You thought dating was intimidating before kids, which means that it’s downright terrifying now that you have one or more children in tow. Single parents everywhere know that the struggle to find a fresh romance is real—namely because there’s a very important list of non-negotiables and time is too precious to waste on the wrong person. So where can you go to find the special someone who will complete your family? Well, we can’t make any promises, but our roundup of the best dating apps for single parents is a darn good place to start.
The 12 Best Dating Apps for Single Parents
From background checks to age demographics and beyond
•
Published Jun 19, 2024
MoMo Productions/Getty Images
What to Consider When Choosing a Dating App
Dating as a single parent is no walk in the park—trust me, I know. As someone who separated from the father of their kids and entered into a new, committed relationship, I can personally attest to the fact that the stakes are so much higher when it comes to introducing a new partner to your kids. For this reason, it’s important to carefully consider the unique features of every app and find the one you like the best, so you can start the dating process off on the right foot. Here are some factors to consider:
- How the matching process works is very important. Some users might feel uncomfortable (or even hurt) by apps that encourage swiping to say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ (We’re looking at you, Tinder.) In order to offset the icky feeling of this common feature, it’s helpful to choose an app that invests in detailed personality tests before even presuming to give you a match recommendation. If you’re looking for something serious, chances are you don’t want to be swiping ‘no’ too often or thinking that folks are similarly discarding you.
- Additional features such as ongoing chat and background searches are also useful because a lot of single parents who are looking for the real deal would prefer to take things slow and really build a safe friendship before getting fully involved with someone new. Of course, this isn’t true for everyone and it’s a-OK if you just want a little casual company when you can spare the time for it—but either way, it’s useful to consider the pace at which you want your experience to develop and then find an app with features that most align with that preference.
- Target audience also plays a significant role in finding an app that best meets your needs. If you feel like you can only really relate to someone who already has children of their own and understand the parenthood journey, you’ll want to opt for one of the ‘single parents only’ apps on our list. There are plenty of other dating apps for single parents that can make matchmaking magic happen without being exclusive to that situation, though. Plus, there are other factors to consider including the median age and diversity of users. Bottom line: It would behoove you to do a little research on user demographics before committing to a dating app for single parents.
SilverSingles
1. SilverSingles
- Best for: singles over age 50
- Solely for single parents: no
The dating scene can be alienating if you’ve got a few extra years under your belt, but SilverSingles is an exception to the rule that provides a thriving social space where individuals over the age of 50 can connect. Whether you’re looking for friendship, a fling or something more serious, this app’s in-depth personality test and self-guided search options will set you on the right track—and for a relatively low monthly fee at that.
Zoosk
2. Zoosk
- Best for: diverse matches, expert advice and tips
- Solely for single parents: no
This tremendously dating app for singles is a social platform that promises a personalized dating experience with a particularly diverse user base. (The service is available in 80 countries and over 25 languages.) While the pool is quite large, Zoosk assures users that its behavioral technology algorithm will help you find someone you hit it off with, but for single parents we suggest disclosing your kid count on your profile, since there’s a search filter for that.
Elite Singles
3. Elite Singles
- Best for: millennial professionals, serious relationships
- Solely for single parents: no
Carefree 20-somethings need not apply, because Elite Singles caters to the over 30 professional crowd, specifically those seeking more serious relationships. To achieve long term matches, the app relies on an in-depth survey that takes personal values, lifestyle and goals into account, as well as future planning specifics, like whether or not you want to have more kids.
Stir
4. Stir
- Best for: user-friendly interface, single parents-only dating
- Solely for single parents: yes
Here, an app-only platform that’s exclusively for single parents and boasts a refreshingly user-friendly interface. Before signing up, you should keep in mind that the free version of Stir has considerably fewer features than the paid subscription—but no matter how you slice it, that’s a small price to pay for finding someone that’s in (mostly) the same boat as you.
Download for Android
Coffee Meets Bagel
5. Coffee Meets Bagel
- Best for: long term relationships, deep connections
- Solely for single parents: no
If you’re ready for the real thing, Coffee Meets Bagel might be right for you. This app-only dating platform is intended for those who are seeking long-term commitments—a promise that’s fulfilled with a slow-dating model that uses data collection to limit shallow searches and encourage substantive connection. Best of all, most of the features on this app are available for free, though a premium subscription does buy you some insider information that might pay dividends.
eHarmony
6. eHarmony
- Best for: compatible matching, dating safety
- Solely for single parents: no
Yes, it’s been around for ages—but for good reason, friends. The fact is that eHarmony boasts some seriously impressive stats when it comes to making forever matches—namely because the tried and true app has gone to great lengths to prioritize safety, eliminate catfishing and maintain a high quality dating pool, which are decidedly appealing features when it comes to dating apps for single parents. Plus, you won’t just be meeting someone at random, since dates are suggested with a boatload of criteria in mind, and the website backs its matchmaking promise with three months’ free service if you’re dissatisfied.
Match.com
7. Match.com
- Best for: singles over 30, safe in-person dates
- Solely for single parents: no
Match.com was quick to tap the dating market in the mid 90s and has stood the test of time due to its solid matchmaking track record. Sure, the interface is a bit dated, but paid subscribers craving facetime can enjoy real-life match events; online-only users have the option of using the interest tab to message anyone they choose (no swiping nonsense), whilst benefiting from an algorithm that grows smarter with every move they make. According to Forbes, Match has also recently partnered with a background check service to ensure the safety of in-person meet-ups.
Download for Android, iOS
Next Love
8. Next Love
- Best for: previously married singles and single parents
- Solely for single parents: no
Much like Stir, Next Love is another rarity that caters specifically to single parents and the previously married. At this point in time, the user base is quite small, and the annual membership costs a pretty penny (roughly $235). That said, the platform’s search function has a seriously impressive number of filters, so folks can easily fine-tune their matches according to personal preference.
Download for Android, iOS
Plenty of Fish
9. Plenty of Fish
- Best for: large dating pool, in-depth profiles
- Solely for single parents: no
With a whopping 70 million members, it’s safe to say that Plenty of Fish lives up to its name—which should come as no surprise, since the service is totally free. Word on the street is that single moms have a high success rate on Plenty of Fish, and single parents in particular benefit from the fact that the platform provides users the freedom to craft an in-depth personal profile if they so choose. In other words, if you prefer substance over swiping, this might be the app for you.
Bumble
10. Bumble
- Best for: female-led dating experience, dating safety
- Solely for single parents: no
Single mamas who are interested in romance without a side of sleaze will be pleased to know about Bumble—a women-centered dating app created by Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe for this very purpose. Those who identify as women can expect to be in the driver’s seat, since the app only allows this gender to initiate conversations, which is a particularly empowering and comforting approach for women that I would appreciate as a mother healing from the effects of a previous toxic relationship. It’s also worth noting that Bumble offers a free trial with an option to upgrade, so it doesn’t get much lower risk than this.
SingleParentMatch
11. SingleParentMatch
- Best for: finding a community, long term relationships
- Solely for single parents: yes
SingleParentMatch.com credits itself with being the first ever online dating site that’s exclusively for single mothers and fathers (so this one’s technically not an app, but you can still peruse from your phone). When it comes to dating, the emphasis on this site is finding stable, long-term relationships, so you can live the blended family dream. That said, users report that it’s also a great place to just connect and make friends with people in the same situation as you, which is pretty valuable. (As a previously single mother myself, I remember how lonely and different I felt and how badly I craved friends who just understood what it was like.) The site also has some pretty neat features that include date idea suggestions, forums and blogs where users can just vent about the struggle and online chat so you can get to know your prospective date before you commit to facetime.
SingleParentMeet
12. SingleParentMeet
- Best for: budget-friendly service, previously married
- Solely for single parents: yes
As the name suggests, SingleParentMeet is yet another app that’s exclusively for single parents and a very budget-friendly one at that, since you can create an account and connect with the thousands of active users for free. It also gets high marks for helping match single parents who share the same values and provides a safe meeting online space for divorced parents, including those who are looking to be matched with someone of the same gender. That said, if you want the additional benefit of being able to chat and text without revealing your personal contact information, you’ll have to pay a nominal fee for that feature.
