Strategy

How to figure out which dating app is the least annoying, the most convenient, and the best to help you find love

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Dating apps aren't all the same. AYA images/Shutterstock
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  • Dating apps can be overwhelming, since there are so many different options.
  • Apps like Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, and Match all fill different dating needs, and work differently.
  • Below are the most popular dating apps in the US, as well as what each one does and who should use it.

When Match.com debuted in 1995, it was pretty much the only option out there for digital daters.

Now, it can seem like a new online-dating service comes out every day. And if you really wanted to, you could spend hours trying out each one in order to figure out which suits your purposes best.

But that's kind of inefficient.

We asked app analytics firm Apptopia for data on the most popular dating apps (in terms of unique active users in February 2018 in the US) and did research of our own to figure out what makes each one special.

Apptopia also provided some demographic data for each app so you know who you'll find there. Across the top 15 dating apps, 40% of users are between ages 19 and 34. But some apps skew older or younger.

Below, you'll find a list of the top 15 dating apps, what exactly they do, and who will get the most out of them.

Note: All the apps are free to use, with the option to upgrade for additional services. 

How to choose the perfect dating app for you
Jenny Cheng/Business Insider

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Shana was a correspondent for Insider, where she covered career development and workplace culture.In 2022, she published "Don't Call It Quits" to help professionals who feel stuck in their careers find greater happiness at work.Shana spearheads the HR Insider series, for which she's interviewed talent chiefs at Microsoft and Goldman Sachs, shared tips from an ex-Googler on knowing when to change jobs, and demystified the hiring process at Salesforce. She regularly publishes news analysis; past topics have included burnout among US workers, gender and racial dynamics within HR, and the hybrid workplace.She has moderated programs at Chief and the Harvard Business School Club of New York and has appeared on Cheddar and Bold TV.Before beginning her career in journalism, Shana studied English and psychology at Brandeis University and received her master's degree in English literature from Columbia University.
Jenny Cheng was a graphics intern for Business Insider. She also does graphic design for FanMail, a geek subscription box for women.