If you’re overwhelmed by the quantity of dating sites out there or simply can’t find someone who wants to commit, read on. We’ve hand-picked good dating sites: ones that attract users who are also looking for a real relationship. Get ready to be excited about online dating again…
Online dating used to be something that was done secretly, even shamefully. Good dating sites were also difficult to find. Now, thanks to the internet and (finally!) modernized dating habits, that’s all in the past. In the last decade, online dating has become both widely accepted and widely appreciated. There are now many good dating sites.
What’s more, we all know at least one successful and happy couple who met online, and that’s just enough to give us hope, too. If they can find a loving, committed relationship online, well, what’s stopping me?
One possibility: there’re simply too many dating websites and apps out there to choose from! It’s difficult to know which dating sites to focus your energy on when you can’t even keep track of which ones you’ve signed up for. Plus, how do you know which dating sites are for people more interested in hooking up, and which sites attract users that are actually looking for something serious?
Luckily, we’ve got your back. Below we’ve listed some of the best dating websites to try if you’re looking for a real relationship.
Zoosk
Zoosk is, simply put, a good-quality dating site. Full disclosure, it’s our brand and we have no problem owning up to that. In fact, it’s something we’re very proud of. Zoosk is both straightforward and straight-to-the-point, which is the best of both worlds if you’re looking for something serious. The platform is easy to use and intuitively designed, making it almost effortless to find others you may want to match with. You can browse through user-profiles and see if you have compatible interests and desires. Zoosk may not appeal to those who don’t enjoy random interactions with strangers, but it’s also a great way to spark up a conversation with the most unlikely of companions. You never know who you’re going to end up connecting with, right?
A pro user tip is to spend some time filling out your bio on your profile. People who have more in-depth profiles tend to receive more in-depth attention from people browsing through the site. You can much more easily attract others looking for relationships if you make it clear that’s what you want.
Match
You may have heard of Match before, and that’s not a bad thing! Match is a very popular option for those venturing out into the world of online dating and it’s an option that makes it easy for you. Instead of taking a personality test, you get to pick interests from a list in order to create your profile and pair you with potential matches. You can then stick with those matches or search for dates on the website.
The company is owned by Match Group, the name behind Tinder, OkCupid, and PlentyofFish. This means that, on one hand, you know you can trust a well-established brand like Match, but, on the other hand, you may have to sift through dozens of matches in order to find people you truly click with. In fact, the way Match’s internal algorithm works suggests that the more you use the site, the better tailored your matches will be. It does this by collecting data on the profiles that you do choose to match and chat with. So be advised that you may have to invest a little time before you see rewards.
Match offers some additional options for members, that might appeal to those of you who prefer meeting people in person but are sick of going to the same old bar every Friday night. Match organizes events like cruises and dinners, which give you the perfect opportunity to meet others who are also looking for love.
eHarmony
eHarmony is another good dating site that definitively markets itself to people looking for a monogamous, committed partnership. Even more specific, eHarmony targets those who are seeking long-term relationships instead of short-term hook ups. According to Consumers Advocate, “they use a matching system that incorporates an in-depth relationship questionnaire developed by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, a clinical psychologist and marriage counselor.” The questionnaire is then used to build your ‘29 Dimensions’ model, which measures different behavioral and emotional traits such as ambition, feelings about children, and intellect.
If an in-depth questionnaire doesn’t scare you off, eHarmony might be the perfect pick for you. With lots of positive user reviews and plenty of happy endings, eHarmony is a great option for those who want to meet someone who is compatible with them and looking for the same things out of life. Keep in mind that eHarmony is only designed to match heterosexual partners; the company created a separate and equally good dating site for the LGBTQ community called Compatible Partners.
It’s Just Lunch
Get this: It’s Just Lunch is a dating website, but it’s all about taking dating offline. How? Through lunch dates. Or dinner dates. Whatever’s your thing! Sound unconventional? Sure, but we had to include it on this list because it’s truly an awesome opportunity for people who are searching for something serious. The process is fairly simple yet thorough. The trained team of matchmakers gets to know you, and according to their website, they use their signature matchmaking process to create a dating experience personalized for you.
With membership, that means you’ll receive six face-to-face dates, at minimum, chosen by their in-house experts. This is definitely an option for people who are (a) too busy to search for their own dates online and (b) for those who are serious about getting serious. If you’re just starting out on your online dating journey, this may be a tad too serious for you.
Bumble
When Bumble first hit the scene, it was a revolutionary dating experience. Bumble’s tagline is, “Women make the first move,” and it’s absolutely true. Though its design resembles those of Tinder and other swiping dating apps, what makes Bumble a good dating site is its visually-focused structure (meaning you get to really see who you’re swiping; good profile pictures are a must here) and the fact that women do get to make the first move. Many dating sites seem to have more active male users, but Bumble levels the playing field by appealing to both men and women, requiring equal participation.
If you’re serious about finding a partner, Bumble is a great choice. And you could even make some friends along the way. Bumble has the option of “going into the FriendZone” where you can swipe through men, women, or both.
With any of these six good dating sites we’ve listed, there will be pros and cons. But hopefully we’ve made it just a little bit easier for you to decide which site is best suited to you. Still not sure which is the best dating app in 2022? In that case, sometimes the best first step is simply taking one.
*The Date Mix is owned by Zoosk, Inc. Zoosk, Inc. is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Match, eHarmony, It’s Just Lunch, Bumble, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates. Match, eHarmony, It’s Just Lunch, and Bumble are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
