Finding someone to date in Cincinnati can be extremely overwhelming, especially in light of the world today. Not only are there a million fish in the sea to choose from, but there’s also an enormous pool of dating apps and sites to experiment with. Dating is already hard enough without the constant swiping and messaging across multiple platforms, and it can all seem like a burden when you haven’t done the necessary research to find the best dating sites in Cincinnati.
To make things a bit more complicated, it’s no surprise that the pandemic has created lasting effects on our social life and made us more hesitant when it comes to meeting new people. After a couple of years of restrictions and staying in, you may be reluctant to seek someone new.
But don’t worry too much—to help make the search easier, our team of relationship experts has sifted through the best Cincinnati dating sites and apps to provide singles with the greatest shot at finding love in our virtual world! This exclusive list of the best dating apps can help weed out the mess to jumpstart any single’s search for their perfect partner.
Cincinnati is the perfect city to fall in love. With plenty of bars and restaurants around, a reasonable cost of living, and a large demographic of singles, there’s plenty of room for romance—time to get started on your dating app journey!
#1 - Hinge (Android; iOS) is for you if you hate Tinder but like the concept
Hinge is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati for singles of all ages. But it works best for older millennials looking to date and maybe find the one! This more low-key dating app works exactly like the OGs, Tinder, and Bumble but offers more of a personalized profile. The app is free, but it comes with a few premium features like seeing who liked you before you match with them and unlimited swiping.
Hinge is a great step up from the usual apps but not so serious that you’re walking down the aisle in a few months. Hinge markets itself as the app that is meant to be deleted and works great for older millennials looking to find a date to the seven weddings they have this year.
Why Hinge is worth a shot:
- The free version is all you need and offers all the necessary tools
- The paid version isn’t very expensive and worth the money if you are serious about love
- The user interface is familiar
What we didn’t like about it:
- Not great for anyone over 35
- Inactive profiles sometimes show up when swiping
#2 - eHarmony (Android; iOS) is Cincinnati's best dating site for long-term relationships
eHarmony is possibly the most recognizable name in online dating by far and for a good reason! Since it has been around a while, it's had a lot of time to perfect its dating model and the results show it. 75% of marriages that start online begin with eharmony, and nearly 70% of users find their future spouse within a year.
No other app in Cincinnati comes anywhere close to results like that!
eHarmony is the best dating site for singles who are willing to spend the time it takes to find their perfect match. The eHarmony compatibility model is unmatched in other dating sites. If finding your life partner is your number one priority and you’re willing to put in the effort for love, eHarmony may be your best shot!
Why eHarmony is one of the best dating apps out there:
- Tons of users in Cincinnati
- Best results by far for a dating app
- A very in-depth compatibility model
What we don’t love about it:
- Will take some time to get up and running
- Requires a long, in-depth compatibility questionnaire at profile set up
#3 - Chorus (Android; iOS) is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati if you are sick of the impersonal dating experience
Chorus, a newer dating site with the slogan “make dating human again,” promotes dating that emphasizes community, accountability, and humanity. Chorus allows a couple of options for matching with other singles, and both are great for singles who hate the new virtual-swiping scene.
One unique option on offer is that you can invite your friends to play matchmaker for you. The other more fun option is playing dating roulette, where Chorus will match you with another user to have a quick 5-minute video chat, instead of wading through profile after profile. So if you haven’t had luck on any of the swiping apps, Chorus may be the best place for you!
Reasons to love Chorus:
- Brings the human connection back to virtual dating
- Makes dating a social activity and allows friends to matchmake for you
What we don’t like about this app:
- Doesn’t allow you to swipe for yourself, so having friends interested in helping you find love is required for this app
#4 - AFF is the best hookup app in Cincinnati
AFF is the Cincinnati hookup app that you need to be using, especially if you're a guy. We've all tried Tinder and most of us haven't had the best results. AFF is on a different level, especially now that Tinder is mostly just another dating app at this point instead of more focused on finding causal relationships.
What really sets AFF apart is just how popular it is in Cincinnati and how engaged the users are. This isn't an app full of people who just want attention (looking at you, Tinder); this is an app for people who are actually meeting up.
Check out their free trial below if you haven't tried it yet. It's a much better experience than the rest that we've tried and it's very easy to set up. If you're not a model, this will be where you get the best results.
Why we think AFF is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati:
- Very popular around town
- Best results we’ve seen for guys
- Non-traditional couples allowed
What we don’t like about the site:
- Not for singles looking for a long-term commitment
- You have to sign up on their website first
#5 - Plenty of Fish (Android; iOS) is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati
Plenty of Fish is one of the best apps for singles who enjoy the typical online dating experience. With tons of members and new singles joining every day, Plenty of Fish claims to be one of the world’s largest dating platforms and that rings true in Cincinnati.
The Plenty of Fish algorithm also matches profiles based on interests and details of each person’s life, so the app is best for singles looking for something serious and a partner they can share hobbies with. If you enjoy the traditional dating app experience of swiping, messaging and looking for love – this app is for you!
Why we think Plenty of Fish is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati:
- Lots of members and profiles, which increases anyone’s chances of finding the one
- Easy user experience
- Tailored matches based on personal details and interests
Why it might not be for you:
- Some profiles haven’t been active in awhile
- A more traditional dating app, so if you’ve tried swiping and it’s not your thing, this may not be for you
#6 - Zoosk (Android; iOS) is one of the best Cincinnati dating apps for social media users
Zoosk is one of the best dating sites in Cincinnati for busy singles who are sick of filling out dating questionnaires. Instead of requiring yet another long and tedious profile set-up, Zoosk gets the info it needs to match its singles from its users' various social media profiles. This method makes it incredibly popular for users who are in their early 20s since they like quick yet reliable dating apps.
Zoosk has also made international dating much more readily available. Boasting over 40 million profiles worldwide, Zoosk may be the place for singles to find that foreign lover they have always been looking for!
Why Zoosk is one of the best Cincinnati dating sites:
- Auto-populates your profile based on social media
- Doesn’t limit your dating options to your location
What we don’t like about:
- Not the best for older singles who aren’t super active on social media
- Only offers two genders at sign up
#7 - Tagged is great for middle-aged adults
Tagged has more than 300 million users spread throughout the USA and across the UK, along with France and Latin America, making your chances for getting a match extremely high! It’s most popular among middle-aged adults, with the largest age demographic between 35 and 44.
The other apps can be hard to use for older folks who don’t want a quick hookup and are too annoyed by social media to dive into the world of online dating. Tagged has four different features you can utilize to meet someone special, including a “Live” option that lets you join someone’s video stream and start a chat with them.
What we like about Tagged:
- The app boasts an international user base with many chances to meet someone
- The age demographics are relatively spread out as opposed to other dating apps
What we didn’t love about it:
- Users report fake or scam accounts often
#8 Inner Circle (Android; iOS) is for you if you want to meet people in a group setting
Inner Circle is a new kind of dating that combines the virtual experience with traditional means of finding the one. The app’s algorithm matches singles based on their interests and shared values leading to better connections in the long run. It also offers exclusive member events at the city’s best venues, allowing connections to form and strengthen over shared experiences.
If you want to meet someone in a group setting but don’t want to attend the creepy singles night at your local bar, Inner Circle is the place for you!
Why Inner Circle is great:
- Exclusive member events for meeting other singles in groups
- Matches profiles based on shared interests and values
Why it’s not so great:
- If you are shy about walking up to someone in a bar, this may not be the best place for you
- The full membership is the best way to go if you are serious about love, but it’s not free
#9 Hily (Android; iOS) is best for starting quality conversations
Hily is a platform to help spark conversation between users with similar interests, rather than just basing matches on geographic location and physical attraction. Hily, short for Hi I Love You, uses machine learning to identify profiles with similar word choices and mutual likes to pair up two compatible singles. It adds a little substance to what sometimes can feel like trivial online dating.
The app is a bit more intentional than others, like Tinder, that focus on a more physical, sexual connection. However, the user base is still relatively younger; Most accounts belong to people under 40 and who are looking for solid connections. Users have also reported fewer fake accounts and fewer instances of random, dirty messages thanks to an Auto-blocker.
Why we’re fans of Hily:
- The app’s interface is designed similarly to social media, making it much more accessible to those new to dating apps
- Verification process in sign up stops scammers and fake accounts on the app
- There’s an Auto-blocker feature that blocks dirty or crude messages
Reasons why Hily might not be for you:
- You don’t have to match with someone in order for them to request to chat
- You need a premium membership to access more features
#10 SilverSingles (Android; iOS) is for you if you are 50+
Are you 50+ and looking for love? Look no further than SilverSingles. This app is one of the best sites tailored specifically for folks in the sunset of life who are ready to make a connection with someone their own age.
The other apps can be hard to use for older folks who don’t want a quick hookup and are too annoyed by social media to dive into the world of online dating. SilverSingles is exclusive to members who are 50 years old and up, so there is no worry about accidentally dating someone the same age as your daughter. Yikes.
Why you should try SilverSingles:
- Exclusive community for singles 50+
- Personalized matchmaking to cut through the noise
What we didn’t love about it:
- Requires commitment to dating and an in-depth personality test
- The premium membership with all the dating features will cost you some money
The Best Dating Sites in Cincinnati for Long-Term Relationships
After some fun, flirty dates, you may be tired of the fast-paced dating culture and ready for something more serious.
If this is you, there are many dating apps that can be perfect for short-term flings, but there’s also many apps and sites that foster sustainable and committed relationships for their users. This can be achieved by specific filters and the app's reputation. For example, some are known to attract an older and more serious demographic, which betters your chances of finding a lifelong partner.
eHarmony is for people ready to settle down
eHarmony is one of those dating apps that’s been around for ages and has a tried and true match-making system. Their user base is nearly an even 50-50 gender split, and profiles are detailed enough to get a sense of someone’s personality and interest.
The site has produced several marriage and success stories and features a virtual video date option if you're more reluctant to meet strangers. It’s also uncommon to find bots and fake profiles, making it so you’re never investing time into someone who’s there under false pretenses.
Hinge helps singles find a serious partner
Hinge (Android; iOS) is one of the best Cincinnati dating sites for singles looking for the real thing. Hinge’s interesting and fun conversation prompts make it easy to start a conversation and matches never expire. So if you’re looking to find “the one quickly,” Hinge is for you.
The Best Hookup Sites in Cincinnati
If you’re craving a fun, non-committal make-out session, these are the best casual dating sites in this great city.
AFF is for those looking for a steamy hookup
AFF is our recommendation for those seeking a more sexual and physical connection. It is very popular when it comes to Cincinnati hookup sites. People on the app won’t be shy to send straightforward invitations for sex or even have raunchy selfies on their profile. One of the best things about this site is that it has been around for decades. With that kind of reliability comes a huge userbase, all of whom are looking for a little casual fun.
Find a fun hookup on Tinder
Tinder is known for providing a space where two individuals can get to know each other and start something more physical, if they so desire. The app itself is simple: Right for yes, left for no. Once you match with someone, it’s up to you to slide into their messages and kick off what might be an exciting fling in a beautiful city.
The Best Free Dating Sites in Cincinnati
Sometimes you can find love for free and other times it costs money. Memberships can be expensive, but they also allow you access to certain features that can hone down your search. Most importantly, matching with a fellow user who pays for membership is a good indicator of their intention. Obviously, they care enough about dating to invest personal funds into the pursuit.
Two of our favorites when it comes to the best free dating sites in Cincinnati are Bumble and Hinge. While both options do have membership plans, the free versions are still extremely useful—you might end up meeting the love of your life at no cost whatsoever!
Using Tinder in Cincinnati
Though Cincinnati has a sizable population, some users have claimed that the dating pool can feel small on certain apps. Tinder is an excellent option for those looking to diversify your dating pool as you can widen your age range, geographic range, and still have matches as the user base is extremely large.
Tinder is a great option if you're new to Cincinnati and looking for someone to show you around. Many local singles are also on the app and can be a huge factor in your adjustment period. However, if you’re looking for someone to settle down with, or you’ve already toured the city’s cute, coziest dating spots, Tinder might not be your best bet.
