As any episode of The Golden Bachelorette will reveal, dating later in life can be challenging, but can also open you up to a world of meaningful connections. The best dating sites for people over 50 and ones targeted specifically to seniors will give you a pool of potential new partners that you might not be able to find on your own.
Dating sites also let you be selective—which is crucial since your needs and wants almost certainly look different than they did in previous decades. “By your 50s, you generally know yourself better—your likes, dislikes, boundaries, and deal-breakers,” says Logan Ury, a Harvard-trained dating coach and an on-air expert for the Netflix series The Later Daters. “This clarity helps in selecting more compatible matches and reduces the uncertainty that often comes with dating in your 20s.”
The main hurdle of dating over 50 is that you’re likely balancing commitments like family, a career, and your own established habits. There are less people to date and fewer opportunities to encounter them. Online dating apps, however, collect potential matches in one place, with settings that let you filter for location, age, religion, interests, goals, and more. Perhaps you’re more interested in emotional connection than ever before. Or maybe you’re seeking a spouse, a casual fling after a divorce, or a travel buddy who wants to buy an RV with you.
Whatever your desires, these platforms provide space (and creative prompts) to chat with people before deciding whether you want to meet in person for a first date. Many are designed to be easy to use, can curate matches for you based on a tailored algorithm, and are age-specific for over 40 and 50. To help you figure out which service is right for you, we spoke to relationship experts and therapists for insight. Below, find answers to questions you may have when navigating this arena, and recommendations for the very best senior dating sites.
The best dating sites for people over 50, at a glance
Your dating-site questions, answered
How to choose the right dating site
First, do a little research about the apps (or let us do it for you). “Spend some time exploring before jumping in to be sure the apps and sites you’re considering fit your own goals. Ask around; check on Reddit. Where are people your age finding one another in your city?” says Heather Dugan, a relationship expert, keynote speaker, and award-winning author of Date Like a Grownup: Anecdotes, Admissions of Guilt, & Advice Between Friends.
Factor in what age range you’re comfortable dating. Maybe you’re open to dating someone younger; in this case, take into account the minimum age that the platform allows and the demographic that it typically attracts. Users on apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble veer younger than OurTime, SilverSingles, or SeniorMatch—either by design (an age minimum) or branding (Tinder is known as a “hookup” app, though many seniors use it for mature dating).
Try the free version first. “Always proceed slowly in opting for a paid subscription. A little low-tech, free engagement time will at least show you if the site has appropriate and appealing matches in your area. These sites and apps are great tools and can provide significant access,” says Dugan.
Consider putting yourself on at least two dating services, so you can vary your experiences and results. “Remember, dating is a numbers game,” says Susan Trombetti, a professional matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking. “I like eHarmony and Match because of the volume of people on those sites.”
Use the filters. They allow you to narrow down based on age, geography, goals, politics, religion, sexual orientation, and more. Looking for a committed long-term relationship or marriage? Match, eHarmony, Silver Singles, SeniorMatch, OurTime, Date My Age, and OkCupid are your best bets. Want to more casually date? Turn to Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge.
Keep an eye out for scammers. Be cautious of people (and sometimes bots) that try to persuade you into revealing personal information.
How to protect yourself from scammers
“No matter the site, you will be dealing with catfishers,” says Trombetti. These people (or bots) create fake profiles and build trust so that you’re inspired to share personal information with them or information about your health. Many dating websites offer extra safety measures against what are known as “romance scams” or “sweetheart scams,” sometimes asking you to verify your identity with a form of government-issued ID prior to making an online dating profile.
Keep an eye out for red flags. Never give away identifying details like your home address and phone number, and never, ever send someone money. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and National Council on Aging offer additional resources about fraud prevention and how older adults can avoid online scamming. You can also learn about romance scams through the Department of Homeland Security’s website.
- Logan Ury, a Harvard-trained dating coach, on-air expert for the upcoming Netflix series The Later Daters, and author of How to Not Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love
- Wendy Walsh, PhD, a relationship expert at DatingAdvice.com and psychology professor at California State University Channel Islands
- Heather Dugan, a relationship expert, keynote speaker, and award-winning author of Date Like a Grownup: Anecdotes, Admissions of Guilt, & Advice Between Friends and The Friendship Upgrade: Trade Clickable Connections for Friendships that Matter
- Susan Trombetti, a professional matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking
- Nashira Kayode, PhD, LCSW, a licensed therapist in Eastvale, California
- Jess Carbino, PhD, former sociologist for Tinder and Bumble
- LeMeita Smith, PhD, director of clinical services at United Health Services
- Lisa Lawless, PhD, clinical psychotherapist and founder of Holistic Wisdom, a provider of intimacy and sexual-wellness education, resources, and products
1. Best Dating Site for Over 50 Overall: Match
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- Who it’s best for: Anyone looking for serious relationships and marriage
- Special features: Ability to see who’s viewed you; emailed read receipt; dating-expert webinars; in-person events
- Free version available: Yes
- Age range: 18+ (most users are between 30–49)
- Cost: Prices vary depending on plan and package, with monthly subscriptions starting at $43 for Platinum, $28 for Silver, and $6.66 for Bronze
- Availability: Match.com, App Store, Google Play
Match is one of the most established dating sites, reporting having around over 96 million users (and 14.8 million paid memberships)—26.5% of whom are over 50. “The more people, the better your odds,” says Susan Trombetti, a professional matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking. “Match is a very well-known site, so you’ll find a huge variety of people who fit your needs and criteria.” The site’s design caters more toward those with serious intentions to find long-term relationships and marriages. Its long-form profile allows members to share up to 4,000 characters and up to 26 pictures—far more than most other sites (Bumble’s character count is 300). This helps paint a more comprehensive portrait of your potential dates, especially with its variety of in-depth screening questions about lifestyle, faith, and education. There are icebreaker prompts that can take the pressure off of having to think of clever openers, and with the free version, you can like up to 50 profiles per day (a lot compared to competitors). Pay for a subscription, and you’ll gain add-on features like the ability to see who’s opened and read your messages. Another stand-out feature of Match, says Trombetti, is its organization of in-person events in larger cities.
2. Best Dating Site for Marriage: eHarmony
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- Who it’s best for: Anyone looking for serious relationships and marriage
- Special features: Ability to save a list of profiles; members receive a free profile review with tips; compatibility scores
- Free version available: Yes
- Age range: 18+
- Cost: Prices vary depending on plan, starting at $36 per month
- Availability: eHarmony.com, App Store, Google Play
“The dating app eHarmony is one of the best for serious relationship-seekers who want to find a compatible partner based on a comprehensive personality test and a matching algorithm,” LeMeita Smith, PhD, director of clinical services at United Health Services, previously told Glamour. “It is ideal for people who are searching for long-term commitment and marriage.” Right off the bat, it weeds out people who don’t have the patience to invest at least 30 minutes filling out an intensive questionnaire and narrows the pool to those looking to put in the effort to find a more serious relationship. Its questions dive into the nuances of real-life partnership—with practical queries about how you communicate, make decisions, and react in various scenarios; as well as smaller explorations of everyday preferences (what temperature you like the house; when you go to bed). The site develops a compatibility score after comparing your quiz with other daters’—you can see this score when viewing their individual profiles. The higher the score, the more you agree in various areas. The app’s thoughtfulness stands out in a sea of swipes, though it’s worth noting that its free version is more limited. You can send unlimited likes, reply to prompts (up to five times per day), and send icebreakers. You cannot, however, see anyone’s photos until you pay for membership.
3. Best Dating Site for Serious Relationships: SeniorMatch
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- Who it’s best for: Ages 40+ looking to casually date, seriously date, and hook up
- Special features: Private photo album; verification; winks
- Free version available: Yes
- Age range: 40+
- Cost: Prices vary depending on plan, with monthly subscriptions starting at $35 for Premium
- Availability: SeniorMatch.com, App Store, Google Play
