Top international dating apps

Using dating apps to meet people and build relationships across borders is increasingly common. And the good news is that there are plenty of options out there for people looking to create meaningful international connections, find new friends and broaden their horizons.

This guide covers some of the best rated and most downloaded international dating apps to help you find one which might suit your needs and preferences.

📑 Table of Contents
What are the best international dating apps? Popular dating apps worldwide Tinder Bumble Hinge OKCupid Badoo eHarmony Happn InternationalCupid Zoosk Niche apps Going abroad? Make the best of your travel money with Wise

We’ll also touch on how you can save money on currency exchange when you travel, with a Wise Multi-currency Account.

Open a free Wise account online, to hold and manage 50+ currencies, get the real exchange rate whenever you need to switch from one to another, and spend in 200 countries with your linked debit card.

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What are the best international dating apps?

The best international dating app for you will depend on your personal preferences. It’s well worth checking out a few options to see which might fit what you're searching for — and the good news is that there are plenty to choose from. This guide runs through some of the most popular international dating apps out there to kickstart your research.

Popular dating apps worldwide

Tinder

At the time of writing, Tinder¹ is the biggest grossing app in the US² — as well as being super popular in many other countries around the world. Founded back in 2012, Tinder is available in 190 countries and in 40+ languages. With a huge 340 million global downloads, there are plenty of users out there to match with.

Get a free Tinder account or upgrade to any of the 3 paid tiers to unlock more functions³ All paid accounts come with Tinder Passport which lets you explore the potential matches you could find in different cities⁴ and countries Upgrade to Tinder Plus for 9.99 USD/month, or Tinder Gold at 14.99 USD/month⁵ — the final account tier — Platinum — is only available for people upgrading from a paid account Pay by the month, or get a 6 or 12 month subscription plan

Bumble

Bumble⁶ is known as the dating app where women make the first move. Another hugely popular app option, you can also use Bumble to network or find friends — it’s not just about finding a date or starting a romantic relationship.

Once a connection has been initiated on the dating app, the other person has 24 hours to respond, or it will expire — Bumble prides itself on prompting users to be bold, which it says is behind the huge number of messages sent through the app (around 3 billion at the time of writing).

All basic features on Bumble are free, but you can upgrade to Bumble Premium or Bumble Boost to get more features Subscription costs vary depending on how long you sign up for and the exact package you pick⁷ You can use the Bumble Travel feature⁸ if you have a paid account, to change your location when you’re on the move, and continue to make matches and meet new people

Hinge

As counterintuitive as it may sound at first, Hinge⁹ describes itself as the app that’s designed to be deleted. That’s because the team behind Hinge dating believe that you’ll be able to find a long term partner through the app, thanks to the advanced matching technology used. As with many of the world’s most popular international dating apps, you can get Hinge for free — or upgrade to a paid subscription if you’d prefer.

Access basic features for free or upgrade — fees vary depending on your membership tier and the length of your subscription¹⁰ If you have a paid membership you’ll be able to filter matches based on a broader range of criteria including whether they smoke, drink or use any drugs, and whether they have or may in future have kids At the time of writing Hinge is the fastest growing app in the US, UK, Canada and Australia¹¹ — so there are plenty of users around the world if you’re looking for international dating opportunities

OKCupid

OKCupid¹² claims to make 90 million connections a year, leading to a whopping 50,000 dates a week. Set up in 2004, this is one of the more established dating apps out there, with a user base which covers a broad range of countries. It’s also the 4th highest grossing app in the US at the time of writing², allowing people to connect at home or across borders more easily.

Get standard account functionality for free, or upgrade to get more features including unlimited matches and an incognito mode which hides your identity until you like another user¹³ Paid plans start at 9.99 USD/month with discounts for longer subscription periods¹⁴ OKCupid matches users based on asking lots of questions about preferences and personality, to help boost chances of finding someone with similar interests

Badoo

Badoo¹⁵ is another international dating giant that’s part of the same parent company which also runs Bumble¹⁶. Badoo has an emphasis on dating honestly, and encourages users to show their real selves through their profiles and interactions. At the time of writing over 500 million people around the world have signed up. As with Bumble, you can sign up to Badoo for free, or upgrade to a fee paid account for more features.

Badoo users are a diverse community, based in 190 countries Paid subscription plans offer upgrades like additional stickers, access to new users first, and the ability to see who’s liking your profile — fees vary depending on where you are and how long you sign up for Badoo emphasises user safety and mutual respect, using features like enhanced verification processes and blurring intimate photos send through the app automatically¹⁷

eHarmony

With 20 years behind them already, eHarmony¹⁸ is one of the more established dating apps out there, and has a specific international dating site which is aimed at people looking for, or open to, long distance relationships. You can get an eHarmony account for free or upgrade to a paid plan — it’s worth noting that paid plans are only available in 6, 12, or 24 month blocks¹⁹, so you’ll probably want to check out the free version before you leap in.

eHarmony has a large user base in the US, UK, Australia and Canada, with a diverse group of users in most other countries around the world too The international dating option offers video chat functionality which can be helpful for people living in different countries Try the site for free or buy a paid subscription for 6 months or more to give time to build meaningful relationships with other app users

Happn

Happn²⁰ is the dating app to help you spot someone you like when you least expect it. Download the app and it runs in the background on your phone, looking for other users in your vicinity.

If you cross paths with another user — in a bar, walking down the street, on a day trip or vacation — you’ll get a notification, and you can like the profile if you choose to. If the other person likes your profile too you can chat — you never know when you might spot someone who catches your eye²¹ ²².

Over 100 million people have downloaded Happn already Available in 20+ global languages Sign up for free or upgrade to a paid account on a monthly basis — you can also make other in-app purchases to make your profile stand out

InternationalCupid

InternationalCupid²³ is part of the large Cupid Media network of dating apps, and has been around since 2004. With 8 million users and 4 million premium subscribers, there are people to connect with all around the world. The app is available on Android²⁴ or desktop, and usable in an impressive array of dozens of different global languages.

Specialist site for people looking for long term partners from different countries and regions InternationalCupid has over 8 million registered users around the world Create an account for free, browse photo and review matches without paying a subscription fee Upgrade to a full membership at 21.99 USD for a 7 day subscription, 44.99 USD for 1 month, or 69.99 USD for a 3 month plan

Zoosk

You can create a Zoosk²⁵ account for free, but this will only allow you to preview the site and view other member accounts²⁶. If you want to send messages or connect with anyone you’ll need to pay for a Zoosk subscription. The Zoosk plan costs 29.95 USD for one month, but there are progressive discounts for longer package subscriptions — so if you choose a 12 month plan you’ll pay less than half of that a month²⁷.

Zoosk has 35 million members, spread across 80 countries, and is available in 25 languages²⁸ Zoosk has advanced security features to help prevent fraud and keep everyone safe online You need to buy a subscription to really make use of the site, but there are steep discounts for longer plans, and frequent promotional offers which bring down the headline costs

Niche apps

Many of the international dating apps we have featured above have more specific dating options if you’re looking to match with someone from a specific background or community.

However, there are also an increasing number of popular standalone apps which are designed to help users find and build relationships with people from the same background as them, even if they’re not in the same physical location. Here are a few popular examples:

Aisle²⁹ is designed to connect global Indians, with a community feel and a user base of people with Indian heritage from all over the world Dil Mil³⁰ claims to have made 20 million+ matches already, serving South Asian singles all around the world

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Going abroad? Make the best of your travel money with Wise

The world is a connected place. If you’re traveling abroad for any reason, you could be better off with a Wise Multi-currency Account.

Open your Wise account for free online and top up in USD, then switch to whichever currencies you need for your travels using the real mid-market exchange rate. There’s no markup added, and no sneaky hidden costs — just a low transparent fee to pay.

You can then spend for free once you arrive in your destination, with the Wise international debit card. Hold and manage 50+ currencies in one account, and spend in 200 countries with your card. Your money can be every bit as international as you are, with Wise.

🚀 Get a Wise account

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Use this guide as a starting point if you’re thinking of dipping a toe into the waters of international dating. Check out a few of the popular apps we’ve highlighted and see if any might work for you — and don’t forget to get your Wise Multi-currency Account to cut the costs of your next international trip.

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Sources:

1. Tinder
2. App Figures - iPhone Lifestyle
3. Tinder - Subscription tiers
4. Tinder - Passport
5. App Store - Tinder
6. Bumble
7. Bumble - Do I have to pay for Bumble?
8. Bumble - What is travel?
9. Hinge
10. Hinge - Hinge membership
11. App Store - Hinge
12. OKCupid
13. OKCupid - Paid features
14. App Store - OKCupid
15. Badoo
16. Team Bumble - About
17. App Store - Badoo
18. eHarmony - International dating
19. eHarmony - Base protocol
20. Happn
21. Google Play - Happn
22. App Store - Happn
23. International Cupid
24. Play Store - International Cupid
25. Zoosk
26. Zoosk - What features are free?
27. Zoosk - Cost
28. Zoosk - About
29. Aisle
30. Dil Mil

Sources checked on 11.02.2021