It’s safe to say that businesses who advertise as free dating sites for seniors can be a mixed bag. Online dating is hard enough, but once it’s funneled out into niche categories it’s slim pickings for everyone–well, unless you know which sites host the largest communities of singles.
How do free senior dating sites work?
As you could expect, all of the sites we’ve detailed below are free to join. However, some require memberships to get past the profile creation process, while others limit the features that free users can access. In other words, a premium (or paid) membership is required to unlock all of a website’s services, but not all the services require a membership! Some sites will let you match and chat for free, while others only require payment for special features (like sending gifts and winks).
So how do you know which is a match for you? You can start by reading these free senior dating sites reviews, then we suggest clicking-through to each site to see who best offers the experience you’re looking for.
Free dating sites for seniors reviews
1) eHarmony
Since its launch 2000, eHarmony has continued to top lists of senior singles dating sites reviews. Founded by a former marriage counselor and clinical psychologist, eHarmony practically forefronted compatibility testing. After sifting through years of data on what makes a long-term relationship successful, eHarmony introduced its patented Compatibility Matching System which uses your responses to a specific series of questions (I.E. Do you have kids? Are you religious? Are you good at building romance in a relationship? etc.) to match you with someone who meets your criteria. The test is regularly updated to ensure quality matching, and if you feel like you need a bit of coaching to get back into the game, eHarmony even offers dating advice to all of its members through its blog eHarmony Advice.
Joining eHarmony is free but in order to access all the site’s benefits, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid subscription. Standard subscriptions allow you to see who’s viewed your profile, unlimited messages and photos, and access to more matches. The Premium plan includes all of that plus the ability to browse anonymously, see when people read your messages and get featured with Spotlight.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
Standard Subscription rates
- $59.95/month for a six-month Standard subscription
- $49.95/month for a 12-month Standard subscription
- $39.95/month for a 24-month Standard subscription
Premium Subscription rates
- $69.95/month for a six-month Premium subscription
- $59.95/month for a 12-month Premium subscription
- $49.95/month for a 24-month Premium subscription
2) Match
Match.com has been another leading dating site for seniors since its debut in 1995. Instead of running tests, Match asks its worldwide users to express themselves in free writing sections and by selecting partner preferences. Profiles can also include up to 26 photos, but the site’s most notable feature by far is its heightened level of privacy, which allows members to message each other while keeping all names and contact information confidential until users decide they are ready to share.
Joining Match.com is free, but a premium subscription gains you access to all the site’s perks. As a paid Standard member, you’ll be able to chat with local singles, send and receive messages, see who’s viewed you, attend live events and more. Premium members even get notifications when someone reads your email, one profile review per year, and monthly boosts.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
Standard Subscription rates
- $33.99/month for a three-month Standard subscription (regularly $45.32/month)
- $21.99/month for a six-month Standard subscription (regularly $29.32/month)
- $19.99/month for a 12-month Standard subscription (regularly $26.65/month)
Premium Subscription rates
- $37.99/month for a three-month Premium subscription (regularly $50.65/month)
- $23.99/month for a six-month Premium subscription (regularly $31.99/month)
- $20.99/month for a 12-month Premium subscription (regularly $27.99/month)
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3) Our Time
Among Reddit’s recommended dating sites for seniors is OurTime.com. Similar to Match and eHarmony, Our Time also has users fill out a profile in a way that makes their personality shine through–it’s just a much quicker process. So once you’ve entered your bio and answered “Would You Rather” questions, you’ll be able to add photos or even connect your Facebook account. From there you can either choose to upgrade to a premium membership (which offers unlimited messaging, enhanced search options, and the ability to see who’s interested in you before they even send the first message) or you can just head straight to the site and peruse for possible matches.
Joining and searching is free but upgrading your membership unlocks all of the site’s features–even if you’re on mobile! But if you’re not looking to sign up for a membership, consider taking advantage of the site’s “token” option–you’ll still have to purchase tokens, but it’s way more affordable with prices ranging from $0.99 to $9.99.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
Standard Subscription rates
Premium Subscription rates
- $107.76 for a six-month Best Value Plan membership (includes added benefits like message and profile highlights)
4) Zoosk
A top dating site for singles, Zoosk.com offers members access to both free online dating services and paid subscriptions. Registering is easy and only takes a few minutes, and unlike other dating sites, Zoosk actually walks users through how to access all of the site’s features. So if you’re new to or unsure about online dating, Zoosk is the metaphorical equivalent of “just getting your feet wet.”
Free users can message members, swipe through profiles, access dating advice, see who viewed their profile, flirt, and favorite members. Paid subscribers can boost their visibility, send gifts, go invisible, and access advanced search filters.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
5) FirstMet
After browsing dating sites for seniors reviews of FirstMet.com, it seems like this is the site for people who don’t know what they’re looking for (in terms of relationship style). The service doesn’t offer compatibility matching like other dedicated dating sites, which is part of its appeal–at least for those just looking to date or meet someone they can have fun with. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t people looking for committed relationships, either. It just means they may be a part of the site’s minority.
FirstMet users gain access to a social network style dating service, an “interests” page where users can search for matches with similar hobbies or passions, and icebreaker questions to help with starting conversations. But since the focus is on honing that “first connection,” the site doesn’t offer video calling or instant chat support–just plain ol’ email!
FirstMet.com is free to join and allows users to read/compose a limited amount of messages to other free members (Premium members are always free to message), browse in their local area, and access basic search features. Premium members unlock unlimited messaging, can see who’s viewed their profile, search around the world, and access advanced search filters.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
- $24.99/month for a one-month Premium membership
- $16.66/month for a three-month Premium membership
- $12.50/month for a six-month Premium membership
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