AS the colder months approach, it's the ideal time to get yourself out there and date, with the season of cozy fireside nights in and walks in the park as the leaves fall.
To help you meet your match, we've rounded up the best dating sites out there, including the best for long-term relationships and mature singles.
Whether you are getting back on the dating scene after a breakup or are looking for the one, dating sites are one of the best ways to find yourself a match.
Online dating opens you up to a huge demographic of singles from all over the world looking for the same things as you.
We're playing matchmaker and have rounded up the best dating sites for professionals, and mature singles, as well as for casual and faith-based dating.
Best dating sites at a glance
- Our top pick: eHarmony
- Best for meeting wealthy singles: Seeking
- Best for serious relationships: eHarmony
- Best for mature dating: Silver Singles
- Best for educated singles: Elite Singles
- Best for casual dating: Adult Friend Finder
- Best for international dating: Zoosk
eHarmony
- eHarmony – sign up here
Our top pick for those looking to get into the dating game seriously is eHarmony, which is the best choice for singles seeking a long-term partner.
Claiming to have helped over 2 million people find love online, eHarmony is one of the most popular dating sites out there with 2.3 million messages sent among matches weekly.
On signing up you'll be prompted to answer 80 compatibility questions on your likes, dislikes, communication style, and motivations to match you with those aligned with you.
While the basic membership is free, to unlock unlimited matches, see full profiles, and send messages you'll need to upgrade to a paid membership starting from $35.90.
Best for: Long-term, compatibility matches, Membership cost: 6 months for $65.90 per month, 12 months for $45.90 per month, or 24 months $35.90 a month
Seeking.com
- Seeking.com – sign up here
Seeking is described as a luxury dating site for those looking to meet successful, wealthy, and attractive people.
It has over 40 million members across 130+ countries worldwide. It's free to sign up and start 'browsing' but if you want to contact someone you'll need to sign up to the platform and pay $50 to get verified.
The community has been described as 'super active' and the verification process is thorough, so you'll have peace of mind that people are who they say they are.
Best for: Meeting successful and attractive people, Membership cost: free to sign up, then $50 to become a verified member. Premium membership: 1 month $90/month, 3 months $80/month, 6 months $70/month
Match.com
- Match.com – sign up here
For those with specific criteria, the best pick is Match.com, which has extensive preferences that allow you to narrow down the dating pool and connect based on your criteria.
You can set up the account with a free membership and will be prompted to answer a series of questions about you, your interests, and your values.
The free membership is limited though, so to get the most out of the site and access premium features you'll need to purchase a membership which starts at $21.84.
The beauty of Match.com is you can save time by getting specific about what you want in a partner and the premium features will allow you to send unlimited likes, see who likes you and view read receipts.
Best for: Criteria search Membership cost: Standard for $21.84 per month or Premium for $23.11 per month
OurTime
- OurTime – sign up here
Geared towards those over 50, OurTime is a great option for mature singles looking to start dating.
The site matches users based on their personality traits and shared interests to ensure you find a meaningful connection.
Unlike some other dating sites, OurTime doesn't have a daunting interface with too many bells and whistles; it keeps things simple with large text and images.
Memberships start from $34.96 per month, but you can save by opting for a longer plan and accessing premium features such as 'ConnectMe'.
ConnectMe gives users the opportunity to connect in new ways and gets them talking off of the site with a unique phone number for each user's privacy.
Best for: Mature singles, long-term Membership cost: 6 months for $95.76 or $34.96 per month
Christian Mingle
- Christian Mingle – sign up here
As the name suggests, Christian Mingle is a faith-based dating site that matches users based on shared Christian values.
Having started back in 2001 the dating site has proved popular with over 15 million members to date.
The site uses a feed-based interface and singles can match with other Christians who are fellow churchgoers, share similar values, and have grown to include LGBTQ+ Christian users.
Memberships start from $49.99 and allow users to send and view messages, apply read receipts, browse anonymously, and hide their profiles.
Best for: Faith-based dating, long-term Membership cost: $49.99 per month, 3 months for $95.99, 6 months for $149.99
Zoosk
- Zoosk – sign up here
Zoosk is our top pick for international dating with over 40 million registered users worldwide.
If you want to put your love matching in the hands of an algorithm, then the site promises to find you a match by learning from your preferences using a feature called 'SmartPick'.
The adaptive matching technology recommends potential matches by ‘learning’ from the profiles you like or dislike to narrow down the dating scene.
You'll need a membership to make the most of this feature, with prices starting from $10 per month, which you can pay monthly or upfront for a year.
Best for: Preference-based matches Membership cost: $10.00 per month or one payment of $119.99, 3 months for $19.98 per month or one payment of $59.95
Adult Friend Finder
- Adult Friend Finder – sign up here
Not everyone on the dating scene is looking for long-term connections, casual and short-term arrangements are also a big part of the online dating world.
Adult Friend Finder is the best place to go if this is something you are looking for, with open and transparent users looking to connect.
You can do a lot with the site without paying for a membership, including messaging users, replying to emails, and visiting chat rooms.
But you can access more user content and join in more chat room discussions with a membership, which starts and $14.95 per month for 12 months or $24.95 for a monthly membership.
Best for: Casual matches, short-term Membership cost: $24.95 per month, 6 months for $19.95 per month or $90, 12 months for $14.95 per month or $180
Elite Singles
- Elite Singles – sign up here
Elite Singles is aimed at educated and busy professionals between 30 and 55 and boasts over 12.5 million users worldwide, including over 4 million in the US alone.
It claims to generate at least 1,200 success stories each month, matching single professionals with its algorithm and personality assessment.
Upon signing up you are asked 84 questions evaluating your personality which is used to send you between three and seven top matches each day.
Memberships start from $16.95 and allow users to access more of the site, including leaving comments on profiles, unlimited messages, and read receipts.
Best for: Professional singles Membership cost: $44.95 per month, 3 months for $22.95 per month, or 6 months for $16.95 per month
Jdate
- Jdate – sign up here
Jdate is the top faith-based dating site for the Jewish community and aims to match users to strengthen the Jewish community and ensure Jewish traditions are sustained for generations to come.
Members are able to target specific Jewish affiliations such as Conservative, Hasidic, or Reform as part of their search to match with singles who align with them.
Memberships start at $59.99 per month and allow you to take full advantage of the site to view full profiles, send and receive messages, hide your online status, and even browse anonymously.
Best for: Faith-based dating, long-term Membership cost: $59.99 per month, 3 months for $134.97, or 6 months for $179.94
Silver Singles
- Silver Singles – sign up here
Silver Singles is our top pick for mature singles who are looking to get back on the dating scene or seeking a long-term partner.
Our favorite features include the personality test that users are prompted to take upon signing up, which is used to send you matches that align with your values and goals.
We love that Silver Singles matches you with three to seven users per day so you can find a meaningful connection.
Only for singles aged 50 and up, there is no sifting through users out of your age range or compatibility, and with the premium membership, you'll get access to read receipts and unlimited messaging.
Best for: Singles over 50, personality-led matches Membership cost: 3 months for $44.95 per month, 6 months for $34.95 per month, 12 months for $24.95 per month
HER
- HER – sign up here
With over 4 million users worldwide HER is one of the biggest dating sites for lesbian and bisexual women looking to find love and or community.
There is the option to sign up for free and a paid membership to unlock the full site and premium features, with prices starting at as little as $7.50 per month (making it one of the more affordable options).
Describing itself as a hybrid dating and social media app you can get a feel for singles in your area through the 'communities' section to post photos and have discussions.
You'll also get access to features like 'rewind' to look back on profiles you didn't match with initially, and even an incognito mode to search anonymously.
Best for: Lesbian and bisexual dating, Finding community Membership cost: Premium $14.99 per month, 6 months for $10 per month, 12 months for $7.50 per month
What is the best dating site?
While there are some great dating sites out there, the best one for you is the one that matches your goals, so if you're looking for something long-term or are dating over 50, there is a site for you.
But if you are looking for faith-based dating or for a casual fling there is a dating site that matches what you are looking for.
Which dating site is best for serious relationships?
Our favorite overall is eHarmony for users looking to get into the dating game seriously and find something long-term.
It has helped over 2 million people find love online with a huge 2.3 million messages sent among matches every week, so you'll be sure to find someone for you.
We love its compatibility test that matches you to people based on your likes, dislikes, and communication style.
Is Ourtime dating site free?
While signing up to Ourtime is free to communicate with other users you will need to opt for a paid membership, with prices starting from $34.96 per month.
You'll get access to 'MatchMe' to see if the interest is mutual before you reach out and 'ConnectMe' to contact users outside of the site securely.
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How to introduce yourself on a dating site
One of the most daunting aspects of online dating can be reaching out to matches, as the old adage goes, you can't make a second first impression so it's essential to get it right.
Instead of opting for the basic 'Hey, how are you?' try reaching out with a mutual interest or lead with a question based on your matches profile. This way you not only break the ice but stand out from the crowd.
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