Paid Dating Sites In Usa
In fact, the members on paid dating sites tend to be more educated and career-minded folks who can afford to pay for a subscription. Paid dating sites, like eharmony, also tend to have better security features and more hands-on matchmaking tools, and that can help singles who are new to the online dating scene. Oct 28, 2021 10 Best Dating Sites in USA: Free American Dating Apps for Singles. But most will offer paid upgrades if needed. We have also included a brief overview of each platform at the bottom of each.
What are the best dating sites in the USA in 2020?
To that question, there’s no one answer..
It really depends on who you are:
- Are you, for example, 22 or 57 years old?
- Looking for a serious relationship, one-night stand or maybe just new friends..?
- Your ethnicity, education, religion and sexual orientation might also play a role in choosing the right site.
There are dating sites for everyone and Datermeister – the He-Man of the Dating Universe – is here to guide you to the dating site which is right for you.
And by the way:
Even though everyone is talking about dating apps like Tinder, truth is that most people have MUCH better success on the good old dating sites.
So get ready to score yourself a date – here’s our list of 10 best US dating sites – with a brief introduction to each one.
And be sure to read until the end because we’ve got a few more bonus niche dating sites + 7 quick tips to get a successful start in online dating.
Let’s start with the TOP 10:
1. Match.com – probably the best dating site in the USA?
Match.com – the Mickey D’s of online dating – has been around since the mid-1990’s. So it’s probably older than some of you reading this.
It is probably the best dating site in the USA to get started – no matter what your background is. It’s for all ages (as long as you’re 18 or over), all ethnicities, religious backgrounds and so on..
Match.com gets over 40 million visitors each month so you will not run out of singles profiles and pictures to browse through!*. But, is Match’s time already over in 2020? Are there better sites out there? Keep reading our list of American dating sites to find out:
2. EliteSingles.com – best for 30+ educated and successful singles
EliteSingles.com is a perfect place to meet educated and/or career driven singles.
The site was launched in the US in late 2016 but has become extremely popular among singles who are looking for a high class dating site. Now, in 2020, the EliteSingles.com site attracts over 1 million visitors per month!*
When you join the site, you fill out a personality test. Once it’s done, you will see some partner suggestions who are the most suitable for you. Even studies show that people with the same level of education and/or values form longer lasting and happier relationships. So this site is definitely worth a try if you want to find your true soulmate.
It’s not for everyone, though:
We would recommend it if you’re around 30 or over and have a higher education level. Or maybe you’re a self made man or woman and want to meet other successful and ambitious singles? EliteSingles is for people who know what they want and don’t want to play around on the free dating sites.
Read also our Elite Singles Review (2020)
Another big user group on this site seem to be the 50+ and 60+ singles who are conquering online dating sites faster than ever. EliteSingles.com is definitely a great choice for an overall more mature online dating experience.
3. POF – most popular and best FREE dating site in USA?
POF.com aka PlentyOfFish is one of the most popular dating sites in the United States. The site gets a whopping 100+ million* visitors per month.
Why is it so popular?
Probably the biggest reason is that it’s completely free to use. At first this sounds like an awesome deal, right? Sure, you should definitely go check it out if you’re looking for a 100 % free dating site in the US.
But remember that free online dating sites usually attract a lot of not-so-serious people who are just playing around (or even scammers). Also women get tons of approaches by guys on free sites. So you guys out there – you have to put some serious effort in your dating profile AND in your first message when approaching the ladies.
4. SilverSingles – best dating site in the USA for 50+ singles?
SilverSingles.com is only for singles over 50.
Of course the other sites on this list also have tons of over 50-year-olds but SilverSingles.com caters only to the mature men and women. And there truly is a demand for sites like this. The 50+ crowd have been the fastest growing user group on online dating sites in the USA for the last 5-10 years in our estimations.
Read also: Top 5 Dating Sites for people over 50!
SilverSingles.com has a nice and clean website design and it’s easy to use. Upon joining you will fill out a personality test which is then used to find the best matching partner candidates for you. It is definitely our pick also for the best dating site for seniors. There is no age limit on the online dating sites so no matter how old you are, it’s time to turn your swag on and get dating again!
5. eharmony – best US dating site to find your true soul mate?
eharmony.com is definitely one of the best dating sites in USA. It is only for singles who are looking for something a bit more serious and more meaningful connections with other people.
When you join the site, you fill out a personality test. The results are then used to match you with users who are the best matches for you. It’s developed by experts in psychology who really know what a good relationship is made of. Just by filling out the test you will maybe get some “aha moments” about what to look for in a relationship. Eharmony is therefore probably the best dating site for serious relationships.
And they even give a guarantee for the matches they offer you in the first 3 months. If you’re not satisfied, you get 3 months more for FREE. Their site gets over 5 million visitors per month so you truly have an excellent chance of meeting someone special.
6. ChristianMingle.com – best dating site for Christian singles?
ChristianMingle.com is probably the best dating site in the USA for Christian singles. The website gets over 1 million visitors per month so you will have tons of profiles to go through!
As you might agree, it can be difficult to meet singles with Christian values in todays world. But you are not alone. You can meet other Christian singles on the mainstream sites such as Match or you can go on the christian only dating sites. And probably the biggest and best dating site for Christians is the good old Christian Mingle.
7. BlackPeopleMeet.com – biggest dating site for black singles in the US
BlackPeopleMeet.com has become extremely popular among black singles in America.
There are around 40 million African Americans in the US so there definitely is a big market for black dating sites. While Match.com and other mainstream sites have a lot of black singles, here on BlackPeopleMeet.com you don’t have to be guessing what ethnicity the other singles are interested in. BlackPeopleMeet.com gets around 5 million site visitors per month and that’s a LOT. So no matter if you’re in a big or a smaller city, there should be a good amount of men and women on this site for you.
BlackPeopleMeet.com also have a dating app to go with the same log in details where you can see profiles and either like/dislike them in the same style as in Tinder.
Register for free at BlackPeopleMeet.com
8. AdultFriendFinder – best dating site in USA for hook ups
Are you single or in a relationship and want just sexual adventures?
If yes, AdultFriendFinder.com is probably your best bet.
When you join this site, you know that everyone is there for the same reason – to get laid. Or at least to get some sexual action going on through your screen. You can search for users according to their physical appearance, location and even fetishes. So there’s no need for chit chat about your favorite color or TV series, here you can go straight to the point.
But is AdultFriendFinder legit? Often these adult dating sites can be a bit “scammy”. Well, as always, you shouldn’t immediately trust all users (anyone can put up a fake photo) but:
AFF has been around since 1996 and today, in 2020, the site gets over 60 million visitors each month! And in the US alone around 40+ million. So it is an extremely popular adult dating site for singles, swingers and even people who are already in a relationship.
9. OkCupid – a free site for a bit more “alternative” and younger crowd
OkCupid is another popular and free dating site in the US.
Although they get tens of millions of visitors on the site per month, it’s still a bit more of an alternative or “hipster” kind of dating site. It’s also good for people who have less mainstream sexual orientations or they feel that they represent a different gender.
You can also search for singles in other countries as OkCupid is popular in Canada and Europe as well. They also have a well functioning dating app (which is rarely the case when dating sites try to make an app to go with their main site).
On OkCupid you can get started for free (and send messages to other people) and if you want more features, they will cost you a bit of money.
10. SingleParentMeet.com – you guessed it – a dating site for single moms and dads
SingleParentMeet.com is one of the best dating sites in the US for single parents.
Now, of course on the mainstream sites you can also search with filters regarding if the person has kids or not. But on this site, you can be sure that everyone “is OK” with the fact that you have kids.
SingleParentMeet.com is a legit dating site which gets an estimated 2 million site visitors per month in the US. That’s a nice number for a niche dating site. But with todays divorce rates, there are millions of single parents out there who want to DATE!
So go and register, and organize yourself a date with some hot mom or dad.
A few more sites for niche dating in the USA:
Ok, so we just squeezed the best dating sites in USA in to a TOP 10 list. But there’s more:
If you are looking for more of “niche” dating sites, there are literally thousands of smaller niche dating sites in USA. Here’s a few tips on what’s out there:
- Jewish dating sites: JDate.com is probably the most popular US dating site for Jewish singles
- Muslim dating sites: there are several muslim dating sites – for example muslima.com is popular both in the USA and internationally
- Hispanic dating: you could check out AmoLatina.com – it’s a popular latino dating site in the US and South America.
- Spiritual dating: if you want to meet other open minded and spiritual singles, probably SpiritualSingles.com is your choice.
- Farmer dating: finding a partner that is suitable for the farmer lifestyle can be tough in today’s world. But, FarmersOnly.com is an extremely popular dating site in the US attracting millions of visitors each month.
- Gay and lesbian dating sites: of course there is Grindr – the father of all dating apps – for gay guys. But if you’re gay or lesbian and want to find a bit more serious dating site, your best bet is usually Match.com. Just choose the gender you are looking for and you are ready to mingle!
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different dating sites in America but we will not expand this list any further.
And remember: the mainstream sites – such as Match.com – also have filters to search for singles with a certain religion, ethnicity, profession and so on. So we recommend starting on the TOP 10 sites and then proceeding to the niche dating sites if you don’t find interesting people on the mainstream sites.
7 quick tips to succeed on dating sites
We won’t go too deep in to the subject of how to succeed on dating sites but here’s 7 quick tips which you should skim through before you get started:
#1: Add a profile photo
First, a question to you:
Would you yourself answer to a person who has no photo on a dating site?
Probably not, right?
Add a profile photo and you will get 10 times more messaging going on with other users. This is a common mistake, especially for men. Just look in your (digital) photo albums for some nice photos from your last holiday for example (activity photos work like a charm!)
#2: On your profile text remember just 2 main rules:
When you fill your profile text, explain who you are and what you enjoy in life. Secondly, describe what you are looking for and what kind of people you are hoping to meet or enjoy being around with.
Often when we’re looking through dating sites we see people just talking about themselves. So, just write something about what kind of people you want to meet. Then it’s much easier for the reader to identify with you and maybe they’ll approach you!
#3: Keep the tone positive
When you’re writing your profile text, concentrate on positives rather than negatives. Example: Write what you like in other people and don’t make a list of what you DON’T like. Positivity always attracts more people than negativity.
#4: Send interesting and engaging first messages
As a general rule for dating sites and apps:
Don’t just send a simple ”hello” or ”what’s up?” as a first message.
Instead, comment on something you saw on the person’s profile or at least mention their name in your message.. often people send these ”mass messages” to many people which don’t feel very personal. Just try complimenting some of their photos or asking something specific about what they wrote in their profile. When you ask something specific (and not just a vague “how’s it going?”), there’s a much higher chance of getting a reply.
#5: Go on a date quickly (rather than chatting forever)
Don’t hesitate to go on a ”real” date soon after getting to know someone online. Sometimes people can chat forever on dating sites and even fall in love via the keyboard, but then in real life, the chemistry is missing. Just go for a coffee in a public place without stressing too much about it.
But, remember also this next point:
#6: Safety (don’t fall for romance scams on dating sites!)
On the internet anyone can pretend to be something they are not. Especially on free dating sites (such as POF) there can be a lot of scammers around. Or on the dating sites which are for a bit older crowd. If someone asks for money, never ever send anything. People can fake their photo and their whole life story. In certain parts of the world there are professional romance scammers who do this as a full-time “job”. They make you fall in love with them, then they make up a story about an accident or some emergency, then they ask you to send them money. Don’t fall for these scams. Usually the safest bet is to talk to local singles who are up for a date in a neutral and safe place such as a café or a bar.
#7: Be patient
Even if your first or third or seventh date fails, don’t quit.
It’s not easy finding the right one so don’t get too frustrated. Don’t get cynical, keep talking to people and keep going on dates with a positive mind. You’ll hit the jackpot eventually when you stay patient and positive!
Conclusion
Are you ready to crush your single status?
Scroll back up and start joining the sites which fit you the best. You can try many of them – it just takes a minute or two to join each one so why not try?
Right now, in the beginning of 2020, Datermeister’s favorite is EliteSingles.com – especially if you are over with the shallow atmosphere of Tinder and you’re looking for something a bit more serious.
Paid Dating Sites In Usa And Canada
But, now it’s your turn. What is the best dating site in the USA and why? Leave a comment below.
*source for website traffic statistics: Similarweb.com
Here's your comprehensive guide to the top online dating sites.
Published Mar 25, 2019 Updated Aug 2, 2021, 10:07 am CDT
If you’re new to internet dating, we’ll let you in on a little tip. The best online dating sites are the ones you already know about. Turns out that when we talk about the top dating sites, brand recognition really does play a role in just how successful a service is. But just because you’re familiar with the website’s name doesn’t mean you know everything about it.
We plan to change all of that by detailing the exclusive features and Premium membership pricing of the best online dating sites according to users. So before you go downloading all of the dating apps, do yourself a favor and read the reviews below.
Best online dating sites in the USA
1) Best dating site for compatibility: eHarmony
Since its launch in 2000, eHarmony has continued to top best online dating site lists. Founded by a former marriage counselor and clinical psychologist, eHarmony practically forefronted compatibility testing.
After sifting through years of data on what makes a long-term relationship successful, eHarmony introduced its patented Compatibility Matching System. It’s a system which uses your responses to a specific series of questions (I.E. Do you have kids? Are you religious? Are you good at building romance in a relationship? etc.) to match you with someone who meets your criteria.
The test is regularly updated to ensure quality matching. Feel like you need a bit of coaching to get back into the game? eHarmony even offers dating advice to all of its members through its eHarmony Advice blog.
eHarmony reviewers say that its biggest flaw is the fact that the site doesn’t delete or hide inactive accounts. Users have found they’ll be “matched” with old/expired accounts that will likely never respond.
Additionally, users complain that the site is rather expensive to use. Especially since you can’t pause your account. So if you sign up for six months and meet a great partner within the first four you’re still stuck. Have fun paying for those two months that you (probably) aren’t even using.
Joining eHarmony is free but in order to access all the site’s benefits, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid subscription. Standard subscriptions allow you to see who’s viewed your profile, unlimited messages and photos, and access to more matches. The Premium plan includes all of that plus the ability to browse anonymously, see when people read your messages and get featured with Spotlight.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
2) Best Jewish dating site: JDate
JDate differs from other online dating websites in that it caters to the Jewish community. So if finding someone of a similar faith is super important to you, consider JDate your ideal matchmaker. The service uses a profile builder based on your responses to basic questions, selected interests, and description of the type of person you’re looking for to help you meet singles in your area.
JDate reviewers appreciate its sleek and simple design, multiple messaging options, mobile app, and its slew of other advanced features. However, users do complain about the limited search filters offered and the fact that the site isn’t exclusive to the Jewish community (since it does allow users of other religious backgrounds to use the service).
Joining JDate is free and offers unlimited messaging (with paid subscribers), read receipts, the ability to control who sees what on your profile, anonymous browsing, and more.
But, if you want to unlock all the site’s features, you’ll have to upgrade to a Premium membership. Paid subscribers get all the perks found in the basic membership plus the means to message anyone (regardless of membership status), access to other users’ photo albums, plus the ability to see who viewed you and/or liked you.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
3) Best Christian dating site: ChristianCafe.com
For the last 20 years, ChristianCafe.com has been the lead online dating services for people looking to date exclusively within the Chrisitan faith. Like its Jewish counterpart, JDate, ChristianCafe.com uses a combination of your responses to general biographical questions and selected descriptors for the type of person you’re looking for to find you a suitable match.
ChristianCafe also allows users to search with filters (like age/birthday, location, username, whether or not the profile has photos, etc.), see who has viewed their profile, provide lengthy responses to open-ended questions visible on every profile, participate in discussions on the ChrisitanCafe Forum, and much more.
Users who have reviewed the site were pleased with the abundance of active and new users that are online every day. And when compared to other similar sites, ChristianCafe.com is actually cheaper than most–free communication weekends aside! That said, it is worth noting that unless you’re willing to pay for a subscription you won’t be able to do more than build a profile.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
READ MORE:
4) Best online dating site for newbies: Zoosk
A top dating site for singles, Zoosk.com offers members access to both free online dating services and paid subscriptions. Registering is easy and only takes a few minutes, and unlike other dating sites, Zoosk actually walks users through how to access all of the site’s features. So if you’re new to or unsure about online dating, Zoosk is the metaphorical equivalent of “just getting your feet wet.”
Free users can message members, swipe through profiles, access dating advice, see who viewed their profile, flirt, and favorite members. Paid subscribers can boost their visibility, send gifts, go invisible, and access advanced search filters. It’s easily one of the best online dating sites.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
5) Best dating site for diversity: OkCupid
Also high on the list of Site Jabber’s best rated online dating sites, OkCupid has seen a lot of successful relationships and even marriages! Since 2004, OkCupid has offered users free messaging, profile building, and access to dating advice through the service’s blog. And just five years ago, the dating app was the first of its kind to introduce gender and sexual orientation options that exceeded the binary–so if diversity was ever a concern, just know that OkCupid embraces it.
And instead of a more traditional compatibility test, OkCupid has its members fill out a questionnaire that they can use to rank the importance of questions.
For example, one question is “How do you feel about gender-neutral passports?” Users can choose to select “I’m in favor of them” or “I’m not in favor of them,” and then either check the box to denote that “this is important to me” or leave it blank if it’s not a dealbreaker.
OkCupid is free to join, but paid members (or A-Listers) do get to enjoy some perks–like seeing who views your profile, read receipts on messages, access to advanced search filters, and no ads.
A-List memberships are available in two packages: A-List Basic which offers everything aforementioned, and A-List Premium which gives you everything available in the A-List Basic package plus daily boosts, increased attractiveness, access to other member’s questionnaire answers, and message priority.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
6) Best casual dating site: CoffeeMeetsBagel
CoffeeMeetsBagel is one of many local dating sites that can be used with a web browser or a mobile app. It requires its users to create a profile complete with your education, work, and biographical information. Instead of taking advantage of search filters, users simply swipe right to “Connect” and left to leave that profile in the dust–so it’s similar to Tinder, to say the very least. But that’s where similarities between the services end,
CoffeeMeetsBagel allows members to “Give” (suggest) matches to their friends. So if you’re thinking of playing matchmaker, CoffeeMeetsBagel supports that. And instead of constantly refreshing your Discoverable Matches, this online dating service only refreshes that page once per day. So be careful which way you swipe!
Reviewers claim that CoffeeMeetsBagel has a lot to offer (A/B testing with photos, rematches for people you swiped the wrong way on, tools to help you find potential matches with mutual friends, etc) but it hasn’t perfected the system yet.
Joining is free and users automatically receive access to the CoffeeMeetsBagel profile builder, unlimited browsing and messaging (once connected with another user), and a few beans (the in-app currency which can be used to purchase specials like “Woos,” which are the app’s equivalent to Tinder’s Super Like feature).
Premium members unlock unlimited Woos, 6,000 beans per month, read receipts, and the ability to see any mutual friends (from your Facebook Friends list) you may have with a potential match.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
7) Best dating app for women: Bumble
Considered one of the top online dating sites for women, Bumble lets ladies lead the way by only giving them the option to message new matches–and they only have 24 hours to do so! Here’s how it works: Bumble grabs all your relevant info (think birthday, job, current city) from Facebook (or you can build it from scratch) and then asks you to create a bio and upload pics. Once you’re all set, it’s time to swipe.
If it’s a match, then let the countdown begin! Ladies have 24 hours to say hello, leaving the guys with 24 hours to come up with an eye-catching response. And if one of you fail to respond within the time limit, wave goodbye to that match. </3 However, if you’re looking to swipe on the same sex these rules change a little bit. Instead of one swiper being the “designated ice breaker,” either match can choose to message first. You only have 24 hours before they disappear forever!
As someone who’s used Bumble, I’ve found that’s its geared more toward finding dates and budding relationships than most other apps that have users swiping for love.
Although I haven’t found that special someone, I don’t blame the app for that–they can’t help the fact that I have trash taste in men. That aside, I’d recommend Bumble to anyone looking to test out online dating. And if you’re looking to just meet friends or grow your professional network, Bumble even offers counterparts to that (Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz)–all within the same app, too!
Bumble is free to use, but paid members unlock perks like Boosts, Match Extensions (gives your match extra time to message you in case their 24 hours are almost up), and being able to see who has already swiped right on you.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
8) Best dating app for hookups: Tinder
If you haven’t already heard of the online dating service Tinder, it’s the reason “swiping right” and hookup culture have such a prominent place in our society. Users can choose to import information from their Facebook profile. Or, you can build a profile from scratch using their phone number or email address.
They also have the option to add a bio, link their Instagram account. You can even pick an “Anthem” or share their most played artists on Spotify. All of these options make it pretty easy to get a good understanding of the person behind that profile.
That said, Tinder doesn’t differentiate between those looking for relationships and those looking for fun hookups. It can make matching a bit of a messy process. But that doesn’t mean you won’t find what you’re looking for! It may just take some time (and a whole lot of patience).
I could see how some could be shocked the app made it on our list of the best online dating sites. It definitely has its fair share of problems (which you can read more about here). But it also works regardless of what type of relationship you’re looking for.
However, since it doesn’t offer any real matchmaking services, finding something involving commitment can be a little sticky. Not impossible, though! (one Daily Dot writer met her fiance on it!)
The Tinder app is free to download and use. If you do choose to go premium with Tinder Plus, you’ll be able to swipe anywhere in the world. You can also hide your age and distance, control who sees you, rewind your last swipe, hide ads. Plus users also unlock unlimited right swipes and extra Super Likes.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
9) Best dating app for finding friends-of-friends: Hinge
Hinge is considered one of the more recently launched top dating sites. It’s still one of the best online dating sites. The service utilizes your Facebook Friend List. It helps match you with singles in your area that also know some of your friends.
Dating Sites Free
But that’s not the only difference. Hinge also requires each of its users to build a profile that includes three of its icebreaker/fun-fact prompts. Which I know doesn’t sound like much. But reading people’s responses to questions like “Two truths and a lie” or “Where you can find me on a Friday night…” really gives you a much better sense of the person behind the profile.
The app alternates between sharing users photos, fun facts, and biographies. When you’re scrolling through their page, you’re less likely to overlook something. Once you select a person’s page, Hinge won’t let you swipe on them. That is, until you scroll to the bottom or exit the profile.
Dare we say it’s the least superficial of all dating apps?! The app also allows users to set “Dealbreakers.” There are strict requirements for what you absolutely don’t want. One night stands, a slobby partner, kids, etc.
Hinge is free to download and use, but free members receive a limited amount of swipes per day. So if you want to be able to swipe all day, see who has already “liked” you, set advanced preferences, or get expert dating advice, you’ll need to upgrade to a Preferred membership.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
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LISTEN UP: Are These International Dating Apps Legit?
In episode 99 of 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST, Alli and Jen want to know what’s up with the sketchy international dating apps made popular by reality shows like 90 Day Fiancé. Fortunately, journalist Paul Schrodt has tested many of them, and while some users do find love, there’s also a lot of questionable power dynamics and behavior going on.
Subscribe to 2 GIRLS 1 PODCAST on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts!
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