Which Dating Site is Best For You?

Whether you are joining a dating site to find new dates, friendships, long-term relationships or something more casual, there are a few key things you need to know.

Since starting in the early noughties, online dating has become a booming, successful industry, with literally thousands of dating sites to choose from. When you start dating online with the right dating site, you’re generally sure of success. But choose the wrong one… As industry experts, we have reviewed hundreds of dating sites in the UK to present you with the best, which we display here, complete with full reviews and testimonials from happy members.

Read our advice below, check out our Must Read articles on online dating, and jump in! Join any of the sites we list, and you’re sure to be making new connections in no time at all.

Different Kinds of Dating Sites

When choosing which dating site to join, it’s important to think through what you want to get out of the experience. To help you, here are the different types of dating sites you’ll encounter:

• Mainstream dating sites – Mainstream sites cater for everyone, and are by far the best way for you to find the largest selection of eligible singles, as they have the largest number of singles joining each day. While the sites have an element of intelligent matching in place, you’ll have to do a fair bit of selection & sifting yourself to get to the people you’re really interested in meeting. This is not too onerous, and all the dating sites recommended here will learn from your selections, thereby providing you with better and better matches over time.
• Niche dating sites – There are many dating sites out there that cater to specific “niches”, generally focusing on interests, age or lifestyle. The most popular niches are for the over 40s or 50s, sites focusing on religion (eg Christian dating) professions (eg professional dating, teacher dating etc) and pastimes/hobbies (eg travel, music, food). By joining a niche site, you will generally have a better chance of meeting likeminded singles, however be aware that, as the site is niche, there is likely to be a smaller pot of singles to choose from.

Ratio of Men To Women

All the dating sites listed with us pay careful attention to either side of the compatibility coin. For men seeking women, and vice versa, it’s important to choose a dating site that has an even mix. There’s not a lot worse than joining a site, only to find one or two matches in your area! If you are looking for a gay or lesbian dating site, the same applies. All the dating sites we list on Best10-DatingSites have a healthy split of genders, and work hard to retain that split over time.

Safety & Security

When you join a dating site, you are putting your faith in that company’s ability to keep you safe, in a number of ways: Your personal data – When you sign up, you’re giving over your email address. If you decide to become a paying member, you’ll also be passing across your payment details. For example your credit or debit card. The dating site you choose needs to be trustworthy with your personal data. Look for facts that prove they are. Do they have SSL? Look for the green Secure padlock sign at the top of your browser. Are they a member of a body, such as the Online Dating Association? Your dating profile – On all dating sites you are required to complete a member profile. This free dating profile consists of information about you, which is a goldmine of information to other companies. Make sure, by looking in the T&Cs, that the dating site you choose does not pass on or sell your data to third parties. All the ones we showcase here do not. Safe from scammers – The world of dating is unfortunately a target for scammers looking to dupe you into passing money to them across the internet. All, repeat all dating sites have scammers trying to infiltrate their members. Do not trust any dating company that says they do not have scammers. The best dating sites are the ones who invest the most in combatting scammers and timewasters, and keeping you safe. Companies are increasingly using sophisticated software and artificial intelligence to identify and eradicate dating scammers before they cause any upset. Also it’s important to look out for companies who check all profiles by hand too, as well as monitoring those initial messages to catch unwanted behaviours.

Customer Support

When you start online dating for the first time, or join a different site, it can be difficult to get to grips with how to use everything. It’s important to have a Customer Care team on hand to deal with your questions. Some companies’ Customer Care is better than others. Look for companies that have live chat or even telephone, as well as email support, and ensure they have acceptable response times. In our reviews, we give you the low down on each company’s performance, when it comes to Customer Care.

Do They Have a Dating App?

Over 70% of people who date online today are doing so on their mobile phones. While a mobile version of the dating site is acceptable, for the best experience on a smartphone, you’re going to want to use an app. The app gives you a richer dating experience, often the functionality is cut down to give you a cleaner, simpler time. Notifications are instantaneous, meaning you’ll never miss a wink, message or date again!

Do They Run Dating Events?

Dating events are a great way for you to meet other singles. Some dating sites offer events to their members. These can range from organised meet ups in bars, to themed events. Themed events are great fun, because they bring together people who have similar interests – or the desire to learn a new interest – and give you a chance to get to know others in a relaxed, fun environment. Usually you will be required to pay to attend dating events, however they are generally not that expensive as they are subsidised by the dating company.

Disclosure: This website is an independent comparison site that helps consumers find the most suitable product for their needs. We are able to maintain a free, high-quality service by charging an advertising fee to featured brands whenever a user completes a purchase. These advertising fees might impact the placement of the brands on this page and combined with the conversion rates might impact the scoring as well which are further based on a combination of review findings, user experience and product popularity. We make best effort to present up-to-date information; however, we do not compare or include all service providers in the market.