Choosing dating apps in Fort Lauderdale is not as easy as you’d think. With so many to choose from - how do you know which one to use?
Trust us, dating has changed. In the past, hitting up some of the biggest bars in Fort Lauderdale down Las Olas (like Big City Tavern and YOLO) was a guarantee to find love or a new hookup. Or, maybe you’re studying at the University of Fort Lauderdale and you knew you’d find someone sooner or later. The truth is that there’s no match for the number of people you can meet on a dating app or free dating sites in Fort Lauderdale.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the way people date in Fort Lauderdale - even despite a relatively lax mask policy in Florida. When meeting new people, dating apps in Fort Lauderdale help screen out those who may not have the same health choices, lifestyle, occupation, and other factors.
It’s only natural to want to discover the Best dating sites in Fort Lauderdale and find some romance. Let’s take a look at using the best dating apps in Fort Lauderdale.
In case you're nearby, we've also compiled a list of the top dating apps in different cities in Florida:
The 5 Best Dating Sites in Fort Lauderdale Right Now
Not all dating apps are created equal. Nor do they all work the same for people in Fort Lauderdale. To help you get the best success when it comes to online dating, we chose 5 best dating sites based on a few criteria:
- Popularity in Fort Lauderdale
- Cultural fit
- Ease of use
- Free features
- Paid features
In the next section, you’ll discover our 5 dating site recommendations for Fort Lauderdale.
#1 - eHarmony (Android, iOS) is one of the best dating apps in Fort Lauderdale for singles looking for relationships
eHarmony is extremely popular in Fort Lauderdale for serious matches between compatible individuals. Why? First off, eHarmony is not made for casual encounters. Instead, eHarmony requires all users to complete an extremely detailed questionnaire about their preferences, interests, and more. Just by the questionnaire alone, most people seeking short-term encounters are weeded out.
Second, the app sends you match recommendations based on your compatibility. Did you know that nearly 4% of all married couples in the US met on eHarmony? If you want to meet your future spouse too, then give eHarmony a try with their free membership, or better yet get a paid subscription to fully unlock the app's matching prowess.
Why eHarmony is one of the best dating sites in Fort Lauderdale:
- Best success rate out for long-term relationships among all dating apps
- Makes it pretty easy to form connections based on shared interests
- Designed for serious users
- Fewer scammer profiles than other apps
What we don’t like about eHarmony
- Requires a substantial investment of your time for results
- Not popular with younger demographics
#2 - Coffee Meets Bagel (Android, iOS) is designed for sophisticated urbanites
Fort Lauderdale’s diverse population means that there are plenty of interesting and exciting new women to meet. And with Coffee Meets Bagel, you can find them.
By design, Coffee Meets Bagel is meant to attract younger professionals that are fitting brief dates in their busy lives. Instead of quick flings, Coffee Meets Bagel actually limits the number of matches you get per day (21 for guys and 6 for girls); once you go through them, you have to wait 24 hours.
Women only receive matches for guys who have already "liked" them, which incentivizes women to not be overwhelmed by options. For men, Coffee Meets Bagel helps men focus on women they’d actually be compatible with - not playing the numbers and hoping for the best.
Why Coffee Meets Bagel is great for Floridians
- A limited number of daily matches allows for time to thoroughly consider a possible match
- Tends to attract users who have their lives together
- Low time commitment
What we don’t like about Coffee Meets Bagel
- Matching takes longer than other dating apps.
- Isn’t ideal if you’re looking to date outside of Fort Lauderdale
- Not as diverse as larger dating apps
#3 - AFF is one of the best dating sites in Fort Lauderdale for casual relationships
AFF (which has a great free trial) should be your first choice when you're not looking for a relationship but still want some fun in the bedroom. We've tried a lot of different apps for this (most are downright awful) and only a couple have proven to work. Tinder is great if you're under 25 (see below), but once you get beyond that demographics, AFF has the best results out of any dating site in Florida that we've tried, especially for guys.
One of the things we've really liked about this app is that they do a really good job of helping you find EXACTLY what you're looking for. Everyone on this site is looking for the same thing so you can save a LOT of time that you would waste on other sites. If you're 25+ and want to take someone home this is your app.
Why AFF is great
- They have a massive number of users on their app (over 50 million)
- We’ve seen guys have the best success using it, especially those who aren’t super good looking and didn’t do well on Tinder
- It’s very straightforward and easy to use
What we don’t like about it
- Clunky design
- People can be a bit too forward in their tastes
#4 - Tinder (Android, iOS) is another great way for singles to meet in Fort Lauderdale
Tinder is the most popular dating app in the world if you're particularly good looking - if you're an 8 or lower in looks it can be pretty tough. If you’re searching for singles for hookups and long-term relationships in Fort Lauderdale, using Tinder puts all the women in your area at your fingertips. Simply swipe right on profiles your like, swipe left to weed out bad matches, tap to learn more about their profile, and start matching to begin the conversion.
But let’s be honest: Tinder’s reliance on photos means this is an app for attractive people. As it’s so easy to use, Tinder is one of the fastest ways to go on dates without the endless back-and-forth that comes with other dating apps in Fort Lauderdale. Best-suited for smartphones, Tinder is available for desktop users too.
Why Tinder is great
- Largest pool of potential romantic partners and hookups
- Easy to use platform
- Simple to get started
What we don’t like about Tinder
- Lots of competition
- A paid membership is expensive
- Predominantly a looks-based app, so it can be hard to make meaningful connections
#5 - Hinge helps guys avoid the crowds to increase their pool of dates and hookups
Hinge may not seem like the first choice when it comes to dating apps in Fort Lauderdale, but that’s precisely the point. Avoid the tried-and-true paths of heavy competition and plenty of scammers by using Hinge.
With only 6 million active users, you’re likely to have some overlap with other apps or meet fellow dating “refugees” that are tired of Tinder scammers, Bumble’s clunky way of communicating, and Coffee Meets Bagel’s big city “elitism”. Plus, Hinge has some of its own features that other apps lack. These include “icebreaker” questions and the photo prompt feature that lets you add a little bit of humor to your photos.
Why Hinge is one of the best dating apps in Fort Lauderdale for men
- Unique user base
- User profiles are more in-depth than other apps
- The icebreaker questions and photo prompts give you more ways to reach new matches
What we don’t like about Hinge
- The free version is very much just a test drive; you’ll need to pay to get the full benefits
- There is no desktop version if you prefer dating sites
The Best Hookup Sites in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
So, you’re at a stage in life where you just want some plain old fun in the bedroom. You don’t want to have to think about your shared future with this person or any of that messy stuff. Instead, you want to just chill, get freaky, then move on. Which are the best casual dating sites in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to get lucky?
AFF is the top choice if you want quick and easy hookups
AFF has been around for a long time and that’s because it works pretty well. Everyone knows why AFF exists, so it's not that hard to find someone who's up for a casual night of fun. Usually, you’ll find those who are slightly older on the platform but don’t let that deter you from finding an amazing hookup. After all, with millions of users on the site, even the younger folks are starting to get interested.
OkCupid is better for finding quick flings than you’d think
OkCupid is one of the best casual dating sites in Fort Lauderdale. As you may know, OkCupid isn’t specifically for hookups, nor is it specifically used for finding relationships. Honestly, it lives in this ambiguous middle ground where you could find either depending on what you’re looking for. Despite that, a ton of singles have had no issues finding one-night stands through OkCupid - who’s to say you won’t be next?
The Best Dating Sites in Fort Lauderdale for Relationships
When it comes to going on dates to get to know someone, not all yield similar results. You want to choose an app that isn’t all about hookups or conversations that go nowhere. And moreover, you want to try out the app and actually get results before putting your hard-earned money down for a paid membership.
That’s why eHarmony and Bumble are some of the best free dating sites in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s what you should know:
eHarmony is accurate when it comes to finding a partner you’d actually like to meet
eHarmony is extremely popular in Fort Lauderdale and has an amazing track record of helping Floridians find life partners by using highly-advanced matching algorithms. eHarmony does the best job of matching you up with compatible potential mates that we've seen - and that’s saying something.
Bumble flips the script when it comes to modern dating
What makes Bumble such a great dating app in Fort Lauderdale is that women make the first move. This changes the dynamic and actually puts less pressure on women to actually respond (instead of fending off endless dick pics, scammers, etc.).
The Best Free Dating Sites in Fort Lauderdale
Now that you’ve got a pretty good understanding of all of the free dating apps sites in Fort Lauderdale, it’s important to understand that online dating is very much “you get what you pay for”. With advanced features, better chances of success, and a wider selection of partners to choose from, paid subscriptions increases your ability to find the right person without the limitations that free dating apps in Fort Lauderdale typically offer.
If we were to choose some of the best free dating apps in Fort Lauderdale, the following would be the top choices for those looking for the optimal results and features:
- eHarmony (for long-term dating)
- AFF (for NSA fun)
- Tinder (for hookups and casual dating)
As with anything, you get what you put into it. The value of paid apps is certainly a requirement for modern dating in Fort Lauderdale, but don’t be afraid to use as many apps as you can handle. You’ll certainly widen your pool of women in Fort Lauderdale, as well as get a few more chances to catch the interest of a partner that only prefers one app versus another.
Nevertheless, good luck with meeting your new partner by using HeartInsider’ recommendations for the best dating apps in Fort Lauderdale outlined in this article. Don’t get discouraged if some of the apps don’t work out the first time - it’s important to try a few and cycle through different apps until you find one you like. As with dating, the more you experiment and find what you like, the better your results will be!
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