Online dating is perhaps the most efficient way to find a date nowadays.  It gives you a large pool of people you can screen from and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your couch to line up one or even several dates.  Technology provides you with the opportunity to meet thousands of nearby singles you never knew existed otherwise.  In addition, you can use filters to hone in on the values, personality traits and even physical appearance before you meet the person in real life.  The following are the 10 most used dating apps:

1. Tinder:  Tinder is a dating app.  that allows to anonymously swipe to “like” or “dislike” other profiles based on their photos, a small bio and common interests.  Once two users have “matched,” they can exchange messages.  Tinder can be an effective way to find a new relationship.  While it is true that Tinder can sometimes seem like a huge waste of time and that some users are only looking for a quick “hook-up”, it can also be a great way to meet people who you would otherwise never have encountered.
   
   
2. Match:  Match is an online dating service with web sites serving over 50 countries in twelve languages.  People regard Match as a great dating site for Millennials.   Match has a free subscription and a paid subscription.  With a free subscription you can browse the site, search for and view matches, create a profile, receive “winks,” and use the message center and use the smartphone app.
   
   
3. Zoosk:   Zoosk us an online service available in 25 languages and in more than 80 countries.  Zoosk’s behavioral matchmaking technology is constantly learning from the behavior of its over 35 million users to deliver better matches in real time.  Zoosk has been around forever, but it claims it continues to improve to better meet its users’ needs.
   
   
4. EliteSingles:  The average age of members for EliteSingles is 30-55, with a focus on highly educated working professionals.  EliteSingles uses a comprehensive personality test as a foundation for its matchmaking system.  The dating site is said to have a strong emphasis on its users finding real relationships.
   
   
5. eHarmony:  Eharmony claims to be “making history” by “creating meaningful connections.”  Eharmony works in 3 steps: (1) you take the “Compatibility quiz” to let the app know who you are and what you are passionate about, (2) the trademarked compatibility system reveals how you and your matches stack up in the areas you care most about, and (3) all of your matches are available to you from day 1.  You can then decide who you want to meet and when.
   
   
6. SilverSingles:  This online dating site is designed for over 50 dating and has a user base associated with a more mature membership community.  SilverSingles uses a matchmaking system based on a combination of a personality test, location, age and desired relationship outcomes to send you daily matches.  You can also search additional profiles.
   
   
7. OurTime:  OurTime provides men and women over 50 with the opportunity to interact and meet with people in their area and beyond.  Users can search for pen-pals, friends, long term relationships and marriage partners.
   
   
8. Bumble:  Bumble is a free dating app built on the same model as Tinder, but with one unique twist—women are in the driver’s seat when it comes to initiating a conversation.  Bumble aims to cut down on the number of sleazy messages that women are bombarded with on other dating sites, so men on Bumble can’t send the first message.  Similar to Tinder, Bumble works by connecting people who have both swiped right.  However, once that connection is made, the woman has only 24 hours to initiate a conversation or the match is lost.
   
   
9. OkCupid:  OkCupid is ideal for people who don’t want anything to do with mindless swiping apps but also don’t want to feel like they are desperately trying to get married.  The majority of users are between 25-34.  OkCupid pushes for lasting connections using a mix of non-traditional questions and math.  It ends up providing a well-rounded look at users in general and as a romantic partner.
   
   
10. Hinge:  This is seen as a great post-breakup app.  It is a combination of tinder’s swiping mechanism and Match’s relationship base.  It’s tag line reads, “In today’s digital world, singles are so busy that they’re not actually connecting, in person, where it counts.  Hinge is on a mission to change that.  So we built an app that’s designed to be deleted…Meet people who want to get off dating apps, too.”  Hinge claims that it helps singles meet up in real life by “learning your type” and then working to quickly engage you in a conversation with whom you have things in common.  Overall, users regard Hinge as being a good place for singles who are looking into finding something more from a normal dating app.  Hinge focuses on quality over quantity and its format allows users to focus on a smaller number of profiles at one time.