The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe

1. Online Dating Sites In Europe
2. European Dating Sites For Americans
3. The Most Popular Free Dating Sites
4. The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe
5. European Dating Site Free
6. The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe For Americans
7. The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe 2019

Here is the quick list of my top five dating sites in France. I’ll go into more detail in my reviews below.

Ahh, France. The first thing I think of when I think of France is Paris and the romantic sidewalk cafes and strolling with that special someone down the Champs-Élysées. Much like Spain, Germany, and Italy, France has an active dating market.

Like a lot of the best online dating sites, in addition, it has a handy instant messenger service which makes chatting to your matches easy and breezy. The experts declare: This site is owned by the dating giant MEETIC and gives you access to 20 million colleagues across European countries and that also merged with Match. Online dating and dating apps are one of the most popular ways to meet a new partner and there are more than 1,400 sites in the UK alone, catering for people from all walks of life and interests.

When I first traveled to Paris as an adult back in the early 2000s, there were no dating apps to speak of. There were a few dating sites, but they didn’t have near the membership base they have today.

If you happen to be single and looking for love in Paris or anywhere else in France, you’re in luck my friend. France has several good quality websites and apps from which to choose.

As is the case with most countries, you’ll increase your chance of success if you live in a city with a large pool of potential partners. For the best results, try to stay close to cities with a lot of single people, like Paris, Marseilles, Lyon, Nice, or Toulouse.

French Model – Laura Tanguy (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Ok, without further ado, let’s take a look at my favorite dating sites and apps below.

Founded in 2001 and based in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, Meetic.fr is the best online dating site in France. From its humble beginnings, it has grown into the largest online dating site in Europe.

Following the acquisition of Match.com’s European operations, the site exploded in popularity and has millions of members all across the EU.

Meetic.fr’s features and design are similar to other Meetic network members like Match. Of all the Meetic sites I’ve seen, however, Meetic.fr’s website design is far and away the best.

The sign-up process especially was beautifully inviting. While Meetic.fr’s features aren’t terribly exciting, they are reliable. You’ll need a premium membership to do much of anything on the site, however. If you are willing to pay, and you speak French, I would recommend you give Meetic.fr a try.

Sign up Process

To begin, select your gender and match gender and enter your birthday. Next, you’ll be faced with some questions regarding your personality, lifestyle and appearance, and your ideal match criteria. The presentation of these questions was gorgeous web-design; I wish all dating sites looked like this!

In this section you’ll also upload a photo at some point, and you’ll finish by writing a short blurb about yourself. All-in-all, this took me around 10 minutes to complete.

To complete your profile, there are more questions to answer about yourself. You can also create a short quiz for your visitors to take, choosing questions from a long list, or creating them yourself.

How to Locate Potential Matches

First off, you can choose between basic and advanced searches. Basic searches include: born on the same day as me, it’s their birthday, perfect matches, reverse matches and mutual matches.

Advanced searches are searches you customize, using filters to narrow down your search. All the basic filters are here: age, location, education, smoking habits, education, etc. These searches can be saved for later use.

Another option is to use the Shuffle feature, a Tinder-like feature, in which you’re shown random profiles to like or dislike, both of you being notified when there’s a mutual match. And, of course, you can also add profiles to your Favorites.

How to Communicate with Other Members

Once you’ve found a match you like, you can send a Flash (basically a flirt/wink feature), but unfortunately you won’t be able to contact them until you’ve upgraded to a premium membership. Once you’ve done so, communication features are pretty basic, with text messages and IM chats available for members online. You can also add profiles to your favorites.

Unique Site Features

Two features stood out to me on Meetic.fr:

1. Mag – This onsite blog is chock full of helpful articles on dating, relationships, online dating, and more.
2. Customer Support – Get this: if you call their hotline, you can speak with an actual person! Amazing. This feature is only available for premium members.

What is Included in Each Membership Level

• Free – Create a profile, upload a photo, search/browse/watch profiles, receive messages, send messages to Connect members, use Shuffle limited
• Premium – Unrestricted use of Shuffle, see who has visited or favorited you, start live chats and message with anyone, customer support
• Extras:
• Incognito Mode – Invisible browsing
• Boost – Boost your profile, advanced placement in search results, extended communication options

eDarling France

EDarling.fr is perfect for people between the ages of 30 and 40. The site uses a sophisticated algorithm in order to find your “perfect match.”

While EDarling.fr is a solid dating site in France, it also made the list for the best online dating sites in Italy and Germany due to its quality and because it has a lot of members (thanks to a huge television advertising push the site did when they launched). The site does an excellent job of weeding out low quality profiles through its identity verification system.

Sign up Process

To begin, you provide your gender, match gender, email address, and password. From there you’re going to be given a personality test to complete, which will take you 30 to 40 minutes.

There are about 200 questions of basic information, including your values, feelings, what you’re passionate about, and your interests. When you finish the test, you can upload a photo if you want, then the site calculates your matches. Once that’s done, you can browse profiles.

Although you can start browsing, your profile is not complete. You will still have to fill out a lot more boxes, which include 12 different sections where you are asked to provide information about yourself, like “What my partner needs to know about me,” etc.

Another section asks you to choose what traits and habits you would either like or dislike in someone, selecting 10 for each out of a long list with statements like, “My ideal partner would be friendly and gentle” and “My ideal partner would not view themselves as a victim to be pitied.”

How to Locate Potential Matches

eDarling uses a unique approach in finding matches since there are no typical browse or search features. On a daily basis, the site implements complex algorithms comparing the results of your personality test with other members’ results in order to recommend matches.

eDarling gives you 7 new matches each day. What’s nice is that, as a free member, you are allowed to view nearly everything on the profiles of these matches, even the reports on their personality.

However, you are not allowed to view their photos.

How to Communicate with Other Members

As a free member, you can add profiles to your Favorites, as well as send Smiles plus 5 Questions. These questions are selected from 53 different options. These are questions like, “What would you like to happen within the next 10 years?” “When you’re in a relationship, do you need a lot of personal space?” “If the dance floor were empty and they’re playing your favorite song, what would you do?”

Also, once you’re a premium member you can send text messages to other members.

Unique Site Features

The personality test on eDarling is first-rate. It was created by psychologists and designed to measure 29 different aspects of someone’s personality. Once the test is completed, eDarling gives you a detailed Personality Dimension Analysis comparing your levels of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Neuroticism and Openness to the average levels of other members on the site.

What is Included in Each Membership Level

• Free – Take the personality test, create a profile, upload photos
• Premium – See all photos, unlimited communication, view profile visitors, use the mobile app
• Premium PLUS – Receive 20 extra profile matches in the What If feature, verify your identity, see detailed personality profiles, read message notifications

Tinder is a great app to use for France. See my write-up on Mexico dating sites and apps for my full review on Tinder.

Bumble

Bumble stands out as the first matchmaking app to put women in the driver’s seat. Similar to other popular apps on the market, Bumble lets users swipe left and right through profiles of other users.

When it comes to talking, only women have the option to send the first message and they only have 24 hours to do it. But first, how to get started.

Sign up Process

Setting up an account is quick and user friendly. Profiles consist not only of a selection of pictures but also allow information such as height, what user’s are looking for on the app, different conversation starters such as ‘favorite movie’, etc… in addition to a short bio. This puts a little more emphasis on personality while still remaining very visually based.

The app requires either a Facebook account or phone verification to set up an account as well as providing additional authentication by submitting a selfie matching the instructed pose to eliminate fake accounts.

How to Locate Potential Matches

All profiles are displayed on the main page of the app displaying a picture and name. If interested, a user can scroll down on the photo to reveal additional photos and information and finally choose to swipe left if they would not want to match and right if they do.

How to Communicate with Other Members

Perhaps the most distinctive part of Bumble is its effort to engage female users by enabling only women to send the first message and by limiting their time frame to 24 hours since matching. This encourages women to be more engaged in showing interest, taking the rejection of other app designs off of male users. Some find this refreshing while others find it frustrating or burdensome, either way it remains a huge draw for Bumble.

Unique App Features

Since Bumble has gained in popularity, it has introduced two new interfaces within the same app: Bumble BFF which allows users to create new friendships and Bumble Bizz which works as a networking platform for businesses and people looking for new career opportunities.

The app also hosts live events open to all app users through Bumble Hive, allowing users to meet, as possible friends, business partners and even potential matches.

What is Included in Each Membership Level

The app is free to download and use but different subscriptions offer enticing features. While some users find the time limits constricting, upgrading to Bumble Boost enables users to extend a match by an additional 24 hours, giving them extra time to send a message or to respond.

Bumble Boost also allows users to rematch with matches that have since expired as well as showing which profiles have swiped right on them already in a feature called the Beeline.

OkCupid is one of the oldest dating websites, having been founded back in 2004. Fortunately, OkCupid has done a good job of modernizing its platform over the years. The site has enjoyed solid growth over the years and remains one of the most popular and widely used dating sites.

OkCupid focuses on providing higher quality matches and uses personality tests to see if people are a good fit. Most members fall between the age of 25 and 34. However, there are a lot of users in every age range.

Online Dating Sites In Europe

As for relationships, you can express interest in short-term new friends, hookups, short-term dating, and long-term dating.

Sign up Process

Registering for OkCupid is simple enough. First, you fill out your basic details, like name and location. You can also register with Facebook and have most of this information filled in for you.

However, registering doesn’t mean you’re signed up and free to go. OkCupid’s distinguishing feature is its personality tests. Before you can find matches and send messages, you need to answer a bunch of questions that will gauge your personality.

OkCupid suggests that you answer between 50 to 100 questions to get started. This takes a bit of time but helps you find better matches.

How to Locate Potential Matches

Once you’re done answering questions, OkCupid will show you a bunch of potential matches. These matches are graded with percents based on your personality fit.

The primary search feature is OkCupid’s “Double Take”. Like other dating apps, Double Take will show you profiles one at a time. You can then choose to like the person or pass. Click on the star to like or hit the X to pass.

If the other person matches with you, you’ll be able to message each other.

OkCupid also features a search function. You can filter people based on different traits, like age, whether they’re smokers, or pet owners, and many other things. If you find someone through search and like them, you’ll start to be shown to them more often.

If they like you back, you’ll be able to message them.

How to Communicate with Other Members

Unlike many apps, you can message people before they like you by sending an introductory message. If you like someone, you’ll be moved up in the Double Take feature. When people click on your profile, they’ll also see your introductory message.

If they like you back, you can start chatting through the built-in messaging platform.

Unique App Features

Two things help OkCupid stand out. First, personality tests may help you find better fitting matches. This can lead to more meaningful connections. It does take more work to answer questions, however, and some people may prefer the ease of other apps.

Second, the search feature allows you to filter people based on attributes. Some users may find this more convenient than swiping.

What is Included in Each Membership Level

You can use OkCupid for free and will be able to access most of the features. In fact, OkCupid’s free account offers quite a bit. You will see ads, which can get annoying. Also, you can’t see who likes you.

If you upgrade to the A-List, you’ll be able to see who likes you right away. This means you can find potential matches more quickly. You also get unlimited likes and don’t have to deal with ads.

Premium A-List includes all of the above and also offers a daily automatic boost. You can also see answers to other users’ public questions as well and will be shown more attractive people to potentially match with.

You can also purchase an incognito mode. While you have incognito mode, no one will see you until you like them.

How to Get Started:

If you’re really serious about finding love in France, I highly recommend you learn French, even at a basic level. Your ability to connect with the woman (or man) of your dreams will be so much higher if you’re able to speak in your love interest’s mother tongue.

Once you know some basic French, sign up for one of the sites/apps I mentioned above. If you need help on how to set up a profile, what to write for your initial and follow up messages, when to ask the woman/man you’re interested in to go offline for a date, and more, check out my e-book, Online Dating Success: How to Find Love Anywhere in the World. In the book I go into detail about all of that stuff.

Good luck on the dating trail! Bonne chance (“Good luck” in French)!

Further Reading

• Worldwide Online Dating Site Reviews: Be sure to check out my country-by-country reviews of the best online dating sites in the world.

• Worldwide Moving Guide: Everything you need to know in order to plan your move to 65+ countries around the world.

• Worldwide Jobs Guide: If you are interested in working in this country, be sure to check out my posts on how to find jobs in this country and other countries around the world.

• Worldwide Apartments Guide: If you are interested in renting an apartment in another country, take a look at my articles on how to find an apartment in various countries around the world.

Visahunter.com accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the accuracy of the information contained on this site. Please read the Visitor Agreement and Disclaimer. If you think there is an error in the information, please bring it to our attention so that we can correct it. Also, some of the links above could be affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) should you decide to click on the links and make a purchase. I recommend sites from time to time, not because I get a tiny commission if you click on the links and make a purchase, but because, I want you to focus on the places that will deliver you the most value and the best results. Good luck!

As the temperatures drop, you might be looking for a special someone to cosy up to this winter, and an online dating service is a good place to start.

Online dating and dating apps are now one of the most popular ways to meet a new partner and there are more than 1,400 sites in the UK alone, catering for people from all walks of life and interests.

Now is the perfect time to log on. Most well-known dating sites see their biggest surge in traffic on Boxing Day, with a second spike on the first Sunday after New Year — sometimes known as 'Dating Sunday'. And of course, Valentine's day is just around the corner.

The good news is, the range of dating sites has never been bigger. Whether you’re mad about dogs, passionate about green issues or a connoisseur of fine wines, you may just be a few clicks away from someone who shares your interests.

Here is our pick of the best dating websites and apps – not forgetting our very own website dating.telegraph.co.uk.

The best dating sites and apps in the UK

1. Eharmony

Best for: serious relationships

Free membership (limited)

5 million users in the UK

Modern matchmaking service, eharmony, claims over two million people have found love through their site. Users are required to fill out a short quiz to determine their core values in relation to others, and this powers many useful tools to help them find love (including compatibility scores, personality profiles, and relationship advice).

It’s free to register and download the app, send ‘smiles’ and pre-written Icebreakers to get the conversation started. However, you need to subscribe for customised messages and unlimited access to your match’s profile. Subscription costs from £7.95 per month for 24 months.

2. Match.com

Best for: getting back out there

Free membership (limited)

3 million users in the UK

Synonymous with online dating, Match.com has someone for everyone. Create a detailed profile, then find your potential partner through a criteria search. You can go on “zen mode” to be only contacted by those who meet your criteria.

It’s free to become a member but you can only send and receive messages if you are a subscriber. Subscription costs from £12.99 per month for six months.

3. EliteSingles

Best for: educated singles in their forties

From £19.90 per month

13 million users worldwide

Those averse to swiping left may enjoy EliteSingles – a site that uses a personality test to match users based on their compatibility. The comprehensive compatibility test takes into account looks, personality (with questions on how optimistic and ambitious you are, your social skills, how friends would describe you, and more), and what you're looking for in a partner – including whether or not you want children. Most users are looking for a long-term commitment and intellectual match, and 85 per cent of users have a degree and are between 30 and 55 years old.

You need to subscribe to send messages to your matches, as well as see all of their photos and leave comments. Premium membership costs from £19.90 per month for 12 months; or you can trial it for three months (£39.95 per month) or six months (£21.95 per month).

4. Silver Singles

Best for: Over 50's who are looking for love

Free membership (limited)

70,000 users in the UK

While Silver Singles is most popular in the States, it is starting to catch on in the UK, too. To register for the site, you must fill out a comprehensive personality test, which takes between 15 and 30 minutes and aims to partner you with your perfect match.

While profiles are quite detailed, they are kept behind a paywall. Likewise, you will need to pay in order to send messages to prospective matches. This premium membership costs from $24.95 for 12 months.

5. Our Time

Best for: meeting a variety of over-50s singletons in your area

Free membership

150,000 active users

Fairly new to the dating app scene, Our Time is a breath of fresh air for those who are tired of swiping and want to meet someone IRL (that's 'in real life' in text speak). The site hosts regular events for mature singles in your area, where you can meet likeminded people. Feeling shy? You can bring up to three friends with you for moral support.

The app is owned by Match Group, meaning your profile will appear on other dating sites – which widens the pool for meeting your potential partner.

6. Telegraph Dating

Best for: meeting like-minded individuals

Free membership (limited)

220,000 members worldwide

The Telegraph Dating site is a straightforward way to meet like-minded singles. As you set up your free profile, simply describe the type of person for whom you’re searching. Then, browse the site and view others’ profiles; once you find someone who you feel is a good match, send them a message.

A free membership allows you to read messages from potential matches and reply with a one-liner. Only paying subscribers can start conversations and write personal, customised messages. It costs from £12 per month for 12 months for a subscription. For an additional £10 per month, you can upgrade to Premium, where anyone can reply to your messages for free.

7. Parship

Best for: singles looking for a long-term commitment

Free (limited)

23,000 new members every week

Parship has a scientific approach to helping you find love. Relying on 40 years of findings on how to build a successful relationship, the site categorises users into 36 personality traits, and uses a matching algorithm of 136 rules. The compatibility questionnaire is extensive, and covers everything from what you look for in a partner to whether you sleep with the window open.

There is a fairly even male/female split in the users, and 52 per cent of them are graduates. The site welcomes 23,000 new members every week, and almost four in 10 find their partner through Parship. However, whilst it is free to sign up, take the comprehensive personality test, view your matches and send them 'smiles', you have to pay to be able to message your matches. Membership costs from £14.90 per month for 12 months, but you can trial the site for six months (£19.90 per month) or three months (£29.90 per month), too.

8. Original Dating

Best for: Singles who want a quirky way of finding The One

From £10 per event

Over 250,000 users

Tired of swiping right? Original Dating is unlike other apps in that it focuses on singles meeting up in real life. There are speed dating events (including virtual options) where you will typically meet between 15 and 20 people in one night. Unlike the speed dating events of old, Original Dating ensures there is an even ratio of men:women by asking all attendees to book online. You can subscribe for discounts and access to more exclusive events, or just give an event a go (prices start at just £10).

9. Lumen

Best for: mature dating for the young at heart

Free membership

350,000 users worldwide

Whether your children have flown the nest or you’re recently divorced, dating in your fifties is a bit of a minefield. That’s where Lumen comes in.

Some dating apps can be soul-destroying when conversations consist of boring pleasantries. Not so with Lumen. Your icebreaker message needs to be at least 50 characters long, which encourages interesting chats.

All accounts are verified, and profiles are detailed – with at least three photos and a lengthy bio. There are no paywalls on the site but you can only start six conversations per day as a free member. You can upgrade to 12 conversations per day if you subscribe for £24.99 per month.

10. OkCupid

Best for: quirky and open-minded singles

Free membership

4 million users worldwide

OkCupid has an extensive personality questionnaire, designed to increase compatibility. You can then inject personality into your profile by answering quirky questions, such as “Do you make your bed every day?”

Instead of being bombarded with messages, you can only message those with whom you have matched. Downloading the app and speaking to users is free but you can upgrade to Premium for extra features.

In 2014, the OKCupid app was the first to introduce 22 genders and 13 sexual orientation options. This inclusive outlook has made OkCupid particularly popular, making 91 million connections every year according to their site.

11. Bumble

Best for: empowering women

Free membership

22 million users worldwide

To redress the gender imbalance of dating apps, women have to begin the conversations on Bumble. Profiles are not as detailed as on some apps, but you can make video calls and get to know your match before you meet.

Lazy users are penalised on Bumble, as you only have 24 hours to initiate a conversation before the match expires. The app is free to use but you can upgrade to Bumble Boost, where you can see users who have already ‘liked’ you, for £11.16 per month for 6 months or even just £2.49 for the day.

12. HER

Best for: meeting like-minded queer women

Free membership

4 million members worldwide

HER is a much-needed breath of fresh air on the dating app scene, as it's dedicated to helping queer, bisexual and lesbian women find their ideal partner. The app is free and you can view profiles, add friends and start chats at no extra cost. Upgrade to HER Premium to filter users by sexuality, see who is currently online and more.

HER also shares LGBTQ+ news and events taking place in your area, and there are smaller chat groups where you can meet other users.

13. Inner Circle

Best for: young professionals

Free membership

3 million users worldwide

The adverts for Inner Circle look like promotions for Glyndebourne, featuring couples in black ties and cocktail dress. This dating app is selective and there’s even an application process. In 2016, there were 450,000 applicants on the waiting list.

Tailored to matchmaking ambitious, career-savvy young professionals, Inner Circle claims to have made 10,000 successful matches. The app is free to download, but you can upgrade to premium packages. There are also exclusive members events. Polo in the park, anyone?

14. Happn

Best for: busy people

European Dating Sites For Americans

Free membership

50 million users worldwide

In the films, people lock eyes on the train, start a conversation and then fall in love. In reality, we are too awkward (and British) to act on impulse. That’s where Happn comes in. If you have crossed paths with another user, they'll show up at the top of your Happn page. If you like what you see, you can send a heart and, if they send one back, instigate a conversation.

Your exact location is not shared – just the approximate area. The app is free but you can upgrade for Premium benefits including up to 10 ‘Hellos’ and access to the list of people who like you.

15. Hinge

Best for: young people looking for love

Free membership

5.5 million members worldwide

Hinge is the new kid on the dating game block, known amongst millennials as ‘the relationship app’. To set up a profile, you need more than just photos and a one-line bio. Instead, you must answer three questions (e.g. 'My childhood crush?...Andrew Garcia') and potential matches can 'like' your answers and start up a conversation.

The app is free to download and you have unlimited access to profiles, swiping and sending messages. However, you can upgrade to a Preferred Membership, which allows you to better filter results.

The Most Popular Free Dating Sites

16. Tinder

Best for: casual dating

Free membership

Over 50 million users worldwide

It’s the Godfather of dating apps. Tinder, the photo-heavy app with 2 billion views per day, allows you to swipe right to potential partners, then message and arrange a date. The app is responsible for 1 million dates per week, according to the site.

Tinder seems geared towards casual dating. Profiles are not as detailed as on other apps, but you can include your name, job, company, education, location and links to your Instagram and Spotify accounts.

17. Badoo

Best for: keeping your options open

Free membership (limited)

Over 497 million users worldwide

If you want to be spoiled for choice, give Badoo a go. When you sign up for the app, you select what you're looking for – just to chat, casual dates, a serious relationship or stay open-minded.

The app has a swipe function but it’s also possible to drop in on people’s live video chats. Profiles consist of basic personal information and you get notifications when someone likes or messages you. This, however, can be overwhelming as there are so many users. Premium prices depend on the package and subscription you sign up to, but start at £2.29 a week

18. Coffee Meets Bagel

Best for: romantics

Free membership

The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe

7 million users worldwide

As you can probably tell from its moniker, this app’s main fanbase is in the States. However, it certainly brings something different to the dating game. Its stand-out USP is that the site only sends you one match every day, which means you have to really consider whether this person is a good match, as opposed to swiping left without giving them a second thought.

That being said, you can click on the ‘Discover’ tab and like a handful of people per day. If you match, the app suggests a personalised icebreaker (e.g. “Ask Thomas about his recent trip to Thailand!”). It’s free to download the app and speak to your matches. However, you can upgrade for a Premium membership to see if your messages have been read and to access stats on your match – how long they typically take to reply, for instance.

19. Qemistry

Best for: Young TikTok-obsessives looking for love

Free membership

Designed for 18-35 year olds of all genders and orientations, Qemistry is a breath of fresh air on the dating app scene. It's still in its infancy (it only launched on September 3 this year) but it has great potential. To use it, you upload videos to your profile – whether that be TikToks, Instagram Stories or a video of you telling a joke or having a boogie. Unlike curated photo profiles (with their emphasis on abs) this lets your personality shine through.

Best religious dating sites and apps

20. Christian Connection

Best for: Christians looking for long-term commitment

Free membership (limited)

110,000 users worldwide.

On Christian Connection, users can create detailed profiles, outlining their jobs, political views, dream holiday destinations, favourite films and, of course, religious standpoints.

If you find someone you like, you can ‘wave’ at them and send a message. Membership is free but this only allows you to match, send waves and preset replies. There is a free 3-day trial for a taster of the subscription service; if you subscribe, from £24 per month, you can send unlimited messages and get discounted entry to social events.

21. Muzmatch

Best for: single Muslims looking for love

Free membership

1 million members worldwide

You may recognise Muzmatch from their fun advertising campaigns (“Halal, is it me you’re looking for?”). Yet the free dating app has plenty of other stand-out features which may explain its 25,000 success stories. Firstly, it protects your privacy – you can use an alias and keep your photos hidden or blurred until a later date, so there’s no danger of friends or family stumbling across your profile.

European Dating Site Free

All users are verified and you can opt to have a chaperone (a ‘Wali’) in your chats. The app is free for you to swipe, match and chat. However, you can upgrade to Instant Match, where you can talk to someone before they have liked you back.

22. JDate

Best for: Jewish singles

Free membership

The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe For Americans

The net's biggest Jewish dating service, JDate, has been around for nearly 20 years. Following its redesign in 2017, it is now a more streamlined service. After uploading a bio (typically 100-150 words) and up to 6 photos, you can browse others’ profiles to assess their physical features, hobbies, religious practice and what they’re looking for.

It’s easy to keep track of potential partners with the Look Book, a list of who has liked you back. Plus, there’s a community feel to the site due to the Kibitz Corner, where the site provides daily questions and you can compare answers with your matches.

How to avoid dating scams

Dating expert, James Preece from jamespreece.com shares his tips on how to avoid scammers:

1. If you’re suspicious about a profile report it to the dating website or app so they can investigate it.
2. Try doing your own detective work – ask them for their full name and look them up on Google and social media.
3. Don’t be afraid to question their authenticity – if they are genuine they won’t mind you trying to verify them.
4. Remember, they may spend months building a relationship with you and will only ask for money once you’re emotionally involved.
5. Ask a friend for advice as they are not as emotionally involved as you, they may be able to see something you can’t.
6. Look out for fake or stolen photographs. You can use sites like TinEye.com to check the authenticity of a photo and you can try doing a reverse image search on Google (by clicking on the camera logo in the search bar and uploading an image) to see if they are using a fake picture.
7. Never give out too much personal information, such as your home address, phone number or email.
8. Consider setting up a new email address to use for online dating and perhaps even get a cheap Pay As You Go phone to use for making phone calls.

The Most Popular Free Dating Sites In Europe 2019

For more tips and advice on successful dating after 40, visit our Mature Dating section.

The products or services in this article have been selected independently by journalists. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service.