Best dating apps for finding love while social distancing - Mashable

Posted: 19 Mar 2020 02:07 AM PDT

Trying to date right now is weird. Thanks to the coronavirus outbreak and the necessary precautions needed to stop its spread, many of us have been shuttered inside with no clear idea as to when we'll be able to resume normal life once again.

Coronavirus doesn't necessarily have to halt your dating life, though. If you're using a dating app, it could actually have a positive effect because you now have the opportunity to get to know someone a bit deeper and better before meeting up with them in person. And since no one is supposed to meet up right now, those simply looking to hook up will need to chill for a bit.

I decided to get back in the dating game a few weeks before shit really hit the fan (great timing on my part!), so I recently went on a couple first dates. If you're in the same boat as me, you're likely wondering when, if, or how you'll be able to have follow-up dates with matches you really liked in person.

Don't stress too much about it — this is a great opportunity to get a little creative with questions and conversation topics, and even dates. One of my friends is currently playing games via iMessage with a guy she went out with recently. Some people are scheduling FaceTime dates. Do whatever makes you comfortable and happy. Just don't text your ex!

If you're sheltering in place while single, we honestly can't think of a better way to pass the time than looking for love online. You can chat and get to know people without the looming pressure of having to meet up right away — a global pandemic is a super valid excuse to not go out with someone.

ima flirt with as many people as i can during this quarantine. what y'all gonna do?? come see me? LMAO

— christian (@kfchristian) March 17, 2020

But not every dating app is great for the kind of conversation in which you'll get a real feel for the other person. (No offense, Tinder, but we don't turn to you for deep convos.) We've picked our favorite apps to help you find love while you're social distancing — or at least have some nice, interesting talks with people.

Think of it as a sort of Love is Blind-esque experiment, but instead of being in a pod, you're just on your couch in your own home.

Match: Best for finding something serious

The best dating apps for finding love while social distancing

Match is the OG dating site and has a huge user base, so you'll have plenty of people to talk to. Match has multiple ways to communicate, including Snapchat-style stories, and you can select your interests and hobbies, which show up if you and a potential match share interests. You'll have different points of entry to start a conversation with someone — mention something about the things you have in common, respond to their story, or just message them.

You will have to pay for Match to be able to actually message someone. This does have an upside though because you can assume anyone else who's paying is serious about meeting a partner, so they'll actually be down to get into a fun, deep, or personal conversation.

eharmony: Best for meeting your future spouse

Compatibility quiz gives you ideas for conversation topics
Users are looking for something serious
Paying for messaging feature means people are less likely to waste your time

If you're looking to get married to your next significant other, eharmony is the app you want to be on. It has a large user base and uses an extensive personality test to determine compatible matches. Use this social distancing to your advantage and really get to know someone before taking that next step.

Like Match, you'll have to pay to message people on eharmony. But again, it will be worth it if you find someone you're super compatible with. At the very least, you'll likely have some nice conversations while you're stuck in your house. Note: eharmony is not the best for members of the LGBTQ+ community — OkCupid and Hinge are better for finding same-sex partners.

Hinge: Best app for conversation

Tons of prompts to spark creativity
Simple messaging interface that shows your match's profile while you chat
You have to like or comment to form a match

Hinge is the best app to turn to for conversation — you literally can't match with someone unless one of you likes or comments on a photo or prompt. Because you come up with prompts, you have jumping off points to start conversations. I use Hinge and one of my prompts is, "I'm convinced that there's not a single meal that couldn't be improved by adding ranch or sour cream," which is apparently a very polarizing statement and has gotten me a lot of responses.

With these prompts you get a feel for someone's personality and interests, which makes starting a conversation a whole lot easier than if you're just looking at pictures and reading a straightforward bio.

AdultFriendFinder: Best for people looking to get it on

It's basically interactive porn
Messaging and video chatting features
Better for sexting than getting to know someone

If you are just looking for a casual hookup but you're not able to get one because you're social distancing, AdultFriendFinder could be exactly what you're looking for. It's a hookup app that has chat room and web cam features, and is pretty darn close to porn. If you're looking to get in some solo sexy time while still having some human interaction, then you're gonna love AFF. (See also: Masturbation meditation works — here's proof.)

It's definitely not a place to engage in meaningful conversation, and to be quite frank, it's kind of sketchy, but if you're feeling deprived of dirty talk and sexting, AFF can fill that void.

Bumble: Best for short attention spans

24-hour window means you have to start conversations ASAP
Bios and prompts provide tons of conversation ammunition
You're able to send photos within Bumble's messaging

Women have to make the first move on Bumble in heterosexual relationships and either party can start conversations in same-sex relationships. This is great for chatty straight women who want to control the type of conversations they're getting into. Bumble users are encouraged to write stimulating bios and prompts to kickstart conversation.

People on Bumble are often looking for something more serious than a quick hookup, so you'll likely find someone who is down to chat for a few weeks before getting the chance to see you in person once we're allowed to socialize again. And matches expire after 24 hours, so you have to dive into a conversation if you want to keep someone in your queue.

OkCupid: Best for getting deep

Political and ethical conversation starters
Thought-provoking questions
Incognito mode lets you make all the first moves

OkCupid allows you to choose the types of relationships you're looking for and encourages you to write pretty lengthy responses to prompts and questions, unlike Hinge's short and quippy ones. OkCupid is pretty open and liberal, so you might find yourself in some deep ethical or political conversations, which honestly sounds like a welcome distraction.

OkCupid's algorithm lets you know who you'll be most compatible with, so you can seek out those people specifically in the pursuit of great conversations.

New ice breakers with every match
Matches are based on prompt answers
Steady pace won't make you feel bombarded

Coffee Meets Bagel is based around conversation with profile prompts like "I am..." and "I like..." to use as jumping off points. When you match with people, you're given ice breakers to help facilitate conversation. CMB does have a smaller user base, so you likely won't be flooded with people to talk to, but the matches you do get should be pretty compatible.

You get seven matches every day based on answers to prompts. You won't be bombarded and you'll have more headspace to come up with witty conversation starters.