Ready to say goodbye to being single in 2024? Or simply looking to meet new friends or someone to Netflix and chill with?

Online dating has become the most common way for couples to meet, and many people also use dating apps to make new friends. With so many dating apps out there, it’s important to know which one has the right features and crowd for you. Most dating apps are free to use, while some also offer paid subscriptions for premium features. Here is our 2024 editor’s guide to help you navigate the confusing market of dating apps!

• Most Popular: Bumble

• Best for IRL Dates: DayOne Dating App

• Best for Starting a Conversation: Hinge

• Best for Serious Relationship: Coffee Meets Bagel

• Best for Knowing Yourself: OkCupid

• Best for Women Finding Women: HER

• Best for Gay Casual Dates: Grindr

• The OG: Tinder

Most Popular: Bumble

Bumble is a dating app that allows women to make the first move. It is becoming increasingly popular among users who want more authentic not-just-hookup profiles than those offered by Tinder.

What’s so special: women need to start the conversation first. (In the case of a same-sex match, there is no special rule.)

The vibe: friendly and diverse. You will meet people from all kinds of backgrounds and with different objectives here, be it for serious relationships or casual flings.

Why we like it: the details. Yes, it is simple: swipe – match - chat, but if you look into the details, you will find the well-zoomed-in profile pictures, the countdown that pushes you to take action, and the fun prompt questions for starting conversations… All these details make Bumble a high-quality app that attracts people who appreciate its holistic design and its feminist values.

Best for IRL Dates: DayOne Dating App

Looking for great in-real-life dates? Tired of the nonstop texting that leads to nowhere? Try the new dating app DayOne! It is designed for people to meet up and have a great date, even without texting. DayOne is available in Hong Kong, and it will soon be available in your country too. Download now through this link!

What’s so special: DayOne uses AI to recommend the best date spot and time for you, so the two of you don’t need to text back-and-forth to set up the perfect first date.

It is also designed in a way that you don’t need to text with someone who does not have the intention to meet up. Goodbye, benching!

The vibe: genuine and lively! You will meet people, for real, meeting them in person. There are no attention seekers or heavy texters, only authentic ones who want to go out on a great date.

Why we like it: finally, an app that saves us non-texters. DayOne’s crowd is mostly young professionals who have busy schedules between work, friends, and hobbies, so DayOne really cuts the texting hassle for them.

Best for Starting a Conversation: Hinge

Hinge prides itself on being “designed to be deleted.” Its mission is to find you the last date and get you off the dating app. It is only available in a small number of markets though (for example, it is not available in Hong Kong).

What’s so special: users are required to upload six photos or videos and answer three personality prompt questions, so you can get to know the person better and it is easier to carry on a conversation.

The vibe: chic and straightforward. Although Hinge is one of the older apps than Tinder, its crowd is rather young and dynamic.

Why we like it: the simplistic yet useful design. You can like or comment on the specific photo or section in another’s profile before the two of you match, so it is more likely to spark a conversation than the usual dating apps that require a match first to start a conversation.

Best for Serious Relationship: Coffee Meets Bagel

If you are looking for a serious relationship, CMB is the app for you. I lost count of how many of my married friends met their other half through CMB.

What’s so special: it limits the daily profile number and uses mindful designs (such as no swiping) to slow down the pace, so people really spend time reading the profiles and getting to know the other person before they match.

The vibe: serious relationship only. You won’t need to deal with people looking for hookups or casual relationships if that’s not your thing.

Why we like it: with CMB’s clear proposition, it is effective for people to find a long-term partner there.

Best for Knowing Yourself: OkCupid

OkCupid has hundreds of personality questions in their database, which aim to help you understand your date better, and it uses them in the matchmaking process.

What’s so special: the thousands of fun and meaningful personality prompt questions that can go very deep, related to personal values, politics, relationship views, etc. When you match with someone, there is a percentage of how much you match based on your values.

The vibe: meaningful and sincere. OkCupid is one of the classic dating apps that was released before Tinder, so its users have a wide age range.

Why we like it: The personality questions not only help you to understand the date but also help you to understand yourself. It makes you think and reflect, which we believe is a great way for you to know yourself and what you are looking for in a relationship.

Best for Women Finding Women: HER

HER is a dating app for lesbians, bisexuals, and LGBTQ+. While queer people often use non-homosexual dating apps like Bumble or Tinder, HER is one the most popular lesbian apps.

What’s so special: it is not just a dating app but also a community composed of different topics feeds, groups, events, to connect with LGBTQ+ people with similar interests and values. It also disables screenshotting to secure the privacy of its users.

The vibe: real and authentic. With a large lesbian user base, it is easy to find like-minded queer women.

Why we like it: queer women are usually underrepresented in social media, dating apps, movies, or any social presence, which is why we love to see a great community built for them.

Best for Gay Casual Dates: Grindr

Grindr helps men meet other men in their area.

What’s so special: instead of swiping, the profile pictures are displayed as a waterfall and you can easily click into the one you are interested in to see more. The profile is straight to the point: position, sexual health status, where to meet, and whether they accept NSFW pics.

The vibe: hot and exciting. You will find all types of gay and queer men in the app who are down for “right now” or dating.

Why we like it: sex-positive and real efficiency. Look checked, tribe checked, position checked, and off you go!

The OG: Tinder

Tinder is not the first dating app, but it is the first to popularize swipe, mutual opt-in, and match design. It is the most installed dating app in the world.

What’s so special: the features are pretty vanilla, swipe - match - chat, and it works perfectly fine for meeting someone new.

The vibe: fun and casual. Tinder is the first dating app for many, so you will find all types of people there, and many of whom you will later see on other dating apps.

Why we like it: gamification at its best – the unstoppable swiping and matching, the fun color and design, and the variety of people you will meet.

Conclusion

If you have tried some of these apps before and are still looking, don't give up! It's never too late to find someone special. We hope this blog has helped you understand how many options are out there in 2024 for dating and meeting people online. Pick two or three apps to start today and try out which is the best for you!

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