But the reality is, online dating is here to stay -- and if you’re on the right dating site, it really can work.
You can still hold out for the meet-cute story of your dreams, but don’t let a few bad experiences on dating sites prevent you from making the most of the tools at your disposal.
So it’s time to quit hating, and start dating with the help of these 3 dating sites, which do things a bit differently:
1. EliteSingles
The Pitch: Raise your standards on the #1 site for professional singles
Why it's different: If browsing through profiles isn’t your thing, Elite Singles is your best bet. The site connects you through compatibility matching (based on a personality quiz) and only caters to a 30+ crowd.
You only get around 6 matches each day, so if you’re super picky this is not the place for you. But it is a great way to be able to get the most out of online dating (so many men, all in one place) without having to invest a ton of time.
Elite Singles makes it easy for busy professionals who know what they want and just need a little help finding it.
2. Zoosk
The Pitch: More singles who are more your style
Why it's different: Zoosk stands out because it’s designed to make you swipe less and connect more. The matching algorithm gets an understanding of what you’re looking for (whose profile you visit, who you like…) and then sends ideal matches your way.
The algorithm seems to work pretty well - there are 11 million messages sent every day on the site.
3. Match
The Pitch: More relationships and more marriages than any other dating site.
Why it's different: Match is a pioneer of online dating, and they’ve had over two decades to perfect the way they bring people together.
One thing Match does really well is their offline events - game night, cooking classes, speed dating.
It’s really easy to get stuck in the swiping and chatting phase of online dating and never take that chemistry from screen to street. With Match, you’ve got a good excuse to put your phone down, leave the house, and meet people in a really comfortable environment.
Still unsure of where to head online? Check out our reviews of the best dating sites to find the one that fits what you're looking for.