Which Dating Apps actually work?

woman with afro hairstyle is cheering while holding her phone

There´s an app for that. Apple advertised this slogan 10 years ago. Whatever you desire and look for, there is a mobile version, Apple was right.

We shop while checking our bank account and matching with flirts on our smartphones, easy as pie. But to understand which dating services are worth the time and money, we need to try out different apps to get an overview over the crowded market.

We researched the best dating apps for you and explain to you which services actually work.

Are free accounts working as well as paid plans? Which apps are free of cost? Where can you match with suitable people?

These are some of the leading dating apps in the match-making market. Sign-up today for free:

Online Dating Apps that are worth a shot

We provide you with insights and help you with your decision. Which dating apps actually match their users with suitable flirts and which are not worth the try? We jumped into the deep end and summarized the dating apps that work for you:

Tinder

Ready to swipe and date? Tinder is known for its simple and scam-free service. Millions of members trust and match on Tinder all over the world. It´s like the mother of all swiping services and apps. It might be a little too casual and impersonal for people that are looking for a serious relationship, but for flirting around it seems like one of the best apps on the market.

Tinder is available for iOS and Android. The free version provides you with all the needed features like matching, messaging and swiping. Still, there are pro-points of a premium membership:

Your visibility increases
Unlimited likes and swipes
See, who likes you

Zoosk

One of the world’s favourite apps for online dating. Helpful features like the dating carousel allow you to match exciting new flirts. With the right amount of information, you get precise flirts fitting your desires. The mobile version is available for Android and iOS. Zoosk is the fifth most popular dating service worldwide and has 600,000+ users in the US. The app detects and mitigates bots for a genuine experience.

With this solid userbase it´s no wonder that Zoosk will provide you with suitable matches based on the personal data you provide. One big minus is that you can´t message others without purchasing a paid membership. Here are some more reasons for a premium membership:

See, who likes you
Using the chat feature
And, as it´s fundamental, messaging again

Adult Friend Finder

Launched in the 90s, Adult Friend Finder was one of the first, if not the first, dating services on the market. It launched as a social network under the name of ‘Friendfinder’ 7 years before Facebook. It developed into a casual hookup platform as most users looked for no-strings attached flirting.

AFF offers great free services like chats and interactions with others. The app is available for Android and downloadable on their site aiming at singles, married people and people in relationships who want to engage in sexual encounters without any obligations. The following services are free to use:

Liking profiles, photos and videos
Messaging in open chatrooms
Joining groups
Hotlisting other profiles

Bumble

It´s like Tinder, just more suitable for women. Women write first, if you want to get in touch, you´ll have to get your profile on point. In same-sex matches, both women can write first.

With a ‘women to men’ ratio of 50/50 and women having to make the first contact, it´s not surprising that the platform is known for having female users who want to find real love. While most of the services are free, you can get ahead of your competition with the following paid services:

Get SuperSwipes
See who swiped right on you
Rematch with older connections
Hold your connection for 48 hours instead of 24 hours

Match

As one of the oldest online dating sites with over 20 million users, Match has gained a trustworthy reputation. The US alone has around 1,3 million users and the majority of them are looking for serious relationships. Match offers some clever and fun features for an outstanding dating experience.

The feature MatchPhone allows you to call your matches on a fake phone number. This spiced up feature makes Match extraordinary as you get to hear your flirts voice without having to provide your real number. You match on a basis of personal information for a better overall experience. However, you have to pay for some features to get the most out of this app:

Sending and replying to Messaging
Finding out who has checked out your profile
Using instant messenger
Viewing entire member profiles

Badoo

A great network that includes more than just flirting and hooking up. More than 423 million users worldwide make this the world’s largest social flirting platform in the world. With its more than 1 million US-wide users, it´s also one of the largest dating apps in the United States.

The variety of features in the premium package makes it very convenient to use. We picked up some of the special features for you:

Invisible Mode: Browsing profiles and using the app without being visible for other users.
New Chat: let´s you talk to new members on Badoo directly, a great icebreaker
Undo the last vote: You can change your mind about your latest vote and change it
“Liked you” and “added you as a favourite”: You can see who likes or favourited your profile.

Ashley Madison

One of the most used dating apps for casual affairs. Ashley Madison is an institution in the online dating world and offers specific features that match the discreet needs of people who want to flirt and casually engage outside their relationships and marriages.

With over 60 million worldwide, AM has a huge and successful community for hook-ups and affairs. Women use all features for free. To get the most out of Ashley Madison as a man, you´ll have to buy credits. That´ll allow you to write freely with suitable flirts and to use the following functions:

Messaging: messaging costs credits
Priority Man: Stand out from the crowd, your profile will be highlighted in users’ search results
Travelling man: Get search results in the city or area of your trip-destination, send one message to 30 women at once

C-Date

The 2+ million US-based users are just one reason to start dating on C-Date. With its openly casual approach, the target users are open-minded daters. The app is available for Android and iOS, so you don´t miss matches on any platform.

It is simple and anonymous to use. C-Date is definitely one of the best working sites for no-strings attached dating. The offered features are smart and helpful while dating and flirting is discreet:

‘Ask me personally’: For obvious reasons some members want to disclose some information. This feature offers you to preset information in a disclosed form and only allow users access to this data with your permission.
‘My Erotic Type’: This feature allows you to show what kind of sexual kinks you are into. You can choose 5 of many suggested but clearly ambiguous pictures to hint at your hidden fantasies.

The recommended dating services are surely known for their discretion and security standards. Apps changed the way we date. Still, they can´t filter out all fake profile. Please check your chatpartners behaviour and profile with care and recognize red flags.

Even if the apps will hook you up with suitable flirts, it’s possible that you encounter a fake profile from time to time. To recognize fake profiles or even scammers, check our guide to avoid being scammed on hookup services.

There is an app for every desire, for more traditional approaches and for casual romantic encounters. You just have to pick the app of your choice and dive into the wild world of flirts, dates, lust and love. Enjoy!