Best Dating Sites for Serious Relationships: Find a Perfect Match
It’s not hard to have a one-night stand. Even if you’re “Forever Alone,” it’s not that hard to visit OnlyFans and see some action.
But here’s what’s difficult: finding meaningful connections. That’s why we decided to review the best dating sites for serious relationships.
The best dating sites for serious relationships can’t guarantee you happiness. But what they can do is encourage you to meet and connect with someone special, someone who “gets you.”
We don’t mind giving you a sneak peek. The best dating site, in our opinion, was Zoosk. But don’t take our word for it. Let’s consider each of the dating apps one by one.
Best Dating Sites for Serious Relationships
First Look
We will review all these top dating sites, even those that aren’t traditionally associated with serious relationships but based on user testimonies.
1. Zoosk – Overall #1 of the best dating apps
2. eHarmony – Top algorithm of all online dating sites
3. Dating.com – Across the world soul mate-finder
4. FriendFinder – The most LGBTQ-friendly option
5. Elite Singles – Meet someone educated & successful
6. Silver Singles – The top choice for seniors and pre-seniors
7. Coffee Meets Bagel – Best free app for women looking for love
8. Tinder – Best friends with benefits finder
9. Tawkify – The best success rate of any matchmaker
10. Bumble – Best free app for men looking for something serious
1. Zoosk – #1 of the Best Dating Sites for Serious Relationships
Pros
- Video sharing & dating community
- The best search filters for any app
- “SmartPicks” algorithm is made for meaningful connections
- Diverse age groups
- Available as an app or desktop website
- 40 million members
Cons
- Limited free version
- Somewhat pricey
Pricing
- $13.32/mo for 3 months
- $11.66/mo for 6 months
- $10.83/mo for 12 months
Zoosk has evolved into something more than just a dating site. It’s now a virtual speed dating community, built on video sharing. It’s one of the best ways to get to know someone beyond just looks.
The Zoosk Live! feature lets you broadcast yourself, follow your favorite Zoosk members, and join groups of other people to experience events together. Some users have even created speed dating games via video chat.
It has brought a community spirit to the dating site, with people getting to know each other as personalities and friends, and relationships second. This makes it ideal for finding friends with romantic potential, especially if you find other Zoosk Live users locally.
Even better, you can mix the video chat experience with the traditional filtered search. Get to know the person in video chat and connect for more serious date talk in Zoosk Dating.
Zoosk’s algorithm is also one of the best in the industry, as the system studies your user behavior and makes AI-smart recommendations on what dating patterns seem to matter to you.
Zoosk isn’t overly scientific about dating algorithms. But it is a very practical dating site with a video streaming community that makes you feel welcome and puts you a virtual bar of fun dialog and real-life talk.
Find out why Zoosk is the best dating app for a serious relationship!
2. eHarmony – The Best Matchmaking Algorithm for Serious Relationships
Pros
- The most advanced matchmaking algorithm
- 50/50 male and female ratio
- Compatibility Score rates each relationship’s potential
- Icebreaker prompts
- One-on-one video chat
- 50 million members
Cons
- Fairly long questionnaire
- Long-term contracts
Pricing
- $7.96 for 24 months
- $11.96/mo for 12 months
- $18.36/mo for 6 months
eHarmony is often touted as the best dating site for serious relationships on account of its many success stories. We’re talking two million marriages, two million messages sent each week, and every 14 minutes someone falls in love.
The scientific-minded dating site operates by matching users’ “core values”, which according to most dating experts, predicts a long-lasting marriage.
While other sites might go for shared interests and lifestyle habits, core values usually don’t change. eHarmony also offers a host of fun features for online dating and getting to know a person.
You can video chat one-on-one (more old school than Zoosk, but still the way some people prefer it) and even send each other smiles or icebreaker photos to start a chat.
eHarmony has a free version, though some features are limited. The site lets premium members have unlimited messaging, unlimited photo sharing, viewing, and a distance search. Free members don’t get full profiles or the ability to see who viewed your profile.
The Compatibility Score predictor tool is also a nice touch since you can get expert advice on the potential of a new match.
eHarmony is the most well-known dating app in the online world, and for good reason. Whereas every other app goes for physical attraction and the nearest location, eHarmony is all about finding long-term relationships for when you’re finished dating for fun.
Find out why eHarmony is known as the most successful dating site for smart matchmaking!
3. Dating.com – Top Online Dating Service for International Romance
Pros
- Meet and chat with people across the world
- Outgoing people that make the first movie
- Watch live broadcasts completely free
- Broadcast yourself
- Send virtual gifts that are exchanged for currency
- “Let’s Mingle” sends out icebreakers to multiple people
Cons
- Some members are models only – not looking to date
- It’s not cheap
Pricing
- $19.99 for 150 credits
- $150 for 600 credits
- $300 for 1500 credits
It’s certainly not a new trend – many singles have found that their dream date and soul mate is literally across the world! But living in a time of global cooperation and convenience, why not take advantage of the opportunity to travel?
Dating.com gives you that opportunity, letting you meet, video chat, and charm someone who’s a world away. With your free membership, you can watch live video broadcasts of both Popular Members (or models) and singles looking to date.
Yes, it’s not a cheap dating experience. In addition to buying “virtual gifts” (which do convert to currency for the other person), you’re also talking about traveling to meet your date – even if it’s thousands of miles away.
There are also some “models” or “broadcasters” who are just using the site to get famous, make money, and flirt the time away. So be sure only to choose the tab that says “Profiles” and not “Broadcasts” if that’s an issue.
Still, for a lot of singles, Dating.com offers the opportunity of a lifetime and a chance to see if your one true soul mate really is a world away.
4. FriendFinder – Top Relationship Dating Site for Queer Women and Men
Pros
- Top dating app for LGBTQ singles
- Top dating app for non-monogamous couples
- A fun social media-friendly interface
- Blogs, chat rooms and forums
- Video intros & video streaming shows
- 90 million members in the parent network
Cons
- Pricey
- Not much of a free preview
Pricing
- Gold $15.82/mo for 6 months
- Gold $19.98/mo for 3 months
- Gold $34.94 for 1 month
FriendFinder is one of the most inclusive and welcoming dating sites in online dating. It’s especially appealing to queer women and men, non-monogamous or alternative lifestyles, as well as kink-friendly matchmaking.
FriendFinder is a PG-rated matchmaking site that turns the virtual dating scene into a social media-friendly community. You can chat about hot topics in the forums, live chat with members from all over the world, or read member blogs about their everyday lives.
The community aspect and social media dating experience is a great way to break the ice, make friends, and create serious relationships out of your online connections.
Even better is the adult dating sites’ NSFW version of FriendFinder, which is called AdultFriendFinder (owned by the same network) and caters to all sorts of kinks and people looking for fellow kinksters. Plenty of kinksters want serious relationships and not flings!
Not only can you define your own gender and sexuality, but you can also search for couples and groups, for swinging and open marriage arrangements.
That’s the beauty of FriendFinder. It’s the most open-minded virtual dating community worldwide. This is the best example of finding love on your own terms!
5. Elite Singles – Best Dating Site for Lonely Career Professionals
Pros
- Serious relationships – especially career professionals
- Comprehensive personality test
- Daily matches & wild card recommendations
- Unlimited messaging
- Most users have a college degree
- 12 million members
Cons
- No member photos for free version
- Not as friendly to 9-5 working singles
Pricing
- $44.95/mo for 6 months
- $57.95/mo for 3 months
- $59.95 for 1 month
If you’ve ever dated someone that was fun but just didn’t have any career goals in mind, then Elite Singles has heard your voice. The dating website was not only designed for serious relationships and compatibility but also for long-term and stable relationships.
Namely, the union between two hard-working professionals who are missing something in life. Unlike sugar dating websites, this is not a website for rich meets beautiful. It’s for elite meets elite!
Elite Singles is geared towards office professionals who are wise enough not to date around the office but still admire some qualities of dedication, ethical behavior, and effective communication.
The dating site’s questionnaire is based on the “five-factor model of personality,” a well-known personality test often used to match people with marriage-minded mates, as well as career paths.
Not only do you get daily matches, but you also get a few “Have You Met?” wildcard recommendations just to make sure you’re not missing out on a good opportunity.
Elite Singles doesn’t give much of a free preview and does blur photos of members until you join. But Elite Singles does get you started in the dating pool, working around your schedule to help you find someone who deserves you.
Find successful and like-minded singles at EliteSingles.com
6. Silver Singles – Best of the Online Dating Sites for Seniors
Pros
- Geared toward seniors and pre-seniors
- 85% of members are over 50
- 85% of members have college degrees
- Open to all people regardless of job
- No one under 45 is allowed
- 13 million members
Cons
- Limited free preview
- No video chat
Pricing
- $12.95/mo for 6 months
- $17.95/mo for 3 months
- $29.95 for 1 month
For anyone who ever had a problem with Elite Singles’ elitism, enter Senior Singles. The concept is almost the same since Spark Networks handles both online dating sites.
But whereas Elite Singles is for office executives looking for serious relationships, Senior Singles is geared towards anyone and everyone. That’s regardless of education, background, job title, or financial status.
Senior Singles is also one of the friendliest communities in the online dating world, with over 50 senior profiles you won’t see anywhere else. It’s the top-rated of all the dating apps for seniors and also the most trusted brand.
You get daily recommendations (based on a five-factor model personality test) as well as wild card recommendations for people nearby that you might click with.
While the site is not exclusive to educated or successful people, because of the age range group, you’re more likely to meet a college graduate and retired executive who just wants companionship and affection. Lots of fun conversations in the best years of your life!
The online dating site is designed with simplicity in mind, as well as a comfortable layout that works as a dating app or a desktop/laptop computer as well. It’s a comfortable site for boomers and late Gen-Xers.
Find out why Silver Singles is the most popular senior dating site in the world!
7. Coffee Meets Bagel – Best Dating Site for Women
Pros
- Less swiping – more smart matchmaking!
- Ideal for serious and meaningful relationships
- Premium members get more matches
- Send virtual bouquets to get noticed
- LGBTQ friendly
- 10 million members
Cons
- Not as many matches as other apps
- Some fake profiles
Pricing
- $20/mo for 6 months
- $25/mo for 3 months
- $35 for 1 month
Coffee Meets Bagel is a very authentic dating site that seeks to keep it real, even asking for your real name in addition to an honest and current photo.
The algorithm is based on “dealbreakers,” meaning that once you filter out the “wrong types”, you will never see them again. This is both a pro and con since it will limit your selection, but at the same time, it will lead to better overall matches.
For example, men and women use the dating site differently. Men get more matches overall, while women get a curated list of men who already liked their profile and will be a good suitor.
Every day at noon, you get a list of potential partners or “bagels.”
Not only are dating profiles detailed, but you also get an “activity report” on each member to see how active they are on the app. The report lists whether they chat very often, if they send the first message, how recently they logged in, whether they meet via phone or in person, and how soon they reply.
Thanks for the intel, CMB!
Of all the dating sites, it’s the one most realistically geared towards women looking for a local relationship that’s going somewhere.
Visit Coffee Meets Bagel and see why it’s one of the best free dating apps for women!
8. Tinder – Best of the Dating Apps for Friends with Benefits
Pros
- Good for finding serious friends with benefits
- Add social media accounts for trust
- Share your music playlists
- Tag your interests
- Many women say “serious relationship” only on their bio
- 75 million members
Cons
- No serious dating algorithm is at work
- Lots of fake accounts
Pricing
- Tinder Plus – $4/mo for 6 months
- Tinder Gold – $12.50/mo for 6 months
- Tinder Platinum – $8.33/mo for 6 months
You might think it’s a strange paradox that Tinder is on a list of serious relationship dating sites. But according to many users, Tinder is the top dating app for finding friends with benefits.
Of course, when people think of serious relationships they don’t always mean marriage, family, or traditional romance. Sometimes, they just mean romantic, sexual, and, most of all, emotionally intense relationships.
They want recurring romance with a trusted partner, but their definition of “serious” may be a little more complicated.
Tinder is also not as shallow as you might think. While a lot of it is based on looks, you can also add your tagged interests next to your bio, connect your social media accounts, and even share playlists of your favorite songs.
Tinder really lets you find the “friend” before the benefits start, and Tinder Plus only adds more features that help you improve your love life.
You can get profile boosts, see who viewed you, see who liked you, and direct message without a mutual match.
Tinder may not be #1 on our list, but it deserves a special mention for being the most downloaded and popular app – which exposes your profile to more potential matches overall.
9. Tawkify – Best Option for Online Daters Tired of Online Dating
Pros
- Personal and human matchmaking
- 80% success rate
- The highest-rated dating site on Trust Pilot
- Background checks of all members
- 200K happy couples and counting
- 10 million members
Cons
- Very pricey
- So “serious” there’s no room for casual dating here
Pricing
- Packages starting at $3000
- Up to $70,000
With 200,000 success stories and plenty of video testimonials with happy couples, Tawkify has been making big waves in a short period of time. The site is not just a matchmaking site, but a consultation with the dating experts working at Tawkify.
As soon as you join, you are paired with a dating expert who is your guide and mentor, as you start your journey to find a long-term love. The team doesn’t just match you. They learn you. They interview you and find out your core values.
Then, the team gets together and uses human intelligence to screen each potential match. It’s truly a throwback to the old days, before AI dominated the online dating industry, when people played matchmaker for other people.
Not only does the company vet your potential partners, but they also custom create a dating experience ideal for you and your selected match.
Your feedback is also taken into account, to improve upon the next potential match and dating experience. You also get date coaching from your matchmakers, whom you meet by name.
The price is scary, yes. But this site is made for people where “money is not an issue,” but finding true love has always been a challenge. It’s ideal for people who are tired of dating apps but have not given up on romance.
Don’t give up – give Tawkify your “one last chance.” This is real-life dating, and it will work.
Find out why Tawkify has the best success rate of any online dating service!
10. Bumble – Best Dating App for Guys Looking for Serious Relationships
Pros
- Women make the first move
- Add friends & business acquaintances
- Message first with Bumble Premium
- LGBTQ friendly
- Video chat
- 50 million members
Cons
- Limited time to respond to matches
- Premium is pricey
Pricing
- $19.99 for 1 week
- $39.99 for 1 month
- $25.66/mo for 3 months
Bumble is often cited as one of the best dating sites for serious relationships for women since women make the first move, at least on the free version.
However, it’s actually a better dating site for men – assuming men are charming, intelligent, and have some degree of self-respect and self-control!
If fact, many women find quality dates on Bumble since they know they don’t have to deal with a flooded inbox of moronic one-word responses and dick pics. Mutual matches ensure that you only talk to people who find your profile attractive.
Now it is true. Bumble Premium allows users to message users directly. It’s a pro and con at once since it gives men the option to think of a clever one-liner and reach out first, but it also gets rid of Bumble’s best feature.
Regardless, thanks to BFF and BIZ mode, you can also connect with work associates and platonic friends…who may someday become relationship possibilities. Who knows?
Make as many connections as possible at the best free dating site for men, Bumble!
11. Our Time – Best Free Dating Sites Choice for Seniors
Pros
- Made for seniors & pre-seniors over 50
- Free version with “Reply for free” options
- Premium members get unlimited messages
- Moderated profiles
- Filtered searches
- 8.9 million members
Cons
- Pricey
- Site is hard to get used to
Pricing
- $12.99/mo for 12 months
- $20.11/mo for 6 months
- $25.99/mo for 3 months
Our Time is another senior and pre-senior dating site, this one owned by Match Group and in direct competition against Spark Networks and Silver Singles.
Our Time definitely takes a minimalist approach and starts the questionnaire almost as soon as you visit for the first time. It asks you a series of questions about yourself with fun graphical choices to keep it short and sweet.
From there, you define your ideal partner and upload some photos.
As far as free dating apps go, Our Time does give you more options than most other free dating sites. You can send limited messages per week. You get up to 12 daily matches. You can send unlimited likes and you can even see who gave you “Super Likes.”
Most free dating apps don’t give you these perks, so Our Time was smart to charge for unlimited messaging, along with other premium features. Subscribers can look forward to seeing any and all members who like you, “read” receipts, boosted profiles, and unlimited “rewinds.”
While the difficult layout could use an overhaul, Our Time is still a competitive answer to Silver Singles.
Visit Our Time and enjoy one of the best free dating sites for seniors!
12. Plenty of Fish – Best Site for a Dating Game and Dating Events
Pros
- Get to know each other in conversation
- Play online dating games like Cue’d Up
- Live video streaming
- Multiple ways to search
- Free dating site with mutual matches
- 150 million members
Cons
- Free dating app is limited in features
- Limited free version
Pricing
- $7.13/mo for 12 months
- $14.26/mo for 3 months
- $21.39 for 1 month
Plenty of Fish is all about having fun while virtual dating, and stepping away from the traditional messaging system that most dating sites use.
While POF does let users meet the traditional way – speaking of filtered searches, swiping, and browsing nearby profiles, there are also more modern features.
Much like Zoosk, Plenty of Fish has its own video-sharing community called “POF Live!” where you can broadcast yourself or talk to popular singles who are going live.
POF has also started a new feature that many other dating apps are just now following – a dating game! Cue’d Up is a “fill in the blanks” dating game played for laughs that are played between you and a few other potential dates.
It works like a dating version of Cards Against Humanity, and people are having loads of fun. No wonder the site has 150 million members – the all-time champion!
Plenty of Fish is all about creating serious romance built on shared interests, the same sense of humor, and enjoying each other’s conversation on an online dating experience.
The dating site’s devotion to making people chatter more and get to know each other beyond the physical makes it one of the best dating apps for icebreakers and laid-back, “getting-to-know-you” chat, with heavy flirting optional.
Visit Plenty of Fish, the biggest dating pool with icebreakers that are actually fun!
13. Christian Mingle – Top Option for Christian Dating
Pros
- Not just serious relationships – serious Christian relationships!
- Find like-minded singles with the same Christian faith
- Free members can respond to premium users for free
- Simple interface with browsing and profiles
- Or try Lookbook, the Christian version of swiping
- 16 million members
Cons
- Not much interest to non-Christians
- Not LGBTQ friendly
Pricing
- $24.99/mo for 3 months
- $34.99/mo for 6 months
- $49.99/mo for 1 month
Christian Mingle is the most successful Christian dating site and is also aligned with Spark Networks, one of the largest networks in the online dating industry. The site specializes in matching “real-life Christians” with other Christians.
This means not only meaningful relationships but also a romance that honors God and the high morals of the Christian faith.
Since 2001, the dating website has been growing and now counts over 16 million Christian members, all seeking a companion who shares Christian values.
Not only can you scan for single Christians, but you can also see what branch of Christianity they come from, whether it’s Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, Catholic, or Non-Denominational.
Next to the person’s religion is their career profession, demonstrating their work ethic and work lifestyle.
All in all, Christian Mingle is a great site for Christians who find other dating sites a little too provocative.
Find a meaningful connection that’s good with God at Christian Mingle!
14. JDate – Best Dating App for Jewish Singles
Pros
- Jewish matchmaking for over 20 years
- Find meaningful connections & long-term love
- Find someone who shares your passions & beliefs
- Moderated profiles
- J-Life resource for Jewish Dating FAQs
- 750K members
Cons
- Fairly small population
- Not much interest to non-Jewish singles
Pricing
- $29.99/mo for 6 months
- $44.99/mo for 3 months
- $59.99 for 1 month
J-Date is one of the most honest dating sites out there, going so far as to say all of its photos used in advertising are of real couples who met using the site.
The site is made for Jewish singles looking for a long-term relationship and true compatibility. Jewish culture is very family-oriented, with time-honored traditions. It’s only practical then to date someone who understands Jewish culture.
Beyond that, the site helps its members to find a compatible partner in personality, in addition to a good family match.
That means that dealbreakers, lifestyle habits, career choices, and viewpoints on religion and politics are taken into consideration. You can even customize filters to include important questions about keeping synagogue attendance and kosher eating.
Much like other dating sites that have religious or cultural niches, this is a site that earns its investment on exclusive profiles alone. You won’t find these dating profiles anywhere else.
You can swipe anonymously or do a filtered search for the perfect match.
JDate is a must-try dating app if you’re looking for a Jewish partner but don’t like the broad feel of other dating apps.
Visit JDate and see why it’s the most popular dating app in the Jewish community!
Criteria for Choosing Apps for Serious Relationships
- Quality of Profiles: We looked for real profiles with members who wanted something real
- Best Dating Apps Algorithm: The more scientific and practical the matchmaking, the better!
- Best Dating Websites for 40+: Older demographics are more inclined to want serious romance
- Paid Dating Site vs. Free Site: Free sites were favored, but premium sites had to be worth it
- Special Features: What were the most original features that benefitted serious romance?
- Online Dating Sites Pricing: Pricing per month, as well as discounts for longer contracts
Best Dating Sites for Serious Relationships: FAQs
Wondering what these dating apps have to offer? We’re answering your questions!
What’s the best dating app for a committed relationship?
The best dating app for a committed relationship really depends on what you want.
Many believe eHarmony has the best scientific method of matching partners together based on shared core values. However, Zoosk has an exciting new live video-sharing community for singles that sparks great conversation.
Are you more of a social animal or a one-on-one? That might be the best question to answer as you start trying out various dating apps.
Here’s some suggested reading on how to determine the best dating sites.
Which of the dating apps has the best success rate?
It’s difficult to measure the overall success rate of dating apps.
We do know that eHarmony boasts two million marriages and a match every 14 minutes.
However, Match.com has been around longer (since 1995) and could rival eHarmony in total success by the numbers.
But are we counting successful couples who stayed married or just people who started a relationship but later broke up?
Tawkify has a great 80% success rate, but it’s a much smaller company at the moment.
What really matters is which of the dating apps works for your relationship goals.
What does it mean when you’re looking for a committed relationship?
When you’re looking for a serious partnership, it simply means this is not going to be a one-night stand, a fling, or even a short-term relationship.
You want this to be serious, committed, and somewhat long-term – even if the relationship is not going to last for years on end.
Many people simply want their new partner’s full attention and want to see the relationship thoroughly explored, even if it has an expiration date.
A committed relationship doesn’t always mean love or marriage. But sometimes, that is the long-term goal. The best thing to do is just to ask your potential partner what they want out of the experience.
What are the most popular dating sites?
The most popular dating sites, according to total downloads, are Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.
However, Plenty of Fish and FriendFinder (and Adult Friend Finder) have the most members overall.
What is Dating app fatigue?
Dating app fatigue refers to the mental burnout that happens after repeatedly using dating apps. That’s the whole dating process, including “swiping” for hours a week, making small talk via text, and yet not getting the desired experience you hoped for.
The New York Times wrote an article about dating app fatigue and how many users have not found the results they had hoped for. In fact, a recent Pew Research study found that almost half of all dating app users have had “somewhat negative experiences” on dating apps.
Remember, there’s nothing wrong with taking a break from dating – even if it’s for months on end. Sometimes, a little downtime and “me time” can help you break away from the stressful routine. Get out of your own head and take some time to think about the past and the future.
By the time you come back and focus on committed relationships, you may have entirely different results.
Conclusion – The Best Free Dating App Can Help You Find Real Love!
For many people, there comes a point when casual dating just isn’t fulfilling anymore. Once the novelty of casual sex wears off, you start to realize that emotional companionship with someone you deeply care for is the most rewarding experience.
That’s why these dating apps are going in a different direction than casual dating apps. While many offered great potential matches, we found that Zoosk’s combination of smart matchmaking and live video speed dating was the most fun approach.
If you’re looking for a serious relationship, don’t just say, “I don’t know what I want yet.”
Determine in your heart that you want something real, and let these top-rated dating apps help you!
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