The best dating sites and apps for people over 40

Read our full review of eharmony.

If you're 40 or older and ready to commit, like really commit, eharmony is where you want to be. It's known for pairing people for life and has a strong reputation for its thorough matching process.

Most eharmony users are between 30 and 44 years old and are looking for a serious relationship or marriage, which is exactly why we ranked it as the No. 1 dating app for marriage-minded individuals over 40 (it's also our top pick for finding serious relationships, period).

Founded in 2000, eharmony has quite a reputation, especially for its in-depth compatibility matching system. (It was actually the very first dating app to introduce the concept of compatibility testing.) Instead of relying on algorithms that think a shared love of cat memes is the key to compatibility, eharmony takes a more scientific approach. You'll fill out a comprehensive compatibility quiz about your values, interests, and personality quirks — think of it like a Myers-Briggs test for your love life. It might take you 20 minutes to get through the quiz, but trust us; it's worth it to filter out the potential dating disasters and find someone who actually gets you. Keep an eye out for promotions too, as eharmony often runs discounts of up to 50% off.

Although eharmony is historically known for catering to heterosexual couples, the company has been making headlines for its efforts to become more inclusive and welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. They even teamed up with GLAAD, the experts on all things LGBTQ+, to make their platform even better for LGBTQ+ daters. This means more options for expressing your gender identity and finding matches who are truly compatible.

A little heads up, though: Not everyone is thrilled with eharmony's move to be more inclusive. Some religious groups aren't happy and are even trying to get them to change back. If that's a concern for you, Christian Mingle might be a better fit for a more strictly faith-focused dating experience. Other religious dating sites include JDate for Jewish singles and Muslima for Muslim singles.

Read our full review of AdultFriendFinder.

Read our full review of Match.

If you believe dating is a numbers game, Match is your best bet. With a huge user base that includes a really solid number of people in their 40s and 50s (around 49 percent are between 30 and 49, and another 27 percent are 50 and up, according to its latest data), it's a place where you can connect with a wide range of people. This makes it an ideal option for daters who are in a smaller town or just want more choices. It's also one of our top picks for divorced or widowed singles who are re-entering the dating pool and want to connect with a wide range of people who understand their life stage.

What makes Match so effective for the over-40 crowd is its commitment to helping you go beyond a superficial connection. While some apps are focused on quick swipes, Match encourages you to build a more robust profile. With space for 26 photos, you can share more than just your best selfies — you can show your hobbies, your travels, and different sides of your personality. It prompts you to craft a thoughtful bio and answer questions that lead to more meaningful conversations right from the start.

The platform is also focused on helping you date with more purpose. By teaming up with experts from institutions like the Kinsey Institute, Match offers features that highlight core compatibility factors, such as your communication style and personal values. This helps you move past surface-level attractions to find someone you can actually build a life with.

For safety, Match has a dedicated team that reviews new profiles, and once a phone number is flagged for inappropriate behavior, it's banned from the site to protect users.

Hinge is a popular dating app for singles in their 30s and 40s who are looking to make meaningful connections. While the app is popular with Gen Z and young professionals, it's equally suitable for older singles looking for a compatible partner who shares similar interests and prefers to steer clear of the casual hookup culture of other apps.

Hinge's detailed profiles and conversation-starting prompts make it easy to get to know potential matches on a deeper level before meeting in person — and, hopefully, avoid any red flags.

What makes Hinge stand out is its core philosophy: it's "designed to be deleted." The entire app is built to help you find a real connection, not just a casual hookup. (Though you can definitely find a hookup on this app, if that's what you're looking for!) Rather than mindless swiping, Hinge encourages you to thoughtfully engage with profiles by liking or commenting on specific photos or prompts.

To keep conversations authentic, Hinge recently partnered with renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel to launch 10 new prompts. Perel co-created prompts like "Something my pet thinks about me..." and "I'm in my element when..." to help users "break out of old scripts" and share their stories more playfully. On top of new prompts, Hinge also introduced "Match Note." This feature is designed to help daters, especially those from underrepresented groups like LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent folks, share important details about themselves privately with matches before starting a conversation.

Hinge is really focused on safety and inclusivity. The company recently appointed its first-ever Chief Risk Officer, Jeff Dunn, which shows that it's serious about protecting its community.

And for those of us who might be a little rusty at dating (or just prefer a more thoughtful approach), Hinge's director of relationship science, Logan Ury, shared some tips with Mashable on how to make your first date less awkward and more fun. (Like, did you know that having a "third object" to talk about, like art at a museum, can take the pressure off?)

Read our full review of Bumble Premium.

If you're a woman or non-binary person over 40 who is tired of wading through unwanted messages, Bumble might be for you. Its signature women-first approach empowers you to initiate conversations, creating a more respectful space from the very first "hello." It's also great for men who might be a bit more reserved and appreciate a clear signal that the other person is interested.

Bumble's whole claim to fame has always been its women-first philosophy. And for years, that's exactly why we loved it. But lately, the platform has found itself in some hot water, struggling with the same dating app burnout we're all feeling and a recent controversy that has users seriously questioning its promise to be a safe space.

In April 2025, users discovered they were still being shown profiles of people they had already blocked. While Bumble's official line is that this was an error or that people were creating new accounts, the initial mixed messages from their support team, including one that admitted they show you blocked profiles "in case you have changed your mind," caused a major user backlash.

In what seems like a major damage-control effort, founder Whitney Wolfe Herd issued an open letter promising a renewed focus on user trust and safety. They've also rolled out new features like ID Verification and the "Share Date" feature, which lets you send the details of your date — who you're meeting, where, and when — to a trusted friend directly from the app.

So, while Bumble still has a massive pool of users and its core feature is intact, you should know you're swiping on a platform that's going through some growing pains right now.

Read our full review of OkCupid.

OkCupid is a dating platform that embraces diversity and inclusivity, making it a great option for singles over 40 who value open-mindedness and thoughtful conversations. It has a more liberal-leaning user base and puts a focus on thought-provoking conversations over endless swiping.

OkCupid's algorithm helps you find your match by looking into core topics (such as your views on feminism and other important social issues) and matches you with singles who share these key values.

While many apps are focused on swiping, OkCupid (also owned by Match Group) prioritizes true matchmaking — and the proof is in the numbers. The platform is credited with making over 91 million meaningful connections each year. Its secret is a deep library of matching questions that ask about the important stuff, like your views on feminism or how you balance a partner's needs with your own. The more questions you answer, the more compatible your matches become. It's also highly inclusive, offering profile options for 22 different gender identities and 12 different sexual orientations.

To keep its questions relevant, OkCupid started using generative AI in early 2023 to create new, thought-provoking prompts that have already been answered millions of times. This focus on what really matters helps you connect on a deeper level before you even start talking.

OKC is also one of our top picks for the best dating apps with a free version because, unlike many platforms, its free tier is feature-rich enough to actually be useful. While you can browse profiles and message other users without paying, you'll still need to upgrade to a paid plan to access premium features, including the ability to see everyone who has liked you at once.

SilverSingles is a mature dating site for singles 50 and above. Thanks to its minimum age requirement, SilverSingles is the perfect place to connect with older singles looking for love and companionship. If you're looking for a serious relationship with someone who has a similar amount of life experience, this platform provides a vetted community where everyone meets the age requirement. It removes the guesswork and ensures you're connecting with people in the same life stage.

As a sister site to EliteSingles, SilverSingles uses the same trusted technology for its matchmaking, but with a community exclusively for singles 50 and over. Instead of leaving you to swipe through endless profiles, the platform does the heavy lifting for you. The process starts with a comprehensive personality test designed to understand your values, goals, and what you're looking for in a partner.

Based on your results, SilverSingles sends you three to seven highly compatible matches each day. This slower, more intentional approach is often exactly what daters over 40 are looking for, as it cuts down on noise and focuses on quality over quantity. And it gets results: one of our own reviewers surprised their mom with a SilverSingles subscription, and she is now happily partnered with someone she met on the platform.

That said, the site isn't super inclusive. While you can specify your preference for a same-sex partner, the app currently doesn't allow you to search for both men and women simultaneously.

Read our full review of Zoosk.

Zoosk hasn't kept up with modern dating apps. But if you're scraping the bottom of the dating barrel on other platforms, consider this your last stop.

Zoosk feels like a time capsule from the early days of online dating. Their idea of "matching" involves tossing winks and hearts around like it's still 2007. And if you want actual conversation and meaningful connection, then get ready to open your wallet. Zoosk's free version is like walking into a party and not being allowed to talk to anyone. It might have been the place to be back in the day, but now there are way better options that actually understand how modern dating works.