Best Dating Apps For Late 20s
A Marketplace report on the dating app scene found that the top 20 dating apps saw active daily users grow by 1.5 million last year. Adding video chat features, as many dating apps did, certainly. Here are some of the best dating apps for 30 somethings, which could save you an exhausting night out and a bad hangover, looking for potential baes. Coffee Meets Bagel Image source: coffeeandbagels.com. This is one of the most sought after dating apps for people who are tired of the whole swiping culture.
OkCupid is a forever free dating site and app designed to facilitate fast yet meaningful connections. The app has an advanced algorithm that takes into consideration your answers to its questions, your ideal date or partner’s answers to its questions, and the level of importance you give to his or her answers. RELATED: Best Dating Apps for Hooking Up As far as determining whether or not your matches are here for the real thing, Murzello says a picture's worth a thousand words. 'Look at the photos. Tinder Tinder is the go-to late app for women of all ages. OkCupid OkCupid is one of the more popular online sites early and and is definitely best apps time if you live in a decent-sized city. Bumble Bumble is the swipe-based app apps only women get to make the first move. Best online dating sites for over 40s.
When looked upon with the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, the dating we did in our 20s was the stuff of romantic comedies, especially when compared with what it’s like a decade later. While it’s actually easier to date in your 30s in the sense that you know yourself better, by the time you reach a certain age you’re just, well, SATC’s Charlotte said it best: “I’ve been dating since I was 15. I’m exhausted. Where is he?” Sheer exhaustion is the reason going to bars is a no-go most nights—especially given the inevitable epic hangovers and a lack of single girlfriends with whom to wing-woman—but luckily, this is the digital age, so we can meet lots of men without ever leaving our Netflix accounts unattended. Here, 12 apps to try if you find yourself single—and ready to mingle—in your 30s (plus, how to take a perfect selfie for your profile).
Homepage Image: Adam Katz Sinding
Coffee Meets Bagel
In a recent study, analytics company Applause ranked apps based on their user reviews, and this one came in third, which is promising. While the app once sent daters only one match per day, which was helpful for those who feel the 'shopping' element is a little icky, it recently switched things up so that men receive 21 matches per day whereas women receive just five. Before you delete it based on this inequity, know that the well-intentioned people at Coffee Meets Bagel made these changes based on user feedback—apparently, men like quantity and women like quality. Shocking!
If you don't want to lose the serendipitous aspect of real-life dating, you should probably sign up for Happn. This app promises to match you to people with whom you've crossed paths in the non-virtual world, somehow making things feel a little more organic. If you, like us, live in a sprawling city like Los Angeles, you know how important convenient geography can be in terms of making a relationship last.
Sparkology requires that men be graduates of top-tier universities in order to join, which feels a bit gross considering it doesn't have the same standards for women. Men are also subjected to a points system, which is purported to help ladies know which ones are serious (a feature we can definitely get behind). In order to join, technically you must be invited by a current member or the Sparkology team, but if you click on the 'Join' button, you're asked to link your Facebook profile for evaluation.
We don't think anyone should be ashamed to be 'caught' online dating; however, some of us may not so much appreciate our colleagues or future colleagues knowing what's up in our romantic lives, so the fact that The League hides your profile from LinkedIn and Facebook contacts is a big plus in our book. Another thing we like about The League? The platform kicks people off if they're not actively dating: No looky-loos allowed. The League has recently shifted its strategy somewhat to become events-focused, as it's hoping to transition into something akin to a members-only club like The Soho House rather than just a dating app. The League is only available in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, and its waiting list is allegedly 100,000 people long. Good luck!
Most of the women we know who frequent dating apps at present are on Bumble and report good experiences—it ranked fourth on that aforementioned list based on user reviews. This app is known for tasking women with the first move (once a match has been made)—which is great if you'd like to reduce the number of obscene things total strangers feel justified in using as pickup lines on some apps. On another note, Bumble's just announced the launch of BumbleBizz this fall, which is basically swipe-based networking. We're intrigued.
If you're one of the 'old people' who has gotten on board with Snapchat in a big way, you might want to try Lively, the newest app on the market. We have a feeling its demo will skew 20s, so if you're looking for a slightly younger man, this could be the perfect platform for you. Your Lively profile will pull videos and images from various apps on your phone and edit them together to tell a complete story about you. The app comes to us from the creators of dating website Zoosk.
If you think your life is a rom-com, or should be, Tindog might be the app for you. It matches your dog with another dog, which is definitely the perfect setup for a meet-cute if ever we've heard one. Something to consider before joining, however, is how hard it is to be rejected in online dating. Now imagine how hard it will be for you when your beloved, perfect pet is rejected, as happened here. We just don't want you to get hurt....
If you're into astrology, Align is pretty fun, and it'll save you the trouble of finding out your signs are incompatible down the line. We don't know how serious the contenders are on this platform—we don't use it as, to be honest, we barely even know our own sign—but if nothing else it will provide a welcome distraction from the tedium of scouring the digital universe to find your cosmic match.
OkCupid has a patented Compatibility Matching System, which uses complicated algorithms to pick your matches. Given that all we've been doing thus far to pick our men is saying, 'He's hot,' we can't help but think this would be an improvement. Though you can choose to select less commitment-focused options in terms of your dating goals, OkCupid tends to feel more adult and therefore more serious in nature than other apps. This can be a good thing if you're looking for someone who will step off the dating carousel with you at long last. It was also ranked number one by Applause in terms of user reviews.
According to Time Magazine, 82% of Match users were over the age of 30 as of 2014. This has likely changed somewhat given that in the same year, Match redid its mobile app to include features more akin to Tinder than OG Match. Still, Match tends to draw a more serious crowd than many other apps, in part because elements of the platform require payment.
Some of us have personal feelings about this one—which we won't share because, diplomacy—but suffice it to say that you will definitely meet a specific type of person on this platform. Raya is exclusive and basically requires that you have a cool job, know cool people and have a lot of those cool people following you on Instagram. If that sounds like your kind of filtration system, we say go for it. Just be warned in advance that it's unlikely that the attractive celebrity with whom you're matched will be dating only you anytime in the near future.
We recently added Canada to our list of countries worth moving to. Maple Match hilariously promises to enable your move north by partnering you with a Canadian. We're pretty sure this app is a joke—you can only join the wait list for now—but we're hoping someone invents it for real, stat.
By our 30s, ideally we've broken bad habits and patterns and are now only dating people who would make appropriate partners. If you, however, laughed out loud at that statement (we did), you might want to consider signing up for Wingman. This app leaves the fate of your dating life in the hands of your friends, who are the sole deciders when it comes to who you will or will not go out with. We're guessing the results of such an experiment would be vastly different than anything we've experienced while steering our own ship, and we're so down to find out.
I can't claim to be an expert on finding true love, but I know one thing for certain — dating app skills are a must-have when you're looking for that special someone. If you’ve been single anytime in the last few years, chances are you’ve dabbled in app dating (or at least watched over your friend’s shoulder as she swiped through her Tinder matches). I’ve always found that world a bit daunting, but I have friends who seem to know just how to craft the perfect message or snag that great first date. I'm often asking for their best dating app tips, and they've helped me spruce up my profile and think smarter about who I'm swiping right on. Honestly, it’s improved my success rate.
As a woman in my 20s, I know my dating app profile is super important. It’s great to have the ability to meet so many people with just a swipe of the thumb, but it can also feel super overwhelming at times! Many women are pros at navigating dating apps with ease, and I knew they’d have tips to share about how they find great prospective partners. With a little practice (and some insider knowledge from these ladies), you can become a certified expert at dating online. Open up your profile and get ready to swipe right, because you’re about to feel more confident than ever.
I always ask people their top three songs — music is super personal, and you can see where their heads are at. Like this one guy, all his music was super dark and creepy, and I was like, 'pass!' even though his pic was super cute.
— Haley, 24
Don’t be afraid to be the first to reach out!
— Valerie, 24
Mention one to two things that are really easy for anyone to comment on (tacos, beer, The Office) and one to two things that are much more obscure but very important to you (your favorite book/movie/etc.) That way, almost anyone has something to talk about when they message you—but if someone shares your super obscure passion, you know immediately you have someone really great.
— Victoria, 24
Be straight up with the person you’re talking to! If you don’t tell them you’re only looking to hook up, they’re not going to know that. Same goes for the opposite!
— Patty, 24
My bio includes the line, 'BTW, don't worry, that's not my girlfriend in the third pic.' I put it in because it’s funny, and it gets people to swipe through my pictures! It’s also a little surprising, so hopefully it makes an impression. If you're funny and weird in real life, don't be afraid to be funny and weird on Tinder, too.
— Julia, 20
Check in with yourself about if you are wanting to really meet people from there. If you do, great, get swiping! Hone in on one or two people to talk with, and make your plans one you’ve talked for a bit. If you don’t really want to meet people, consider what you want before logging in and swiping, because I found that this is what burnt me out on dating. I got really exhausted because I was always swiping and talking and going on a date here and there, because I didn’t check in with myself to really understand what I was looking for. Now that I do, they’re a helpful tool!
— Hannah, 23
Best Dating Apps For Late 20s Women
Actually go on dates! The whole point of the app is a tool to meet people. I never understood why people would go on them just for attention and talk in circles but never meet. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and have that ‘get to know you’ convo in person, so be bold and be the first one to ask someone out after just a few exchanges. I got lucky and found someone great on a first date, but hey, if it’s horrible, you’ll have a great story to laugh with your girlfriends about after!
Men Dating In Late 20s
— Mackenzie, 23
The hell yes/no rule of thumb: If after a first date you aren’t saying ‘hell yes’ to a second date, then it’s a ‘hell no.’ He can be a perfectly nice person, but still not be your person. Reserve your energy and second dates for your person.
— Hillary, 26
Patience is key! More likely than not you are going to have to swipe and swipe and swipe for a good while. It can me exhausting, ego crushing, and truly a second job. You’ll go on some good dates and some 'what in God’s green Earth was I thinking' dates; however, it just takes the right, right swipe to change everything. Coming from experience (AKA currently seeing someone I’m excited about), apps can and do work! Just keep swiping!
— Caroline, 28
Don't take tips or advice too seriously. Don't worry and stress about, 'What kind of pictures do guys like? Does this make me sound weird?' Ultimately you want to find someone that likes you for you. So just be you and do what makes you happy!
— Morgan, 22
What matters most is that you're putting yourself out there in a way that feels authentic. Every person has a different idea about what that looks like, and that's OK! You'll have the greatest success on dating apps (and dating IRL) when you're being fully yourself, regardless of what anyone else tells you to do. Take these tips to heart, and use them as you please — but at the end of the day, girl, you do you!