You might not find the love of your life (although you could!), but you will definitely have fun. And what better excuse than the Day of Love to download one of the best dating apps and find someone interesting?
If you’re totally new to the world of dating apps, do you know where to start? That depends on a few factors, such as your age and what you expect from online dating.
Looking for a serious relationship? We recommend avoiding apps aimed at – or commonly used for – flirting, such as Tinder and Pure, and opt for those that offer a paid membership. Apps like Match and Hinge tend to attract members who are looking for something more serious than a fling. Or download a local dating app like Happn, if you’re keen to discover potential matches in your neighbourhood.
These same unofficial rules also apply to older people; paid apps tend to attract a more mature audience, so avoid “swipe right/left” apps in favour of those that ask you to include a little more than just a photo in your profile.
People under the age of 18 will often find that dating apps require you to be at least 18 to use them, and while there is often no age verification process, the requirement is for your own safety, so it is advisable to respect it. Apps like Kippo and XO, where the focus is not just on dating, but on sharing interests, activities and games, would be our recommendations for young people looking for online dating, but you should check the terms and conditions before downloading apps and signing up.
1. Fairytrail
Fairytrail is a relatively new app aimed at remote workers, digital nomads, and travellers. The app claims that 93 percent of its users are fully mobile or aspire to lead this lifestyle. So if you never last in one place for long or would like to travel more, this is a great way to meet a like-minded partner.
You can sign up with your Google or Facebook accounts; then an animated owl will ask you a few questions about yourself. The profile digs a little deeper than those on other dating apps, asking you questions like, “What’s the riskiest thing you’ve ever done?” and “What values matter most to you?” just for being sure that you are not looking for a London escort. You’re then asked to choose a Fairytrail character from a selection, each with their own personality type – like Rapunzel (sassy) or Pocahontas (open-minded). Download three photos to your profile – one should show your face and one full body – and you’re ready to go.
You can start browsing profiles or set your preferences. You can choose which character you’d like to meet, such as Aladdin (ambitious) or Peter Pan (youthful), or you can filter profiles by age, gender, current country, mobility, religion, ethnicity and more. You won’t be able to chat until you pay your one-time $2.99 registration fee.
If there is one criticism of this app, it is that it is not particularly inclusive. When you create your profile, you can only choose between two gender options, male or female, which is bound to put some users off the app. There have also been some complaints that the small fees you pay for some activities add up quickly and that there is not much information about this when you download the app. Fairytrail also seems to focus a lot on looks, with a guide to what is attractive on the photo download page, in addition to the requirement to download a full body photo.
2. Heybaby
Heybaby is a dating app for those who have children or for those who want to have them one day. If that’s you, you’re in luck. Unlike other apps where you have to ask the awkward question “So… um… do you want kids?”, here you know that they definitely do want kids, or already have them. This app is a great place for single parents to connect with others, but it’s also ideal if you want to start a family in the near future and don’t want to waste time with those who don’t think like you.
Heybaby was founded by Diko Daghlian, Chas McFeely, and Rene Van De Zande, the three parents who decided that conversation about kids should be key when you’re looking to date. The app also asks you questions about your lifestyle, your work, travel preferences and interests, in a bid to connect with those whose lifestyles are compatible with yours.
The app was launched in San Francisco, so if you live in that city, you may find a goldmine, as those who live in big cities are more likely to find someone who thinks like you than those who live in rural areas. At the moment, the app is only for iOS, but an Android version is expected to be in the works soon.
3. Tinder
Some other websites may be older, but Tinder is undoubtedly the most famous dating app. As such, it is an obvious choice for our list of the best dating apps. As successful as it is at creating long-distance relationships and successful marriages, Tinder has been accused of changing the dating world into something of a pick-up game. But it is the King of dating for a reason and the first choice for many people looking to date online.
Fortunately, the Tinder app no longer requires you to have a Facebook account, but you do have to be over 18. And once you’ve enabled the app, you can set up a profile consisting of a 500-character biography and up to six images (we suggest always including a photo).
You can also link your Tinder account to your Instagram and include information about your work or studies. You can also find some Melbourne escort services profiles hidden between the people in Tinder.
In addition, in the settings you can set some preferences about who you see. Then the real fun begins.
Tinder will show you a photo, name and age. By tapping on the photo, you can access additional information about the person and whether you share any friends on Facebook.
You can also choose to swipe right if you like them, swipe left if you don’t, or use one of your “super likes” to show that you are genuinely interested.
If the other person likes you too, a screen will pop up to show you that you’ve matched and allow you to send them a message. Most of the time, though, you’ll be flipping through different profiles as if you were changing channels while watching TV.
Recently they also added video chat which allows you to check out your match before you meet them in person. The free membership comes with limited swipes and you’ll have to sign up for Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold to get features like unlimited swipes.
It’s worth noting that Tinder actually has one of the best user interfaces when compared to any similar app. The photos are great, the app is fine and profile creation is fairly straightforward.
Overall, Tinder would get an A+ for its variety of features. Also, no one can send messages unless they have also expressed interest, which means you don’t get messages you wouldn’t like to receive. Also, many people are actually willing to meet in real life, which is not always the case with this type of dating. Also, Tinder is possibly the most popular dating app.
