The best dating sites and apps for finding serious relationships in 2024

Match.com, synonymous with online dating, prides itself on catering to individuals of all preferences and interests. Users can craft detailed profiles and utilize criteria searches to discover potential partners tailored to their preferences. For added selectivity, users can activate "zen mode," ensuring they're only contacted by those who meet their specified criteria.

Membership registration is free; however, communication through messages requires a subscription. Subscriptions start at £12.99 per month for a duration of six months.

Plenty of Fish pioneered free dating sites upon its launch in 2003 and remains a popular choice, with approximately 800,000 daily visitors in the UK. The platform offers a matchmaking feature based on a personality assessment, alongside interactive forums, games like "fill in the blank," and detailed user profiles. In addition to standard information such as age and occupation, profiles include details like the duration of their longest relationship and whether they have siblings. It's worth noting that men outnumber women by 20 percent on Plenty of Fish.

For those seeking enhanced features, there's the option to subscribe starting at £9.99 per month. Subscribers gain access to extended profiles, message read receipts, ad-free browsing, profile view tracking, the ability to send virtual gifts, and increased visibility in search results. The platform is accessible both online and through a mobile app.

For those who prefer a more discerning approach, EliteSingles offers a platform that utilizes a comprehensive personality test to match users based on compatibility. This in-depth assessment considers various facets including appearance, personality traits (such as optimism, ambition, social skills, and how friends perceive you), as well as preferences regarding potential partners, including desires for children. The majority of users seek long-term commitments and intellectual compatibility, with 85 percent holding a degree and falling within the 30 to 55 age range.

To unlock full communication capabilities, including sending messages, accessing all photos, and leaving comments, subscription to EliteSingles is required. Premium membership starts at £24.95 per month for a 12-month plan. Alternatively, users can opt for a three-month trial (£44.95 per month) or a six-month option (£34.95 per month).

Although Silver Singles primarily thrives in the United States, its popularity is steadily growing in the UK as well. Registering for the site entails completing an in-depth personality assessment, a process that typically spans between 15 to 30 minutes and is designed to pair you with your ideal match.

Although profiles on Silver Singles are detailed, they are accessible only to paying members. Similarly, initiating communication with potential matches requires a premium subscription. This membership option starts from $24.95 (approximately £20) for a 12-month period.

For those fatigued by swiping and seeking real-life connections, Our Time offers a refreshing alternative. The platform arranges frequent events catering to mature singles in your vicinity, providing opportunities to mingle with like-minded individuals. Feeling apprehensive? You have the option to bring up to three friends along for moral support.

Owned by Match Group, the app ensures that your profile is visible across other dating platforms, expanding the scope for encountering potential partners.

Telegraph Dating offers a direct approach to connecting with like-minded singles. Upon creating your free profile, simply outline the qualities you seek in a partner. Then, explore the site and peruse other users' profiles; upon finding a potential match, initiate contact by sending a message.

With a free membership, you can read messages from potential matches and respond with a brief one-liner. However, initiating conversations and sending personalized messages are privileges reserved for paying subscribers. Subscription fees start from £12 per month for a 12-month plan. Additionally, for an extra £10 per month, you can upgrade to Premium, enabling anyone to respond to your messages free of charge.

Parship adopts a scientific methodology to facilitate your quest for love, drawing on 40 years of research on successful relationship dynamics. Utilizing 36 personality traits, the site employs a matching algorithm governed by 136 rules. The compatibility questionnaire is thorough, addressing aspects ranging from partner preferences to sleeping habits.

With a relatively balanced gender distribution among users and 52 percent being graduates, Parship welcomes 23,000 new members weekly. Nearly four in ten individuals find their partner through the platform. While signing up, completing the comprehensive personality test, viewing matches, and sending "smiles" are complimentary, accessing messaging features requires payment.

Membership plans start from £14.90 per month for a 12-month subscription. Alternatively, users can opt for a six-month trial (£19.90 per month) or a three-month option (£29.90 per month).

LFed up with swiping right endlessly? Original Dating sets itself apart by prioritizing real-life interactions among singles. Hosting speed dating events, including virtual options, participants typically encounter between 15 to 20 individuals in a single night. Unlike traditional speed dating, Original Dating maintains a balanced gender ratio by requiring all attendees to book online in advance. You can opt for a subscription for discounts and access to exclusive events, or simply dive into an event (with prices starting at just £10).

OkCupid features a comprehensive personality questionnaire meticulously crafted to enhance compatibility. Users can infuse personality into their profiles by responding to quirky questions, such as "Do you make your bed every day?"

Instead of enduring a barrage of messages, communication is limited to those with whom you've matched. While downloading the app and conversing with users is free, upgrading to Premium offers additional perks.

In 2014, the OkCupid app pioneered inclusivity by introducing 22 genders and 13 sexual orientation options. This inclusive stance has contributed to OkCupid's widespread popularity, fostering 91 million connections annually, as per their website.

In an effort to address the gender disparity in dating dynamics, Bumble empowers women to initiate conversations. While profiles may not be as extensive as those on other platforms, users have the option to make video calls to get better acquainted before meeting in person.

Bumble imposes a time limit on initiating conversations, with matches expiring after 24 hours, discouraging inactive users. While the app is free to use, upgrading to Bumble Boost offers additional features, such as viewing users who have already shown interest in you. The subscription for Bumble Boost starts at £11.16 per month for six months, or users can opt for a one-day pass at just £2.49.

Founded by two sisters from farming backgrounds who understood the challenges of finding like-minded partners within their lifestyle, Muddy Matches stands out with its charming name. With approximately 200,000 users in the UK, 60,000 of whom are active weekly, it caters primarily to a male demographic, constituting 60 percent of its user base. While it may lack the bells and whistles of modern dating apps, it offers essential features such as browsing, accessing the blog, profile editing, and sending 'winks' to other users, all free of charge.

However, one limitation is that you cannot message other users without a paid membership. Subscriptions start at £8 per month.

HER provides a welcomed change in the dating app landscape, focusing on assisting queer, bisexual, and lesbian women in discovering their perfect match. The app offers free access to view profiles, add friends, and initiate chats at no additional charge. Upgrading to HER Premium enables users to filter matches by sexuality, identify who is currently online, and enjoy additional features.

In addition to matchmaking, HER offers a platform to stay updated on LGBTQ+ news and local events. Users can also join smaller chat groups to connect with others in the community.

Inner Circle's advertisements resemble those of Glyndebourne, featuring elegantly dressed couples. The dating app employs a stringent screening process, assessing users on safety, commitment, and mindset to ensure a serious dating environment and to prevent fake accounts.

Catering to ambitious, career-oriented young professionals, Inner Circle boasts 5 million singles across 66 cities in 29 countries. The user base includes a diverse range of individuals, from entrepreneurs in London to creative directors in Brazil. While the app is free to download, premium packages are available for upgrade, along with exclusive members' events such as polo in the park.

In movies, love often blossoms when strangers lock eyes on a train and strike up a conversation. However, in reality, many of us are too reserved (especially us Brits) to act on such impulses. That's where Happn steps in. If you've crossed paths with another Happn user, they'll appear at the top of your Happn page. If you're interested, you can send a heart, and if they reciprocate, you can start a conversation.

Happn ensures privacy by only sharing approximate locations, not exact ones. While the app itself is free, you can opt for premium benefits with a subscription, including up to 10 'Hellos' and access to the list of users who have expressed interest in you.

Hinge stands as a prominent rival to Tinder, often referred to by millennials as 'the relationship app'. Crafting a profile on Hinge requires more than just photos and a brief bio. Users are prompted to answer three questions, such as "My childhood crush?...Andrew Garcia", and potential matches can 'like' your responses to initiate a conversation.

The app is free to download, offering unlimited access to profiles, swiping, and messaging. However, opting for a Preferred Membership provides enhanced filtering options. This membership starts at £13.83 per month with a six-month commitment.

Tinder, often hailed as the Godfather of dating apps, boasts 2 billion views per day. This photo-centric platform allows users to swipe right on potential partners, message them, and arrange dates. According to the site, Tinder facilitates 1 million dates per week, positioning itself as primarily geared towards casual dating. While profiles are not as detailed as on other apps, users can include their name, job, company, education, location, and links to their Instagram and Spotify accounts.

For users seeking enhanced functionality, Tinder offers a tiered subscription system starting at £3.64 per month. Subscribing unlocks features such as seeing who liked you, accessing 'top picks', and the ability to rewind if you accidentally swipe the wrong way on a match.

Blending tradition with innovation, the Thursday app distinguishes itself by operating solely on its namesake day, shutting down on all other days of the week. This unique approach stems from research conducted by the founders, revealing that dating app usage peaks on Thursdays, likely in an effort to preserve precious weekend nights.

Beyond its unconventional schedule, Thursday hosts exclusive events in the UK's major cities, offering members opportunities for social mingling. These events range from fitness classes followed by post-workout mingling to rooftop bar meetups, dinners, comedy club nights, and more. While attendance at these events requires payment, Thursday often secures exclusive drink deals for attendees.

Presently, most events are concentrated in London, with occasional occurrences in other major cities like Manchester, although expansion plans are in the works. Thursday aims to bridge the gap between online dating and offline experiences, with a user base comprising 52 percent men and 48 percent women.

For our readers in the United States or those seeking love during a holiday or business trip there, we recommend heybaby. This relatively new dating app emerged during the pandemic in 2020, targeting individuals who either have children or are interested in having them. Presently, the app is exclusively available in the US and on the iOS app store, but expansion plans are underway.

Upon signing up for heybaby, users encounter a brief questionnaire covering topics such as parenthood status, lifestyle preferences related to work and travel, and even childhood experiences like permissions to eat sweets. The aim is to assess compatibility not only based on views about parenthood but also on other aspects such as financial attitudes and religious beliefs.

If you crave a wide array of options, consider giving Badoo a try. Upon signing up, you specify your intentions - whether it's simply to chat, pursue casual dates, seek a serious relationship, or remain open-minded.

The app offers a swipe feature, along with the option to join live video chats. Profiles contain fundamental personal details, and you receive notifications when someone shows interest or messages you. However, the abundance of users can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Premium prices vary depending on the chosen package and subscription duration, starting at £4.99 for a week.

As its name suggests, this app primarily caters to users in the United States. Nonetheless, it offers a unique approach to online dating. Its standout feature is that it presents you with only one match per day, encouraging thoughtful consideration rather than impulsive swiping.

However, users can still explore potential matches by clicking on the ‘Discover’ tab and liking a few individuals each day. If a mutual match occurs, the app suggests personalized icebreakers to facilitate conversation, such as "Ask Thomas about his recent trip to Thailand!".

Downloading the app and communicating with matches is free of charge. Yet, users have the option to upgrade to a Premium membership, enabling them to see if their messages have been read and providing access to match statistics, such as their typical response time.

Catering to individuals aged 18-35 of any gender and orientation, Qemistry brings a fresh perspective to the dating app realm. Despite being in its early stages (having launched on September 3 this year), it shows promising potential. The app distinguishes itself by allowing users to upload videos to their profiles, whether they are TikToks, Instagram Stories, or clips showcasing their humor or dance moves. This departure from curated photo profiles, often focused on physical attributes like abs, enables users to let their personalities shine through.