Finding the best dating apps in Salt Lake City can take up a ton of your time and energy (emotional or otherwise). As dating coaches, we are used to testing a bunch of dating apps on regular basis to figure out what works best and to maximize our results. And boy, this takes a lot of time.
Why?
Because the online dating market is saturated with tons of dating apps, many of which are scammy and useless.
Our job was much easier back in the day when there were only 10 or 15 apps in the market. Today, there are at least 1500 dating apps on the market, all competing for your attention and money. And, trust me, you don't want to waste your precious time on useless dating apps then whine about why online dating is just for models.
Online dating isn't just a matter of creating a profile on Tinder and throwing three, or four cool photos in it then start matching. It's a mix of good profile set-up, proper texting, and choosing the right app that works for you in any given city. Dating apps aren't created equal. Some may work in a given city or country and not work in another one.
For example, I'd never heard of Badoo nor considered it a proper dating app until I spent four years in Europe and got plenty of dates from it. Similarly, some apps work in specific states and not others. Christian Mingle may not be popular in California but it's a hit in Alabama and other Bible Belt states. And that's why we decided to write this guide on the best dating apps and sites in Salt Lake City.
Before you read further, let us give you a quick summary of the Salt Lake City dating apps that have consistently worked for us:
| Site | Our Experience | Our Rating | Free Trial Link |
|---|---|---|---|
Best For Relationships  | Experience Highlights
| 9 | Try eHarmony |
Best For Casual Fun  | Experience Highlights
| 9 | Try AFF For Free |
Great If You're Handsome  | Tinder Highlights
| 8 | Try Tinder |
We've already several Utah dating guides. But as for today, we're going to cover only our favorite apps in the Crossroads of the West. And here they are:
#1 - eHarmony (Android, iOS) is the best Salt Lake City dating app for finding long-term relationships
My take on eHarmony is simple: Use it if you want to date women who share the same values and goals as you. eHarmony may not have the same buzz as Tinder - and recently, Bumble - but it does the same job, if not better.
The company's competitive advantage is compatibility. eHarmony was the first to use an algorithm to create compatible matches. When signing up, you'll notice that the process may take longer than usual. That's because the filters they use, and many questions they ask are designed to capture as much info about you as possible so present you with matches that are made to stick around longer than the first few dates.
You may say: But who cares about compatibility when all I want is just a fling?
Exactly. And that's why eHarmony is more of a matchmaker than a hookup app. Don't get me wrong, you can still get casual fun from it, but the app is for the more serious dater than the casual. It praises itself as being responsible for nearly 4% of America's yearly weddings (262 marriages/day), which makes it one of the best relationship apps in the country.
What we liked about eHarmony
- More than 15 million active users
- You get a curated selection of matches
- No weirdos or spammy accounts
- Everyone seems serious about finding love
What we didn't like about it
- It may take an hour to complete your profile
- Not for hookups
#2 - Plenty of Fish (Android, iOS) is still one of the most popular dating apps in Salt Lake City
Plenty of Fish was once more popular than Tinder but it has been on the decline for years. So you might be asking: Then why are you recommending it?
For two reasons:
- It has more than 3 million active users (95% of dating apps don't come near this number)
- It's kinda popular in Salt Lake
POF is the type of app you use when you're bored of Tinder or when your results are not that good and you need a quick date. Kinda like when you run out of money so you search your old pants for a couple of twenties.
The app tends to attract a fairly older tribe of women in their mid to late 30s, mostly those who used the app in its good days. This makes it the perfect app to try out if you're looking for older women. We already have a detailed POF review where we compared it against AFF, feel free to read it.
What we liked about POF
- Kinda popular in Utah
- If you like cute mature women, you may find some here
- Easy to navigate
What we didn't like
- Not popular with younger users, so less variety
- The app will send a ton of meaningless notifications to your phone and mail
#3 - For casual flings in Salt Lake City AFF is #1 (try it free here)
There are so many hookup apps in Salt Lake City and it's hard to figure out which one to use. After spending several months using AFF, we realized it's one of the best, and most-trusted dating apps out there.
The app has more than 80 million across the globe, many of whom are direct and to the point. What I hate the most about online dating is receiving a "sorry, we can't meet tomorrow" text from a girl after hours (or even days) of texting her. Such flakey behavior is leveled down on AFF mainly because everyone doesn't shy away from saying what they exactly want from this app: fun and fun only. Give it a try, lots of hot Salt Lake girls use it regularly.
What we liked about AFF
- No meaningless, wishy-washy chats that last for days
- Everyone seems friendly
- Lots of users even if you’re not from a huge city
What we didn't like about it
- You must sign up on the desktop version
- The design is a bit outdated
- You can try it for free, but you can’t read any messages until you upgrade
#4 - Tinder (Android, iOS) works anywhere you go
We can't add a list of dating apps without ignoring Tinder. It's the world's most popular dating app with almost half a billion downloads worldwide.
Tinder first started as a hookup app. Back in the day, before it became politically incorrect to ask for hookups right away, you could've easily wrapped the entire chat with an eggplant emoji. Now Tinder has become an all-around app. Whatever you want you will get as long as you present yourself properly and have good photos.
What we also like about Tinder is that you can totally have fun with the app without paying a dime, save for a couple of weekly boosts. Many popular apps claim they can get you more matches if you pay a premium. Some deliver, and some don't. But that isn't the case on Tinder. You can easily get matches and likes using their free version as long as your photos and bio are on point.
What we liked about Tinder
- The signup process is pretty simple
- Everyone seems to be using it
- Fun and easy to use
What we didn't like about Tinder
- The competition is fierce
- Girls can be a bit flakey thanks to the ton of attention they receive on the app
#5 - Match (Android, iOS) is for serious singles
If you're 30 years or older then you've probably heard of Match back when online dating was new. Match is one of the first dating apps on the planet that has dominated the dating market for years before the creation of Tinder (and by the way, both apps belong to the same company).
Even though it's for everybody, the app tends to attract a fairly older demographic, mostly because they're looking for serious relationships. These are the ones who are willing to pay extra early on just to ensure they meet quality partners who won't waste their time.
What we liked about Match
- Ideal for finding a long-term relationship
- Unlike on Tinder, you can use plenty of filters to narrow down your search to a more specific type of women
What we didn't like about Match
- The sign-up process is super long
- You need to pay to read and send messages
The Best Dating Sites in Salt Lake City for Long-Term Relationships
Now that we covered all the top dating apps and sites in Salt Lake City, it's time to categorize them into two sections:
- The best dating apps/sites for relationships
- The best dating apps/sites for hookups
People are different. Some guys are born to stay single while others yearn for a loving, long-term relationship. If you're the latter, these two apps are for you:
eHarmony - the app of choice for LTRs
We already covered eHarmony earlier in this post but there are only a few good relationship apps out there, and eHarmony is one of the best. The online dating industry is a huge, $4 billion market. eHarmony owns almost one-third of it (28%), mostly among those who want a meaningful relationship with the right partner.
But imagine if someone told you "sign up on eHarmony and you'll find a girlfriend in less than a year" what would you say?
According to the company, more than two-thirds of the users (70%) find their future spouse within a year of joining eHarmony. The sign-up process is both detailed and user-friendly with plenty of filters and questions to narrow down your search to any specific type of prospects you wish to date. Once done, matching, chatting or video-calling prospects will be the only things standing between you and your life partner. Just don't forget to email us when it happens.
Bumble is famous here in Salt Lake City
Over the past few years, no apps have surprised me more than Badoo and Bumble. The popularity and quality of both apps were beyond my expectations. Bumble, especially, has done exceptionally well in Utah to the degree that it became the second most downloaded dating app after Tinder with a 32% market share.
Bumble hosts a ton of serious beautiful women, especially within the 25-40 age range, who use the app to find relationships. It's user-friendly and I'm not surprised to see it surpassing Tinder within 5 to 10 years if it keeps growing this way.
The only thing I didn't like about it is the lame openers women send me. In case you didn't know, women get to text first on Bumble, and they're really terrible at it.
The Best Hookup Sites in Salt Lake City
Guess what, the hookup dating market is more crowded than the relationship one. Why? Partially because it's easy to take advantage of a dude when he's horny.
Plenty of apps will market themselves as the one and only app for casual affairs. They'll lure you with semi to fully-nude pics and ask for cash to let you join their party which is most likely to be either fake or full of cam girls.
Whether you're in Salt Lake City, or anywhere in the world, it's hard to find a reputable hookup dating site. But the good news is we already know a few good ones. Like these:
AFF is the top hookup app in Salt Lake City right now for most guys
AFF is one of a few legit hookup apps available. It tends to attract a more "discreet" type of audience who want something fun yet not totally in public. It may be less crowded than Tinder, but they tend to be less picky.
You don't need to be an underwear model to find luck on AFF. All you need are some normal but still decent pictures and you're all set. And, in case you don't know where to start with AFF, check out their free trial to see for yourself.
Tinder attracts hot singles looking to hook up
Despite being a mix of a relationship app and a hookup app, Tinder still has a huge userbase of people looking for something casual. It's full of hot women looking for something so casual you don't even need to exchange names. Sounds like the perfect app except for one thing: it's all about the looks.
You need to look stunning to succeed on Tinder. If not, then what you lack in looks should be covered by status (just like the Tinder Swindler), or else you'll be doomed to fail. So, it's up to you to use Tinder but, if I were you, I'd work on myself for a while before relying completely on it.
The Best Free Dating Sites in Salt Lake City
Should you really pay for a dating app to meet women?
Yes, and no.
You can easily multiply your results by purchasing boosts or premium packages in some dating apps.
But there are two problems:
- Many dating apps have crappy membership packages that are only there to make your wallet slimmer
- No premium fee will help you get women if your skills are not that good
That's why I recommend you use free dating apps until you improve your photos and texting skills Give it six months for free - except maybe for some bi-weekly boosts - and use that time to exercise, look better and practice your texting skills. Once you're all set, you can then upgrade to premium.
And, as for the best free dating sites in Salt Lake City, here are my top selections:
- Bumble
- Tinder
- OkCupid
These are the ones with the highest percentage of hot women that a free profile can meet.
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