When you’re over 50, going online to find love and companionship can seem frightening. The dating environment has changed dramatically since you first dabbled in it, and keeping up with all of the applications and sites offering connections can be difficult. However, dating sites and apps can be a terrific way for older individuals to get back into the dating scene because you are ultimately in control. With dating services, you can see who you’re interested in and be specific about what you’re searching for right away. Having meaningful relationships has numerous health benefits, especially in your older years, so it’s worth the investment. To make things even easier, we’ve prepared the best senior dating tips along with the list of best mature dating sites.

Eharmony

When it comes to finding true love, Eharmony means business, which is ideal for older daters. This is not the place to meet time wasters or individuals looking for casual flings. Every member must complete detailed questions about themselves and what they’re searching for, and then Eharmony does the legwork of determining who is most compatible with them. Make sure you spend a significant amount of time properly and truthfully answering the questions since they will select your most compatible matches.

Heather Shannon, LCPC, CST, a professional sex therapist, recommends Eharmony, noting that many of her clients have had success with it. The website also claims to have helped two million people and counting find love. Outstanding statistics!

Other safety features are incorporated into the site, like the option to require a video chat before further communication and a responsive team that deletes any suspicious profiles. (We also have a complete Eharmony review that goes over all the specifications.)

Eharmony is expensive, with prices ranging from $12 to $60 a month depending on your location and the plan you select (six months, a year, or two years). While this is one of the more expensive options on this list, it ensures that everyone on the site is solely focused on finding love.

Pros:

• A very thorough matching procedure
• People who are erratic are less likely to be encountered.

Cons:

• For those on a tighter budget, it is too expensive.
• A little out of date

Ourtime

Ourtime is a dating site that especially caters to those over 50 based on personal and professional experience. It has been used successfully by friends, relatives, and clients. My uncle met his long-term girlfriend through OurTime, and a former client met his partner through OurTime as well, “she claims.

OurTime has a nice feature in that they organize events and mixers, such as cooking courses for singles in larger cities, so you may meet a few people at once to see whether the spark is there. The platform is extremely simple to use and walks you through the installation procedure.

To communicate with other users, you’ll need to pay for a subscription; thus, sticking with the free version isn’t an option. If you sign up for six months, the cost will only be $12/month, making it one of the cheapest solutions available—making it ideal for anyone on a tight budget.

Pros:

• Designed specifically for the needs of singles over the age of 50.
• less expensive than many options
• Organizes parties and mixers for singles to meet in person.

Cons:

• Potential matches have a narrow age range.

Silver Singles

Silver Singles, like OurTime, caters to daters over the age of 50. It is, however, a less expensive choice than OurTime. You pay a one-time fee of $25 for a year, $35 for six months, or $45 for three months. All of the features required to effectively connect with someone must be paid for, but you can also sign up for free at first to take a look around and determine whether you want to continue with a subscription.

Silver Singles is ideal for someone who prefers to use a senior-targeted dating site and is listed as one of the most well-known sites for older daters by several experts. According to one review, it allows you to “like” specific portions of another user’s profile, which is a good approach to starting a conversation, especially for older daters who aren’t used to online dating.

Pros:

• Designed for those over the age of 50.

Cons:

• You can sign up even if you are under the age of 50.
• There is no video-chatting capability.

Match.com

Match.com is a well-known dating services out there and is often seen as a place for users to find love rather than hook-ups. Match.com is ideal for people looking for long-term love because it places a greater emphasis on the answers you provide on your profile rather than the rapid swipe culture of applications like Tinder. Match also includes useful features that allow you to be viewed and contacted just by people who have the qualities you’ve specified as desirable.

This dating site requires payment to use, but you may receive a weeklong free trial with rather limited features to get a feel for the site before committing. Many subscription plans are available at various pricing points ranging from approximately $16/month to $27/month.

Pros:

• firmly established
• Allows you to properly filter out people that aren’t of interest to you.

Cons:

• The free version is extremely limited.

OkCupid

In my perspective, OkCupid is one of the most enjoyable dating services. The basic premise is that you answer a series of questions about your interests and values, and then the all-knowing algorithm determines your compatibility with other users. You can also rank the importance of each question to ensure that you don’t lose out on the love of your life over a small argument over pineapple on pizza (for example).

OkCupid has been around for quite long and has a significant user base. It is also famous for its queer and poly-friendly mode, which is ideal for individuals over 50 who are just coming out or returning to the scene.

The free basic version is adequate for browsing and communicating. If you want to unlock more super-likes (a manner of communicating interest to others), see who likes you, and use additional premium services, you may pay $35 per month or $17 per month if you sign up for six months. The app also has a 4.1 rating on the Apple App Store, which is rather impressive! One reviewer lauds it for its “user-friendly” design and the fact that it’s “simple to use and explore,” making it a suitable fit for older daters who didn’t grow up online.

Pros:

• Forces you to examine what is essential to you
• The free version is functional.

Cons:

• Paid versions are expensive.
• Some claim that there aren’t as many active users as with other apps.

Tinder

Tinder is a very plausible alternative for daters over 50. While the dating app is not expressly designed for seniors, it is unrivaled in terms of sheer numbers. Tinder has almost 50 million members, so everyone and their gorgeous mom are on it.

Simply add a handful of images, write a line or two about yourself, and begin swiping through other people’s profiles until you find someone you like. You can match and start conversing if you both indicate interest in each other. It’s simple, effective, and completely free. You can pay for an upgraded version to access additional features, but it is not required. The enhanced versions range in price from $10 to $40 each month or less if you commit to a longer time frame.

Tinder is ideal for someone who wants to see what’s out there without committing to anything or anyone. However, I know several long-term couples who met on Tinder, as well as a couple who married after meeting on the app. Tinder, as Weiss puts it, is what you make of it.

Pros:

• A large number of users
• Simple to use
• The free version is fantastic.

Cons:

• It may be superficial.
• There could be a lot of time wasters.

Bumble

Bumble is one of the only dating apps requiring women to send the first message when they match men. If you do not respond within 24 hours, the match will be lost! If two ladies match, either can message first, but if neither does so within 24 hours, the match is canceled.

This function is ideal for women who want to prevent guys from sending insulting beginning texts. It is an especially welcome change of pace for older women who may have grown up believing that men are required to initiate all sex and relationship activities. According to sex therapist Bat Sheva Marcus, Ph.D., her straight older women clients prefer Bumble because it gives them more control over the process. Bonus: It’s also free for everyone, albeit some functions are behind a barrier. (However, not enough to have an effect on your experience!)

Bumble also includes an integrated video-chat capability, allowing you to get to know someone online before meeting them in person. This is a two-tiered safety feature: First, it allows you to vet someone’s vibe and determine whether they are the person in their images. Second, it is ideal for a COVID-safe date, which may be more important for older daters who may fall into at-risk categories. Bumble has paid features, but it also functions without a subscription.

Pros:

• appealing interface
• The free version is excellent.
• With matches, you won’t be left in awkward quiet.

Cons:

• Not suitable for women who prefer not to message first.
• You may lose matches if you do not check the app on a daily basis.

Hinge

Hinge is the greatest app for individuals of color over the age of 50. Some other websites provide this option, although it is usually hidden behind a paywall. On the other hand, Hinge provides information for all users and even includes a brief prompt explaining why it may be necessary for people of color not to date white people. Black/African descent, East Asian, Pacific Islander, and white are among the race categories provided. You can choose as many or as few as you want, and you’ll only be given matches that fall within those categories.

Another advantage of Hinge for older daters is that its tagline is “Made to be deleted.” That is, most users on Hinge are seeking something serious and are less likely to be looking for sex.

Hinge has a fascinating feature where you can record and listen to voice messages from other users, which may appeal to old souls that prefer a human touch. Aditi Paul, Ph.D., a researcher who focuses on how online dating affects our relationships, notes that Hinge is headed by a primarily female staff that has spent a significant amount of time listening to its user base about things they’d want to see.

Pros:

• New user interface
• Voice-note function
• You may watch matches for free.

Cons:

• The phrase “designed to be erased” suggests monogamy as the goal, excluding non-monogamous users.

Christianmingle

Most current dating apps will allow you to specify your religious preferences, but this may be a premium function. Religion is typically listed immediately on your profile, allowing you to browse through prospective matches based on similar religious principles; some applications even allow you to actively search for religious matches. However, a religion-based app will be your best bet if a common religion is critical to a prospective partner.

Christianmingle is a faith-based app that connects Christians based on education, interests, and spirituality—all aspects of finding a long-term, serious match. You may also filter matches by age and geography, making it easier to locate someone your age (if you prefer).

Best for Judaism: While J-Swipe is the most popular among millennials, JDate targets a slightly older demographic, with a majority of users aged 55 and up. It is intended for more serious daters and accumulates a wealth of information on potential users. Remember that not all users are Jewish.

Pros:

• Religious principles that are shared

Cons:

• A narrower range of alternatives.

Advice on how to use dating sites successfully

While few clinical studies have directly examined the consequences of online dating, there have been decades of research on why relationships work and what brings people together in the first place. Below you’ll find a few senior dating tips that’ll help you start your online dating on a better footing.

1. Be kind to yourself

Online dating is not like the dating you may be used to. So, if you’re having trouble understanding online dating rules, be gentle with yourself. You’re learning how to traverse unfamiliar territory. Don’t give up right away if it’s difficult at first. There is a learning curve, but perseverance may be rewarded. This is by far one of the most important senior dating tips you should think about.

2. Take a stand

People expect you to be decisive and straightforward. So, when others inquire, “What are you looking for?” be truthful. Whether you’re seeking a serious relationship, casual companionship, buddies, or just sex, Paul recommends saying it.

The more specific you are about what you’re searching for, the more successful you’ll be in finding mates who respect and accept you for who you are.

3. Before meeting up, confirm your identity

It may be tempting to go straight to meeting up after matching and messaging with someone you’re interested in. However, arranging a video chat first is recommended to ensure that the person matches the photos. If your app includes a video chat function, use it because it’s the safest and most convenient method to interact. Your safety is important so take these senior dating tips seriously.

4. Never give out personal information or transfer money to anyone

Be aware of anyone who refuses to meet in person yet asks you several personal questions. Similarly, you should never give money to somebody you met on a dating app. Scammers will entice you by appealing to your best qualities and lavishing you with compliments. If someone starts requesting money from you, block them and report them to the app or website you’re using. They all use different ways to accomplish this, which are usually well documented.

5. Recruit a friend

One of the best senior dating tips is to ask a trustworthy friend to assist you in choosing the photographs you use on the app/site and have them scan your profile to check whether it’s a decent depiction of you. An outside opinion can help your profile stand out and serve as an excellent gut check to ensure that anyone you’re conversing with appears safe to meet up with.

Conclusion

Dating applications aren’t exclusively for people over the age of 25. Anyone can find love and companionship online if they know what they’re looking for and are patient. If you approach online dating with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a pinch of caution, you’ll be getting dates in no time. Try out a few of the dating apps and services for seniors listed above until you find the one that is right for you. After, reading this blog, you may also like to read our blog on how to find love after 60. It will certainly inspire you.