The Best Dating Apps for 2021

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With the beginning of the new year, and the fight against COVID-19 still ongoing, many new singletons have turned to online dating.

Although coronavirus has changed the dating scene drastically, with numerous lockdowns and social distancing measures preventing people from meeting in person, online dating has experienced a significant boom.

But which dating app is the right dating app? Which one best suits which types of people? Here, we explore just that – looking into the best dating apps for 2021.

 

The Top Dating Apps for 2021: 

 

  • Tinder
  • Hinge
  • Facebook Dating
  • Elate
  • Happn
  • Taimi
  • Bumble
  • Inner Circle

 

Tinder

 

Tinder-dating-app

 

When thinking of dating apps, one of the first that springs to most people’s minds is Tinder. Introduced to a college campus back in 2012, the platform now boasts 6.6 million subscribers with over 400 million downloads.

Tinder was initially thought of as the go-to online tool for those wanting to meet their significant other, however has now expanded its reputation as a place for anyone and everyone to meet new people.

With Tinder, users have to create a dating profile, including photos of themselves, their name, age and general location. Users also have the option to include other personal details, including their job, their education, as well as links to their Instagram and Spotify.

You can also adjust Tinder’s search settings to your own preferences – including age range, location range and which gender(s) you’d like to connect with.

 

Hinge

 

Hinge-dating-app-product

 

The self-proclaimed “designed to be deleted” Hinge is known as a dating app to find relationships through.

On its platform, Hinge aims to help users meet their most compatible matches and have unique conversations with them related to the details provided in users’ profiles.

The platform currently boasts an impressive 3 out of 4 first dates leading to second dates, their mission statement being:

“In today’s digital world, singles are so busy matching that they’re not actually connecting, in person, where it counts. Hinge is on a mission to change that. So we built an app that’s designed to be deleted.” – while not much of the “in person” connections are happening at the moment, Hinge still offers a great way to connect with like-minded singletons.

 

Facebook Dating

 

Facebook-Dating-App-logo

 

While many dating apps give users the option to set up their accounts through the social media giant Facebook – Facebook Dating already is Facebook. What we mean here is that Facebook Dating is a part of the Facebook app, with those wanting to use it simply having to opt in to access this feature.

One of the positives about Facebook Dating is the fact it already has your basic personal details – so setting up your dating profile is a breeze compare to other, similar apps. However, if you’d like to change these details for your dating profile you can.

Through Facebook Dating, you’ll have to enter in a few preferences, including the gender(s) you’re attracted to (if Facebook doesn’t already hold this information), age range, distance and more.

The user experience is claimed to be very similar to other popular dating apps such as Tinder, having the option of liking or rejecting potential matches after exploring their dating profile.

 

Elate

 

Elate-Dating-App

 

Elate tried to remove the unpleasantness that can often come with online dating – known as the ‘anti-ghosting’ dating platform.

Its founder, Sanjay Panchal, claims that Elate was “designed to encourage more thoughtful and respectful dating at a time when rudeness and ghosting have become all too common.” And in-keeping with this design, the app consists of various different features to encourage better behaviour, including:

  • Only three chats allowed at any given time.

  • Updates on when users end conversations to talk to someone new.

  • Matches users on both looks and personality.
  • Users are able to give Elate private feedback on chats that end so they can improve the way they find matches.

Overall, Elate offers a more respectable online dating experience, with everyone knowing where they stand, and ghosting avoided at all costs!

 

Happn

 

Happn-dating-app-platform

 

Happn offers a unique experience from other dating apps, flagging up profiles of potential matches that users have crossed paths with.

Whilst in the UK users can’t currently explore the app’s true potential – e.g. getting in touch with the person you locked eyes with across a busy bar, or didn’t have the courage to ask out in a packed tube carriage – it can help people meet others whilst going on local walks or doing their food shop.

Happn gives users the perfect way to meet crushes they have in the local area. The app states: “We believe fate is what brings two people to the same place at the same time, but we know that it can be difficult to actually connect with that person when you cross paths. That’s why we created a tool to make the process easier.”

 

Taimi

 

Taimi-dating-app-logo

 

Taimi is a dating app, and so much more. Taimi is one of the biggest social platforms for the LGBTQ+ community, boasting nearly 9 million users.

Taimi has a range of different features to accommodate to its users’ various different needs and interests. From helping users to find both friendships and relationships through Finder, to sharing thoughts, ideas and stories through Digest, there’s a whole host of different ways the LGBTQ+ community can enjoy Taimi’s platform.

One of the main goals Taimi tries to achieve through its app is making users feel safe and secure on the platform. To succeed in this, Taimi offers Taimi Safe, and multiple user verification levels.

 

Bumble

 

Bumble-dating-app

 

Much like some of the other dating apps explored throughout this piece, Bumble also has a unique selling point – the women made to make the first move when matching with the opposite sex, and with this, as Bumble claim “shifting old-fashioned power dynamics and encouraging equality from the start.” 

The user experience of Bumble works much like typical dating apps, with profiles of other users offered up for you to either like or reject and ultimately find matches with.

However, dating isn’t the only thing on offer at Bumble. Users can also take advantage of Bumble Bizz, helping people pursue career changes, become mentors or meet team members, and Bumble BFF, where people can build new friendships with those in their area.

 

Inner Circle

 

Inner-Circle-App

 

Branding itself as “the dating app for people who are serious about getting together” Inner Circle attempts to match users on their values and interest. Each profile on the app is screened to check that they’re real and serious about dating, helping to ensure users are making genuine connections with real people.

On top of this, Inner Circle also host a variety of different free and paid events – with ski trips and summer BBQs offered in the mix.

The app is available in over 40 cities across the globe, and boasts over 10,000 happy couples since launching.