Its striking visual design bears more resemblance to Instagram and TikTok than its rivals' earlys social network vibe. User profiles on Hinge contain all of the usual information one would expect in a dating app.

This modern design aesthetic means viewing a profile can take longer than on apps like Tinder, which encourages super-fast liking or disliking, but the experience feels more rewarding. Communicating with other users on Hinge is completely free. However, you can sign up for a premium subscription for more advanced search filters and the ability to see everyone who likes you instead of just a select few.

Download For:. Bumble is a popular matching service launched in and has well over 55 million users worldwide. What sets Bumble apart from the other dating apps and services on this list is its three individual modes allowing people to begin searches for friends, business contacts, or potential romantic interests.

This approach keeps inappropriate messages out of those conversations meant for socializing and work, but it also seems to attract more mature and professional orientated individuals to the dating searches. This is a massive boon for those dating over 50 or 40 and looking for someone who has their life together or is motivated to do so. One of the most popular dating sites for older people, Lumen, shut down in late and merged with Bumble.

This closure likely boosted the number of people using Bumble somewhat. However, the volume of search results is still low compared to those seen on Tinder and other dating sites.

Another minus is the temporary nature of matches and messages on Bumble, which can expire within 24 hours unless you pay for Bumble Boost. OurTime is a spin-off of Match dedicated solely to matchmaking for singles over the age of Every user must be over this age; those younger are redirected back to Match during the signup process. This singular vision for OurTime makes it a great place for those over 50 who know they want to be in a relationship with someone else around the same age.

Signing up for OurTime is fairly straightforward and only takes around 10 minutes. Facebook and phone number verification on profiles adds a needed layer of trust to online dating.

Zoosk is a popular dating service with a strong presence in over 80 countries. It features all of the usual search features as many of its rivals.

Still, it manages to set itself apart by emphasizing account verification, which is incredibly important in this age of online dating scams. Users on Zoosk can verify their account with their phone number and Facebook account. They can also apply to verify their profile photo, which is done by emailing a selfie video to the site admins. Tinder is one of the more popular dating services due to its ease of use and GPS functionality, which allows you to match with others in your area.

Signing up for an account only takes a minute or two and can be done using either a traditional username and password or by logging in with a Facebook account. Such limits include being limited to around 50 likes per 12 hours and unable to change your location. eHarmony is a premium dating service that places a strong emphasis on matching users with someone they could potentially spend the rest of their life with, making it perfect for those dating over the age of 40 or 50 looking to settle down.

All new users must complete an extensive personality test during the signup process, which covers everything from family and relationship goals to questions about how your friends see you and what random shapes you prefer over others in a kind of Rorschach inkblot test. I don't want to get overwhelmed. I don't want to be catfished too late! I don't want to date guys who live with their mom. I'm accomplished, successful, and awesome. I don't want to faff around. So, I consulted the experts ahead of time: a couple of year-olds who are Yoda-wise in the ways and pitfalls of online dating.

And while vaccines and boosters have made things easier than in the early days of pandemic dating, being on the same page about Covid is still another obstacle to overcome. I find that a lot of people either wanna message forever or meet right away, both of which are frustrating for different reasons," says Jessica, who is also So, armed with all that knowledge, much trial and error ensued. But from my numerous and genuine mistakes comes true firsthand knowledge.

Here's my take on the best dating sites for women over 40 who are looking to get out there. Tinder is not included. On purpose. Long story short? Unless you've got nerves of steel and the world's greatest B. monitor, you get what you pay for. When I first got into online dating, this is the site every friend assured me was the best. Plus, my best friend just married a guy she met on Bumble! It was founded by Whitney Wolfe, also co-founder of Tinder, as a way for women to control the online dating experience, and now has over 50 million active users in the U.

It's intuitively designed and shows a nice blend of photos and personal information without overwhelming you. There's a queue of people who have already seen your profile and liked you, but you can happily scroll through a massive amount of profiles who, for whatever reason, haven't seen you or didn't swipe right.

Its basic membership is free, but limited. My experience:. At first, I only picked from the guys who liked me already, but then I stopped caring. That was no way to operate in this dog-eat-dog Bumble world! But, I'll be honest. I hate that as the woman, I have to message first. It throws me off and makes me feel awkward. Over time, I stopped being shy and became a Bumble Banter Queen. Maybe too much so. I found I made a lot of text-based "connections" that didn't translate into real life.

Bumble made it easy to get involved with several guys over a stretch of time — a boyfriend, a semi-boyfriend, and a few flings — but nothing long-lasting. Word to the wise: In the 'About Me' section featured on every profile, they will all say they are looking for a commitment.

Many of them will be lying. Also, pay attention to the political view they share if that's important to you. I went on an inordinate amount of dates with Trump supporters before realizing to pay special attention to mentions of 'conservative' in their profile. Bottom line on Bumble? it's a great place to start your over online dating journey. It's where I've found the most dates, had the most sex, and the most disappointments, too. My coolest friends love Hinge. It started off more as a hookup app but an intensive rebranding and re-working transformed it into the rare relationship-focused dating site that doesn't feel too nerdy or earnest.

Rather than being forced to send messages in order to make contact, you can be a little more laid back in your approach by simply "liking" or commenting on stories or photos in a profile. Matches and conversations never expire, which is a plus. Let me get straight to the point: I got catfished on Hinge! A dreamy guy was messaging me sweet nothings, photos of his son my future stepson!

for days. Then, in a dramatic tone shift, he suddenly started asking if I could send him Amazon Gift cards. Ahh, so that's why you need an identity verification process! I may or may not have already sent him a topless photo and he may or may not have attempted to blackmail me. This is the benefit of being in my 40s. I told him to go nuts, send it to anyone he wanted. I mean, who cares? And I never heard from him again.

Nor did I ever use Hinge again. Hopefully, you'll have better luck than I did. eHarmony was started by a psychologist who saw the need for a more logical, compatibility-based online dating option for people genuinely looking for love. It's an antidote to the swipe-swipe looks-based madness of other apps. You do this by answering a question quiz about yourself, your likes, and your wants, and they match you up with your most compatible people from there.

There are also several free dating sites for this age group, with many available users all over the world. Here are eight free dating sites and apps worth spending your time on. Hinge genuinely feels like the beginning of the next generation of free dating sites for any age group. Its striking visual design bears more resemblance to Instagram and TikTok than its rivals' earlys social network vibe.

User profiles on Hinge contain all of the usual information one would expect in a dating app. This modern design aesthetic means viewing a profile can take longer than on apps like Tinder, which encourages super-fast liking or disliking, but the experience feels more rewarding.

Communicating with other users on Hinge is completely free. However, you can sign up for a premium subscription for more advanced search filters and the ability to see everyone who likes you instead of just a select few.

Download For:. Bumble is a popular matching service launched in and has well over 55 million users worldwide. What sets Bumble apart from the other dating apps and services on this list is its three individual modes allowing people to begin searches for friends, business contacts, or potential romantic interests. This approach keeps inappropriate messages out of those conversations meant for socializing and work, but it also seems to attract more mature and professional orientated individuals to the dating searches.

This is a massive boon for those dating over 50 or 40 and looking for someone who has their life together or is motivated to do so. One of the most popular dating sites for older people, Lumen, shut down in late and merged with Bumble. This closure likely boosted the number of people using Bumble somewhat. However, the volume of search results is still low compared to those seen on Tinder and other dating sites.

Another minus is the temporary nature of matches and messages on Bumble, which can expire within 24 hours unless you pay for Bumble Boost. OurTime is a spin-off of Match dedicated solely to matchmaking for singles over the age of Every user must be over this age; those younger are redirected back to Match during the signup process. This singular vision for OurTime makes it a great place for those over 50 who know they want to be in a relationship with someone else around the same age.

Signing up for OurTime is fairly straightforward and only takes around 10 minutes. Facebook and phone number verification on profiles adds a needed layer of trust to online dating. Zoosk is a popular dating service with a strong presence in over 80 countries.

It features all of the usual search features as many of its rivals. Still, it manages to set itself apart by emphasizing account verification, which is incredibly important in this age of online dating scams. Users on Zoosk can verify their account with their phone number and Facebook account. They can also apply to verify their profile photo, which is done by emailing a selfie video to the site admins.

Tinder is one of the more popular dating services due to its ease of use and GPS functionality, which allows you to match with others in your area. Signing up for an account only takes a minute or two and can be done using either a traditional username and password or by logging in with a Facebook account.

Such limits include being limited to around 50 likes per 12 hours and unable to change your location. eHarmony is a premium dating service that places a strong emphasis on matching users with someone they could potentially spend the rest of their life with, making it perfect for those dating over the age of 40 or 50 looking to settle down.

All new users must complete an extensive personality test during the signup process, which covers everything from family and relationship goals to questions about how your friends see you and what random shapes you prefer over others in a kind of Rorschach inkblot test.

Once the test is completed, eHarmony immediately matches several profiles with yours and shows you exactly how you matched and what you have in common. The Plenty of Fish website can be very confusing even for those who are used to online dating. Founded in , Plenty of Fish, or POF for short, is one of the oldest dating services online and boasts over 4 million active daily users. While Plenty of Fish is open to adults in all age brackets, its modern iteration clearly targets mature singles over the ages of 40 and 50 with detailed profile questions relating to past relationships, kids, income, and family specifically designed to make dating as an adult with experience easier.

Random profiles showing up in search results also happens on other dating apps, but the problem seems to be much bigger. LoveAgain is a solid alternative to many larger dating sites for those looking for a different ocean to cast their net in. Creating a new account is very fast and only requires answering a few basic questions and an email confirmation before you can dive in.

Searching for a potential partner on LoveAgain is simple and intuitive to navigate, with options to refine a search by distance and age made readily available. Impressively, LoveAgain allows users to add a filter for bisexual people, which is rarely seen on these dating sites, typically assuming that everyone is either straight or gay.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day. By Brad Stephenson. Brad Stephenson. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency. lifewire's editorial guidelines. Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr.

Tweet Share Email. Apps Best Apps Payment Services. What We Like. What We Don't Like. Use OurTime Online. Use LoveAgain Online. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe. Tell us why! More from Lifewire. Newsletter Sign Up.

Newsletter Sign Up. It's an antidote to the swipe-swipe looks-based madness of other apps. The first few months were horrendous. This singular vision for OurTime makes it a great place for those over 50 who know they want to be in a relationship with someone else around the same age. I resisted online dating until the very bitter end. I shut it down. Creating a new account is very fast and only requires answering a few basic questions and an email confirmation before you can dive in.

Categories:

• Best dating
• Dating website
• Dating sites
• Dating apps
• Free apps