You can’t put a price on love… but in the tech age, love can get a little pricey, especially if you’re subscribed to a few good dating sites. So, in the interest of keeping calendars full and money in your wallets, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite dating sites where messaging is free or a substantial free trial is offered.
For all levels of seriousness, from marriage seekers to pals-with-perks, here are some top choices.
Popular Dating Sites Where Messaging Is Free
OkCupid
OkCupid tries to make more meaningful matches for its users by measuring their compatibility with multiple-choice questions that you can answer at your own leisure. The more questions answered, the more accurate it is.
Unlike other simpler apps, OkCupid lets you tailor your search to specific features, like religious beliefs, political values, and interests. However, to unlock more features, you might need to invest in a paid subscription, so be aware of that.
Happn
Love can be unpredictable and natural. A stranger at a bus stop or someone you bumped at a department store could be the love of your life. Although, sometimes you miss your chance. That’s where Happn comes in.
When you cross paths with another Happn user, their profile shows up in your feed. If you both like each other, you match. It’s almost like you didn’t miss each other. But, if you’re a doubter of fate, you might be better suited for one of the other popular apps.
Plenty of Fish (POF)
Plenty of Fish certainly attracts many catches. Not only is this a free dating site where messaging is free, but there are some other neat features as well. You can see who viewed you, send flirts instead of direct messages, and create a favorites list. Plus, the matching algorithm is influenced by your activity.
These patterns create data on the types of matches you seek (just in case your criteria of preferred matches differ from the profiles that actually hold your interest).
Tinder
Simple and hassle-free, Tinder is one of the most popular, straightforward dating apps. On Tinder, you can narrow your search according to age and distance, but if you’re looking to trim down by factors like religious or political affiliation your options might be a bit more limited.
The Tinder approach maintains simplicity and straightforwardness when it comes to online dating. So for any picky daters out there, you might prefer a dating site with a more sophisticated matching system.
Bumble
Similar to other dating sites where messaging is free, Bumble relies on the now standard swipe left for no and right for yes format, although there’s one major difference—women send the first message. Bumble’s goal is to empower women and stop men from carelessly mass sending lewd or generic messages to their entire match list.
Once the woman makes her move, the recipient has 24 hours to respond. If she doesn’t send a message, there’s a time-extend feature that adds another 24 hours to the clock but only once per day. This method prevents slacking, but for those who don’t like being on a clock, Bumble might not be your dating hive.
In the dating world today, it can sometimes be a case of “the best things in life are free.” Finding love is no exception. Every dating site has its own crowd, so choose one that suits your style. Remember: it’s free to try!
*The Date Mix is owned by Zoosk, Inc. Zoosk, Inc. is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with OkCupid, Happn, Plenty of Fish, Tinder, or Bumble, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates. OkCupid, Happn, Plenty of Fish, Tinder, and Bumble are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
