best dating apps in united kingdom: 2025 guide and top picks

Looking for love, something casual, or a niche connection? The best dating apps in United Kingdom vary by age, intent, city size, and community. Pick the platform that matches your goal, not just the biggest brand.

Quick overview: who each app suits

• Hinge: Relationship-first, strong UK user base; popular among 25–40.
• Bumble: Women-message-first; balanced for dating or friends; good safety culture.
• Tinder: Massive reach; casual to committed; best for volume and travel.
• eHarmony: Deep compatibility for long-term; slower but focused.
• Match: Classic profiles, events; skews 30+ and serious.
• Feeld: Ethical non-monogamy, kink-friendly; privacy-forward.
• Grindr & HER: LGBTQ+ communities; fast discovery.
• Thursday: One-day-a-week vibe; live events in major UK cities.
• Inner Circle: Curated crowd; career-oriented daters.
• Badoo: Photo-heavy discovery; broad UK reach.

Rule of thumb: smaller towns benefit from bigger apps; niche goals benefit from niche communities.

Top apps and when to choose them

Hinge: best all-rounder for relationships

Prompts spark better intros, robust filters, and quality over quantity. Great balance for serious dating without feeling stiff.

• Pros: High-intent profiles, thoughtful prompts, solid UK pool.
• Cons: Daily like limits; success varies by city.

Bumble: empowering and flexible

Women start the chat, which helps reduce spam. Also offers BFF/Bizz modes for broader networking.

• Pros: Good safety features; respectful culture; useful filters.
• Cons: Conversations can time out; chemistry hinges on quick replies.

Tinder: widest reach for all goals

If you want the largest UK pool (uni towns to big cities), Tinder wins. You’ll need a strong profile to stand out.

• Pros: Huge audience; Passport for travel; flexible intent.
• Cons: More swiping fatigue; variable intent.

eHarmony: serious relationships, data-driven

Lengthy onboarding leads to well-matched suggestions. Best if you’re patient and intentional.

• Pros: Compatibility focus; long-term outcomes.
• Cons: Paywall for visibility; slower pace.

Match: classic and event-friendly

Detailed profiles and occasional events; appeals to 30s–50s looking for commitment.

• Pros: Rich profiles; established brand.
• Cons: Dated UI; requires effort to filter.

Feeld: ethical non-monogamy and alternative dating

Strong privacy controls and inclusive identity options. Ideal for ENM, kink, and couples seeking a third. If that’s your goal, consider the best dating app for open marriage recommendations to set expectations and boundaries.

• Pros: Inclusive; link partner profiles; discreet.
• Cons: Smaller pool outside big cities; learning curve on etiquette.

Grindr and HER: LGBTQ+ first

Fast discovery and community-specific features. Great for meeting in urban centres; Hinge also works well for LGBTQ+ dating.

• Pros: Community-focused; event and place discovery.
• Cons: Can skew casual; verify profiles carefully.

Thursday: IRL energy

App only “on” one day; real-life events reduce chat fatigue.

• Pros: Action-oriented; fun weekly ritual.
• Cons: City-limited; FOMO if you miss the window.

Inner Circle: curated crowd

Screened profiles and social features; solid for professionals wanting serious vibes.

• Pros: Higher baseline quality; events.
• Cons: Smaller pool; may feel exclusive.

Badoo: visual discovery

Verification tools and photo-first design; good in mixed-intent environments.

• Pros: Large reach; video features.
• Cons: Can feel casual; watch for low-effort profiles.

Safety, privacy, and etiquette in the UK

• Use in-app verification; avoid sending codes or money.
• Meet in public, share plans with a friend, and set a time boundary.
• Consent and clarity: state intentions and respect others’ boundaries.
• Report and block when needed; trust your gut.

Your data matters. Check each app’s privacy settings, photo visibility, and location permissions.

Pricing and value: free vs premium

Free tiers work well on big apps (Tinder, Bumble, Hinge). Premium helps in crowded markets: extra likes, advanced filters, and boosted visibility. Pay only if it unlocks a clear bottleneck (e.g., filters for religion, kids, smoking, or serious-intent sorting).

How to pick the right app (fast)

1. Define intent: long-term, casual, niche, LGBTQ+, or ENM.
2. Match city size: larger pools for small towns; niche for specific goals.
3. Filter needs: height/religion/lifestyle filters require premium on some apps.
4. Time budget: prefer slow-and-steady (eHarmony) vs fast (Tinder/Grindr).
5. Test two apps for two weeks each; compare match quality, not match count.

UK-specific notes

• London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh: nearly all apps thrive; consider Thursday for IRL.
• Uni towns: Tinder and Bumble dominate; Hinge for relationships.
• 30s–40s: Hinge, Bumble, Match, eHarmony; Inner Circle for curated vibes.
• Non-monogamy: Feeld-centric communities in major cities.

Small shift, big result: refresh photos seasonally and rewrite one prompt-response quality jumps.

FAQ

• What is the best dating app in the UK for serious relationships?

  • Hinge and eHarmony lead for commitment. Hinge offers high-quality prompts and filters with a faster pace; eHarmony’s compatibility engine suits those who prefer curated, slower introductions.

• Which app works best for people in their 30s and 40s?

  • Hinge and Bumble balance intent and volume; Match adds detailed profiles and events; eHarmony is great if you’re highly intentional and patient.

• Are there apps for open relationships or ethical non-monogamy in the UK?

  • Yes-Feeld is the UK’s top community for ENM and kink-friendly dating. For guidance on boundaries and app choices, see the best dating app for open relationships resource.

• What’s safest for a first date?

  • Meet in a public place near transit, tell a friend, use in-app calls until comfortable, limit alcohol, and leave if something feels off. Always report bad behavior in-app.

• Do I need to pay for premium?

  • Not always. Free is enough to test fit on Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble. Upgrade if you need advanced filters, Passport/travel, or boosts in dense markets.

• Which apps are best for LGBTQ+ dating in the UK?

  • Grindr and HER are community-first options with large UK bases. Feeld supports queer and ENM spaces. Hinge also works well for relationship-focused LGBTQ+ dating.