Figuring out which of the best dating apps in St. Louis is the right one for you is quite a challenge. It’s worth it, though, because dating apps have made meeting people much easier. Especially post-pandemic as people are more hesitant to approach and meet strangers. Much like the local singles scene, there are a lot of options, but it can still be difficult to find the choice without a little assistance. This isn't the Ozarks, we've got options here!
Fortunately for you, we've tried out over 100 different local dating apps to determine what is actually working and what's a big waste of time. There are a lot of considerations including age, what you're looking for, and, of course, location.
Before you read further, let us give you a quick summary of the St. Louis 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 |
These are the best dating sites that we've found from downtown to the suburbs (we're talking about you Pacific) that we consistently recommend to our dating clients:
#1 - Hily (Android; iOS) is a great St. Louis dating app
Hily is an acronym that stands for Hey, I Like you. It’s one of our favorite dating apps because anyone can find what they’re looking for on it, whether it’s friendship, a fling, or a long-term relationship. It’s an intuitive app as it analyzes your profile, swiping behavior, lifestyle, background, and interests to match you with someone you’re compatible with.
As if that wasn’t enough, you can also take a compatibility quiz, so you’re sure to share some common ground with your matches. Hily also has other unique features like being able to upload videos instead of pictures to express yourself better. It’s free and easy to use, making it one of the best dating apps on the market.
What we love about Hily:
- You can easily create an account using your Facebook or Snapchat
- Free to use
- Inappropriate messages are automatically blocked
What we don’t like about it:
- Anyone can send chat requests
- Designed for men and women matches only
#2 - eHarmony (Android; iOS) is the best app for relationships
eHarmony is the best dating app for a long-term relationship in town right now. It's extremely popular and has had a lot of time to really figure things out. When you see that eHarmony is responsible for nearly 3/4ths of all marriages that start online you begin to see why their system might work.
Their algorithm will provide you with several compatible matches for you every day and the users seem to be much more engaged than other apps out there. This eliminates a lot of the wasted time on other apps swiping through people who are only using the app for attention and an ego boost.
We haven't seen any other app work nearly as well for finding someone you really click with. You need to try this first if you want a real partner.
Why eHarmony is the top dating app in St Louis:
- Their long-term success rate is so much better than the competition
- REALLY popular in St. Louis
- They do a lot of the hard work which makes daily time commitment really low
- It just plain works
What we don’t like about it:
- Getting your initial profile set up does take a bit of time
- Not good if you just want something physical
#3 - Bumble (Android; iOS) puts the ladies in control
Bumble is probably the best dating app in St. Louis for women, particularly younger women that aren't locked in on a long-term relationship. Men are at a slight disadvantage on this site since only women can message first but that means women aren't getting constantly spammed with messages from guys.
Women need to send a message within 24 hours of the initial or the match is no longer valid. This is a great way to create a little time pressure and actually encourage women to message guys. It's a very different experience for women than a lot of other apps and worth checking out.
Why Bumble is worth downloading:
- It’s very popular these days with a lot of options
- Flipping the dating roles is fun
- Women who don’t mind taking the lead will do well
What we don’t like about it:
- Many women just don’t like making the first move
- It can be a rough experience for guys who don’t have solid profiles
#4 - AFF is where you should go for a quick fling
AFF has been the best St Louis dating site to find a quick fling for the past several years, especially for guys. Unlike Tinder, we've actually seen a lot of guys have success who aren't extremely good-looking. People pay more attention to profiles instead of just photos.
If you're just looking for a physical relationship without all the commitments this is the site to try. They have over 50 million members and a long track record of helping people find what they're looking for. If Tinder hasn't worked out for you AFF is usually a better option.
Why AFF is a good option:
- They get straight to the point
- There are a ton of people using it
- More normal guys can actually find success using it
What we don’t like about it:
- The design is a little old but still easy to use
- The website is usually the easiest way to use it
#5 - Tinder (Android; iOS) is the best St Louis dating app for the good looking
Tinder is one of the first dating apps in St Louis most people think of and for good reason. It's extremely popular in St Louis and has morphed gradually into a more standard dating-focused site. That isn't a bad thing, it's just how things have evolved.
If you're reading this you've probably already tried Tinder. Like most people, you probably didn't have a great experience. It seems to be the top 10-15% of guys are competing for the attention of the top 70% of women. Not a great experience for anyone except the hottest guys!
Why Tinder is for you
- A great app if you’re good looking
- There are a ton of people using it
- It’s pretty easy to navigate
What we don’t like about it
- Response rates are really low for most guys
- A lot of people just use it to get attention without ever meeting up
#6 - Clover (Android; iOS) is for St Louis locals who want to get out
Clover is the site that really pushes you to take things off the app fast. Many dating apps feel like a game that you spend hours and hours playing every day. Clover tries to minimize the time you spend on their app and get you face-to-face with compatible singles fast.
They have some cool featurs like live mixers (kind of like speed dating) and the ability to go straight to a date with someone new. If you're tired of going back and forth over chat for weeks and weeks Clover just might be St Louis's best dating app for you.
Why Clover is one of the best dating apps in St Louis
- Their focus on meeting up fast is refreshing
- They have some great video chat features that actually help
- Their “find a date” option is almost like ordering a date off a menu!
What we don’t like about it
- It’s still pretty new and doesn’t have nearly as many users as other apps
- Some of us like to get to know people a bit more before meeting
#7 - Zoosk (Android; iOS) is one of the best dating apps in St. Louis
Zoosk is quickly becoming one of the most popular dating apps in St. Louis. It’s especially popular among young singles looking for a long-term relationship as many other apps are targeted towards hookups and casual experiences.
With over 40 million users worldwide, you can look for love in St. Louis or find a hookup on your next vacation. It’s free to join Zoosk with the option to pay for additional features. There are also security measures in place, such as a requirement to verify your account, so the chances of being catfished are low.
Why Zoosk is one of the best St. Louis dating apps:
- Huge dating pool
- All profiles are verified
- Quick sign-up process with no personality test or questionnaire
Why Zoosk isn’t that amazing in St. Louis:
- Free features are limited
- Matches aren’t based on compatibility
#7 - The Inner Circle (Android; iOS) is only for the "elite"
The Inner Circle is the app for those who have already been pretty successful and only want to date people in the same situation. One of the most problematic things about other dating apps is that they let anyone join. The Inner Circle screens members to ensure they meet a certain standard. Generally speaking, only people who prioritize work are accepted.
The acceptance rate is about 50% and if you make the cut you will get the chance to swipe through members or search on a variety of different criteria. If you're picky about what you want it can be a great choice.
Why The Inner Circle is one of the best dating sites in St. Louis:
- It’s great if you have very high standards
- There is a lot of time saved when you only look at prescreened members
- Being part of an exclusive club is fun
What we don’t like about it:
- A lot of people won’t be able to get in
- Some of the members are going to come off as pretty snobby
#8 - DateFit (Android; iOS) is for the fitness freaks
DateFit is for those that have a fitness lifestyle. When two people are both passionate about the same thing, it can create a strong foundation for a relationship. For people interested in physical fitness, it's also probably a large part of what they find attractive in someone else, too.
Date Fit is one of the best St. Louis dating apps since is brings people who have a true passion for physical fitness together. Single gym rats can create a profile that helps illustrate their lifestyle and their fitness goals. This can help people sort through the options and find someone with similar thoughts. If you connect, you can arrange to go work out or do something active.
Why DateFit might be for you:
- Much easier to meet people than at the gym
- Everyone is fit and into staying that way
- You can also find some solid workout buddies
What we don’t like about it:
- High value put on appearance
- Smaller userbase than a lot of apps
#9 - OurTime (Android; iOS) is the best dating site for those 50+
Our Time is the best site we've found in St Louis that only allows senior users. Most St. Louis dating apps are targeted toward younger people. However, there are a large number of people over a certain age looking for love, too. Our Time is one of the many St. Louis dating sites aimed at more mature people. You don't necessarily need to be over 50 to join, but most people are.
The paid version offers a large number of search options so that you can find exactly what you're looking for. And at this point in life, you probably know exactly what you want. You can also have virtual dates with other members before going on a real date.
Why Our Time works:
- Lots of older users
- Very easy to use for those who aren’t tech-savvy
- Very specific in its focus
What we don’t like about it:
- They don’t really verify any members or ages
- Not nearly as many users as other dating sites
The Best Dating Sites in St. Louis for Long-Term Relationships
If you know what you’re looking for on dating apps, choosing the right one for you is much easier. Some dating apps are targeted to people looking for something serious, while others are for hookups. If you want a long-term relationship, try one of these dating apps:
eHarmony is the best St. Louis dating site to find a relationship
eHarmony is one of the oldest dating sites on the market. It’s been able to stay relevant for so long because of how successful its matching algorithm is. In fact, it’s one of the top sites in the US for finding serious relationships.
When you sign up, you complete a detailed questionnaire about your lifestyle and preferences in a partner. eHarmony then uses your answers to match you with people you may actually be compatible with, helping you easily find common ground to start chatting. This algorithm has helped over 600,000 people in the United States get married, so if you’re ready to settle down, eHarmony may be your best bet.
Bumble lets women take control and helps them find something serious
Bumble is a great app for women who want to call the shots in their dating life. It works like many other dating apps where you swipe right if you like the person or left if they’re not your type. But the main difference is, if you match, the woman must make the first move and message her partner within 24 hours.
If she doesn’t message, the match disappears. This allows women to only message men they’re interested in so their inboxes aren’t overwhelmed. Bumble encourages users to put what they’re looking for on their profile with the choice of relationship, something casual, marriage, or don’t know yet, so you can easily find someone who’s also looking for something serious.
The Best Hookup Sites in St. Louis
As not everyone is ready for a committed relationship, there are plenty of dating apps for finding hookups and casual relationships. Here are some of our favorite St. Louis hookup sites for you to explore:
AFF is one of the best casual dating sites in St. Louis
AFF is another dating site that has been around for ages because of its success. It’s the largest hookup site on the market with over 60 million users looking to have a little fun. As the site is clearly advertised as a place to find hookups, you know everyone on it is looking for the same thing. This helps you avoid any awkward conversations about your intentions.
It is a paid site that can put some people off, but think about it as an investment in your future. We think the investment is worth it as you get access to plenty of fun features, like erotic stories, adult chatrooms, and live webcam shows. Match with people based on distance, so you can easily find a hot St. Louis single to have fun with.
Tinder is a popular free hookup app
Tinder is another well-known dating app that’s had plenty of success worldwide. It’s super easy to use as all you do is look through a few pictures, read a short bio, and swipe right if you like the person or left if they’re not your type. While it’s not advertised as a hookup app, it’s what most people use it for nowadays. It’s free to use, so it’s a great option for people who aren’t ready to invest in a paid dating membership yet.
The Best Free Dating Sites in St. Louis
Have you ever heard the saying, “You get what you pay for”? Well, it’s pretty accurate, especially when it comes to dating apps. Free dating apps can be fun, but they don’t offer the same results that paid ones do.
Paid dating apps offer plenty of features that make dating and meeting your matches much easier. This has led many singles, including us, to have much more success after paying for a membership.
If you’re hesitant to pay for a membership right off the bat, take advantage of a free trial or use a free app instead to test the waters. This can help you determine what type of features you like so you can choose the right app and invest in your future.
Here are some of the best free dating sites in St. Louis for you to try before purchasing a membership:
- Bumble
- Tinder
- Hinge
These apps are all free to use but have the option to pay for additional features that can help you find more success.
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