Tech / Technology

Best dating apps and sites in November 2023

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Find love (or something more casual) this month with this selection of top dating apps, including March, eharmony, and EliteSingles.
Woman looking at laptop

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Dating is a competitive game, and you should do everything you can to give yourself a chance of success. Looking your best and smelling fresh is a good place to start, but nothing shortens your odds of success like signing up to a dating site.

The problem with this tactic is that there are just so many dating sites out there to consider, each with a different set of features that will suit some people better than others. It’s difficult to know which site is best for you, and you could easily spend hours researching all of the sites on offer without a definitive answer.

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We know that you don’t have time for all of that, so we’ve set out to make things a little easier for you.

What are the benefits of using dating apps?

By subscribing to a dating site, you’re shortening your odds of finding a connection. It’s as simple as that.

Dating sites and apps let you get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals, and provide the opportunity to test out a potential relationship on an app before actually meeting in real life.

Subscribing to dating apps and sites is also a way less intimidating way of meeting someone compared to a face-to-face situation. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you face your fears from the comfort of your own home.

Is online dating worth the hassle?

Sentiments aside, we have some hard data to back our reasoning for Why Online Dating Is Worthwhile™: Statista predicted that the online dating audience will grow to 53.3 million by 2025, compared to 44.2 million users in 2020. A study from Stanford released in 2019 asserted that online dating is officially the most common way for couples to meet, rounding out at nearly 40 percent of couples having first met online.

This pre-pandemic prediction came before the COVID-era dating app sign-ups surge. Though people are eager to get back to doing as many things IRL as possible now, dating apps are still a great place to find someone, whether you want a relationship or are just looking to get nasty.

And yes, though there are algorithms that dictate what profiles pop up on your screen, we firmly believe that the stars aligning still comes into play. After all, the person who signs up on the app and is looking for love at exactly the same time you are is up to fate and the universe, proving that online dating romance is very much alive and well.

Because it’s not 2007 anymore, the need for mobile-friendly online dating isn’t just a millennial thing — people over 40 don’t have time to sit around at their home desktops, either. Dating sites that are older than most members of Gen Z (like Match and eharmony) have been forced to give serious attention to their smartphone counterparts if they don’t want to be outgrown.

However, that statistical promise still requires patience and a game plan, the game plan is choosing the dating app with features that best fit your lifestyle — and the lifestyle of the type of person you’re looking for. Are you looking for an app strictly for sex or an app more serious than Tinder but less serious than eharmony? Or maybe, you’d just really love to find an app where queer women aren’t relentlessly sexualized by creeps and pestered by unicorn hunters.

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are good examples of free apps with massive networks of users.

The bad news is that a lot of free apps simply don’t cut it. You get what you pay for with dating sites and apps, and for the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you’re looking for, you are going to have to cough up the cash.

You can still find something worth your time with a free app, but if you’re looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading. Paid sites provide access to premium features that give you the best chance of finding something special.

What is the best dating site?

We’re sorry to break it to you like this, but there isn’t a single dating site that is better than the rest. Instead, there are a lot of sites and apps with similar features and packages, and the best option for you really comes down to your own set of preferences.

To make the decision process a whole lot easier for everyone, we have lined up a selection of the most popular sites in the dating game, including leading sites like EliteSingles, Match, and Eharmony. All you need to do is pick a favourite from the bunch.

These are the best dating sites in 2023.

Tech / Technology

The best dating apps: 13 picks for November 2023

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Not sure which dating app is right for you? Check out our guide to the best dating apps of 2023, which gives the details on all your online dating options, from Hinge to eharmony and Feeld.
Woman laying on the couch and looking at her phone

Not too long ago, social media was the go-to spot online for meeting a potential partner or finding a hookup for the night. Before that, you probably had a few friends who met their significant other the old-fashioned way: at a bar, coffee shop, or bookstore (all the meet-cutes we’ve seen in romantic movies).

Fast forward to 2023, factor in the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our dating landscape has evolved — we’ve got a mix of in-person and online dating options to choose from. Social media (think: Facebook dating, shooting your shot on Instagram, and sliding into DMs) is out, and dating apps are (back) in.

Are dating apps worth it?

If you’re on the fence about getting on the apps or are wondering if it’s even worth signing up, here’s why recommend giving them a shot.

Dating apps give you the rare opportunity to connect with hundreds of people you wouldn’t have known otherwise while also allowing you to explore your sexuality and find out what you want in a partner.

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Statista predicts that the online dating audience will grow to 53.3 million by 2025, a leap from 44.2 million users in 2020. This pre-pandemic prediction came before the COVID-era dating app sign-ups surge. And, according to a 2023 report from the Pew Research Center, one in every 10 partnered adults (married and committed couples) discovered their current partner through a dating site or app. That’s a lot of swiping right.

Sure, online dating can still be a bit of a slog — but that’s basically the case for dating in general. It takes time and effort, even if you’re using the best dating site or app possible. Even so, apps are a great way to keep you meeting new people and helping you find the connection you’re looking for.

Which dating apps actually work?

With so many dating apps out there, it’s easy to feel confused or overwhelmed by the options. While Match Group (Tinder, Match, Archer, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and The League, among others) continues to dominate the market, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one brand when looking for the best dating app.

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How to stay safe on dating apps

First Round’s On Me (FROME), for example, is a newer dating app that’s gained popularity for its date invitation feature. Choose a drink, date, time, and venue; the app will send a personalized invitation to your potential match. Once a date is confirmed, it’s locked into both users’ calendars, and the in-app chat feature is activated 12 hours before the date.

Other apps, like Feeld and Pure, cater to people open to ethical non-monogamy relationships or threesomes. There really is something for everyone out there.

The best dating apps of 2023

Finding the best dating app is purely subjective. To help you out, we’ve narrowed down some of the best dating apps of 2023 based on hands-on testing, customer reviews, overall functionality, availability (all are available on the App Store or Google Play), and user-friendliness: