and rigorous registration process and is labeled as a very exclusive club. Not everybody can get in here, but only the chosen ones. The apps intense screening furthermore promotes itself as the world's most exclusive dating app. It was made by the elite for the elite, and being able to get in is somewhat a status equivalent. So, this is how you sign in if you want to try out this app yourself: First of all, you need to verify yourself by linking both Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. However, this does not mean that you are in. Instead, you are placed on the waiting list. The app administrators will then check your profiles to see if you are a good fit to join the app. The more friends and connections you have, the better are your chances. Your personal information such as education and employment history are also subject to a background check by the admins. At the moment, it has been reported that the waiting list is currently over 100.000 only for the United States. However, if you happen to have some money to spend, you can pay a certain amount to skip linking Facebook and LinkedIn profiles and get your application processed within the next 24 hours. But this still doesn't mean that you are guaranteed to get approved.

If you somehow managed to get in, you're in for a great experience though. The profiles are very well organized and detailed, as you are asked to fill in a lot of information. Also, you are required to upload up to six high-definition, studio-quality pictures. So, no blurry selfies and pixelated images. Also, writing in your ethnicity is also a must.

The matching system is quite simple, though. You are presented with only a couple selected matches daily. If they are not your kind, you can buy a premium currency known as "The League Tickets" Then, spending them would give you more match suggestions. To further enhance your experience, you can also purchase a premium subscription. This would grant you access to VIP groups and chat rooms where most of the events and hangouts are organized. However, keep in mind that the premium membership is quite costly when compared to other apps, as it goes from $30-100 a month depending on the plan that you chose.

Once

Once is an online dating platform that was launched in 2015 in Switzerland. It was introduced and called a "slow dating app", as it would only provide you with one match per day. They call this personalized matchmaking, and in fact, it is not the machine algorithm that does the matching. Instead, they have a team of dedicated matchmakers whose job is to make matches based on the information that the users have written in their profiles. How it works is that once you are selected and matched with a certain member, you have 24 hours to send a one-time message using the app's currency which they call "crowns." If he/she replies to your message, the chat window will be open and you can chat with that user as much as you like to for free.

The registration process is quite fast and easy. You can sign-in using your Facebook account or your mobile phone number. So, after you're in, and you provide some basic information about yourself like ethnicity, height, education, work, etc, you are given a match in an instant. You can view this member's profile and pictures for 24 hours. However, if you want to send them a message, you have to buy crowns. Profiles are very well designed and informative, as most members do fill all information, and also there is a little description box where you can write anything that you want. But, because the site promises to protect user's privacy, you can't view or browse other people besides the matches that you are given. If someone happens to send you a chat request, you still can't view their pictures unless you are a VIP user. When it comes to scammers and fake profiles, they are almost non-existent. If you happen to stumble across somebody like this, you can report them and they will probably get banned.

In regard to VIP subscription which comes with a lot of benefits and perks, keep in mind that it is quite costly when compared to other apps. Also, since there are no ways to search or view other profiles, being a VIP member will get you at least 2 or more matches per day, and it is highly recommended to buy a subscription if you plan to get your game serious while using this app, as seeing only one person per day will most likely make you feel quite lonely.

Huggle

Huggle was launched in 2016 and it is a relatively new dating app. Unlike other dating apps, it suggests you matches based on the places that you've recently visited. So, among your matches, there might be people who you've seen recently at a bar or store. However, the app itself is not just for emotional relationships and casual hookups, but also for people who are looking for friends or travel buddies, or just other people who share similar interests.

The registration process is really easy and it strictly requires you to sign-in using your Facebook profile. Once you click that button, the app will import your most basic information such as full name, age and profile picture. If you chose to, you can import other information as well, or fill it manually in your description. You can also upload other pictures from your computer or smartphone as well. However, keep in mind that their picture policy is very strict, and anything besides pictures that clearly show your face is forbidden. That stands for group pictures as well. Upon logging in to the app's main window, you will have a list of suggested matches based on people who've checked in the places that you visited recently, or the ones near your current location. Other than that, it's just a usual swiping system. When someone likes you as well, the match will be made and you can chat with that user as much as you want. Also, you can easily tell what the other person is looking for on the site, based on the small icon next to their name. Wine sign stands for a date, pizza for friendship and coffee is for both of those. When it comes to fake profiles, they are very rare, as the app has very good verification system which will require you to take a selfie in a certain position, like raising your arm or something along those lines, and then compare it with other photos in your Facebook profile to determine if that is really you. There are other verification methods as well, and you have to pass at least one of those to get verified. Also, buying a premium membership which is rather cheap will instantly verify you.

The app has some other nice features as well, which are all included in the free plan. You will have a timeline showing all the places that you've been to recently. Also, there is an option to share pictures and videos with your matches via the chat system, which is not very common for other apps of this kind.

EliteSingles

EliteSingles is one of America's leading dating services for individuals who are looking for a somewhat serious and long-term relationship. The statistics claim that there are over 5 million profiles just in the US, with over 1 million active members on a weekly basis. The member base tends to be focused around well-educated people, as over 80% of users have an academic degree, and it is perfect for those who are looking for high-intellectual individuals. The site functions as a matchmaking service, suggesting matches on in-depth personality surveys that serve the purpose of finding highly compatible matches. This is very important since the site targets mainly those who are on a lookout for a more serious relationship. However, it does not allow you to search or browse users, so it's difficult to tell the age range of members, but the site claims that about 90% of the userbase is over 30 years old.

The registration process is kinda lengthy, as the site would like to know you very well and understand your personality so that you are provided only with likely minded individuals as potential matches. They have a personality test which was created by a team of psychologists to analyze 29 different personality traits. So, after you provide some basic information such as your name, age, gender, etc, you are guided through a personality survey that would take around half an hour to finish, and it will ask you various questions which you rate from 1 to 5 depending on a level of agreement with the given statement.

There are various methods to get in touch with other members, going from standard swiping system to writing comments on other user's pictures, or asking them 5 questions to determine if they would be a good match. However, the app's functionality is very limited if you are a free user, and its only purpose is to show you what it would look like. If you want to even view other member's pictures, you are prompted to buy a premium subscription which goes from $30-60 per month depending on the subscription plan that you chose.

Cupid

Cupid is a dating platform founded by NSI holdings back in 2002. Even though the company is based in the UK, the site hosts members from all around the world. Biggest user bases are reported in the US, Brazil, India, and France. Cupid went through a large revamp in 2016, adding many new and unique features to the already great app. Similar to other apps, Cupid is full of users looking for serious relationship and marriage, but there is also a fair share of folks out there who are looking for something more casual.

Similar to other apps, the registration process is straight forward and easy, aside from very comprehensive questionnaires about yourself and your preferences. After you go through initial questions, there is also a personality test, however, you can always skip it for a brief period of time and do it later. You can search for users and matches using the free search option, or the LikeBook (their newest feature which came with the revamp in 2016.) There is also a filtered search if you want to specify the age range, distance, etc. Below every user's picture, you can see three icons: a heart, a smiley, and a chat bubble. You can press heart to like them, smile to send a wink, or the chat bubble to message them. Keep in mind that you can't chat to other users if you are using the app's free version. There is only a free chatroom that you can join if you want to chat with other users.

Profiles within the site and the app are very well organized and detailed, as there is a lot of information showing up, and there is also a textbox called "About Me" where members can write anything of their own that they want. However, the app itself is only available for iOS.

If you really want to use Cupid's full potential, it is highly suggested that you buy a premium membership, as it will allow you to chat with other users, and it comes with many bonus perks, such as "Safe Mode", which when turned on will only allow verified members to interact with you. The pricing itself is average when compared to other apps, however, they offer a 3-day premium membership trial for a price of $3, if you want to try out the premium version without committing to a full month.

FriendFinder

FriendFinder is a part of the FriendFinder Network, and is just one of the services that the company offers. Like their other apps (Alt.com, Passion.com, TSDates, AdultFriendFinder) it boasts a broad and more diverse audience compared to the other dating services. The site claims to have 2 million active users worldwide, while half of that amount are premium users. FriendFinder also has some features of a regular social network and those matchmaking features of a dating site. It's mostly catered towards the more casual relationships and hookups. Also, the majority of members are in their late 20's or early 30's. FriendFinder also has very strict regulating rules and they are always implementing new security checks on profiles. As a result of this, fake profiles and bots are non-existent and site's and app's security are at a very high level. There is also a forum and interest groups, but the members tend to mostly enjoy the blog within the site. The blog works similar to a News Feed on Facebook, where members from all around the world post various content daily.

Signing-up for FriendFinder will take only a couple of minutes. It will not ask you to fill out long and unnecessary questions, but you will have to write some things about yourself. Also, a valid e-mail address is required in order to verify the account. They will send you an e-mail containing the code that you need to enter in the app's window before you start using it. The app will not link any of your existing social network accounts, as it already acts as a social network itself. The only tricky part about signing-up is getting a username which is not already taken, as everybody has to have a unique username, and the userbase is huge at the moment.

However, there is a big downside to this app, and that is the fact that the messaging is not free unless you are a premium member. You can send winks to show somebody that you are interested in them, but you would have to pay if you want to chat with them. But there are forums and chat rooms which are free for all users, so you can use them if you want to chat with people. Also, you can't view other user's photos if you are a free user. Another small con is that the app is only available for iOS. Also, the premium membership is quite an average in cost when compared to other dating apps.

SeekingArrangement

Founded in 2006 by Brandon Wade, SeekingArrangement is an online sugar daddy/mommy seeking platform. Basically, if you are a young guy or girl, and you want to meet somebody a bit older than you who can also help you financially in exchange for companionship and relationship. Since it's not a general dating site, some people might be put off by its concept as it targets only the specific audience. But the site owners do a great job of keeping the environment very safe for its users. Also, it's very surprising to see that a site with a very specific concept has a lot of active members worldwide.

Registration is quite easy, and even before you get in, you are asked if you are a Sugar Daddy/Mommy or a Sugar Baby. Also, it asks you how much are you willing to spend in case you want to take care of somebody. This is very uncomfortable for some people, however, the site's users know why are they there. At least, there is nobody acting fake. Aside from this information, there are a lot of fields and text boxes that you can fill in order to stand out from the rest of the pack, however, they are not necessary, but they will remind you via e-mail or notification from time to time to fill this info, as it would really be helpful for you when it comes to finding the right person for yourself.

The site has a lot of search options and filters catered to suit your needs whatever they happen to be. The smartphone app is almost the same as the browser version, with an almost identical layout. Profiles are very well filled and the design is very simplistic and minimalistic, yet very effective. Also, the app's free version is 100% usable, as almost all features are free. However, if you choose to get a premium membership, it does come with some nice perks as well as add-free browsing. The prices vary from $10-20 for a month, depending on the plan that you get.

WeChat

WeChat was initially launched in China in 2011 but it enjoyed a massive world expansion with over 100 million users worldwide today! However, it doesn't quite serve as a dating app, but more like a communication one, like Viber or so. But inside the app, there are various ways to get in touch with new people. Also, unlike other apps mentioned here, it is available for literally any platform that you can think of!

The registration process is quite easy. You can sign-in using your Facebook account or your mobile phone number. They would send you an SMS containing the code that you have to type in. Also, keep in mind that you can have any custom username on WeChat, and you can change it anytime that you want.

So, how you add new people to your contact lists? There are a few ways to do this. First on is the Shake option. Basically, you tap and then you shake your phone, and you will be connected with somebody who is doing the same thing at the exact moment. They can be anywhere around the globe. The second feature is called "Look Around." You can turn this feature on, and you will be showing up to other people who have the feature turned on. And the last one, probably the most unique feature that is called "Drift Bottle." And it is a drifting bottle with a message. So, you would write a message with a limited number of characters and drop it, and any user can catch it and send it back to you. Or you can be the one catching messages if you feel like.

Other unique features that stand out from the rest of the pack are the options for voice and video calls. However, the voice calls work more like a walkie-talkie. You hold the button while you talk, and your voice is recorded and sent to the person that you are talking with. Also, there is a capture feature, which allows you to take a photo or video and post it to the News Feed, much like Instagram Story. And the best part is that the app is 100% free to use with all of its awesome features!

Cougar Life

Cougar Life is a dating website that was launched in 2006. It was founded by the Canadian company Ruby Life Media. As the name suggests, it is a platform for mature and experienced women who want to meet younger men. The founders firmly believe that the age is just a number, and what matters is that both parties are satisfied with the arrangement. Unlike most of the sites which have an overwhelming number of male population in comparison to female, this site is all about ladies. Up to this day, there are still much more ladies than the men on this website.

The registration is also very easy and straight forward. After you fill in all the required information, all you need to do is submit and you're done. Also, you can always go back in case you want to change something. Also, all members are known by their usernames rather than the real names.

The search function has many filters and options, making it easy for anybody to find whatever they happen to be looking for. Unfortunately, you can't either read or send messages for free if you are a man. On the other side, ladies have all features unlocked on the free version. The only way to show interest is to send a "flirt", which is the site's equivalent to Like. When it comes to profiles, they are very good and informative. You can find out a lot about somebody by just looking at their profile. There you will also see what it is that they are looking for on the site. The smartphone app is almost identical to the website layout, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it is a good addition, as it would help you find matches wherever you are.

Also, you are highly encouraged to buy a premium subscription, which goes from $10-40 depending on the plan. You will get some credits as well for every purchase that you make. They serve as the in-app currency for sending gifts etc.