The Best Dating Apps 2026
There are a large number of dating apps out there, so it can be tricky to find the right one for you. We’re here to break down the top apps across a variety of categories, and detail the paid features of each one.
If you’re also keen on changing up your smartphone, our wide range of handsets has you covered.
Best for long-term relationships – Match
Pros
• Useful filtering features
• Profiles are extensively vetted to provide peace of mind
• Catered specifically to those seeking a long-term relationship
Cons
• On the expensive side
• Slow profile approval
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
We recommend Match for building serious and longer-term relationships for several reasons, one of which is its demographic. By quite some margin, people that use Match tend to skew older and are often prepared to invest in building a connection, which sets it apart from other apps where this isn’t always the case.
Match also comes with several features that promote safety and help bridge the digital gap between users. ‘Vibe Check’ lets you perform a video chat with potential dates before engaging on that first meet-up, and ‘Match Events’ highlights in-person gatherings where you can get to know people away from your phone’s screen. We like that Match puts the effort in to being folk together in ways that don’t just involve swiping.
Best for casual dating – Tinder
Pros
• Significant userbase that has been built up over many years
• Simple and easy to use
• Extremely polished and intuitive interface
Cons
• The best features are buried behind a paywall, making the free experience feel quite weak
• Fake accounts are fairly common
• Not ideal for those seeking a long-term relationship
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
When you thinking dating apps, you probably think Tinder. The app has been around for well over a decade by this point, and been ubiquitous with modern dating, Tinder has one of the largest pools of users out there.
We’ve picked Tinder as our top casual dating app in large part because its userbase is looking for casual connections. Of course, this won’t be the case for everyone on Tinder, but the ease of swiping left or right when checking profiles makes it a prime candidate for those wanting to casually see who’s out there.
A significant bugbear, however, is that basic features such as seeing who has swiped on you are locked behind a paywall. Yes, a lot of apps do this, but Tinder’s example is particularly egregious. Despite this, it’s still one of the easiest apps to just install and get going.
Best non-swiping app – Coffee Meets Bagel
Pros
• The focus on delivering groups of matches - rather than swiping – helps set CMB apart from the crowd
• Matches feel much more personalised and intentional
• Small-but-invested userbase
Cons
• Expensive paid tiers
• Not many ways to engage with the app outside of the small match batches
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
Coffee Meets Bagel is one of the lesser-known dating apps, but we were surprised to find that it offers one of the best experiences; particularly if you’re tired of the traditional swiping apps.
Rather than giving you profiles one by one that you either swipe left or right on, CMB presents a batch of daily matches. We found this to be a more personal experience, as it removes the habit of swiping without really getting to know the profiles you’re seeing. The userbase of CMB is much smaller than many other dating apps, but conversely, people tend to be more invested.
Overall, CMB is a great alternative dating app if you dislike the swiping model that’s so common across many dating platforms.
Best for in-person dating – Breeze
Pros
• Greater focus on in-person dating
• Your daily matches are small in number, encouraging you to consider each one carefully
Cons
• Breeze is a relatively new app, so finding a match might take a while
• Not available in every town or city
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
The aim when downloading most dating apps is to eventually meet someone in person, but with Breeze, that is the core feature. After creating your profile, you’ll be presented with 3-5 people that you determine whether to move forward with; so far so good. However, Breeze is all about going on that first date rather than starting chats, so the choice you’re making feels far more impactful.
When you do match with someone, you’ll both agree on a local destination, who is paying, and the activity. By default this is ‘go for a drink’, and the fact it’s all done via the Breeze app ensures everyone is on the same page.
This all helps to differentiate Breeze from the myriad other dating apps, but it’s worth noting that it hasn’t been around for long and your potential dating pool might be much smaller. In-person date arrangements are also not available in every area yet.
Best for safety and letting women lead – Bumble
Pros
• Women are in charge of the conversations and have to message first
• Incredibly versatile, with options for finding friends or networking alongside dating
• Speed dating in-app events that encourage quick icebreaking
Cons
• Matches are only around for 24 hours
• Similar to other big-name apps, the paid subscriptions are expensive and contain many basic features
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
The major feature of Bumble that has defined it for many years is the way chats function. After matching with someone, the chat won’t begin until the woman decides whether to move forward, which is fantastic for safety and can help cut down on unsavoury first messages.
Bumble is very much designed to help women lead conversations when looking to date. For men, this can mean a lot of waiting around, but there are a variety of ways you can meet people alongside the standard swiping such as in-app speed dates. These are also useful given that matches only last for 24 hours.
Similar to Tinder, you will need to pay to unlock most of Bumble’s features such as unlimited likes and seeing who swiped on you.
Best for detailed profiles and icebreaking – Hinge
Pros
• The deepest selection of icebreaker questions and ‘get to know’ prompts of any app
• Unique voice note and poll features
• Excellent filtering tools, such as the ‘Hidden Words’ function
Cons
• Expensive paid tiers
• Requires a lot more effort than simply writing a bio
Platforms
• Android Play Store
• Apple Store
Hinge stands out for a number of reasons, from its premium-looking interface and deep profile tools to excellent filtering functionality. In our experience with the various dating apps, Hinge allows for the greatest level of expression and building meaningful connections from the start.
The amount of prompts to build your profile is extensive. You can add fun icebreakers like ‘where would you travel back in time to’ and even upload a voice note to showcase your personality. With such a variety of features, it’s incredibly easy to create a unique profile that other people can engage with.
Credit to Hinge as well for creating a fairly robust free version of the app, with access to many of its core features. If you pay for a subscription tier, you get additional features like appearing as a priority match; not essential, but they’re there if you want them.
Conclusion
It’s a cliché, but there really is a dating app to suit everyone. Regardless of which you go for, it’s essential that you keep yourself safe when chatting and meeting with potential partners.