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37 Dating Apps You Will Actually Want To Use In 2023, From Bumble To HER

From the standard ‘swipe right’ apps, to personalised platforms that match you with likeminded farm fanatics.

and Sidonie Wilson
best dating apps
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Let’s face it, online dating is a bit of a minefield, no matter whether you’re newly single, prefer to meet someone in a bar rather than them sliding into your DMs, on the search for a short-term romance or a long-term relationship.

The pandemic made dating less accessible, but as the world has reclaimed freedom following a lockdown-stricken world, there's more opportunity to start over again, pick up where you left of and feel comfortable reaching out to people, as a way of forming deep connections, finding love and fostering healthy relationships.

There’s a lot of choice when it comes to navigating the dating app pool and, as we all know, finding romance is a bit more complicated than a simple swiping right (or left) of the thumb on Tinder. Now you have to construct witty profiles on Hinge or make the first move on the app Pickable. There’s one for country-lovers, one for creatives and there’s even exclusive apps for A-listers (which prove more difficult to get on that finding love itself). But not all apps are exclusive to romantic matches with platforms like Bumble having a business buddy and BFF networking feature to boot.

According to Bumble's latest research, 2024 is set to be the year of 'self' in dating, with more than half (57%) of women surveyed (25,000) going into the new year with a clear view of what they want from their romantic lives. After all, it's better to do the work on yourself first and figure out what's right for you before getting into a relationship, right?

Dating apps are a bit of a necessary evil, for those of you who struggle to find the time to meet someone IRL. Like most things in life, it’s not one-size-fits-all. Tinder might be a bit old school, but thankfully, there’s plenty more fish in the sea when it comes to dating apps (and love, we hope).

Here are the best dating apps in 2023 you need to download:

1

Original Dating

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If you're looking for something a little bit different from a dating app which actually guarantees that you'll meet people in real life, then the Original Dating app may just be for you. Unlike its competitors, this app focuses on virtual and in-person speed dating events and parties, where attendees can expect to meet 15-20 people per event. Simply sign up to the app, register for events (entry starts at £10) and allow the app to do the rest of the match-making work for you.

2

Plenty Of Fish

As we're faced with more and more dating apps, it can be difficult to decipher which ones are worth investing money into. A major plus of Plenty Of Fish is it allow users to message any and everybody on the app without matching or subscribing, making it the place to be for those who want to chat with others users without the usual added costs.

3

Elate

35 best dating apps to download now 2023

Dubbed as the ‘anti-ghosting dating app’, Elate was launched in response to research that showed ghosting is the number one thing people hate about dating apps. It allows you to connect with three people in the hope of building strong and genuine connections, rather than amassing a list of potential matches you never speak to. If somebody you’re speaking to has moved on to somebody else, Elate will send you a friendly message letting you know, meaning you’ll hopefully never be in doubt.

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4

Snack

35 best dating apps to download now 2023

Best described as an amalgam of Tinder mixed with TikTok, video-based dating app Snack has introduced a feature designed to weed out serial ghosters. It works by ‘deprioritising’ profiles belonging to users with a poor track record. ‘Singles get reported when they ghost too frequently, so the more you ghost, the less your profile gets seen,’ Snack explains.

5

Lex

best dating apps to download now 2023

Lex pulls on the history of queer personal ads and, as such, uses the tagline ‘text first, selfies second.’ Users get a 34-character heading and a 300-character body, with the option to link to an Instagram profile. The entire thing is based on the Instagram account @personals, which posts text-based, user-submitted modern-day personal ads to its feed.

6

#Open

best dating apps to download now 2023
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As its name suggests, #Open is an app built on the concept of non-monogamous dating. For anybody who’s into polyamory, ENM or who just prefers to approach their love life with an #Open mindset, this app’s for you. The paid version of the app allows users to see who likes you first, gives you 15 Sparks a month to send to the ones who really catch your eye, and allows you to swipe using power grid access, where you can view multiple likes at a time. Oh, and they also host IRL community meet-ups, meaning you can meet your potential future lovers in-person too.

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7

Raw

best dating apps to download now 2023

Meet the BeReal of the dating world. Designed to recreate the feeling of seeing somebody for the first time, Raw enables users to take ‘unfiltered’ pictures to connect with potential matches. It will be these ‘Raw-thentic’ images that people swipe on, rather than a curated selection of other photographs you may have spent time gathering and honing.

We’ve had enough of fakes, filters, and ghosting. That’s why we brought back what matters most in dating: love. Rather than relying on carefully curated and potentially misleading photos, we ask users to post daily back and front camera photos,’ says Raw co-founder Marina Anderson.

8

Tinder Uni

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Launched in October 2022, Tinder Uni has arrived to transform the dating scene on campus. The app is different to Tinder insofar as it only enables current students to access the feature by verifying members through a user's university email address. '2022 is a record year for students going to university and with nearly three quarters of 18-25 year olds saying that they’re ready to mingle, it makes Tinder Uni the must-have partner this semester,' says Laura Wilkinson-Rea, Senior Director of Comms, UK at Tinder.

9

TapDat

best dating apps
TapDat

Before you eye roll at its name, hear us out for a second. TapDat unapologetically launched earlier this year as a pro sex hook-up app focussing on honesty, communication and consent. 'TapDat is on a mission to break down barriers, remove stigmas and make casual sex safer than ever,' reads its press release.

TapDat is free to use and works to provide users a safe space to connect with like-minded people who are looking to enjoy themselves.

When you sign up, you're shown a grid of people to connect with and can choose to view their profile to find out more about them, from their age, body type, and relationship status to kinks, interests, and even information on when they last tested for sexually transmitted infections.

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10

S’more

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S’more, which stands for ‘something more’, centres around meaningful dating and combating a superficial approach to finding a relationship. Users only get to see a blurred version of a potential match's profile pictures - that is until they start chatting. The more time you spend messaging each other, the clearer the person's photos become. It's emphasises forming emotional connections.

11

OkCupid

If you want to form a deep connection with someone and a relationship that lasts, OkCupid is the app for you. It focuses on connecting individuals who want serious relationships, but in a way that isn't intimidating. There is a screening process to assess compatibility, and while you don't have to pay for the app's basic plan, if you want an enhanced experience, you can upgrade your account to include deal breakers in your profile and send unlimited likes and browse anonymously.

12

Kindred

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Discussing with a potential partner whether or not you want children, might not be your first subject of choice on a first date. However, the Kindred app is on a mission to break down children chat taboos.

The app connects ike-minded singles who either don’t want or can’t have children.

Eleanor Brook-Hatch, communications director and co-founder of Kindred, says: 'We all want to find a partner who’s on the same page about the big stuff. Many apps claim to have great algorithms or search filters but you can rarely filter for people who don’t want kids or have to pay to do so. That’s not the case on Kindred.

'Everyone on the app is looking to meet and date fellow singles for a kid-free relationship.'

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13

eHarmony

eHarmony is a financial investment, yes, but it gives you a good chance of finding a serious match. First of all, you're required to complete a one hour assessment - because relationships can be hard work right? The questions asked are the real deal too, so rather than answering 'What's your type on paper?' you'll have to think about what you really want out of a relationship into order to give you the best possible chance of meeting someone with whom you can form a lasting connection. One thing is for sure: it focuses on commitment.

14

Match.com

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A go-to since the 1990s, Match.com is a trusted favourite, and while it was around during the internet's dial-up days, it has moved progressively into today's age. It continues to be attractive to people of all ages. The app, with it's focus on commitment initial attraction and chemistry, features signature elements such as an in-depth quiz and web-based version of software.

15

Feeld

If you're non-monogamous and are looking to have fun with people who feel similarly about dating as you, this app is for you. Whether you end up form a romantic connection or keeping seeing a person to see where things go, Feeld will help you do just that. Championing freedom and openness, it enable you to find out about other people's likings and go from there.

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16

Thursday

best dating apps
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Available to download from the App Store and Google Play, the Thursday app had over 110,000 users signed up in London and New York prior to its launch in 2021 due to simple yet effective dating ethos.

The founders of Thursday believe that the world is spending far much time on dating apps and created an alternative that invites users to match, flirt and date all on one day - you guessed it, Thursday. Messages and matches disappear at midnight on Thursday night so if you want a date then spontaneity is key here.

17

The Sauce

The Sauce is a dating app like no other insofar as it removes the need for photos and lets users upload videos to help them gauge someone’s personality and interpret their body language and voice to see whether there's a real connection.

‘The Sauce users can expect Instagram stories, Reels, the odd TikTok and playful videos usually filmed by someone’s mate thrown into the mix, allowing members to get to know their match before they’ve even sent their first like,' says co-founder Sachin Karia.

18

Victoria The App

best dating apps
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An online equivalent of a member's club, Victoria the App is the place to be if you want to make meaningful connections with fellow creatives.

With a networking and/or dating feature, Victoria helps users navigate new relationships and friendships (romantic and not), and will even invite you to in-person panel discussions at the likes of London’s uber chic member’s club, Home Grown, or DJ sets at Notting Hill hub, Laylow.

Think of Victoria as the digital version of Soho House.

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19

Jungle Dating

If you’re someone who feels intimidated by the mere thought of going on a date, one on one, then you’ll want to download the Jungle Dating app immediately.

Jungle Dating celebrates double, triple and even quadruple dating and allows users to create a group of up to four friends, match with other groups, and organise a group date.

A safe, stress-free and fun way of dating, this flips the dating landscape on its head and if a match doesn’t work out then you can still enjoy a night out with friends or even organise a date with another person from your dating group.

20

Bumble

Ladies, the power is all in your hands – a bit like Take Me Out, but the virtual version where you have 24 hours to respond.

Originally founded by women for women, Bumble challenges the antiquated (and often sexist) rules of dating – there's need to wait for the fella to make the first move. And it’s not just for finding your future husband or wife (fortunately Bumble now caters to same-sex and heterosexual couples) as the app has now added new features Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF, to help you find new colleagues and friends too.

The app's ban on any form of body shaming - any language that can been deemed as racist, fat-phobic, ableist, colourist, homophobic or transphobic - makes it a super user friendly dating experience for all.

Headshot of Katie O'Malley
Katie O'Malley
Site Director

Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more. 

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