Best dating sites for working professionals who don't have time to meet someone IRL

Read our full review of eharmony.

The gist: We've all heard of eharmony and most of us have seen the commercials. eharmony has been around for more than 20 years, and there's a good reason why it still feels like a relevant presence in our dating lives: It works. The site has overhauled itself for better user results, but it still uses its tried-and-true scientific approach to dating. Based on the results of a lengthy questionnaire that covers topics such as what you’re looking for, likes and dislikes, hobbies, and behavioral habits, the site finds your most compatible matches. Up until a couple of years ago, it didn't offer support for users to look at both men and women at the same time, but there's still no integrated support for nonbinary users.

Why it works: Plain and simple, the efficacy of eharmony comes down to the results and a reputation for success. No one wants to waste time, money, or energy on people who aren’t right for them or offer up serious red flags. Having the app’s algorithm and science match you with highly compatible people goes a long way toward finding people you have a high probability of getting on with and who are just as focused on their careers as you are. If you’re unsure about meeting strangers in person right off the bat, the app also has a video call feature so you can safely have your first date virtually.

Pricing for the app changes pretty frequently, and it’s not transparent — you’ll have to create a free account to then find the current Premium pricing plans. On the plus side, while the subscription isn’t exactly cheap, it’ll winnow out the people who aren’t super-serious about finding dates or potential partners — so people tend to be on the same page about things. 

Read our full review of Match.

The gist: Match(opens in a new tab) was one of the first names in the online dating game: It’s been around since 1995 and has the credentials of having found 1.6 million people their partners. 

It’s also a talkative platform — vibe-wise, it’s not the kind of place you just tap through profiles of people and don’t start a conversation after. In fact, 387,000 conversations are started each on the platform, meaning users are actively seeking out dates. If you’re not a conversationalist, don’t worry — Lara, the virtual dating coach, is there to help provide some icebreakers to get the chat going (she’ll also help you improve your profile). 

If you don't have the time for lengthy sign-up processes, Match ditches the dubiously scientific personality test and instead opts for a few short questions about your basic characteristics (what you’re looking for, your job, etc.). From there, instead of having the app pull matches from you based on an algorithm, you have access to the entire dating pool from the start and can use filters to find matches you think are compatible with you.  

If you don’t want to start from zero, however (because as you know, time is money), the app will also recommend compatible people so you have a starting point for matching. The “Missed Connections” feature is also great — it’ll use GPS to let you know if you’ve crossed paths with any potential matches out and about in the real world a la Happn.  

Why it works: Match is great for working professionals who want to get a look at the whole dating pool before picking which end to jump into — you can start with all the possibilities and then winnow them down through the use of filters. It’s not too lenient, however (because you aren’t either!): There are ways to rule out people with whom you could never make it work. 

Users tend to skew older too — think 35 to about 50, which puts the odds in favor of people looking for relationships and not just casual hookups. Plus, most of the features are only available to paid users, which means that if people are using Match functionally, they're likely looking for something serious.

The gist: Although it launched in 2012, Hinge(opens in a new tab) massively overhauled its platform and mechanics to differentiate itself from other dating sites like OkCupid and Tinder by offering a sleek way “relationship app,” as it initially branded itself, that’s “designed to be deleted.” Compared to Tinder (which is owned by the same parent company), Hinge is more about engaging over similar careers, interests, and senses of humor instead of a quick attraction swipe — and it gives you more of a look at people’s personalities from the start with new icebreaker features like video question prompts. 

Single professionals will appreciate that 99 percent of Hinge users are college-educated as of 2019, and that the most popular industries include banking, consulting, media, and fashion. Hinge is super-popular with young professionals in cities like NYC and Chicago, and it's likely that a lot of users moved to that city for work and understand the 9 to 5 routine.

Why it works: To ensure that Hinge is based on more than thinking someone is hot, the app is designed for thought-provoking, easy engagement to help spark a connection with a bit more substance right from the get-go. A dating guide helps you get your profile into optimal shape in the least amount of time, and a prominently featured one is about how to move your convo into an IRL date. Profiles also feature questions that help you figure out the potential partner’s sense of humor, so there’s a dating expectation set from the start. (Your matches are also curated by your own answers to the same questions). If you upgrade to Preferred, you get more filters and ways to search for someone, including an "active today" and "nearby section."

Plus, there’s a cap to how many matches you can have each day in the free version, so for those who find the endless scroll-ability of Tinder distracts from their work to-do list, it can be nice to have a built-in cap. 

Working professionals don't have time to waste playing games, and Hinge’s fun interface combined with real-world intentions is a great mix for people who want to find dates or relationships but who don’t need to take a super-serious approach to it.  

Read our full review of OkCupid.

The gist: OkCupid(opens in a new tab) is a great option for busy young professionals who want to dip their toes in the water of dating with thoughtful profiles — but who might be too overwhelmed with a work project to go through the entire questionnaire eHarmony and EliteSingles sit you down for. You can answer as many or as few initial questions as you want that range from what you’re on there for and whether you want kids to fetishes and political views, but the one thing you need to answer is what you’re on the app for: short-term dating, long-term, hookups, or new friends. It’s a great way to be efficient about prioritizing the motivations and qualities that are important to you but leave some room for chance by perhaps not answering some of other the questions, too. (Plus, the preferences can act as ice-breakers — or just unspoken facts — during your first messages or on your IRL date.) 

While OkCupid lets you be as casual as you want, if you really want to get serious about your search, you can upgrade to one of a few subscription options that let you send unlimited Likes, choose Dealbreakers, and see people who like you before you like them. The latter feature, included in Premium, reduces a ton of fruitless time spent on the app by reducing the pool to people you’re guaranteed to match with. 

Why it works: If you’re a young professional, this app is designed for you: Most users are between 25 and 34, and most are in the same work situation you are. By the end of the workday most of us are pretty fried. After eight hours in an office or on your sofa with your laptop, it can feel draining to sit and try to be creative when filling out a dating profile — and even more draining to swipe a dozen times with only one match as a result. OkCupid is great because it gives prompts and ridiculously detailed questions that help you out in showing your true colors without having to think too hard about it. For those short on time (or patience), it’s also a great way to quickly scan people before you spend an extended period of time with someone who has clashing views or interests that you consider a total deal-breaker.

See how EliteSingles compares to eharmony.

The gist: EliteSingles boasts that more than 90% of its members have an above-average education — and are 30-plus, making it a great site if a bachelor’s degree is a personal prerequisite and if you don’t have the time or energy for twenty-somethings who don’t have an eye on the long game. Like eharmony, the very first step to signing up for an account is taking a lengthy (clear your schedule for this) personality test called the Five-Factor Model, which breaks some of your defining characteristics down into five categories: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. It’s only after you’ve revealed who you are that the app reveals your matches in turn — and unlike Tinder, where you’re greeted with an onslaught of matches and then a message telling you to check back later when you’ve swiped through all of them, EliteSingles recommends three to seven matches per day that it thinks will be a good match for you. There are other options to find people on the app too: You can go through your profile visitors or use a feature that shows you matches that might be just outside your chosen features but could still be compatible with you. 

Why it might work: If education is a major priority for you, this site boasts a user base that’s highly educated — and if finding a partner is also a major priority for you, the base is also likely to be looking for what you are.

With that said, the site doesn't have an impressively large user base, and certainly isn't as widely used as more notable names like Match, OkCupid, or Hinge. Maybe that's why it's not uncommon for matches from outside your distance or age settings to be added to the mix. Whatever the case, it's not exactly time-saving, which doesn't bode well for someone with a busy work schedule.

Still, a decent size of the user base is people over 30, so they’re more likely to be settled in their careers and looking for something longer-term as opposed to casual dates or short flings. Likely to be educated professionals themselves, they’re more likely to get it when your work weeks look too busy to hang or when you need to cut an evening short so you’re fresh for a morning presentation.  

Read our full review of Bumble.

The gist: Founded by a former Tinder employee, Bumble(opens in a new tab) came to fame for being the app that turns the tables and has the ladies make the first move. While this still draws in some, its 2023, and people of all genders are sending first messages without second thoughts about outdated gender norms. Instead, Bumble's 24 hour limit to start a conversation is its better stand out feature, as endlessly swiping doesn't guarantee you'll have a reliable backlog of matches to chat with whenever you want.

You do have the option to extend up to one match per day for another 24 hours, so you don't have to stress too much on those nights you're working late and unable to check the app.

The app definitely skews younger, with most users in their 20s and early 30s, but there are still a decent amount of older users. Bumble also offers a "BFF" and "Bizz" version, so you can make all sorts of relationships in one place.

Why it works: The 24-hour time limit helps keep the conversation going, or at least get it started, which helps to establish a connection quickly and might just translate into an IRL date. Though it's not what we consider its best feature, the women-message-first model can help weed out some of the unwanted sleazy messages. Bumble is a win for everyone as well though, since you can use the app knowing that you're probably not matching with people that aren't at least a little interested in talking to you.

The gist: For when your schedule is too packed to plan times to meet new people — like, say, carving out time for happy hour at the bar — Happn(opens in a new tab) is like the dating app version of Craigslist's "Missed Connections" section. You know, the one where hopeless romantics can post about that cute person they locked eyes with on the train, only to never see them again. It works by using the GPS tracking feature on your phone to list other users you crossed paths with IRL, and if your interest in someone else is reciprocated, you’ll be matched and can strike up a conversation in the app. 

Why it works: This is the next best thing to a built-in radar for singles. While it doesn’t match you on anything other than proximity (there are no personality tests with this app!), it’s great if your only non-work hours are spent commuting or running errands. For those who spend their days darting from meeting to meeting, spending their lunch breaks on the phone, or generally rushing from one task to the next throughout the day, it can be hard to notice, let alone strike up a convo, with people who could pretty much be your destiny if you'd just take a minute to talk to them. This app literally meets you where you are — and the bonus of sharing a location with your match gives you great leads into icebreaker questions, too. Just because you're focused on your career doesn't mean you have to miss out on your meet-cute moments.

The gist: Launched in 2015, The League(opens in a new tab) is for look-good-on-paper people who want to meet other look-good-on-paper people. Targeted toward young professionals, the app prioritizes education and job title — one of the social networks you connect is your LinkedIn (though it has a system that lets users block their profile from coworkers). It’s all about status, status, status. Other than that, the app functions much like Tinder, with a two-week expiration on matches. While it’s not so great for those who live outside major cities where white-collar professionals flick, if you live in places like New York or Kansas City, you might want to give it a try.  

Why it works: The app does the work for you by sending you five matches per day at 5 P.M., a.k.a. “Happy Hour” in the app’s lingo (which is good when you have a day packed full of calls and meetings). The pricing reflects its exclusive client base: Get ready to fork out some money if you’re accepted for membership — it’s pricey, and unlocking certain features will result in another charge to your credit card. While the argument could easily be made that it’s an incredibly elitist app — and it’s received a lot of flak for lack of diversity — it’s still a popular pick with the future 1%.

The gist: Admittedly, the prospect of calling matches “bagels” is a little weird, but if you can overlook that, this app is great for people who need a few reminders to actually get out there and date — say, if work has you slammed with projects and matches are always expiring on Bumble before you can match them. On Coffee Meets Bagel(opens in a new tab), you receive curated matches at noon each day, so you can schedule in the time to scroll through during your lunch break. 

Profiles tend to go a bit more in-depth than Tinder (think more Hinge in terms of revealing icebreaker prompts). If you identify as a woman and you’re looking for a heterosexual relationship, you’ll only be presented with matches who are already interested in you, so there’s less time-wasting on your end. 

Why it works: The best part for overworked young professionals is the app’s fairly aggressive reminder notification feature. You’ll get pinged with encouragement to set up a date with matches or to message users — while some find it annoying, those who don’t have much bandwidth might appreciate the reminders.

Read our full review of AdultFriendFinder.

Read our full review of Zoosk.

The gist: Zoosk(opens in a new tab) makes it super easy to get going with signup taking just three to five minutes. Once you log in, just fill in some basic info (body type, education, religion, and a brief "about me" bio), and you're free to start browsing profiles. You can go a little more depth on your profile, but Zoosk's big draw is supposed to be how it “observes” who you’ve liked or clicked on in the app to curate more compatible matches going forward. 

While in theory this sounds great, the reality is that the website feels dated, is full of spam accounts, and costs too much to justify it over another dating app that's full of actual people. Maybe most confusing is that despite boasting over 40 million members, Zoosk is filled with dead profiles, all but defeating the purpose of going online to meet someone in the first place.

Why it doesn't really work: It screens out people who are just there to flirt and not take it further by restricting its messaging function to premium users only, which would be great if it felt like a well-rounded website worth paying $30 a month for. But from the gimmicky roses and rings you can pay to "gift" other users to the confusing interface and overwhelming number of notifications, Zoosk instead feels like a site you'd rather not use even if you were paid $30 to do so.

Despite the decent amount of ways to verify a profile and an algorithm designed to save you time, the lack of functionality and spam accounts leaves Zoosk much more likely to waste your time — we'd recommend trying any other app on this list first.