Maybe it’s hard for some people to meet others and find the right connection, but there sure are a lot of opportunities to try. As we all become increasingly connected, focused, and set on finding exactly what we want in a partner (and in life), we are quick to use all the tools the online world has to offer.
Apps and media companies streamline all our needs and desires, from entertainment to food and drink, from travel to shopping. And of course, the online realm is filled with a bunch of opportunities to find a relationship. There are the online dating mainstays – OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, Match, Tinder – but there are regularly new and creative ways to get people to connect. Here are some options in 2019 and beyond.
Zoosk
An incredibly popular and global dating service, Zoosk is a comprehensive, engaging app that uses a lot of information to specifically find the right people for you. Zoosk tries to forgo time-consuming questionnaires and information boxes by amalgamating items from other special media profiles. It uses a special algorithm to learn who you like and might be interested in by tracking the people you peruse and message.
Essentially, the app is smarter than you are at finding people you might like; writing a profile and answering multiple choice questions are subjective and not always accurate – we may write things and give answers of how we want to be perceived or how we feel like we are, instead of who were actually are and what we actually like. So the app steps in and helps connect people, even if they were people you wouldn’t have thought you might like. As this is more advanced than some other dating sites, it comes with a monthly fee.
Speed Dater
Everyone loves to talk about how busy they are – whether that’s true, or more likely we just like to falsely equate ‘busy’ with ‘important’ to influence others, there are dating options for those who just don’t have the time.
Speed dating is a part of the online world, where you can enlist in specific dating events to try to get to know someone; or many someones. Speed Dater UK is one of the companies that has sprung up to organize in person events for those who want to meet like-minded people; they’ve actually been around for a long time but have gained great popularity of late. These events usually revolve around a specific type of activity or atmosphere, have an age range, and smartly have limited availability. Lots of singles gather for wine tasting, trivia nights, cooking classes, and much more. Depending on who you are and what you want, there is an opportunity for you. It has the filters that other dating apps have but sets up the in-person meetings that are sometimes hard to obtain. Showing up and being present is a big step forward.
Coffee Meets Bagel
Similarly, Coffee Meets Bagel attempts to use a smarter algorithm to connect people. The simple interface asks users to create detailed personal bios, but prompts you with specific, open-ended questions to help you get started and focus on what’s important instead of writing things that may take away or distract from your profile.
Then, everyday at noon you will receive a list of matches that CMB thinks you’ll enjoy. What’s more, the app will give you icebreakers to get the conversation going. They are user specific, so that the generic hellos and awkward beginnings can be skipped for more substantive discussion. Coffee Meets Bagel has a free version and a paid upgraded version.
Ship
As was mentioned, sometimes we aren’t the best at describing ourselves. Whether we’re too optimistic, self deprecating, or simply delusional, writing your own dating profile can be an impractical task. It may turn off people we actually like and attract the wrong kinds of people. And sometimes what we think we want, and need isn’t really accurate.
So Ship allows your friends to do the setting up. You sign up, create a profile, and enlist a ‘Crew’ to help you find a match. For those who may be called upon, but are not single, Ship has an option for crewmates to identify as such to make clear they are here for their friends and not to meet new people. It may be a bit gimmicky, but the free service can be some fun, and harkens back to those who say, “If you wanna get with me, you gotta get with my friends.”
Adult Friend Finder
The key word here is ‘adult.’ This app is geared for people looking for intimate adult encounters. They tend to be more casual, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t meaningful and mutually sought after. If you’re too busy or not interested in dating or a serious, long-term relationship, then Adult Friend Finder will help you get acquainted with someone who wants to skip that as well and head to the bed. What you do there, and where you to go from there, is up to you.