Today’s article is a guest post by London based dating guru Pauline Plott. More author information below. 

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Have you ever been on a Tinder swiping binge and thought there has to be a better way? 

Well, there is!

Modern singles now have access to some of the most interesting and unique dating apps ever conceived. That means you can find better matches with less effort and less swiping!

So what are the best dating apps for relationships in 2017? Here are the top five on my radar for 2017 and beyond. And don’t forget to check out Emyli’s article on the best free dating sites and apps before you go as well! 

1. Coffee Meets Bagel

Tinder’s swiping feature can be exhausting. Especially if it’s not producing any results. Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) understands your frustration and the company has developed an app to help create real matches.

Every day at noon, male users receive a new potential match (called a Bagel on the app) selected by an algorithm and female users are shown men who have liked their profile. Instead of wasting energy on people who aren’t interested in the same things you are, CMB is designed to create meaningful connections.

Once you match with someone, you can begin chatting with curated ice breaker questions. What makes CMB more interesting than Tinder is that it forces users to contemplate their matches more seriously.

This means that CMB is full of people who are serious about looking for a relationship.

Coffee Meets Bagel is a freemium dating app. You can sign up to increase its functionality for $35 per month. Included in a membership is more daily matches, user activity reports for learning more about how responsive members are, and message read receipts.

2. Bumble

Many people complain that Tinder is full of jerks and creeps. Others resent the fact that men tend to have the upper hand in online dating.

Bumble solves both of these problems with a platform that ensures that everyone using the app is respectful through a high standard of reporting and monitoring. Better yet, traditional gender roles are tossed out the window with a system that forces women to approach men first.

Each party then has just 24 hours to respond to the request. This saves the time and frustration many feel with open-ended messages. How has this system helped users?

Bumble has the highest post match chat rate in the industry!

The service is free to use, but you can opt for a premium membership for $9.99 per month. Included is the ability to select only from people who liked you, the ability to retry with expired matches, and the ability to extend your 24-hour window.

Struggling to get more matches on Bumble? Check out this article on creating a great Bumble profile for men and this other article on how to respond to a woman’s first message on Bumble.

3. Happn

Do you believe in kismet? That’s the concept behind Happn.

Happn shows you the profile of everyone you cross paths with every day. If you find someone you like, you can indicate as much secretly. If they like you back, a match is made and you can meet in real life the next time you cross paths again!

Unlike Tinder, Happn doesn’t allow people to send you messages unless you’re interested. It also only offers results based on people you see every day.

Many use Happn as a supplement to other dating apps because it is somewhat limited in its scope, but it is the best way to prevent missed connections. So say goodbye to Craigslist and hello to Happn!

Happn is free to use, but you can supplement it by buying credits that enable you to do more using the application. You can also earn free credits by inviting friends.

4. Huggle

Is it important for your potential partner to share your interests and lifestyle? Huggle is a location-based dating app, but unlike Happn, it connects you only with people who go to similar places to you.

This means that if you’re a museum-going art lover or even a gym rat, you will be matched with others like you. Every time you check in your identity is confirmed. This makes it impossible for people to create fake profiles.

It may seem like a simple concept, but it forces users to be more proactive, which can result in better connections. Whereas Tinder promotes passivity, Huggle is all about putting yourself out there. Literally!

Huggle is completely free, but the service is supported by third-party ads, which may be intrusive or annoying for some.

5. Clover

Finally, there’s Clover.

Clover aims to be the be all, end all dating app and it does a pretty good job. That’s because it combines the best features of an assortment of apps and makes them accessible to its users.

With Clover, you can set up dates with On-Demand Dating, meet locals, and find mixers parties, and single events to meet people in real life. Clover is effective too, with countless filters, privacy features, social media integration, and much more.

The app is so feature rich that it makes others look antiquated by comparison.

Clover Premium costs $9.99 and includes more advanced filters, the ability to send chat requests to anyone, and a boost, which features your profile more prominently in the app.

Wrapup: Best Dating Apps for Relationships

There are so many great ways to meet people online today and there is no reason to limit yourself to just one. The more feelers you send out, the more likely you are to come back with a bite.

The best part is that each app listed here serves its own special and unique purpose. Some try to do everything, while others provide hyperlocal or personality-specific results.

What is true of each of them, however, is that they are all proven to be effective at creating connections of all kinds. Whether you are looking for a lifetime partner or someone with whom to share in something more fleeting, each can help you in their own way. 

About the Author

Pauline Plott is a London-based blogger who became a dating guru after learning the psychology behind modern romance and signing up for every dating website in pursuit of relationship bliss. She shares her reviews and opinions on www.DatingSpot.co.uk.