Online Dating Apps & Sites: Where to Meet Up, Local Favorites & AI Companions
More than 350 million people use dating apps, and the right one depends on who you want to meet and where. We compare the apps and sites people actually use — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge and the local favorites in Asia and Latin America — test the AI girlfriend and boyfriend apps, and flag what to watch for before you meet up.
Swipe smart, not just often
Dating apps are powerful tools when used intentionally. Set healthy boundaries, avoid endless scrolling, and focus on meaningful conversations rather than match volume.
The apps, compared
Swipe apps, relationship apps, local favorites and AI companions — each linked to the review where we tested it.
The 10 most popular dating apps and who they suit
The apps with the biggest user bases, and the kind of dater each one works best for.
- Tinder Best for Casual dating and meeting people wherever you travel
- Bumble Best for Women who want to make the first move
- Hinge Best for Serious relationships built from detailed profiles
- OkCupid Best for Matching on values through in-depth questions
- Match Best for Daters over 40 looking for something long term
- eHarmony Best for Marriage-minded singles who want compatibility matching
- Plenty of Fish Best for Chatting and messaging without paying
- Badoo Best for Meeting people across Europe and Latin America
- Happn Best for Finding people you’ve crossed paths with nearby
- Grindr Best for Gay, bi and queer men looking to connect
Not-so-obvious picks
Two of our most-read editorial deep dives in this category.
AI roleplay chat apps with almost no boundaries
CrushOn, SpicyChat, Venice, Janitor and Backyard AI compared — memory, free-user queues, SFW vs NSFW modes and what happens to your chats.
Read the AI roleplay comparison → Local favorites · Asia & Latin AmericaSix dating apps with millions of users in Asia and Latin America
What to install before you land, from Tokyo to Bogotá.
- Tinder & Bumble
- Happn & Badoo
- OkCupid & Tantan
- See the six apps →
Online dating in 2026: trends, apps and meeting up
Online dating is now one of the main ways people meet. Around 30% of American adults have used a dating site or app — 53% of those under 30 — and one in ten partnered adults met their current partner online, rising to one in five among under-30s, according to Pew Research Center. Worldwide, more than 350 million people use dating apps, and the industry took in more than $6 billion in 2025, according to Business of Apps.
The market is shifting. Tinder is still the most-used app, with 46% of American online daters saying they have used it, but paying users at the biggest swipe apps have been falling, while relationship-focused Hinge grew its revenue by around a quarter in 2025. Newer apps built for Gen Z are gaining ground, and AI is moving into dating in two ways: inside the apps, helping write profiles and suggest matches, and as a category of its own, with AI girlfriend, boyfriend and companion apps.
Which app to use depends on what you want and where you are. Swipe apps like Tinder and Bumble suit casual dating and meeting people on the move; Hinge, OkCupid, Match and eHarmony lean towards relationships; and local favorites such as Tantan in China or Happn in Latin America often have more active users in their region than the global names. Community apps like Grindr and HER serve LGBTQ+ daters.
When a match turns into a meet-up, the basics still matter most: video call before you meet, choose a busy public place, arrange your own way there and back, tell a friend where you’ll be, and keep conversations inside the app until you trust the person. Be wary of anyone who asks for money, moves the chat off the platform quickly, or avoids meeting in person — the most common signs of a romance scam.
Sources: Pew Research Center; SSRS; Business of Apps; Match Group results.
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