Best Dating Sites in Australia
The debate about whether the Digital Age has had an overall positive or negative impact on our lives has been going on for decades. The internet allows us to become more connected to others. At the same time, it can make interactions less personal. Dating and romance are two of many aspects of life which have been affected by this.
These days, it seems like all dating happens through a website or app, at least in the beginning. This makes it important to know which sites are safe to use. We did the hard part for you by reviewing all of the most frequently used dating sites and figuring out which of them are the best ones to use to find your perfect partner.
Types of dating sites
Dating sites are as old as the internet itself, but a lot has changed since the first dating sites were created. Using a dating site that is specifically made for people like you, or for the type of relationship you want to be in, will make it easier to find just what you’re looking for.
By gender
Dating Sites for Men
Online dating is often more difficult for men than it is for women. Some dating sites are flooded with “women” who turn out to be bots, catfish, or content creators who are only there to promote their own work. Even with the real women on these sites, it can be difficult to establish a real connection. Like in so many other animals’ mating rituals, women often hold the power in online dating; the men vie for their attention, and they get to choose the winner.
No dating site can guarantee that it’s 100% free from these problems. However, by choosing the best dating sites for men, which catch and ban scam accounts quickly and facilitate real connections, you will be much more likely to find a good match.
Dating Sites for Women
Women may have an easier time getting interest on dating sites, but that doesn’t mean the rest of it is easy. Many women find that they get too much attention on dating sites. Much of it is negative, like unsolicited sexual messages and other forms of harassment, and even when the attention is positive, there is often so much of it that feeling a genuine connection to any one person becomes difficult. Some dating sites, like our top picks here, mitigate these problems with design choices intended to make the online dating process easier for women.
By age
Dating Sites for Young People
Dating sites are often thought of as being for people in their 30’s, who are no longer meeting new people in new school or work settings and feel they have “aged out” of the young, casual dating scene. This can make it difficult for younger adults to get into online dating, as both the design of some dating websites and the user base feel too old for them.
Fortunately, there are many dating sites designed with a particular age group in mind, including some for young people. This will guarantee that the people you are meeting are around your age, giving you one less thing to worry about.
Dating Sites for Seniors
Many people don’t consider dating to be a relevant topic for seniors, but the truth is that many seniors are interested in finding a new companion. Even people who spend decades in a happy relationship have a 50/50 chance of outliving their spouse and being left alone, and online dating can give them the opportunity to meet others in the same position. Dating sites that are designed for seniors can make it easy to safely meet people who are your age and understand your experiences.
Dating Sites for Teens
The idea of teens trying online dating is a frightening one for many parents, and rightly so; there are plenty of older people online who pretend to be younger and try to trick teenagers. This is why it’s so important for teenagers to use safe and well-monitored dating sites, rather than the first thing they find in the app store. Legitimate dating sites for teens, like the ones we’ve picked here, can give you a way to return to the pre-COVID world of parties, dating, and spending time with peers.
Dating Sites for 40+
When you are around middle age, it can be particularly hard to date. You have probably been in your current career and social circle for a while, without opportunities to meet new people. It can also feel like there are no available people of your age, since anyone who wants a romantic relationship has usually found one before middle age.
This makes it intimidating for people who have ended a long-term relationship or changed their plans for the future to try to “get out there” and find a partner. Dating sites for people over 40 can help with that initial obstacle by making it easy to meet people of the same age and in the same position.
By purpose
Dating Sites for Hookups
One of the biggest problems which people of any age or gender encounter on dating sites is a difference of intentions. Some people use dating sites looking for potential partners to hook up with, only to encounter people who are looking for a future spouse and aren’t interested in anything casual. If you use a dating site that is designed for, or just commonly used for, hookups, then the process of finding a partner will become much more efficient.
Dating Sites for Serious Relationships
Many people, whether they are interested in the idea of marriage or not, want to find a life partner rather than just a sexual partner. If that sounds like you, then you may be disappointed by many of the most popular or most famous dating sites, as some of them have effectively become hookup sites. Fortunately, there are still some sites for serious relationships, where you can get to know the people you match with and develop a friendship as well as a traditional romance.
Dating Sites for Marriage
There may have been a time when people were skeptical about marrying someone they had met online, but with about 30% of new marriages being between couples who met on dating sites, that time is long gone. People have realized that it is, in fact, possible to meet “the one” online, and there is now a market for that type of dating site. Using a dating site that is intended to help people meet their future spouses will remove the risk of matching with someone who just wants a casual relationship, so that you only meet people with compatible goals.
By sexual orientation
Dating Sites for LGBTQ+ People
There has been a growing acceptance and visibility for the LGBT community in recent years. While this is a good thing, it has led many to overestimate just how many people are LGBT. On average, people estimate that 25% of adults are queer, but the actual number is just over 3.5%. This makes it incredibly difficult for LGBT people to meet partners on “regular” dating sites designed for cisgender heterosexual relationships.
Fortunately, many members of the community have recognized this problem and created their dating sites for queer people. These are safe spaces where LGBT folks can find compatible partners without the fear of harassment from and failed matches with people who are not LGBT.
Dating Sites for Polyamorous People
Polyamorous people can have an even harder time on dating sites than LGBT people. While the idea of polyamory is more popular, with 10% of adults having tried a polyamorous relationship at some point, only 30% of these people said they would want to continue with polyamory (with the most common reasons cited for disinterest being possessiveness and the emotional complexity of the situation). This makes it essential for polyamorous people to find the right partners, and using polyamorous dating sites makes that task much easier.
Conclusion
While the Digital Age and online dating have presented some new issues, on the whole, they have made dating much easier. As long as you know which dating sites are safe to use and intended for the type of partner or relationship you’re looking for, you will be able to find a compatible partner in no time.
FAQ
What is online dating?
Online dating is a way for people to meet romantic or sexual partners online, through websites or apps. Contrary to the term “online dating”, most of the relationship doesn’t actually happen online; after meeting a potentially compatible person and deciding whether or not you are interested, you typically meet the partner in person (in public, at least at first), and the relationship continues from there as any other type of relationship would. The idea of online dating is that you can quickly see other people who are looking for a relationship and find the ones you might be interested in, rather than developing interest in people you’ve met in real life, who may or may not be looking for love.
How do I choose the best dating site?
You should choose a dating site based on who you are (your age, sexuality, gender, etc.) and the type of relationship you want (casual vs committed). When you have figured out what type of dating site you want to use, you should pick one that has been thoroughly reviewed like the ones in this guide, so that you know it is safe, well-designed, and easy to use.
How do I fill out a dating site profile?
The best way to fill out a dating site profile is to see what options you have and what others are doing on that site. Some dating sites will only have room for a short bio, while others will let you write as much as you want; some prompt you with questions about your interests, your beliefs, or your ideal partner, to help those who see your profile get to know interesting things about you. Become familiar with the site before fully completing your profile, so that you can fill it out in a way that is appropriate for the platform.
Can I find the type of partner I’m looking for on a dating site?
Absolutely! There are people looking for all kinds of relationships on dating sites, including whatever kind of relationship you’re looking for. Just make sure you use a dating site that is good for hookups, serious relationships, marriage, or whatever else you want, so that the people you meet and match with will have similar goals to your own.
How do I approach a woman on a dating site?
The simplest answer to this is to be yourself! Women on dating sites receive all manner of unwanted sexual content, terrible pickup lines, and meaningless introductions in their inbox. Rather than putting on some sort of act to impress them or going overboard to “stand out” from their other matches, just be yourself and start a conversation the way you would in real life. Be funny, sweet, philosophical, or whatever else you are! They will appreciate your honesty and openness more than any scripted opener you could copy-paste or write yourself for a conversation starter.
How do I start a conversation on a dating site?
This will depend on the site itself, as they all have different mechanics. You may need to wait until someone you have matched matches you back, or even until they make the first move, to say something to them. No matter how the site works, when the conversation does start, treat it like any other interaction; don’t be nervous or act differently just because it’s a conversation on a dating site.