There’s no single best dating app. The best one for you is the one where the people you want to meet already are, and that works the way you like to date: quick swiping, reading profiles, or talking first. Here’s how dating apps differ, and how to pick.
Apps change their features often, so this guide describes each kind by how it works, with apps that are widely known for it, as of the date at the top of this page.
Start with what you want
- What you’re looking for. Something serious, something casual, or seeing where it goes. Apps attract different crowds.
- How you like to start. Some people decide from a photo in a second; others want to read a profile or hear a voice first.
- Who you want to meet. People nearby or across town, people who speak your language, people at the same stage of life. Whichever app has more of them near you matters more than any feature.
- How much time you have. A few minutes a day suits a different app from a long evening of chatting.
How dating apps differ
Swipe through a lot of people
Big photos, a quick yes or no, and a large pool. Tinder is the best-known example; Bumble built its name on women making the first move and has since made that optional. Good if you want to see a lot of people; with that many, it can feel like a numbers game.
Read the profile first
Instead of only swiping, you like or comment on a specific photo or prompt, so every match starts with something to talk about. Hinge is the best-known example, and is often chosen by people looking for a relationship.
A few suggestions a day
A small number of people each day rather than an endless stack, as on Coffee Meets Bagel. It suits people who prefer slower, more considered matching.
Detailed profiles, long-term aims
Long profiles, shared-interest groups and questions about what you want in the long run. Pairs is known for this, and is often used by people who are thinking about marriage.
Talk first
Some apps start with a voice chat, a video call or quiz-style questions before you see much of what someone looks like. They suit people who want to know how someone talks before how they look.
What WhatsLeft does differently
Most apps show you who liked you. Few tell you why other people passed, unmatched or went quiet, which leaves you guessing at what to change. WhatsLeft is built around that answer.
- Your answer every Monday. Your WhatsLeft shows where people drop off, how far down your profile they got before passing and one thing to fix, on every plan, free included. We tell you why, and never who.
- Photo-first, like the swipe apps. A big photo with the name on it, and the whole profile as you scroll.
- Real people. Every account has a verified mobile number and passes a selfie check before anyone can see it.
- Matches that move. One of you has 24 hours to say hi, so matches don’t pile up unanswered.
- In your language. The app speaks English, Français, 简体中文, 繁體中文（香港） and 繁體中文（台灣）.
How to choose, and how to use it
- Pick one or two apps, not five. Spreading yourself thin means shorter replies and more chats that fade.
- Give each one a few weeks. The first days aren’t a fair test of any app.
- Judge by conversations and dates, not matches. A hundred matches that never reply are worth less than five good chats.
- Check the safety tools. Verification, reporting and blocking matter more than any feature.
- See what’s free. Know what you get before you pay, and what paying actually adds. WhatsLeft’s plans are laid out in full.
Whichever app you use, the hard part is knowing what isn’t working. Our guide to why you might not be getting matches is a good place to start.