Tinder revolutionised online dating. It made swiping left or right what you do to meet someone new.

Nearly everyone has tried Tinder at some point in their single lives, and as a result, maybe they've found it isn't their cup of tea. Perhaps they're looking for something more LGBTQ-focused or something that caters to the wants of women first. Well, it's 2021, so there's an app for that.

Our pick of the top Tinder alternatives

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Bumble

Bumble


Web: bumble.com | iOS: Bumble | Android: Bumble


Bumble is a lot like Tinder - except, once you match, only women can make the first move by sending a chat. It's supposed to protect women from unsolicited dirty messages or just feeling overwhelmed. There's also a 24-hour time-limited chat availability, so it basically encourages women to be more active. And if you just want to use the app to create friendships, you can always use the BFF mode. 

Bumble is free, but it has some optional premium features you can unlock by buying Bumble Boost and Bumble Coins.

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OKCupid

OKCupid


Web: okcupid.com | iOS: OkCupid | Android: OkCupid


After signing up, OKCupid serves up tonnes of personality quiz questions in order to give you a match percentage with would-be partners. Based on these percentages and the answers people provide, you can narrow down the type of people you might find date-worthy. However, some features are restricted to a paid membership. But, hey, it's worth trying, and the quiz part is fun. 

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Badoo

Badoo


Web: badoo.com  | iOS: Badoo | Android: Badoo


Badoo has no formal matching algorithm but lets you upload pictures and videos (it even blocks features until you've uploaded one selfie). It verifies members to ensure they're real and can geolocate them to show you exactly - with a map - when you may have crossed paths. It's useful for discovering others nearby, and while it's free to join, you must buy Badoo credits to use premium features. 

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Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish


Web: pof.com | iOS: PoF | Android: PoF


This service boasts around 70 million users - and you can look at profiles and send and read messages for free, though there is a paid tier that unlocks more features. We think POF (as it's commonly called) is easy to navigate. And, unlike Tinder, users have the ability to write a lot about themselves, so you have more to judge them by rather than just their flawless selfies. 

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Grindr

Grindr


Web: grindr.com | iOS: Grindr | Android: Grindr


Grindr is perfect for you if you're gay, trans, bisexual, or just curious. It's pretty basic but still uses geolocation to show you other users nearby, so within minutes, you can find a hookup. There's also no pressure to fill out profiles or add selfies. Many people just have blank profiles. There isn't even a matching algorithm. It's simply a free service that people can use to quickly and easily meet up.

Looking for more?

No worries. There are way more choices out there - such as Happn, Hinge, The League, and Coffee Meets Bagel.