The 10 best serious dating apps compared
Prices below are the current entry points I paid or confirmed as of August 2026. Most of these are free to join; the "free to message" column is what separates the genuinely usable free apps from the paywalled ones.
| App | Best for | Starting price | Free to message? | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | Biggest relationship pool | Paid; from ~$20/mo | No (paid only) | 4 / 5 |
| OkCupid | Compatibility & inclusivity | Free; Premium up to ~$45/mo | Yes (free between matches) | 4 / 5 |
| eHarmony | Marriage-minded matching | Paid; from ~$36/mo | No (paid only) | 4 / 5 |
| Bumble | Women message first | Free; Boost from ~$16/mo | Yes | 4 / 5 |
| Hinge | Intention-driven dating | Free; Hinge+ ~$15/mo | Yes (8 likes/day) | 4.5 / 5 |
| Boo Dating App | Personality (MBTI) matching | Free; cheap premium | Limited on free | 3.5 / 5 |
| Plenty of Fish | Huge free pool | Free; upgrades ~$20/mo | One first message/day free | 3.5 / 5 |
| Dating.com | International dating | Free; credit-based chat | Credits | 3 / 5 |
| Zoosk | Behavioral matchmaking | Free; from ~$30/mo | No (paid to message) | 3.5 / 5 |
| Coffee Meets Bagel | Curated daily matches | Free; premium ~$35/mo | Limited on free | 4 / 5 |
How I tested these serious dating apps
I tested every app here the same way: I built a real profile, completed the compatibility questions, and spent at least a week actively messaging before scoring it. Where messaging or match-visibility sat behind a paywall, I paid so I could judge the real experience, not the free teaser.
I scored each serious dating app on five things: how many members actually want a relationship versus a hookup, how good the matching is at surfacing compatible people, how honest the pricing is, how well it verifies profiles, and whether conversations turned into real dates. The apps that filled my calendar with genuine second dates scored highest.
Hinge: best for intention-driven dating
My verdict: Hinge is the best serious dating app, and my top pick at 4.5 out of 5. Its "designed to be deleted" model, prompt-based profiles, and dating-intention settings attract people who actually want a relationship. It's free with 8 likes a day; Hinge+ runs about $15 a month and HingeX about $30. Video identity verification cuts down on fakes. The only real gripes are the paywall on daily matches and no desktop version. Read my full Hinge review.
eHarmony: best for marriage-minded compatibility
My verdict: eHarmony is the best pick if you want marriage, not maybes. Its 32-dimension compatibility quiz matches you on personality over looks, and a 20-plus-year track record and dedicated trust-and-safety team keep the crowd serious. It's a paid site from around $36 a month, and the signup takes about an hour, but that friction filters out casual daters. Not for anyone who wants to swipe casually. Read my full eHarmony review.
Match: best for the biggest relationship pool
My verdict: Match is the best choice for sheer scale of relationship-minded singles. Decades old, it has daily customized matches, strong 24/7 support, and enough members in 24 countries that you'll always have options. It's a paid site from around $20 a month, and packages are paid upfront with no refunds, so pick your term carefully. For serious daters who want volume, it delivers. Read my full Match review.
Bumble: best for women making the first move
My verdict: Bumble is the best serious app for women who want control and men who want intentional matches. Women message first, which cuts down on creepy DMs, and relationship-intention settings keep it focused. It's free with generous features; Boost starts around $16 a month. It skews under 35 and matches vanish after 24 hours without a message, so move quickly. Read my full Bumble review.
OkCupid: best for compatibility and inclusivity
My verdict: OkCupid is the best free-leaning serious app, with deep compatibility questions, match percentages, and free messaging between mutual matches. Its gender and orientation options are among the most inclusive anywhere. It's free to use, with Premium up to around $45 a month. The signup is long and you need Premium to see who liked you, but for thoughtful daters it's excellent value. Read my full OkCupid review.
Coffee Meets Bagel: best for curated daily matches
My verdict: Coffee Meets Bagel is the best pick if endless swiping exhausts you. Created by three sisters, it delivers a limited set of curated matches (bagels) each day at noon, so it feels intentional rather than gamified. It's free with a premium tier around $35 a month. Chats expire after 7 days, which pushes you to actually meet. Great for quality over quantity. Read my full Coffee Meets Bagel review.
Zoosk: best for behavioral matchmaking
My verdict: Zoosk is a dating OG (since 2007) with 35 million-plus members in 80 countries and a behavioral algorithm that learns from who you like. It's free to explore, with paid plans from around $30 a month. The algorithm needs time to warm up and there's no refund policy, but the clean interface and huge international base make it a solid all-rounder. Read my full Zoosk review.
Plenty of Fish: best free pool
My verdict: Plenty of Fish (POF) is the best free option for serious dating thanks to a massive base of 150-plus million registered members. You get detailed profiles, verification options, and POF Live streaming. It's free, with upgrades from around $20 a month. Free users get just one first message a day, so an upgrade helps if you want to reach out widely. Read my full Plenty of Fish review.
Boo Dating App: best for personality matching
My verdict: Boo is a personality-first app that matches you using MBTI types and psychology, so it's a fun pick if you believe compatibility runs deeper than photos. It's free with an inexpensive premium tier. The user base is younger and smaller than the giants, but for daters who want to match on temperament rather than looks, it's a refreshing change. Read my full Boo review.
Dating.com: best for international dating
My verdict: Dating.com connects singles across 32-plus countries, so it's the pick if you're open to long-distance or dating abroad. It has video, chat, and live-stream options and a quick signup. It's free to join but runs on a credit-based system where chatting costs credits per minute, which adds up fast, and canned intros make some profiles feel less genuine. Best for the globally curious. Read my full Dating.com review.
How much do serious dating apps cost?
Most serious dating apps are free to join but charge to message or see who likes you, usually $15 to $45 a month. Hinge is the best value at about $15 a month for Hinge+, while paid-only sites like Match (from ~$20/mo) and eHarmony (from ~$36/mo) cost more but attract committed daters. OkCupid and Plenty of Fish are the most usable for free. Longer plans always cost less per month.
The paid sites are worth it precisely because the paywall filters out casual users. If your goal is a relationship, paying for eHarmony or Match usually beats grinding a free app full of people who aren't sure what they want.
Are serious dating apps worth paying for?
Yes, for serious dating the paid apps are usually worth it. A subscription on eHarmony, Match, or Hinge filters out casual swipers and unlocks the matching and messaging features that actually lead to dates. Free apps like OkCupid and Plenty of Fish can absolutely work, but you'll wade through more noise. My rule: use a free app to test your local pool, then pay on the one where the right people actually reply.
If money is tight, start with Hinge or OkCupid, since both have strong free tiers and clear relationship intent. For casual dating instead, see my best hookup dating sites.
Frequently asked questions about serious dating apps
What is the most serious dating app?
Hinge is the most serious mainstream dating app, thanks to its "designed to be deleted" model and dating-intention settings, and eHarmony is the most serious paid site, built around a compatibility quiz for marriage-minded daters. Both attract people who want a relationship rather than a hookup.
Is Hinge or Bumble better for serious relationships?
Both are strong, but Hinge edges out Bumble for serious relationships because its prompts and intention settings are built around commitment. Bumble is better if you want women to make the first move and prefer a slightly larger, big-city pool. In my testing Hinge scored 4.5 and Bumble 4 out of 5.
Are serious dating apps free?
Many are free to join, and OkCupid and Plenty of Fish are genuinely usable for free, including messaging. Hinge and Bumble are free with paid upgrades, while Match and eHarmony are paid sites where you need a subscription to message.
What is the best serious dating app for over 40?
Match and eHarmony are the best serious apps for daters over 40, since both skew toward an older, relationship-minded crowd and match on long-term compatibility. OkCupid and Coffee Meets Bagel also work well if you prefer a free-leaning or curated experience.
Which dating app leads to the most relationships?
Hinge, eHarmony, and Match report the most long-term relationships and marriages, because their matching and paywalls attract committed daters. Success still depends on an active, honest profile and messaging consistently, but these three give you the best odds.
Are serious dating apps worth paying for?
Yes, paying is usually worth it for serious dating because the subscription filters out casual users and unlocks the features that lead to dates. Start free on Hinge or OkCupid to test your local pool, then pay on whichever app the right people actually respond on.