Are you single and hating it? If you are struggling while trying to find "the one," check out these 4 Ways to Choose the Right Online Dating Site for You!
4 Ways to Choose the Right Online Dating Site for You
Hey, at least you don’t have to worry about the stigma associated with online dating in the 1990s. When Match.com officially launched in 1995, the very idea of internet dating seemed weird, careless, and socially awkward.
But now 25 years later, millions of people have been using dating and social sites to find their soulmates online.
Maybe it’s your turn! In this article, we’re going to discuss four ways to choose the right dating site or app for you.
1. Use the Most Popular Dating App
Tinder is the most popular dating app, with its simple “swipe right” if interested, swipe left if not interface. Instead of having the algorithm choose someone for you, as a user you can choose who you want from the pool of local singles available.
Tinder was thought up by Hatch Labs, a startup funded by IAC. When Tinder came around, IAC already owned Match.com, Plenty of Fish, and OK Cupid, and Tinder managed to crush its parent company’s pre-existing apps as the reigning monster of the dating app industry.
In 2021, Tinder earned a net worth of $5.61 billion in revenue and has about 75 million users. If you like simplicity and an easy-to-use interface, it could be the right app for finding a date or even your soulmate.
However, if you prefer a more personalized touch, the app might not be the one for your soul-searching needs.
An alternate website that’s mainstream is Adult Friend Finder, though that site is more computer-friendly than app friendly.
2. Use a Dating App Powered by Women
If you would like to use an app that’s similar to Tinder but has a little bit more of a varied interface, Bumble might be the app for you.
In 2020 alone, 42 million people were active users of the yellow-button dating app. The average user is 26 years old and the male-to-female ratio is 65:34.
Founded by Whitney Herd, the ex-marketing president of Tinder, Bumble was founded on a women-first platform that revolutionized the dating app game for the better. In heterosexual matches, the woman starts the conversation first, and if a conversation isn’t started within 24 hours, the match terminates itself.
Women do tend to feel safer using a more female-friendly app. But speaking of safety, check out an article we wrote on staying safe while dating for newbies.
An alternative to Bumble that’s still female-friendly is Hinge, although it only has 20 million members in comparison.
3. Try LGBTQ Dating
Dating apps aren’t just for heteronormative people, of course. Grindr is one of the most popular exclusively men-seeking-men apps out on app stores today.
Started in 2009 in West Hollywood, California, it’s one of the top apps today for gay, bi, and trans men out today. In 2022, it was reported to have 11 million users worldwide, with roughly 80% of the users being under 35 years old.
If you’re a gay, bi, or trans man, Grindr might be one of the best bets out there for you. It’s a great place for hookups but many men have found their partners and long-term relationships on the app, so it’s worth it to give it a try.
Other sites that might be more useful to gay, trans, or other genders would include the Her App for lesbians and transwomen.
WikiHow published an interactive quiz for which dating app is best for you, based on your feelings about dating. Find out which popular dating app is right for you.
4 Ways to Choose the Right Online Dating Site for You
4. Consider Specialist Options Like Christian Dating Sites
If you’re looking for a partner who shares the same spiritual and religious values as you, as a Christian, some of the best apps out there are Christian Mingle and eHarmony.
eHarmony has sparked a lot of buzz and feedback with its commercials, as well as testimonies to how well it works for millions of satisfied matches.
Like the punch card questionnaire mentioned in the intro, eHarmony’s model algorithm utilizes a Compatibility Matching Processor, which processes and creates over 3 billion possible matches for a single user.
Their servers boast over 25 terabytes of user data with approximately 15,000 men and women filling out the app’s 80+ question quiz every day. eHarmony is used in 200 countries worldwide and is most popular in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
As for Christian Mingle, the majority of its users are typically in their late 20s to early 40s, which makes the app more suited to help people find long term commitments and relationships. Also, like eHarmony, Christian Mingle most often pairs people who are committed to God and their chosen religion, which makes potential matches more suited between users.
The success rate of Christian Mingle is surveyed at 71% and most matches end up in long term dating, commitment and eventually marriage.
But there are other dating sites that target Christians as well. You can read more about where Christians can date for free by checking out DatingAdvice magazine.
Get Yourself Out There Again!
Since the first matchmaking experiment was performed by 2 Stanford students who matched 49 male and female students using a punch card questionnaire and an IBM 650 mainframe computer, there have been a plethora of new technological advances in online dating.
Now, whereas years ago people were nervous about using a computer to date, now it’s a given that most people use dating apps, or social media apps, or some other aspect of online technology to help find someone special.
Why not try to find an app for you too? There are plenty of fish in the sea and plenty of apps to help your journey for love.
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