The best dating apps to download now
Whatever you're looking for, there's an app for that
Love them or loathe them, dating apps have become a staple part of the modern social experience. Apps offer us the ability to connect with people we probably never would have come across in our day-to-day lives and thanks to AI and algorithmic matching processes, they can make the odds of finding someone you really like much higher.
Research from Ofcom’s Online Nations study revealed that more than one in ten (11%) adults in the UK are using dating apps and most people use more than one at the same time. Which makes sense, because most apps offer a slightly different experience – some are focused on finding you a long-term relationship, others have been crafted to help you find a hook-up and some are tailored to perfecting your flirting game and helping you grow your confidence.
What makes a dating app successful
There are hundreds of dating apps these days but some are obviously more popular than others. Generally the better an app is in terms of user experience, the easier it is to use and the more users it has. More users means more chances at finding "the one" or at least the right one for now.
Most apps are totally free to download, but several have a paid version too. The jury is still out on whether the paid versions of most apps are actually worth splashing your cash on, but if you want unlimited swipes and the chance to match with celebs, the idea of paying for a subscription might just appeal to you – although matching with Paul Mescal is not a guarantee, as we'll explain later.
So whatever your preferred relationship style and whether you're an experienced app dater or a first timer dipping your toe, we've rounded up the best dating apps, in terms of functionality, user pool and great features to help you meet your perfect match.
The best dating apps
Pros
- Large user pool
- Helpful prompts
Cons
- Paywalls hide users
With millions of users, Hinge is one of the most popular dating apps out there and apparently sets up a date every three seconds. With such a wide pool of users, your chances of meeting more people in your age and location catchment that you vibe with are pretty high. Plus, Hinge is the OG when it comes to dating app prompts – helpful little one-liners that can help you up your game.
Hinge's tagline is "designed to be deleted" and the app prides itself on being a tool for those seeking their forever partner. You can switch your preferences up depending on your orientation and add tags that list your interests to your profile.
Some users dislike the fact that the app shows you "standouts" AKA people who are closer to your perfect match but only a few a day. you can only get the attention of a standout by sending them a rose, but again, you get a limited number of roses to send per day. If you're curious about how Hinge works you can check out our handy explainer here.
The paid version of the app allows you a little more freedom to roam with unlimited swipes and more roses to send. Hinge also has a pretty robust verification system to eliminate catfish, although this seems to be manned by robots who are easily confused – we've had accounts banned several times for impersonating ourselves!
Pros
- Women make the first move
- Friendship and business version
Cons
- Issues for non-binary users
Created by a woman who felt dissatisfied with her experience of other dating apps, Bumble offers a "female-first" dating experience AKA women make the first move, which means no unsolicited messages.
There are of course pros and cons to this, because if you're shy or just a little lazy when it comes to starting the conversation, it could be tumbleweed central for you. But Bumble is super popular, with a sleek interface and a huge user pool – approximately 1.4 million.
Similarly to Hinge, Bumble will show you your best matches or "Best Bees" and also offers helpful tags and conversation starters to show users what they might have in common before they decide to match.
One of the only issues with Bumble is that if you're a non-binary user and sign up as such, the app still hasn't really figured out what to do with you. We've found that the rules that apply to men using the app will automatically apply to you and you won't be able to make the first move, which essentially means you're forced to use the app as a man, and not as a non-binary person.
Bumble also has a friendship and a business version for connecting with potential pals and collaborators, which is great if you're into meeting new people online but your love life is on pause.
Pros
- New verification tools
- Huge diversity of users
Cons
- Historically catfish have been a problem
The most popular dating app in the world, Tinder has a huge number of users worldwide. You'll find just about everyone on Tinder, whatever you're looking for and this comes with pros and cons.
Historically, you'll have found a lot more catfish on Tinder than most other apps, and this is because it's popular, easy to use and anyone can use it. But it was also because the verification rules weren't as strict. Recently, Tinder has introduced new verification tools to eliminate catfish and scam artists, which makes the user process much safer for everyone.
Tinder actually invented the swiping mechanism that we now associate with dating apps, turning the process into something our brains could appreciate as an addictive little game, as opposed to miserable homework for the lonely hearts.
The app has several membership tiers, starting at £8.99 for Tinder Plus up to £105 for Tinder Platinum. The premium versions offer to show you who's liked you and features like read reciepts and extra "superlikes".
Pros
- Inclusive of all identities
- Sex-positive philosophy
- Linked partner profiles
Cons
- Can be an intense experience
Feeld has recently undergone a huge rebrand due to an influx of new users seeking alternative dating experiences, leading us to ask the question: is Feeld a mainstream dating app now?
Feeld calls itself "a dating app for the curious" and differentiates itself from other apps on this basis. It's a favourite for those seeking kinky experiences, non-monogamous dating and likeminded people who share particular fetishes.
If you're in a non-monogamous relationship you can link your profile to your partner's and list your interests and what you're looking for with useful tags. It's much better to be up front if you're looking for a threesome so Feeld is a great app for this – much better than wasting women's time on Bumble unicorn hunting via your partner's profile.
There's a lot more scope to list your gender identity and sexual orientation and interests on Feeld but if it's your first time using the app, set clear boundaries and don't be afraid to report people if they're making you feel uncomfortable. Respect is the minimum requirement.
It's free to sign up but there's also a paid version called "Majestic" membership which offers an incognito mode and more opportunities to "ping" people you like to get their attention.
Pros
- Limits your time on apps
- Hosts in person events
Cons
- App only active one day a week
Thursday is one of the new kids on the block and it really divides the crowd. The app is only available to use on, you guessed it, Thursdays and some people love this, some people find it frustrating. But hey, it does what it says on the tin.
Using dating apps can feel exhausting and the functionality of a lot of them can make using them feel addictive. With Thursday, you're free to do as you please for the rest of the week and on Thursdays, you get to shoot your shot.
The app is free to use, but it does limit the amount of likes you can send – unless you buy a VIP membership for £9.99. Obviously as it's a newer app, the range of users isn't as large and it's mostly popular with Gen Z and Millenial daters.
Thursday also hosts in-person singles events all over the world and yes, they do take place on Thursdays.
Pros
- Handpicked user pool
- You could match with your celeb crush
Cons
- Waitlist and references needed
- Limited to 10 matches a day
Known as "the celebrity dating app" Raya presents itself as an "intimate community" that's home to people in the creative industries. And yes, that does mean famous actors and musicians use it. But a lot of regular people use it too.
The only difference between Raya and other dating apps is that once you've signed up, you'll be added to a waitlist so your profile can be reviewed, and you'll need to ask a few existing users to vouch you in too. So yes, it's hard to get in. You could be on the waiting list for months, if you're unlucky.
Then you have to pay to use the app. Once you're accepted, you can choose to pay monthly or for an annual membership. You'd think that having to jump through so many hoops to join, users would be very active on the app, but because the community is so small and exclusive and its users are pretty busy people, it's not exactly popping off like Tinder is.
Raya also only shows you 10 potential matches a day which slows down your swiping habits but then again, pretty much everyone is hot and successful so you win some, you lose some. We can confirm, all of our celeb crushes are on there but none of them have liked us back.
Pros
- Sex-positive approach
- Photo blurring and self destruct
Cons
- Can be a bit much for some users
Pure is another app that prides itself on being a little different. It's a sex-positive app that doesn't promise you your happily ever after, but it does aim to ensure you have a fun experience while you're dating and shows you like-minded people in your area.
It also offers a good range of orientations and identities to choose from when you sign up and then asks you to post your "personal ad". There's a section for listing your "turn ons" and what you're looking for and this specificity is a nice touch.
You can upload spicy photos to your profile, but no nudes, and these will be blurred and marked as "sensitive content". Once you've matched with someone, they can tap the image to unblur it and see what you've shared.
There's an incognito mode, if you're worried about someone from work seeing you on the app, although if they've spotted you it means they're on the app too so pot, meet kettle etc. And self-destructing photos in chats to keep you safe in the app.
As with most dating apps, there's also a paid version of Pure which allows you to send more compliments to get other user's attention and takes some of the limits off how many people you can match and engage with.
As with other sex-positive apps of this kind, if you're dipping your toe for the first time, go in knowing what you feel comfortable with and don't allow anyone to cross your boundaries.
Emilie Lavinia is Cosmopolitan UK's Former Sex and Relationships Editor. An accredited Sex Educator and Sexologist, Emilie explores identity, equity and innovations in sex, love, wellness and identity with her writing, broadcasting, coaching and commercial work. Emilie has written for the likes of The Guardian, Stylist, Grazia, Woman & Home, Red and Women's Health. She has appeared in documentaries exploring sex and wellbeing by ITV, Channel 5 and the BBC. Emilie has represented the UK as a United Nations Delegate and is a passionate advocate for women's health, LGBTQ+ rights and sex education and public health policy. She is a representative for Young Women's Trust, United Nations Women and The Porn Conversation and works with a number of charities. She loves big books, Bell Hooks, her infrared sauna and her Pomeranian, Ivy Valentine. She lives in London and can give you a rating out of 10 for every sex toy ever invented. Sign up to Emilie's Substack newsletter The Cuff for spice and advice or follow her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or her website: emilielavinia.com
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