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💑 The Ugly Truth about Online Dating (Dating Apps and Dating Websites) RevealedHow many people are on dating websites and apps - consider, that

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Ask someone what their favorite dating website is, and the answer will be as different as the person.
Why? Because some people are looking for hookups, some are looking for love, and some are looking for something in between.
So what are the best dating sites? We’ve broken them down by category so that no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find it in this list of the best sites to use in 2021.
The Best Dating Sites in 2021
- Best for serious relationships – Eharmony
- Best for university-educated singles – Elite Singles
- Best hookup site – AdultFriendFinder
- Best for busy professionals – Itsjustlunch.com
- Best over 50 site – SilverSingles
- Best casual dating app – Bumble
- Best new dating app – Hinge
- Best sugar dating site – Seeking
- The best dating site for Jewish people – JDate
- Best married dating site – Ashley Madison
- Best catholic dating site – Catholic Match
- Best international site – Zoosk
- Best subreddit for dating – Reddit R4R
- Best free dating site – OkCupid
- Best Asian online dating in the US – AsianDate.com
- Best for help with dates – Match.com
- Best over 50 dating site in the UK – OurTime
- Best site for Christians – Christian Mingle
- Best for brief encounters – Tinder
- Best for African American dates – BlackPeopleMeet
- Best LGBTQA+ women dating app – HER
- Best for intellectuals dating – CoffeeMeetsBagel
- Best for gay hookups – Grindr
- Best for Canadian dates – Plenty of Fish
- Best luxury dating service – The League
1. Eharmony – Best for Finding a Serious Relationship

Eharmony has brought together millions of couples—in fact, 438 users get married to someone they met on the website every single day. The data backs this up: a 2018 study named eharmony as the site most likely to lead to a happy relationship.
On the site, you’ll answer extensive survey questions. This “Compatibility Matching System” uses more than twenty years of research to then present you with online dating options. This selective, data-driven approach makes eharmony a good choice if you’re looking for a serious relationship. You can read our full eHarmony Review here.
2. Elite Singles – 85% of Members Are University Educated

Elite Singles has a highly educated membership, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking for good conversations: 85% of its members have above-average education, while 90% are over 30, adding life experience into the mix.
The site uses an algorithm based on your answers to a questionnaire to match you with other singles. It’s primarily used by those looking for long-term relationships, including internationally – it operates in 25 countries.
3. Itsjustlunch.com – Best for Busy Professionals

It’s Just Lunch sets you up with a matchmaker when you sign up. In a phone call with them, you’ll answer questions about yourself and your goals for romance.
These matchmakers then find you a single match at a time, sharing only first names. They’ll arrange the time and place with your match (this can be for lunch, drinks, or brunch – depending on your schedule), and you just need to show up.
Afterward, you’ll give feedback to your matchmaker to get better dates in the future.
One benefit of the service is that it doesn’t waste your time. The people you date are hand-selected by a person who understands what you’re looking for, and the short dates are a good way to meet in person without spending too long with bad fits.
4. SilverSingles – Best Over 50 Dating Website

Among the dating sites for people over 50, SilverSingles has been around for 19 years. The service verifies each profile by hand, ensuring that its users are authentic and safe.
Based on a personality questionnaire and what’s important to you, you’ll receive matches based on your location, plans, goals, and personality.
You can use SilverSingles on their site or via their app. Basic memberships are free.
5. Bumble – Best Casual Dating App

Bumble is unique among the apps because it lets women make the first move. Men can’t contact women until the woman has already reached out.
The app connects well with social media, including Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram, so you can show different facets of your personality. You can also verify your profile so you can filter other users by who is verified as well.
Bumble’s best for casual hookups because the platform insists on quick contact. Once you match, you have 24 hours to make contact with that person, or the match disappears.
The same is true for messages, which expire after 24 hours if one person doesn’t write back. For those pressed for time, Bumble offers one free “Extend” for matches and messages each day.
6. Hinge – Best New Dating App

Relaunched in 2016, Hinge is the #1 primarily mobile dating app mentioned in the New York Times wedding section.
Their algorithm gets good reviews: 75% of Hinge users want to go on a second date once they’ve gone out with their matches. The app improves your matches as you give feedback after dates.
Hinge’s platform is unique because once you match, the app prompts you to like or comment on a specific part of the other person’s profile. This lack of generic messages makes Hinge an interesting new addition.
7. AFF – Best Hookup Site

This hookup app isn’t for people who want long-term relationships. It gives you two main options: flirt (on the app) or hookup.
A sex-positive app, Adult Friend Finder is well known for brief encounters. However, it also features a variety of ways to connect: messaging, video (“online dates“), live streams, group chats.
AFF is also good for hookups because of its quick registration process. Unlike other sites, which may include long questionnaires, AFF features a 30-second registration process that will let you start browsing almost right away.
8. Seeking – Best Sugar Dating Site

This website connects younger people (“Sugar Babies”) with older, wealthier people (“Sugar Daddies/Mommas”).
With over 20 million users, the site features 8 million Sugar Babies and 2 million Sugar Daddies/Mommas. It allows these users to connect “without false pretenses,” each person stating their terms before connecting.
If you’re a young person looking for relationships with older people (or vice-versa), this site has users who are looking for the same types of encounters, eliminating the need for lengthy sifting through profiles and awkward conversations. It’s also one of the few sites with a large ratio of women to men.
9. JDate – The Best Dating Site for Jewish People

JDate is one app for Jewish singles. Founded in 1997, JDate is now available around the world, letting you connect with Jewish users in five different languages (English, Hebrew, French, German, and Spanish).
For those looking for a Jewish match with people who share your faith, JDate provides the widest selection of users. In fact, JDate is responsible for 52% of the Jewish marriages that started online.
With both free or premium subscriptions to JDate (at $59.99 per month), you can message anyone. Customer care reviews each profile, ensuring authentic users.
10. Catholic Match – Best Catholic Dating Site

One of several services for Christians, Catholic Match, helps you find love with a member of the Catholic faith specifically.
With more than 1 million users, Catholic Match promotes “faith-focused dating.” In other words, its users are primarily seeking long-term relationships with other Catholics.
Memberships cost $29.95 per month, but they come with a guarantee. If you meet certain qualifications during the first six months, the site guarantees your next six months free.
Endorsed by various Catholic leaders, Catholic Match has more than 20 years of experience bringing Catholics together.
11. Zoosk – Best Free International Dating Site

The best site for dating international people, Zoosk features 40,000,000 singles worldwide. These users send 3 million messages daily in 25 different languages. Available in over 80 countries, Zoosk is a truly global platform.
Established for more than 14 years, Zoosk uses “Behavioral Matchmaking technology” to match its users with compatible singles.
Free to try, a Zoosk subscription then costs $29.99 per month.
12. Reddit R4R – Best Subreddit for Dating (Online Personal Ads)

R4R is a subreddit where people connect. “R4R” stands for “Redditor for Redditor,” and the site does not have a matching system. Instead, this is one of the best online places to post personals.
These personals vary widely depending on what users are looking for. This can be anything from activity partners to groups, dating, hangouts, soulmates, and other relationships.
Because it is a subreddit, R4R only has post and messaging features. However, it also has fewer rules and restrictions than apps (though it does have some related to age, privacy, legality, and conduct). For example, NSFW posts are allowed, but they must be tagged so that other users can avoid them if they desire.
Reddit is also a good place for advice specific to your situation and dating advice in general. Check out the subreddits OnlineDating, r/DatingOverThirty, r/dating_advice. r/relationships, r/dating, r/DatingApps, r/ForeverAloneDating, r/RelationshipsOver35, or r/CatholicDating.
13. OkCupid – Best Free Dating Site

With a lot of dating apps, you get what you pay for. OkCupid is the best free service because of its detailed profiles: you can find out much more about users before you connect, leading to better matches.
Available both on the desktop site and as an app, OKCupid offers literally thousands of profile questions, so you can find a match for what’s important to you.
Offering 22 gender and 13 orientation options, OkCupid is also inclusive.
14. Ashley Madison – Best Married Dating Site

A dating site for affairs, Ashley Madison connects users for discreet encounters. Unlike other apps, the site is not linked to other social media profiles, so you’re less likely to connect or be seen by people you already know. It’s among the best date sites for married users, as both people understand the situation.
Ashley Madison also offers traveling features for those visiting other cities. This lets you contact users in that area ahead of time, setting up dates for when you arrive.
Best Online Dating Apps: 2021 Runners-Up
15. AsianDate.com – Best Asian Online Dating in the US
AsianDate connects people from around the world with Asian singles. With more than ten years of experience, the site’s staff verifies each member to ensure authenticity. Once you are verified, you can chat, call, or send letters or presents.
16. Match.com – Best for Help with Dates

One of the oldest dating sites, Match.com, began in 1995. It features detailed profiles, get-togethers for members, and a virtual dating coach to help members do anything from break the ice to come up with date ideas.
17. OurTime – Best 50+ Dating Site In the UK
A site for 50+ singles, ourtime.com offers options not only for those seeking marriage and long-term relationships but also for those looking for friendship and platonic relationships. The site features email and flirting capabilities, allowing you to see who has viewed your profile.
18. Christian Mingle – Best Dating Site for Christians

With over 15 million Christian singles, this Christian dating site helps users looking for a “God-centered relationship.” Their members are primarily focused on finding serious relationships. The site offers a free trial, after which they charge $49.99 per month.
19. BlackPeopleMeet – Best for African American Dates
For more than 18 years, BlackPeopleMeet has provided a platform for African American singles looking for love. The site’s 100,000+ users can exchange flirts or emails, as well as see who has viewed their profiles.
20. Tinder – Best Free App for Casual Dating

This dating app has a reputation that likely precedes it. With quick registration, Tinder is easy to use for hookups, though the large number of users means that many are also looking for relationships.
21. CoffeeMeetsBagel – Best for Intellectuals Dating
96% of users on Coffee Meets Bagel have a Bachelor’s degree, while over a third have a Master’s. The extensive profiles also make this a good site for intellectuals, as you can see who shares interests with you in many different areas.
22. HER – Best LGBTQA+ Women Dating App

HER is a dating app exclusively for LGBTQA+ women, created by queer women. Their 4 million users get access to in-person events, communities within the app, and app moderators to ensure they have a good experience.
23. Grindr – Best for LGBTQA+ Hookups
With mostly male users, Grindr focuses on the gay, bi, trans, and queer community. The app changed how gay dating sites and apps work with its location-based services. Now the most popular gay mobile app, Grindr, allows you to sort users by distance based on GPS position.
24. Plenty of Fish – Best Free Site for Canadian Dates

This Canadian site is offered in nine languages, ensuring you can connect with users from around the world. Founded in 2003, the site provides detailed profiles for its large pool of members.
25. The League – Best Luxury Dating App
The League provides connections with singles in select cities. The site provides members with 3 “prospects” every day and lets you video chat with them for dating online. It also allows you to connect your profile to LinkedIn and Facebook to block connections, ensuring your privacy.
Best Dating Sites: FAQs
Why Use Online Dating Sites?

Sites for dates give you the chance to encounter far more potential matches than you would in everyday life. Whether you have a small social circle, are looking to expand your connections, or simply have needs that aren’t being met in your community, using these sites can widen your world.
Furthermore, using a site or an app to meet a romantic partner allows you to be more selective. If it’s important to you to have a partner with similar interests, many apps allow you to select for this.
Finally, it’s common to use these sites to find love: around 2/5 of Americans meet their long-term partners on date sites.
Are Apps for Dating Safe?
Apps are only as safe as their users. Stay careful.
Being careful on apps means engaging with verified users; some apps have members of their staff verify members by hand, giving you more safety.
However, it’s still crucial to follow safety guidelines when you date someone you met online.
How to Stay Safe While Online Dating?
Never give out your personal information to someone you have met online, particularly before you meet in person. This includes your last name, employer, address, and even your neighborhood.
When you meet someone you have met online, ensure that your first few dates take place in public locations. This could be a café, a restaurant, a movie theater, or anywhere else where others are around. Avoid secluded places such as parks, and never invite someone you don’t know to your home.
Finally, check-in with a friend before your date to let them know where you’ll be and when you anticipate coming home. Let them know when you arrive back home. For extra security, ask them to call or text during the date to verify you are all right.
How Do I Decide Which Dating Site Is Right for Me?
Are you looking for something long-term or casual? First, consider what you are looking to gain from a new relationship.
If you’re hoping to find something serious, you should definitely steer clear of hookup apps and sites like Tinder or Ashley Madison. On the other hand, if a no-strings-attached fling is what you’re searching for, a dating site like eHarmony that boasts a high marriage success rate won’t be the one for you.
Where are you located? It’s all well and good choosing the number one dating site on the internet but if it’s not popular where you live, you’re going to have a hard time finding local matches. Look up dating sites that people are using in your area—unless, of course, you’d prefer to start off long distance.
What’s your budget like? Some dating sites charge monthly, others are 100% free to use. Think about how much you’re willing to spend. Free sites can be a good way to get started if you’re new to online dating. But if the weeks are flying by and you haven’t had a single successful match, you might want to consider signing up for a site with a subscription fee.
First Date Tips

First dates can be intimidating! Follow these tips to stay safe and get to know your match in person:
- Keep your mind open. People can appear very different in person than they do online, so know that your expectations may need to change.
- Don’t go too formal right away. Setting up something casual, like a coffee date, lets you get to know each other without any pressure to spend hours together.
- Stay focused on the present. Avoid bringing up past relationships or other matches on a first date.
- Review your conversations before you go. Look at the person’s profile again and check over what you’ve talked about to have general topics of conversation prepared.
Is It Possible to Find a Serious Relationship While Online Dating?
Absolutely. In fact, a large number of Americans find their partners this way. A 2017 survey showed that 39% of heterosexual couples met online—that’s 2 out of every five couples.
Online Dating Sites: Key Takeaways
The key to online dating is knowing what you want and finding the site that’s most likely to provide good matches in this area.
As you explore your options, stay safe, but keep an open mind: you never know who might turn out to be your soulmate or an ideal hookup!
What have you found the best sites for dating to be? Share your favorite dating sites and experiences in the comments!

Dating App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2022)
In 2013, Tinder revolutionised the online dating industry with a simple system, swipe right if interested, left if not. Instead of having a matchmaker rifle through thousands of profiles to find someone unique, users could decide whether they liked someone based off a few photos.
In comparison to the services which had come before, Tinder made dating simple, but it also, as studies have found, made it less about lasting connections and relationships and more about casual hook-ups and cheesy openers.
What’s rather unique about Tinder, in the age of entrepreneurs and startups, is that it was built by Hatch Labs, a startup incubator funded by IAC, a holding company responsible for Match.com, Plenty of Fish and OK Cupid.

Instead of an outsider crushing the competition, IAC built its own cannibal, which has eaten away at the market share held by Match.com and its affiliate sites.
In the United States, Tinder has ruled the roost since its inception, but in Europe and South America, Badoo has been the frontrunner. Created by Russian entrepreneur Andrey Andreev, Badoo has had many lives, including as a social games and quiz app in Facebook Games heyday in the early 2010s.
Badoo is the most downloaded dating app in the world, with over 400 million registered users, but it has not been able to make a mark in the US. In 2014, Andreev partnered with Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who left the company after tensions with executives, to found Bumble.
Where Badoo failed, Bumble succeeded in drawing North American users away from Tinder. Marketed as the feminist dating app, Bumble allows women to make the first move, giving them full control of the experience.
Bumble’s growth in the past few years has also marked a change in attitudes towards dating, as people have started to turn away from the casual hook-up culture of Tinder. Hinge, another IAC-owned app, switched its entire platform in 2017 to focus on long term relationships.
That said, the culture is not devolving back to the Match.com era. Tinder and Badoo are still the leaders in monthly active users, and in emerging markets like China and South-east Asia, casual dating apps are far exceeding long-term services in popularity.
Top dating apps
| Tinder | The crowning jewel of Match Group, which owns over 45 dating apps. Tinder fundamentally changed online dating by removing the seriousness and giving users more control |
| Bumble | Tinder’s main rival in North America, designed to give women control of the experience. Bumble was started by Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who left after tensions at the company |
| Badoo | Badoo started far before Tinder and Bumble as a social search, games and quiz app. After receiving a warning from Facebook in 2013, it transitioned to casual dating in the same form as Tinder |
| Hinge | Hinge may have been destined to be one of the many dating app failures, but the team reformed the app for long-term relationships and has hit the ground running in North America |
| Happn | Unlike the other apps on the list, which use location in a general sense to find matches, Happn is critically focused on matching users with people they may have seen recently |
| Grindr | While Tinder, Bumble and most other dating apps have settings for gay users, Grindr was the first app to be specifically for LGBTQ people and remains the most popular app for gay people |
| Tantan | Casual dating is not as popular in China as it is in the West, however, Tantan, known as China’s Tinder, has accumulated a sizeable community of singles, primarily college students |
| Plenty of Fish | One of the old guard, Plenty of Fish has been around since 2003. It has transitioned well into the mobile age, as one of the more popular apps used by older people |
Global Dating App Revenue
After a slump in the early 2010s, dating app revenues have increased every year since 2015, reaching $5.61 billion in 2021.
| Year | Revenue |
| 2015 | $1.36 billion |
| 2016 | $1.46 billion |
| 2017 | $1.75 billion |
| 2018 | $2.38 billion |
| 2019 | $2.97 billion |
| 2020 | $3.82 billion |
| 2021 | $5.61 billion |
Global Dating App Users
Usage has also increased, with over 323 million people worldwide using dating apps. The vast majority of matchmaking is done on mobile devices.
| Year | Users |
| 2015 | 198 million |
| 2016 | 217 million |
| 2017 | 241 million |
| 2018 | 250 million |
| 2019 | 283 million |
| 2020 | 293 million |
| 2021 | 323 million |
Global Dating App Downloads
Downloads have actually decreased in the past two years, from a peak of 287.4 million downloads in 2019.
| Year | Downloads |
| 2015 | 168 million |
| 2016 | 191 million |
| 2017 | 208 million |
| 2018 | 246 million |
| 2019 | 287.4 million |
| 2020 | 287 million |
| 2021 | 260 million |
Global Dating App Users by App
Tinder and Badoo have been in a two horse race for total users since 2015, with Tinder winning out in North America and Badoo in Europe and South America.
Want to see more data like this? Check out our dating app report
US Dating App Market Share
Tinder is the leader in the US dating app market, but Bumble has increased its market share every year since 2017. Hinge is also positioning itself as a potential leader in the near future.
- 67% of Tinder Users are Men, 33% Women
- An Equal Percentage of Men and Women Claim Match.com as Their Favorite Dating App
- More Women Claim eHarmony as Their Favorite Dating App than Men
For those of you ladies out there that say Tinder is just a big sausage fest, you’re right. Just over 67% of the users on Tinder as per a recent study are said to be men. This leaves only 33% that are women. Sure, it only takes one person to be the right one, but that is definitely a significant variation amongst the sexes. Ladies, this means a lot more choices for you thanks to this online dating statistic.
If you’re looking for a more even match of men and women, then you’re looking for Match.com. According to a recent survey, the exact same percentage of men and women call Match.com their favorite dating app. If you’ve spent any time on Match.com, this probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise as from what we hear, there is a solid selection of high-quality people on both sides of the aisle.
So, we’ve talked about an online dating site or app that’s great for the women (Tinder), one that is equal across the board (Match.com), but what about somewhere that’s great for the men? Well, a recent study has shown that more women than men claim eHarmony as their favorite dating app. This online dating statistic means that the ladies are finding quality men on eHarmony. Men, this means that if you’re a keeper and are struggling to find someone special, you may want to check out eHarmony because more women have that at the top of their favorites list.
Favorite Online Dating Site by Age Group in the United States
- 3 of the top 4 dating apps for the younger 18-29 age bracket are free apps
- Only 1 of the top 4 dating apps for the 45-54 age bracket are free apps
- Those reporting using no dating app increases as age increases from 47% up to 88%
In the 18-29 age bracket, it’s no surprise (at least to us) to see Tinder atop the list. The stigma with Tinder is that it’s just for flings and less serious relationships, and this tends to fit with the outlook of a lot of younger daters. On an anecdotal level, though, we do know a lot of people that have met their future spouse of Tinder so please don’t let us ruin it for those of you looking for something a bit more serious.
You’ll also notice that three of the top four dating apps listed here for the youngest age bracket are predominantly free. This may have to do with the economic situation of younger daters, but in our opinion you are always going to get what you pay for.
Match.com is at the top for the 30-44 age bracket, the 45-64 age bracket, and the 55-64 age bracket. What does this online dating statistic mean for you? If you’re over the age of 30 and under the age of 64 looking for love online, Match.com just might be a good fit for you. Remember from our earlier section as well, an equal percentage of both men and women find Match.com to be their favorite online dating app.
We see a small rise in religious dating site usage between the 30-44 age bracket and the 45-54 age bracket where it levels off around 3-4%. Also, do keep in mind that while 3-4% might seem small, this still represents millions and millions of people. So, if you’re looking to get started with a religious dating site, you still should have plenty of great singles to choose from.
Meeting a Match in Person by Gender and Age
Curious what the online dating statistics say about who has actually met someone they met online in person? Are people actually getting out from behind the computer and meeting in person or is online dating just a big waste of time? And if they are, is it more men or women? Let’s take a look at the answers to all these questions thanks to online dating statistics.
Let’s break down what we’re seeing in these online dating statistics. The biggest difference in percentage is between men and women who say they have met an online dating match in person for a hookup. 20% of men say they did, while only 8% of women say they did.
This could mean that more men online are looking for sexual encounters, but it probably is also slightly skewed because this study was self-reporting. Some women might have been hesitant to report their true intentions due to societal double standards.
Here’s the silver lining in all of these dating statistics for those of you looking for something a little. For both genders, over 50% of people had met someone in person for either a long-term relationship or at least a date or more than one date. There’s a floating stigma out there that online dating is only a place for hookups and nothing more.
Well, thanks to online dating statistics and cold hard facts, we can show that is just not the case. Are there people out there only looking for hookups? Probably. But it is not an overwhelming majority like most people tend to believe that it is.
Online dating is a much safer and more productive space than a lot of people give it credit for, and here are the dating statistics to back that up.
Online Dating App Users Who Have Met in Person by Age Group
There are a lot of interesting conclusions that can be drawn from this data set of online dating statistics. As we increase in the age groups, the number of daters meeting for a hookup drops by almost 10% total through the age brackets.
As you get older in the age brackets, the statistics show the number of dating app users that are meeting in person for a long-term relationship or one or more dates increases as well. We do see a drop in those meeting for just dates from 35% to 29% from the 45-54 age bracket to the 55-64 age bracket.
What Are Online Daters Looking For?
Are online singles looking for love? Hookups? Both? One of the most asked questions about online dating is exactly what online daters are looking for. If you ask anyone, they’re most likely just going to give you anecdotal evidence based on their personal choices and experiences. This really isn’t going to do you much good.
But, when you pour through the online dating statistics, you can learn quite a bit about what most people online are looking for. Let’s take a look at some of the most important statistics starting with the big picture first.
- 84% of online daters are looking for a romantic relationship, 24% a sexual relationship
In a recent survey of a group of online singles, statistics show that 84% of daters are looking for some form of a romantic relationship and 24% are looking for a sexual relationship. Now, for all of our math superstars out there, you’re probably noticing that 84% + 24% = 108%. Don’t worry; the data is accurate. What this is showing is that some people are looking for both a romantic relationship and also a sexual relationship.
The Full Breakdown of What Online Singles Are Searching For
- 61% of daters use an online dating app to meet people that shares common interests
- 44% of daters use an online dating app to meet someone who shares their values and beliefs
- 42% of daters use an online dating app to meet someone for marriage
- 26% of daters use an online dating app to meet someone to just have non-committal fun
- 21% of daters use an online dating app to meet someone because they have a challenging schedule
There’s a lot for us to digest here, so let’s start with some of the most important online dating statistics. 42% of people dating online are using a dating app to try and find someone to marry. That’s probably surprising to a lot of people as there seems to be a stigma that no one online is looking for anything serious. Clearly, though, that is incorrect and the data proves it. Almost half of the people using online dating apps are looking for something that ends with a ring.
What’s also interesting to us is the second listed dating statistic that 44% of daters using an online dating app are looking for someone who shares their values and beliefs. Those 44% of people make sense to us.
What seems a little crazy is that means that 56% of people that are dating online are not worried about finding someone who has the same values and beliefs as them. This probably makes since with those people who are looking for sexual relationships only, but we know from an earlier statistics that is only 24% of people.
That means another 20% of people are looking for something else but they don’t seem to care about their mates values and beliefs. We’re not here to judge, but we feel like that really should be an important criteria to look for in a partner.
Online Dating Truthfulness, Negative Experiences, and Match Familiarity
With the rise of catfishing, one of the biggest fears a lot of singles looking to get into online dating have is whether the people they are talking to are being truthful. The problem is that a lack of truthfulness and sketchy people can lead to some negative experiences that might just be uncomfortable or might actually be a safety risk.
Let’s take a look at the online dating statistics you need to know about truthfulness, negative experiences, and how familiar people are with matches before they meet.
Percentage of Daters Who Claim to Present Themselves as Truthful in Their Dating Profile

The good news here is that 98% of people claim to be 100% truthful or at least mostly truthful when dating online. Only 1-2% claim to be lying or untruthful often or always. Our guess is that those that claim to be truthful often are probably telling the truth about major things and fibbing about little things. Still, we’re big fans of always telling the truth when it comes to online dating (or anything), but we can’t control people.
Online Dating Negative Encounters by Age and Gender
One of the biggest fears that singles who are new to online dating have is having a bad experience. This could be feeling uncomfortable, getting an unsolicited naked picture, having legit concerns for your safety, having to block someone, or getting the full on catfish experience.
But, just how common is all of this? Let’s take a look at the statistics. The first chart will show you the different negative encounters by age, and then below that we break everything down by gender.
Contacted in a way that made them uncomfortable
Male – 25%
Female – 42%
Received unwanted inappropriate pictures
Male – 20%
Female – 32%
Fears about safety
Male – 26%
Female – 32%
Needed to block or report someone
Male – 23%
Female – 39%
Been catfished
Male – 38%
Female – 30%
Familiarity With an Online Dating Match Before Meeting in Person
Some of you out there might be curious if the singles that had bad online dating experiences did their homework first before meeting someone. Or, did they just randomly meet someone they knew nothing about? Well, let’s take a look at the dating statistics.
The chart below shows exactly how familiar online daters got with a match before meeting them in person. Surprisingly, the biggest number we see is 29% of people met someone right away without knowing anything about them.
This might be why a lot of people had some bad experiences. Thankfully, the close second at 28% are people who at least got to know the person a little bit better by sharing basic information.
We’d really have like to see more than 15% of people getting to know someone on a personal level before meeting (for safety reasons), but again, everyone is different and some people just prefer to get to know each other in person.
Final Thoughts
It’s crazy to see what we perceive things to be and what is actually happening when you dive into the statistics. Our minds can trick us into believing things are a certain way, when in actuality they are quite different. Hopefully, these online dating statistics can help you to better understand the landscape out there and better help you to find that special someone you’re looking for. Happy fishing, friends!








































































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