Dating App Roundup: Finding the Perfect Match

This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Melissa Rudy

Dating applications, like dates, offer a variety of different experiences. Familiarize yourself with them to find the one that works for you. Finding love is a tall order, especially after a title wave of digitization has shifted our social scene from nearly entirely in-person events to increasingly online venues. But the web has brought possibilities for dating never before offered. Online dating and dating apps allow you to set up dates with those you might never have met, all from your phone. We've compiled a list of some of the best and most popular apps. Find the one that best suits your dating style.

1. Large Active Dating Pool: OKCupid

A free, location-based app, OKCupid is aimed at typically younger men and women searching for dates and relationships. OKCupid gives you a slew of compatibility quiz questions and matches you with compatible people in your area. View the profiles of these matches and send free messages to set up in-person dates.

2. Dating for Women: Dattch

Dattch is a free dating app created by women for lesbian and bisexual woman. Their philosophy, as stated on their website, is to offer a dating platform that speaks to women:

Dattch is not another free lesbian dating app. Women aren't the same as men. We look at things differently and we talk about different things. Problem is, no one seems to have acknowledged this before.

They offer unlimited chatting and profile content and minimal questionnaires. You can play a fun round of "Would You Rather" to find a match.

3. All About the Dates: HowAboutWe

HowAboutWe is a new, self-described "offline dating service" that emphasizes dating activities over personality profiles. Users find potential match online based on their proposed ideas for dates. It's free to sign up and browse, but in order to interact you'll need an upgraded account, which ranges from $8.99 to $34.99.

4. Simple as Swiping Right: Tinder

Tinder has exploded in popularity, accumulating an estimated 50 million users and making a name for itself with its sleek and simple design. Tinder presents users with geographic-based matches and their profile pictures, asking to swipe the screen right to 'like' that person or left to 'pass.' If one of those matches swipes right back, you'll both receive an email notification. It's perfect for casual encounters and many use it for long-term dating as well.

5. Long-Term Dating, Long History: Match

One of the online dating pioneer sites, Match boasts over 15 million members. It's aimed at a wider range of people, particularly those looking for a more serious relationship. They've claimed 1 million of their matches have had children in the nearly 20 years they've operated. The app is free to download, but you need to be a subscriber to view certain profile information and send and receive messages. A monthly subscription is $34.99, with incrementally cheaper fees for three, six and twelve-month subscriptions.

6. High Price, Promises Results: eHarmony

Similar to Match, eHarmony is another dating site geared towards those seeking long-term relationships. They claim 438 eHarmony-connected couples marry each day. The company offers a separate site for those looking for same-sex relationships, called Compatible Partners. eHarmony charges a premium for their service, promising a wide selection and extremely likely results: $59.95 per month (less with three, six and twelve-month options).

7. Dating That Learns From You: Zoosk

Zoosk is possibly the most futuristic online dating service. It allows users to message and view profiles in a combined social media/virtual dating platform then, like Amazon, learn your preferences based on how you navigate the site. You can sign up for free and import your contacts and pictures from your Facebook page, but you'll need a paid membership to chat with other members. Pricing ranges from $29.95 a month to $74.95 for six months.

8. Dating for Men: Grindr

Grindr is a free, hyperlocal dating service catered to gay and bisexual men looking for a casual encounters. The app allows users to find other Grindr users close by, displaying a grid of available men. Users have the option the option to message other users or send their current location. A paid upgrade of the app includes ad-free usage, more results per search, and push notifications, among other benefits.

9. No Frills Dating: Coffee Meets Bagel

Coffee Meets Bagel, a free online and mobile dating service, is perfect for those searching for a meaningful connection, but don't want to spend hours sifting profiles. CMB sends one calculated match per day, selecting from your friends of friends on Facebook. It's designed to remove the often-awkward nature of meeting a stranger for a date. CMB also removes the temptation of spending many distracted hours browsing for the perfect match.

10. Free Dating: Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish is a free dating site for men and women looking for all types of relationships; from casual encounters to long-term commitments. It's a wildly popular platform, claiming 76 million users. It offers advanced searching features to filter though it's population of singles, allowing you to search by education, height and body type, among other criteria. Curious singles should vet their dating sites just like they vet potential dates. Do you want a site you can browse for hours, or do you want something simplified? Casual dating or long-term? Pick what's right for you.