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Dating & Relationships

Some people date to meet a serious partner, while others date casually, hoping to meet a range of people. Some folks also look for sexual partners or hook-ups. More straight and LGBTQ couples meet online and on dating apps than any other way, specifically through dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid, and more. Sites like Tinder and AdultFriendFinder are known as "hook-up apps" as users don't need to share much information about themselves, whereas sites like OkCupid and Match requires users to answer questions about their ideal partner. Catch all the latest info and recommendations on the most popular dating apps, whether you’re looking to find a spouse or a one-night stand.

illustration of two men on a date
From Grindr to Scruff: The best dating apps for gay, bi, and queer men
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The best dating apps for lesbians — these are the apps queer women use to find each other
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The best dating apps worth downloading in 2025

Meet Our Experts

Rachel Thompson, sits wearing a dress with yellow florals and black background.
Rachel Thompson
Features Editor

Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.

A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.

Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.

anna iovine, a white woman with curly chin-length brown hair, smiles at the camera
Anna Iovine
Associate Editor, Features
 

Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Bluesky.

Dating & Relationships

Cartoon graphic of a person on a dating app.
Get laid, not played: These are the best hookup apps of 2025
Stop texting, start sexting: The best apps for NSFW chats
10 free dating apps worth trying in 2025
Best dating sites for singles over 40
Looking for love? Here are the best dating apps for serious relationships.
illustration of two women meeting at a bar The best dating apps worth downloading in 2025
illustration of two men on a date From Grindr to Scruff: The best dating apps for gay, bi, and queer men
two people sitting in a coffee shop The best dating apps for introverts who prefer books to bars
two gamers clinking glasses From Comic-Con to committed — the best dating apps for every kind of nerd
Two women kissing All the best dating apps for lesbians and gay women

Best Products

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illustration of man looking at dating app screens Stop swiping, start dating: 10 dating apps for men who know what they want
couple sitting at a table 5 best dating apps for single parents, and 1 to avoid
two people looking at dating app screen Unicorn hunters, swipe left: The best dating apps for bi people
couples watching a movie Broke but looking for love? Try the best free dating apps that actually work in 2025.
two people sitting in a coffee shop Low-pressure dating apps for introverts to try this January
illustration of two people standing in the open doors of a subway train The best dating apps for professionals in 2025
two gamers clinking glasses Find your player two: The best dating apps for nerds to find love in 2025
illustration of man looking at dating app screens The best dating apps for men in 2025 let you swipe less and date more
illustration of two men on a date with a milkshake between them From Grindr to Scruff: The best dating apps for gay, bi, and queer men to try in 2025

News

A man dancing on an iPhone surrounded by roses. TikTok's retro dating dance trends harken back to the days of courtship
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Couple drinking juice at restaurant - stock photo 3 surefire dating sites that'll help you find your person
Couple reading together This service will beat your dating fatigue in 2024
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tinder pride badges Tinder adds Pride profile stickers for LGBTQ users and allies
Picture of two phones displaying a cutsey anime girl and a pepe the frog What's Duolicious? I tried the 4chan dating app.
Cupid, made from paper, emerges from a red envelope over blue background. Dating app coaches promise to upgrade your love life. But what do they actually do?

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The best senior dating sites for finding love at any age
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Zoosk review: Easy to sign up, but that's where its usefulness starts and ends
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