The best free dating sites and apps
Hinge, Bumble and Tinder all let free members match and message. Plenty of Fish lets you message anyone without paying.
6 sites ranked · Updated October 2026 · How we rate
Quick comparison
| Add to comparison | Site | Score | Price | Best for | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinge The prompt-based app "designed to be deleted." | 8.4/10 | From about $17/moFree version | Daters in their 20s and 30s who want a relationship, not endless swiping | Visit site | |
| Bumble Swipe app with some of the strongest safety tools. | 8.3/10 | From about $9/moFree version | Women who want more control over who contacts them | Visit site | |
| Tinder The biggest swipe app, for everything from casual to serious. | 8.2/10 | From about $6/moFree version | Younger daters who want the largest pool | Visit site | |
| HER Dating and community for queer women and non-binary people. | 7.9/10 | From about $8/moFree version | Lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people | Visit site | |
| Coffee Meets Bagel A few curated matches a day instead of endless swiping. | 7.3/10 | From about $15/moFree version | Busy professionals who want fewer, better matches | Visit site | |
| Plenty of Fish Free-first site and app where you can message without paying. | 6.8/10 | From about $11/moFree version | Budget daters who want to message for free | Visit site |
No sites match those filters. Try turning off "Useful free version" or choosing "Anything".
The full ranking
- 1Our top pickVery goodout of 10 Score 8.4 out of 10, Very good
Hinge
Best for: Daters in their 20s and 30s who want a relationship, not endless swiping
Hinge profiles are built from photos and short prompts, and you start a chat by reacting to one of them. That makes first messages easier and conversations less generic than on swipe apps.
- Free version is genuinely usable
- Prompts make starting a conversation easy
- Strong relationship focus for an app
- Only 8 free likes a day
- Prices vary by age and location
- Fewer users over 50
From about $17/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit Hinge - 2Very goodout of 10 Score 8.3 out of 10, Very good
Bumble
Best for: Women who want more control over who contacts them
Bumble is a large swipe app with more safety features than most, including optional ID verification. Women no longer have to message first, but Opening Moves keeps first chats low-pressure.
- ID verification and a verified-only filter
- Free version includes messaging and video calls
- Large user base in most cities
- Paid plans are confusing and vary a lot
- Still a swipe app, so many casual users
- Fewer users over 50
From about $9/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit Bumble - 3Very goodout of 10 Score 8.2 out of 10, Very good
Tinder
Best for: Younger daters who want the largest pool
Tinder has more users than any other dating app, which means more matches but also more people who aren't looking for what you are.
- Largest member base anywhere
- Generous free version
- Quick to set up
- Many casual users and inactive profiles
- Upsells everywhere
- Skews young
From about $6/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit Tinder - 4Goodout of 10 Score 7.9 out of 10, Good
HER
Best for: Lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people
HER is part dating app, part community, built for queer women and non-binary people. The free version covers dating and community well.
- Built for queer women and non-binary people
- Community features beyond dating
- Cheap Premium
- Smaller pool outside cities
- Needs a Facebook or Instagram account
- App only
From about $8/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit HER - 5Goodout of 10 Score 7.3 out of 10, Good
Coffee Meets Bagel
Best for: Busy professionals who want fewer, better matches
CMB sends you a handful of matches each day, and chats expire after a week, which pushes people to actually meet.
- Strong verification
- Less swiping, more intent
- Useful free version
- Smaller member base
- App only
- Expiring chats can feel rushed
From about $15/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit Coffee Meets Bagel - 6Fairout of 10 Score 6.8 out of 10, Fair
Plenty of Fish
Best for: Budget daters who want to message for free
POF is one of the few sites where free members can message anyone. The trade-off is a mixed crowd and weaker safety features.
- Free messaging
- Large member base
- Cheap paid plans
- More fake and inactive profiles than paid sites
- Thin safety tools
- Past data breaches
From about $11/mo · Useful free version Full review Visit Plenty of Fish
Questions people ask
What is the best free dating sites and apps?
Hinge ranks first, with a score of 8.4 out of 10. The best free app for people under 40 who want a relationship.
Which one is cheapest?
Tinder has the lowest paid price on this list, from about $6/mo on its longest plan, checked October 2026.
Can I use any of these free?
Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, HER, Coffee Meets Bagel, Plenty of Fish have free versions that are enough to meet people. The others let you make a profile free but charge to message.
How did you rank these?
Each site is scored on real members, safety and privacy, value, matching and features, and ease of use. The overall score weights members and safety most heavily. Our methodology page explains each score.