Everyone is looking to save as much money as possible when purchasing a product or a service. And online dating apps are no different! Many dating apps can accommodate your needs, whether you want to fall in love, find your marriage partner, or experience casual romance. And nearly all of them come with free trials, so you can test the platform before paying for a membership!
You might have thought initially that the free trial was your best course of action, but after reading our review, you may well realize the perks and benefits of a membership plan are well worth the money! This review will cover free dating apps and the best-designed free trial experiences that let you know what you’re getting with an online dating service. Discover which features come free of charge and which come at a cost.
Key Information
People use a free trial to see if a membership is worth the time, money, and energy. Our fast facts below can tell you if using the free trial is worth it! These are some of the most important things to know about our free dating apps before beginning a free trial.
Zoosk
eHarmony
Christian Mingle
Elite Singles
OkCupid
SilverSingles
Bumble
Our team has independently researched all products and services that we have listed on this page. If you sign up or purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. See how it works.
Use any free trial links to test these platforms for free but in a limited capacity. You can get your face and information out on these platforms, which doesn’t cost you anything! One of the most significant advantages of these free trials is establishing a profile page at no cost.
Traditional Free Trials and Modern-Day “Free Trials”
To better understand what we mean by free trial, at least about the ones offered by these dating apps, it’s critical to know how free trials used to be set up and how they are currently provided to the public. The term free trial can be misleading when you see how modern free trial work.
But we’ll explain the critical difference below so everything is clear.
Traditional Free Trials
Dating apps used to offer free trial experiences where new users would provide payment information and, in return, receive unlimited access to all membership features for around 3 to 7 days. If the new user failed to “cancel” their free trial plan, it would automatically be upgraded to a paid membership, and the free user would get charged the subscription price.
Modern “Free Trials”
Modern free trials allow new users to register an account, create a free profile, set up search parameters, and either view singles using swipe-style dating methods or get limited daily matches that fit their dating criteria. There’s no time limit on these “free trial” offers, and they can be used indefinitely. Many features are not included in the free trial experience, meaning that free users must upgrade to a premium membership plan to enjoy all the features the app offers.
Note: This is how the free trials mentioned in this review operate. By and large, this is how most dating app free trials are set up nowadays.
7 Best Free Dating Apps in 2024
None of these free dating apps come absolutely free of cost. There are features that free users can enjoy, but even more essential features that only come with a paid membership plan. Let’s dig deeper into these free dating apps and discover the unique features and benefits of the free trial experience. And from there, we’ll see how the free trial can help you decide which platform best suits your needs!
#1: Zoosk
The free trial experience at Zoosk is colorful and exciting, the kind of experience that primes you for a premium membership upgrade. The Carousel feature has a natural appeal here for free members. Newcomers can register an account, adjust their search settings, and access large catalogs of singles who match their dating preferences. And the Carousel allows free members to swipe through these profiles (like Tinder) to discover complete bio information and multiple photos. It’s a visually appealing app, to be sure!
While Zoosk does well catering to its free customers, it does even better for its paying members, showering them with some of the best online dating perks and benefits anywhere in the market. Those who upgrade can enjoy video dates, advanced daily matching, and messaging without limits or boundaries. Ultimately, Zoosk delivers a fantastic experience for its free and paying users, but things are way better for those who purchase a membership plan.
Free Features
- Create a New Account and Profile: Sign up, enter bio information and location, and upload photos, all for free.
- State Your Dating Preferences: Use the advanced search filters to show Zoosk what you want in a partner.
- Access the Carousel: Browse singles by swiping through dating profiles and assigning “likes” or “passes.”
- See Members’ Profiles: View profile pictures and bio information to learn more about the singles you encounter.
Paid Features
- Unlimited Messaging: There are no limits to who you can talk with on the Zoosk app if you’re a member.
- Great Dates: These are video dates where you can “meet” singles on the app before meeting in person.
- SmartPicks: Advanced daily matching comes from dating preferences and your “type” established by Carousel picks.
- Super Send: Send icebreakers to multiple singles and see who responds.
- Views: See who viewed your profile. They might be interested in you!
- Undos: If you “passed” on someone and instead want to “like” their profile, unlimited undo’s make this desire a reality.
- Crushes: These are Zoosk’s answer to “superlikes.”
- Profile Boosts: Get better visibility in the searches (Zoosk coins are required).
- Anonymous Browsing: View profiles without being detected (Zoosk coins are required).
- Virtual Gifts: Send gifts to other Zoosk members (Zoosk coins are required).
- Read Receipts: Know when other members have received and read your messages (Zoosk coins are required).
The perks and benefits multiply when you become a premium Zoosk member. Upgrade today and increase the possibilities!
#2: eHarmony
The biggest perk to using the free trial at eHarmony is registering an account and taking the 32 Dimensions of Compatibility testing during the sign-up process. At no cost whatsoever, new members can take some of the best personality tests anywhere in the online dating market. eHarmony is known for using this patented matching algorithm and is ultimately responsible for joining over 600,000 married couples since 2000. As a free member of the app, you can take the compatibility and personality testing free of charge.
When meeting possible marriage partners, your soulmate, or a genuine love connection, free trial users best upgrade to a premium membership plan to enjoy the app’s more useful features. These include daily matches and unlimited communications. However, free members can still see which singles fall under their Match Preferences and add their favorite profiles to a list for later viewing.
Free Features
- Register a New Account: Go through the 30-45 sign-up process, laying the groundwork for your new profile.
- 32 Dimensions of Compatibility: Take the personality testing to establish your Match Preferences which are later used to find your daily matches.
- Create Your Profile: Develop your profile by including bio information, uploading photos, including icebreaker questions, and describing what you look for in a partner.
- View Profiles Within Your Match Preferences: eHarmony will allow you to see some limited daily matches that align with what you’re looking for.
- Add Members to the Favorites List: Place your favorite profiles in one convenient place to access for the future.
- Send “Smiles” or “Icebreakers:” Show your interest in other members by sending “smiles” and enjoy limited communications by sending “icebreakers that other users can respond to.
Paid Features
- See Your Test Results: See detailed breakdowns of test results and get reports that show why you matched with those that appear in your daily matches.
- Unlimited Messaging: Send messages to anyone on the eHarmony app.
- See Who Viewed or Liked You: Know when other members have liked or viewed your profile.
- View Photos: Gain access to members’ photos as a paying member.
- Get Daily Matches: Receive viable leads daily from eHarmony based on your Match Preferences.
- What If: These are wildcard matches of singles who fall outside your Match Preferences, which are meant to shake things up.
- Video Dates: See your matches face-to-face with video chatting capabilities. It’s a great way to verify the identity of the members you’re connecting with.
Upgrade to an eHarmony premium membership plan to enjoy all they have to offer its customers! Who wouldn’t want a detailed analysis of why they’re a perfect fit with their soulmate? That’s something you want to know years down the road to tell your grandkids.
#3: Christian Mingle
While the Christian Mingle free trial leaves much to be desired, it allows its free users to enjoy swipe dating and some limited messaging with paying members. Free users can also see the main profile photo for each member on the app they encounter in the searches. It’s a solid free trial offer that lets free users get their feet wet and see if Christian Mingle is worth the time and money.
Like most dating apps, Christian Mingle is best when using a membership. Free trial users can go from reading and responding to paying members’ messages to having full agency, with the ability to contact whomever they choose on the app. There’s even an option to move across the platform in total privacy using anonymous browsing.
Free Features
- Create a Profile: Develop a profile page that will attract other Christian singles.
- Upload Up to 6 Photos: You can add this many photos to your profile.
- Set Search Filters: Include your dating preferences to find singles that match what you’re looking for in a partner.
- Daily Matches: Get suggestions from CM that fall within your dating parameters.
- LookBook: This feature lets you swipe through a high volume of profiles in search of the right person.
- View Profiles: See all bio information and the profile picture.
- Receive and Read Messages: Get messages sent by premium members of the app only. You can respond too!
- Send “Smiles:” Reveal your interest in other members by sending these.
Paid Features
- Messaging+: Send messaging to any one of the apps, even free trial users.
- See All Photos: You can view more than just the main profile photo as a paying member of the CM app.
- See Who Viewed or Liked Your Profile.
- Read Receipts: Be notified when your messages are viewed. It’s a fantastic feature to pinpoint singles that are ghosting you.
- Anonymous Browsing: Adjust your privacy settings to view other profiles without anyone else knowing.
- Spotlights: These are visibility boosters that allow for more exposure in the search. It’s a feature that comes at an additional price.
Although Christian Mingle doesn’t come with the most exciting or dynamic membership features, it’s still worth the time and money just to be able to message and chat with other singles without any limitations.
#4: Elite Singles
Elite Singles is set up a lot like eHarmony, so there’s a lot of similarity between their free and paid features. Now, free users do get to enjoy many of the crucial elements. There’s the Five-Factor Model of Personality test, which all new free users take upon registration and receive daily matches based on the results. It’s one of those free trials where you can access something of actual value (the personality test), and you don’t even have to worry about money coming out of your bank account. It’s quite the deal.
But Elite Singles is not set up so that free users can use the platform and never have to pay. The fact that you cannot see profile pictures or even send messages without a membership is reason enough to consider upgrading down the road. And as a free member, you’re only getting matches with other free members. These aren’t suitable quality matches because many free accounts are inactive or have low commitment. With Elite Singles, it’s best to become a member if you feel it’s the right dating app.
Free Features
- Register/Develop a Profile: Get your new account and profile set up to attract professional singles.
- Five-Factor Model of Personality: Take the personality testing at Elite Singles, courtesy of McCrae and Costa.
- View Test Results: See your results for free and how they’ll be used to develop your daily matches.
- Daily Matches with Free Members: View members who are suitable matches based on the personality test results.
- View Profiles: See all bio information on members’ profiles.
- Send “Smiles” and “Likes:” Show interest in members who catch your eye.
- Add Members to Favorites List: Place all the profiles you like in one convenient place for later viewing.
Paid Features
- Detailed Analysis of Test Results: Get a better, more precise idea of how your test results are used to gauge compatibility with other singles.
- Unlimited Communications: Send messages with no restrictions.
- Profile Boosting: Get the best placement and frequency in the app’s search results.
- See Who Viewed Your Profile.
- View Photos: See any photos that members have posted to their profile.
- Daily Matches with Premium Members: Begin getting matched with app members.
- Wildcard Matches: Get 20 recommendations a day that fall outside of your preferences.
To fully enjoy Elite Singles, become a paying member today! It will unlock all the features that come with this professional dating app.
#5: OkCupid
The most important thing to know about OkCupid is that it has the best free version of all the dating apps recommended in this review. This is rare, with free dating apps found nowadays. While eHarmony gets the slight edge due to its world-renowned compatibility testing that comes at no cost to newcomers, OkCupid lets its free users receive, read, and send messages! It’s the Standard Plan that offers its users the most liberties.
There are, however, quite a few features, perks, and benefits that one needs to catch up on if they remain a free user of OkCupid. For instance, premium members can access better search filters, better placement in the searches, and better placement in message inboxes. But one thing about OkCupid is that this is the closest you can get to viably using a dating app without paying any money!
Free Features
- Register an Account/Create a Profile: Get everything set up so you can begin viewing singles on the app. Get your bio information and photos in line.
- Set Up Search Filters: Adjust your settings to match your dating preferences and criteria.
- Browse Profiles and Photos: Check out members’ profiles for free.
- Send and Receive Messages: Send messages to other members free of charge! You don’t have to be a member.
- Like Profiles: Show interest in other members on the app.
- Get Limited Daily Matches: OkCupid will supply you with daily matches, but they’re limited due to limited search filters.
Paid Features
- Priority Messaging: It didn’t matter when you sent a message. As a paying member, your messages will appear at the top of the inbox over the free users.
- See Who Liked or Viewed You: Find out who may be interested in you by seeing who liked or viewed your profile.
- Send 3 Superlikes Per Day: Show the members that you’re interested in how much you like them with “superlikes.” This is a “like” taken to the next level.
- Read Receipts: Know when your messages have been received and read by the recipient.
- Auto-Boosts: Your profile will automatically appear more frequently in the search results as a paying app member. It’s like advanced placement.
- Advanced Search Filters: Paying members get access to search filters that cover a more comprehensive range of criteria for a more enhanced search.
Sure, you can send messages as a free member of OkCupid, but don’t you want to experience all they offer? You might be missing out on getting the best placement. Become an OkCupid premium member today!
#6: SilverSingles
SilverSingles offers a free trial experience that’s decent enough, but free members are flying blind for the most part. While they can access profiles without paying for a membership, free users cannot see any photos. They also cannot send messages to those they find in the searches or those that appear in their daily match lists.
The free trial offered at SilverSingles mainly consists of new users breaking ground with a new account and free profile. They can take the personality testing and set up their search parameters to find suitable matches. Overall, the free trial is limited compared to many other dating services. Still, it does a decent job of getting free users familiar with the SilverSingles name and growing some initial interest that could blossom into a premium membership purchase.
Free Features
- Take the Personality Tests: The registration process involves providing essential information for your profile and taking the personality test. It’ll be used later for daily matches.
- Develop Your New Profile: Add to and edit your SilverSingles profile to attract other singles on the app. It’s completely free.
- Set Up Search Parameters: Adjust your search setting to find someone near you with the right attributes regarding age, appearance, beliefs, lifestyle, etc.
- Look at Members’ Profiles: View all bio information on other members’ profiles.
- Limited Daily Matches: Receive matches of members who fit your preferences and dating criteria.
- Send “Smiles:” Show other singles interested in sending virtual “smiles.”
Paid Features
- Take the Personality Tests: The registration process involves providing essential information for your profile and taking the personality test. It’ll be used later for daily matches.
- Develop Your New Profile: Add to and edit your SilverSingles profile to attract other singles on the app. It’s completely free.
- Set Up Search Parameters: Adjust your search setting to find someone near you with the right attributes regarding age, appearance, beliefs, lifestyle, etc.
- Look at Members’ Profiles: View all bio information on other members’ profiles.
- Limited Daily Matches: Receive matches of members who fit your preferences and dating criteria.
- Send “Smiles:” Show other singles interested in sending virtual “smiles.”
Don’t limit yourself to the free trial. Becoming a SilverSingles paying member has its benefits, including unlimited communications and viewing profile photos! SilverSingles is much better when you upgrade.
#7: Bumble
This is another dating app with a free trial that offers some form of limited messaging with other members, which makes it one of the better ones out there! Another great free feature that Bumble extends to its users is its robust dating profiles that feature a wealth of personal information and clear, colorful photos that make all singles using the app stand out.
Bumble has a relatively low cost for membership compared to other apps of its kind, and you get a lot of perks for a small dollar amount. However, it’s worth the time and money to upgrade. Paying members can extend their connections past 24 hours and add their favorite profiles to a list for easy viewing. This ensures there are no missed connections or regrets!
Free Features
- Register and Create a Profile: Get your Bumble account up and running and develop a unique profile for free, complete with all vital information and clear photos.
- Set Age and Distance Settings: These are the main search parameters used at Bumble for developing daily matches.
- Match Suggestions: Get daily matches based on your search settings.
- View Profiles: See all bio information and photos posted to members’ profile pages.
- Swipe-Style Dating: “Like” or “pass” on singles based on your interests and preferences.
- Limited Messaging: Free users can contact their daily match suggestions using their allotted complimentary messages for the day.
- One Re-Match Per Day: Daily matches expire after 24 hours if no contact is made. Free members get one free re-match each day for a second chance if they forget.
Paid Features
- Unlimited Re-Matches: Members can get unlimited re-matches with expired connections every day.
- Beeline: Members can access a complete list of all users who have “liked” their profile.
- BusyBee Extension: Members can choose specific profiles to attach the extension to so they can have more than 24 hours of contact before they expire.
- Spotlights: These are an additional cost and allow members to get better placement in the app’s searches, both in ranking and frequency.
You can use Bumble for free and enjoy nearly all the member features, but there are a few important ones that you’ll miss out on. Take advantage of those opportunities. Become a Bumble member and capture all the benefits that you can!
Free Dating Apps FAQ
For more information on these free dating apps, check out our FAQ, which features some common questions from real people about the free trials offered on these platforms. We may not have covered everything you wanted to know in the review, so you might find some helpful information or details in the section below.
Are These Free Dating Apps 100% Free?
Each of these top-notch dating apps offers a free trial experience to newcomers, but they only come with a portion of the premium membership features. New, non-paying users can experience some of the features but not all of them. They must upgrade to a membership plan to enjoy the full benefits.
How Is the Traditional Free Trial Format Different from Modern “Free Trials?”
Traditional free trials (how they used to be formatted) would require new users to provide payment information in exchange for unlimited access to the dating app for 3 to 7 days. If the new user didn’t cancel their “membership” before the time was up, they’d be charged the membership cost, and their free trial would upgrade to an actual membership plan.
Do Free Dating Apps Offer Mobile Dating?
Each free dating app featured in this review offers a dedicated mobile app for on-the-go dating. They are available for download at Google Play and the App Store. And, of course, these apps work and function similarly to the website, right down to the design and formatting.
What Can I Do for Free on These Dating Apps?
Mostly, these dating apps allow free users to register a new account, take any personality of compatibility testing that might come with the sign-up process, and develop a free profile (bio information and uploading photos). One of the more useful free features is setting up search filters and parameters. This allows new users to scope out singles on the app that fit their preferences and criteria.
Can I Message Other Singles Using the Free Trial?
Most of the time, free trial members at our favorite datings cannot send messages to other singles on the platform. It’s a feature that’s primarily separate from the free trial experience. The exception to this rule is that some dating apps allow free users to read and respond to paid members’ messages. OkCupid is one of the better free trials we’ve encountered because they let free users send messages to members or other free users.
Are the Free Trials Worth It?
The free trials are worth your time and effort if your goal is to scope out the app to ensure it’s right for you before putting money out there for a premium subscription. However, the free trial experience will only get you so far.
You can create a free profile, adjust your search settings, and find singles on the app. But there needs to be a premium membership to contact them or connect. The free trial is no substitute for being a member. You’re always going to be restricted.
What’s the Best Free Trial Overall?
We’ll have to give the award to OkCupid for having a free trial experience which allows its free users the ability to send messages to other members on the app. By and large, this isn’t a feature that comes with the typical free trial experience.