The Best Free Online Dating Sites To Use In 2024 To Find “The One”

Dating online or using online tools to find someone new can be a great way to find people to connect with, despite what you may be led to believe. In fact, it has high success rates! At the beginning of 2019,  47% of Americans reported that they personally had met their current romantic partner on a dating site, or they knew someone who had. Many dating websites have high success rates, but a lot of them also are pricey. Even some of the best paid dating sites have free versions that are high quality and valuable. Here are some free dating sites in the USA that might help you find your special someone with just a few clicks.

Bumble

Bumble is a woman-run online dating site that focuses on matching people who live in close proximity to each other. The site functions similarly to Tinder in that users swipe left or right on photos of matches to indicate interest (or disinterest), but one of the primary differences is that once a match is made, the (or one of the) women must initiate the conversation. 

For this reason, Bumble is sometimes called a "feminist dating site/app" because it focuses on women's safety in dating. Matches have a 24-hour expiration, so if no messages are sent in this time frame, the match disappears. This way, users are encouraged to communicate quickly and organize a time to meet, if desired.

Even though it’s a free dating app, bumble has special verification features available that can dramatically lower the risk of internet bots and catfishing. This increases safety and also places a degree of seriousness on the website, so it may be a more likely place to find a long-term partner. Bumble is one of the top dating sites, and it is free, but there are special upgrade features that some users choose to buy to improve their chances of making and maintaining a match. 

eHarmony

eHarmony is a popular and well-known dating site that has excellent success in helping people find "The One." The free version of this online dating site has fewer features than the full version, but unlike some lite versions of dating sites, the free eHarmony subscription provides users with all the necessities of making a match. eHarmony is also one of the oldest online dating sites. The website was set live in 2000 and has been going strong ever since as it has refined its sophisticated matching system. 

The eHarmony matching algorithm is primarily based on the 29 Dimensions of Compatibility. According to the site, these 29 dimensions can be used to narrow down possible matches until a carefully tailored pool of highly compatible individuals is created. Upon registration, users go through a long questionnaire that covers almost every possible relationship-related subject. This helps eHarmony's algorithm determine which users would make the most compatible match. A study done by Harris Interactive in 2012 found that 438 eHarmony couples marry each day, which is one of the highest success rates of all the current online dating sites. For that reason alone, many consider it to be the best free dating site.

Zoosk

Zoosk is by far one of the simplest of the best free online dating sites, and it's completely free. There aren't any fancy upgrades that cost extra; users only need to log in and get started searching to find a good match. New users don't have to go through the process of answering a lengthy questionnaire in order to be able to make matches. Instead, they are allowed to fill in their profile on their own time and at their own pace. Of course, it can still be essential for users to be as complete and detailed as possible so as to give plenty of information to the Zoosk matching algorithm.

One of the coolest things about Zoosk is that it offers users a special blog dedicated to dating tips and tricks. It can serve as the perfect compendium of invaluable dating information.

Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish may be one of the best free online dating sites for many reasons, but most importantly for this list, its full version is indeed completely free. There are some paid upgrades for users to choose from, but all of the most important features of the site are free of charge. Of those users, 3.6 million log on every day. Plenty of Fish facilitates over 1 million relationships every year, which can be a promising number for hopeful singles!

In terms of user interface, Plenty of Fish is arguably lacking some of the bells and whistles of other dating websites. But if you can look past the imperfections of the site design and functionality, the matching algorithm on this dating website can be excellent. 

OkCupid

OkCupid is completely free and totally fun. As a website that allows its users to specify whether they're looking for a friendship, a short-term relationship, or a long-term relationship, OkCupid can make it easier than ever to figure out who's serious about settling down. The website design of this dating website may be seen as superior to many of the entries on this list; it's sleek, simple, and to-the-point, which are all potentially desirable qualities for one of the best free online dating sites to have. Users can browse possible matches and see a match score percentage to see if they'd be truly compatible with a person. There's also an "enemy" percentage to help people avoid individuals with whom they may be likely to have a lot of disagreements.

Upon registration, OkCupid asks its users a variety of questions. It's up to the user to decide how many questions to answer, but the more that are answered, the better the OkCupid algorithm can function to find quality matches. The questions range from serious to silly, but all play into the final picture. Overall, using this website to meet and interact with potential matches can be quite easy and straightforward. There's nothing technologically confusing to get in the way of a perfect match.

Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel may be the modern single's answer to a friendly "hookup" app that allows single people to meet up with individuals who are interested in relationships built on friendship and trust. But unlike some of the other best free online dating sites, Coffee Meets Bagel uses a special system that provides possible matches based off of a user's friends of friends on Facebook. This online dating site provides a limited number of matches each day for users to consider, and a limited timeframe for chatting exists to encourage users to make connections quickly. 

Besides being a place for relationship-oriented people to meet, Coffee Meets Bagel boasts a high percentage (96%) of users who hold either a bachelor's or master's degree. The website has a high success rate, even among the dating site giants like Match and eHarmony. Since its initial launch in 2012, Coffee Meets Bagel has helped create over 50,000 happy relationships, and the number is only growing.

How to find additional support

From fun, game-based dating apps and sites to sophisticated dating web services, there are plenty of online dating options to choose from.

People who are single and dating can benefit from online therapy just as much as couples. Having an expert to talk to about dating experiences can be helpful in making decisions and reaching a deeper and holistic understanding of yourself and others.

Research suggests that working on self-esteem and mental health can help you form fulfilling, lasting romantic relationships. That means it might be just as good of an idea to prioritize your mental health as it might be to seek out a potential partner. You can learn more about the benefits of online therapy by reaching out to a professional who fits your needs and goals.

Takeaway

This list of the best dating sites is likely just the beginning of a long list of online dating services. More and more people are turning to online dating because of the sophisticated algorithms and statistically high numbers of long-term matches, but besides the scientific attraction of online dating sites, these services also help busy people take some of the guesswork and effort out of dating. Online dating can make it easier to find a match quickly and connect simply, so don’t be afraid to dip your toes in if it sounds like an option that makes sense for you.