When it comes to finding a lifelong soulmate, future situationship, or casual hookup, nothing does the job quite like dating apps. And while the good news is there are tons (like, tonsss) of options to choose from, finding the best dating app for you is a little trickierâor it was until we came along. (Youâre welcome. đ )
But before we get into all the apps to consider, you might be wondering if getting swiping-induced thumb cramps is *really* your thing. Granted, being on apps was once an edgy, sexy thing to do. Now it feels like literally everyone is using them, from your neighbor to your bestie to your grandma.
âWith the emergence of technology, meeting people online has become a normal and natural way to cultivate new relationships,â explains Bumbleâs marketing director for the Americas, Samantha GarcĂa. âThe stigma around dating apps has really changed. Meeting people online or through an app is similar to meeting someone for the first time at a bar, restaurant, or other social function.â
But unlike meeting at a party and making small talk, GarcĂa says the great thing about dating apps is that people can display their values, likes, and interests right on their profiles, so you can get an idea very early on if youâre down to connect. In the long run, this can save you a lot of time, energy, and awkward âItâs not you, itâs me" convos. Love that for you.
The only issue? With so many different apps to choose from (and so many people using said apps!), itâs hard to figure out which one(s) to sign up for. But we promise you donât need 'em all! If youâre trying to narrow down your options, weâve got you covered. Broken down based on interests and preferences, here are the best dating apps of 2022 that can help you land anything from a forever partner to a fling for the night.
A Quick Look at le Best Dating Apps of 2022
- Best in general for women: Bumble
- Best for people who love working out: DateFit
- Best for the kinky community: Kinkoo
- Best for foodies: Dine
- Best for people who don't want to drink: Loosid
- Best for people who love oral sex: Headero
- Best for people who need a second opinion: Ship
- Best for finding a long-term relationship: eHarmony
- Best for friend setups: Wingman
- Best for queer women who want something serious: Zoe
- Best for shy people: Zoosk
- Best for dating app newbies Tinder
- Best for young professionals: The League
- Best for influencers: Raya
- Best for those interested in a queer-friendly community: Her
- Best if you want lots of options and filters: OkCupid
- Best for a no-frills hookup: Pure
- Best for missed connections: Happn
- Best for music lovers: Tastebuds
- Best for busy daters: Coffee Meets Bagel
- Best for gauging someone's personality early on: Hinge
- Best for people who love to chat: Plenty of Fish
- Best for extroverts: Clover
- Best for threesomes: Feeld
Best overall for women: Bumble
The MVP of dating apps for women is Bumble, since it lets the ladies be in control. "Bumble requires women to make the first move, which can ultimately set the tone of the conversation and lead to a more empowered relationship dynamic from the start," explains GarcĂa. There are question games and call features that make connecting easier, and you have to reach out to a match within 24 hours or it expires. Once you send a message, he also has to respond in 24 or *poof* you're gone. If youâre Bumbling to find other women, either of you can make the first move on a match. Basically, theyâre trying to get you to stop hoarding matches and actually get out there and make magic happen!
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for people who love working out: DateFit
If youâre the kind of person who would rather spend a Friday night at the gym because itâs emptier, then download DateFit before your next rep. You can sort your preferences based on the type of fitness partner you want (like, an extreme bodybuilder or casual weekend hiker) and there's even a "friend" component if you're just looking for a workout buddy. Either way, match with other like-minded people who also genuinely enjoy early-morning runs.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for the kinky community: Kinkoo
Kinkoo requires you to list in your profile your kinks, the kinks you're seeking, your level of experience, and what type of connection youâre looking for to ensure everyoneâs on the same page. There's a feed where you can post sexy content (similar to social media apps) that'll help you discover other users and simply get ~inspired~. As per usual, you can swipe and match with people who are looking for the same things you are, then link up IRL.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for foodies: Dine
If âphone eats firstâ is your language when youâre brunchinâ, then welcome to Dine, the foodie dating app. Thereâs no swiping here, which is a big change from the standard apps you might be used to. Instead, you get introduced to new people (and their favorite food spots/preferences) daily, and from there you simply request potential matches to âdine.â The app helps you set the date and location, and if the other person accepts, you get to skip the small talk and meet up for a first date over 5-star cuisine.
Available for iPhone.
Best for people who donât want to drink: Loosid
Listen, whether you are sober or just hate the taste of alc, Loosid is a dating platform for anyone wanting to meet others who also donât choose the booze. Once youâre matched, Loosid will suggest sober events for you and your new boo to attend that go above and beyond meeting at a bar. There are also a ton of great resources available for users, from advocates that can help you stay on your sober path, podcast-like talks, and boozeless guides that highlight restaurants, events, and travel destinations sans the pressure of alcohol.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for people who love oral sex: Headero
Whether you love giving or receiving (or both!), this app is dedicated to connecting cunnilingus and fellatio lovers. The open-minded interface is sexuality and gender inclusive, and while it's great for hookups, it's also really solid if you just want to have a steamy sext session. Headero has a "chat only" label that lets other people know you simply want to talk, which takes some of the pressure off if you're planning on a night with your favorite vibrator versus actually meeting up.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for people who need a second opinion: Ship
Sorry, but youâre lying if you say your mom isnât your bestie. With Ship, invite your friends, family, literally whoever, to swipe on your behalf. Your crew is entered into a group chat where you can share matches, talk about profiles on the app, and swipe at everyoneâs convenience. Momâs stamp of approval is a must-have, so why not get it out of the way from the start?
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for finding a long-term relationship: eHarmony
For those looking to settle down with their soulmate ASAP, eHarmony is the way to go. Setting up a profile is a lot more extensive than just uploading a few pictures, so you have a much greater chance of matching with someone who actually has something in common with you. Because of how much more involved the setup is (in a good way!), the users arenât just looking for random hookups or fuck buddies, so the pool is naturally more conducive to serious relationships.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for friend setups: Wingman
No one knows you better or is a better advocate for you than your BFFs, which is what makes Wingman so great. Instead of signing up for yourself, you actually sign as a "wingman" searching for matches for your bestie. You simply write and create your friendâs profile, make an introduction, and then you let your pal take over from there. This way you already know your friends approve, which makes it easier to move forward if/when you find a real connection.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for queer women who want something serious: Zoe
Zoe is one of the best apps for meeting local queer women, especially if you're looking for something long-term or more serious than just a casual hookup. The app uses personality tests to match you, so your connections are based on more than just location or general interest. Even more unique, the quizzes rank compatibility based on percentages, so the more you have in common with your match, the better.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for shy people: Zoosk
Zoosk has pre-set lines at the ready, so you donât have to stress over what to say when sending the first message. While you can still swipe through a deck like all the other apps, you also have the option of searching profiles based on filters like height, age, relationship history, and education. The best part is they offer photo verification so you can be sure the person youâre talking to actually matches the profile.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for dating app newbies: Tinder
What better place to start than with the app that started it all? The straightforward interface (swipe left, swipe right) is as easy as they come, which makes finding matches fast and simple. (And finding a quick hookup even easier.) Since people swipe quickly on Tinder, though, you'll want to do what you can to lure in the best matches. One way to do this is to avoid sharing what you *aren't* looking for. "Saying something like 'swipe left if youâve never seen The Office' can be off-putting and may lead to a missed opportunity," notes GarcĂa. "Instead, emphasize what you wantâlike someone who can binge-watch The Office with you."
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for young professionals: The League
As in...Ivy...get it? The League is basically like if dating apps and LinkedIn had a baby. In fact, it actually pulls info from your LinkedIn to make sure youâre not a scrub. Only those deemed ~League-worthy~ are granted access past the waitlist into the hallowed walls of The League. Once youâre in, you can set specific filters like religion or height, and instead of normal swiping, you're given a limited number of profiles to view each day at "happy hour." Matches expire after 21 days if neither person has sent a message in an effort to keep the flakes out.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for influencers: Raya
Super exclusive and known as the âTinder for celebrities,â Raya is another app famous for their waiting list. They pull info and make a decision whether or not youâre worthy of joining based on your Instagram, and rumor has it you need at least 5,000 followers to get accepted, but the tens (to hundreds!) of thousands are better. Honestly, some major celebs don't even get accepted, but if you ever needed a reason to start building your follower count, this is it!
Available for iPhone.
Best for people interested in a queer-friendly community: Her
Her is a specially designed app for lesbian, queer, bisexual, and straight women, gender nonconforming people, and nonbinary folx. While, yes, it acts as a dating app, it's also an LGBTQ+ news source and calendar for queer events. The space is incredibly inclusive and actively eschews the concept of heteronormativity in a way that'll make you feel valued and valid. Since there arenât any extensive personality questions to get through, you can look right at profiles to get a sense of who the person is.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best if you want lots of options and filters: OkCupid
As one of the most popular (and longest-running) dating sites around, joining OkCupid means youâll probably get hella messages within like, two seconds of signing up. Theyâve got personality tests up the wazoo so you can gauge your compatibility right away, and they've got lots of keyword search options if you're quickly looking for someone with specific traits. It's also inclusive of open and ethically non-monogamous relationships, so everyone can find what they're searching for.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for a no-frills hookup: Pure
With Pure, you basically make an "ad" for yourself and what you're looking for (we're talking desires, sexual acts, etc.), then people can see you and swipe on you. You can match with people all over the world or simply in your city, and once the connection is made, things move fastâSo fast that convos and photos self-destruct after 24 hours so you gotta shoot your shot ASAP. Since most app connections rely heavily on photos (you can only include three for Pure), GarcĂa says it's important to pick your images smartly. "Show off your smile, eyes (without sunglasses), and whole face (without a filter)," she suggests.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for missed connections: Happn
If you've ever passed by someone cute at your fave coffee shop or always see the same hottie when walking to your subway station, Happn is for you. The location-based app shows you matches based on people youâve crossed paths with, and it actually shows you how many times you've passed by each other which feels v cute in a rom-com sort of way. If youâre in it for convenience, this app makes meeting up easy since you and your matches naturally gravitate toward the same areas.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for music lovers: Tastebuds
Since music is deeply personal, some people find that sharing their favorite songs is like the most passionate love language out there. With Tastebuds, you meet people based on shared interests in music, and you can even discover new artists based on your current tastes. The app's questionnaire is tailored more to music preferences (versus more generic get-to-know-you questions) to inspire a conversation or healthy debate with matches about your favorite artistsâ albums.
Available for iPhone.
Best for busy daters: Coffee Meets Bagel
If youâre not about being attached to your phone and swiping through endless potential matches, Coffee Meets Bagel is definitely worth checking out. A smart algorithm pulls profiles based on your interests (so you don't have to mess with a zillion filters), and every day at noon you get a new batch of potential connections (called bagels) to swipe through. You only have eight days to opt into a convo before the match disappears, which encourages people to spend less time swiping and more time meeting for coffee IRL.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for gauging someone's personality early on: Hinge
Hinge used to be based on the concept of meeting "friends of friends" by showing you potential matches that you had Facebook friends in common with. But they nixed that model in 2018 in favor of the model you know today: A sleek design with ice-breakers, thought-provoking questions, and a voice note option that can help you get to know someone better, so that when you actually do meet up, it feels a little less stranger-danger than a random Craigslist ad.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for people who love to chat: Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish boasts that they have more conversations than any other dating site with 1 billion messages sent a month. This means there's a v good chance you'll find someone interesting to connect with. The app has a lot of free features like live streaming and unlimited messages, so you can chitchat to your heart's content whether you're looking to meet up IRL or just want a flirty new texting buddy.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for extroverts: Clover
Quickly becoming one of the most popular dating apps, Clover has a lot to offer users in a way that feels more organic than your standard swiping. In fact, it's almost like a social media-dating app hybrid. First, you can live streamâalmost like on Instagramâwhich can gain you followers, rewards, and more connections. Then, you can swipe and chat like other apps or hit up a virtual mixer to meet a group at large. If you like the idea of dating in a way that feels more like a party and less like something to scroll through when you're bored, look no further.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Best for threesomes: Feeld
Once called 3nder, as in, Tinder for threesomes, Feeld is an app made specifically for finding threesome partners and exploring other facets of sexuality. You can join as a solo user, or sign up with a partner, and jump right in. You can also send other users disappearing messages, and thereâs an âincognitoâ mode where you donât show up to any Facebook friends. Great for avoiding a potentially awkward water cooler conversation come Monday morning.
Available for iPhone or Android.
Taylor is one of the sex and relationship editors who can tell you exactly which vibrators are worth the splurge, why youâre still dreaming about your ex, and tips on how to have the best sex of your life (including what word you should spell with your hips during cowgirl sex)âoh, and you can follow her on Instagram here.
Carina Hsieh lives in NYC with her French Bulldog Bao Bao â follow her on Instagram and Twitter ⢠Candace Bushnell once called her the Samantha Jones of Tinder ⢠She enjoys hanging out in the candle aisle of TJ Maxx and getting lost in Amazon spirals.
Rachel Varina is a full-time freelance writer covering everything from the best vibrators (the Lelo Sona) to the best TV shows (The Vampire Diaries). She has over 10 years of editorial experience with bylines at Women's Health, Elite Daily, Betches, and more. She lives in Tampa, Florida, but did not feed her husband to tigers. When she's not testing out new sex toys (100+ and counting so far!), she's likely chilling with her dogs or eating buffalo chicken dip. Ideally at the same time. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
