These are the best free dating apps and sites for singles on a budget

Online dating is hard, y’all — but so is dating in person. Basically, dating is just the worst, which is why we’re always trying to save you time by ranking the best online dating sites in general, the best dating sites for introverts, the best dating apps for college students, and, hell, even the best sexting apps for those who just want to “date” from home. Dating sucks…until you find someone you truly vibe with, that is. Then dating is *the best.*

If you’re not sure about which dating site you should sign up for (AKA spend money on) or which app to download, testing them out for free first is a great idea. But for some dating apps and sites, the free version may actually be all you need.

At some point you’ve probably considered registering for a dating site — that is, until you see the subscription prices and decide that maybe it’s cheaper to just sip a beer at a bar. Sorry, eharmony, but some of us don’t have the funds to spend $40 per month on finding a significant other. We got bills, yo.

Or maybe you want to test the waters of online dating without investing a lot. The expensive sites do offer free trials, but seven days isn’t enough time to find someone. What you need is a free dating site that gives you a full array of options and that isn’t a total scam. You want to be able to actually message and match with the people you see on the apps.

We did the research for you and have compiled a comprehensive list of the best free dating apps and sites, and will give you the lowdown on what type of person each one is best suited for. (And if you land a hot date out of this, we expect a thank you.)

Note: It’s almost impossible to find a dating site or app that doesn’t have some sort of paid upgrade feature, but these are the sites where the free option gives you most everything you need for the full experience (paid options mostly give you more unlimited access, like unlimited swipes or returning to an accidental left-swipe, but to some people, that’s helpful). These aren’t like Match or eharmony where you need to pay to do basically anything.