The discussion of which are the best dating apps is hardly a new one. Once looked at with raised eyebrows, now broadly accepted as the most common way to meet potential lovers, dating apps are everywhere, and they’re being used by a whole lot of singles. Everyone is going to have their opinions on which kind of swipe is right… But if you’re new to the world of Bumble, Hinge and beyond, or you’re just hoping to land yourself a better experience within it, how do you know which dating apps are the best in 2024?
We did a little digging to find out.
The best dating apps in Australia for 2024
To start, which dating apps are the most well-established in Australia right now? There are loads to choose from these days, ranging from hook-up-focused to super-specific (there’s literally an astrology dating app), so we’ve chosen to narrow down this list according to the apps most people are using.
After taking a quick peek and the number of ratings these apps have on the App Store, we can say this list is a pretty solid indication of where singles are choosing to swipe in Australia right now.
- Bumble
- Tinder
- Hinge
- Plenty of Fish (POF)
- Happn
- Grindr
- HER
You also have options like Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid, Taimi, The League, Hello Tiger or Ziinkle, but the numbers get a lot smaller once you move out of the top-used apps.
Which dating apps are the best-rated?
Taking a look at our favourite online opinion barometer, Reddit, it is clear there are a few dating apps that seem to win the most positive feedback from users. Those would be Bumble, Hinge and Tinder (with Tinder receiving some mixed reviews).
If we’re looking at App Store or Google Play Store reviews, however, Tinder is easily pushed to the bottom of the list. The best dating apps list for 2024, when considering online reviews, looks something like this:
The score we gave each dating app out of five is an average of the ratings given on both the Google Play and App Stores.
- Hinge: 4/5
272K reviews on Google Play and 44.1K reviews on App Store - Bumble: 4/5
938K reviews on Google Play and 119.1K reviews on App Store - Grindr: 4/5
858K reviews on Google Play and 18K reviews on App Store - HER: 4/5
31.4K reviews on Google Play and 2.3K on Apple Store - POF: 3.9/5
1.66M reviews on Google Play and 110.6K reviews on App Store - Tinder: 3.8/5
6.71M reviews on Google Play and 65.5K on App Store - Happn: 3.8/5
1.7M reviews on Google Play and 12.7K reviews on App Store
The top contendors:
Sure, we may have an idea of which dating apps singles are enjoying the most right now, but what kind of experience do these apps offer? After all, dating is not a one-size-fits-all type of deal.
Here’s a quick introduction to the top dating apps from our ‘best of’ list, and why people use them.
Bumble
Best known for its women-speak-first approach to hetero interactions, Bumble prides itself on “shifting old-fashioned power dynamics and encouraging equality from the start”.
The app describes its philosophy this way:
Healthy relationships are central to living a positive, productive life. Bumble is a social network that allows you to feel empowered while you make those connections, whether you’re dating, looking for friends, or growing your professional network. One first move on Bumble could change your life.
On the safety front, Bumble has a library of resources you can look through, but it also has options for reporting people post-date, blurring out lewd photos to ensure consent is given before viewing, and the dating app has also teamed up with Bloom to launch complimentary online trauma support to members who report sexual assault or relationship abuse.
Hinge
Hinge is the dating app that really popularised the more detailed profile with questions you can answer to give a better sense of your personality.
This dating app is different to many others for a few reasons: not only does it have detailed profiles, but the likes you give are not anonymous, and it uses a Nobel-Prize-winning algorithm that suggests the Most Compatible matches to help you land a sweet date.
The app’s key phrase is “designed to be deleted”, and it claims to run with three core values at its heart: Authenticity, Courage and Empathy. In recent years, Hinge added a function in which you can select what your dating preferences are (long-term partner or casual, as an example) to make intentions clearer, like Bumble has done.
Hinge also has a safety resource centre here to help offer support in looking for love cautiously.
Grindr
This dating app’s central mission is clear “connect queer people with one another and the world”.
Grindr describes its service as:
…the largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people. We have millions of daily users who use our location-based technology in almost every country in every corner of the planet.
Along with being a queer-focused dating app, Grindr works a little differently in that people are shown to you based on their distance from you. You can select any profile you see and view that person’s images and profile – you can also send them a message without having ‘matched’ like on other apps.
In saying that, the app’s policies around safety are clear, and there are warnings for anyone who doesn’t respect people’s boundaries.
HER
HER is one of the most widely-known dating apps for lesbian, bi, queer, non-binary, trans, and gender non-conforming folks to meet their matches.
The app describes itself as “the world’s most loved sapphic dating app. We exist to help you find your people and fall head over heels. Made for queers, by queers.”
In terms of use, the app gives folks the option to put as much detail into their profiles as they like. Pride pins are available to help you highlight how you identify, and you also have the option to keep your profile private unless you like a user first.
And there you have it, a deep dive into the best dating apps in Australia for 2024. Did we leave your favourite off the list? Let us know in the comments below.
Lead Image Credit: iStock/Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Grindr, HER
This article has been updated since its original publish date.
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