Dating apps in Singapore

Image credit: Tomo News, @disneyweddings

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. For some, it’s a season of romance but for others who are single, it can get pretty isolating to see couples being lovey-dovey everywhere. We understand that feeling so here are 10 dating apps with the best potential in helping you find love, or even just simple companionship, in time for Valentine’s Day.

1. OkCupid – offers compatibility ratings for your matches

Image credit: Zoosk

For those who are a little more analytical when it comes to love, check out OkCupid, an app that matches you to partners based on compatibility ratings. The software requires you to choose your “intention” up front to avoid being disappointed by different relationship expectations.

To be matched to highly compatible individuals, there’s a standard list of 15 personality questions you’ll have to answer. Don’t worry, they’re pretty entertaining and the simple format of ticking boxes makes completing the quiz a breeze.

There’s also an option to select an answer preference for your potential love interest.
Image credit: Zoosk

Most of these questions calculate your compatibility based on responses from a range of topics such as pet preferences and your favourite retro band.

Image credit: Zoosk

Once your profile’s set up, go ahead and start liking people. That’s when you’ll receive notifications of interested parties and compatibility ratings from their profile. The app runs on a mutual-like system which allows a pair to start communicating only when they both swipe right on each other. So when the window of opportunity pops up, don’t be afraid to say “hello”.

2. Hater – bringing people together through common hate

While other apps only allow users to swipe left or right, Hater has 4 different swipe types: up, down, left and right, to signify love, hate, like and dislike.
Image credit from left to right: Hater, Huffington Post

We’re attracted to people who’re similar to us, that includes people who also dislike the things we do. And that’s how Hater connects people – through mutual hate.

Image credit from left to right: Huffington Post

We also love how this app creatively helps with starting conversations. Not all of us have the gift of the gab but with Hater’s fill-in-the-blank options, you won’t have to worry about sounding silly.

3. Paktor – created by Singaporeans

Paktor means “dating” in Cantonese.
Image credit: Go Paktor

For something closer to the heart, check out the homegrown Paktor. The mechanics are pretty similar to other dating apps, making it relatively user-friendly.

Decide the matches you’d like to receive based on the various filters available in your profile.
Image credit: Go Paktor

Image credit: Go Paktor

When individuals mutually swipe right on each other, you’ll get the option to start a conversation.

Tip: For those who wish to maximise their search for a partner offline as well, check out Gai Gai, a local dating agency owned by Paktor. The organisation hosts various events on a regular basis to bring like-minded individuals together.

4. The Inner Circle – applicants screened by experts for exclusive membership

Members are carefully curated by a team of relationship experts. This eliminates any risk of meeting pervy personalities.
Image credit: The Dating Truth

Being disappointed by potential love interests is something that many can identify with. To minimise this, The Inner Circle scrutinises each individual upon registration. The best part? Only a select number of people who apply qualify to enter the software’s database. This is possible thanks to the team of relationship experts who carefully cross-examine each member’s credibility.

This extra tedious but personal process ensures that each member is adequately qualified in terms of character and financial stability. The Inner Circle also regularly organises highly exclusive events for individuals to have added opportunities to mingle.

Read more about our experience here.

5. Christian Connection – Christian dating app

Image credit: Christian Connection App

In the spirit of being like-minded, we understand the importance of finding a partner with the same morals and values. Christian Connection was created by Christians for this very purpose.

Image credit: Christian Connection App

The app doesn’t offer a swiping function but it gives an endless list of people you can scroll through. With unlimited matches renewed daily, you’re not short of options.

Image credit: Christian Connection App 

Those who are afraid of getting tongue-tied, don’t worry because Christian Connection prompts users with wave emojis and conversation liners to get the ball rolling. However, if you wish to construct your own response instead of using the presets offered by the app, you’ll have to purchase a monthly subscription, which starts from $30/month.

6. Muzmatch – dating app for Muslims

Image credit: Muzmatch

Just like with Christian Connection, Muslims looking to find love in the same fashion can now meet their match on Muzmatch. After filling up your basic information in your profile, head over to “Discover” and start browsing for potential dates.

Image credit: Muzmatch

The app gives you full control over your photos as you can adjust who gets to see them and the duration they can be viewed for. As you toggle through the app, you’ll also get to discover those who’ve liked your profile and view in-depth insights about the number of people who’ve visited your page.

7. Bumble – conversations are initiated by women

Chats vanish after 24 hours so be sure to catch bae in the nick of time. Image credit: Zoosk

You might want to add Bumble to your list if you’re a strong independent woman. Traditionally, it’s the male who initiates conversations on dates, but with Bumble, females have to initiate the conversation after a successful match. Which also means you’ll get to evade the risk of meeting creepy dudes who ask for nudes.

Unlike other dating apps, the algorithm for Bumble doesn’t filter out your type based on your previous swipes. This opens up even more opportunities to meet different types of people, including someone who has a personality that’s completely contrary to your type, but who knows, opposites attract too.

Image credit: Zalora

This platform is split into 3 categories: Dates, Bizz and BFFs so whether you’re looking for a lover or just a friend to hang with, you’ll always have a meaningful connection available.

8. MouseMingle – finding your match based on Disney preferences

Image credit: @disneyweddings

Everyone wants a happily ever after, just like the Disney movies we grew up watching. Thanks to MouseMingle, that magical relationship is just a swipe away. The app caters to all types of Disney fans regardless of whether you love Pixar, Star Wars or Marvel.

To avoid disappointments, the app requires you to indicate if you’re looking for a Park Pal (someone to visit Disney parks with), Friendship, Date, or Marriage. And while browsing the app is free, becoming a member to connect with other Disney fans comes with a subscription fee that starts from $17/ month. Since love is priceless, we’d give it a shot.

Image credit: MouseMingle

Tip: While the app is currently available only for Android users, those who still wish to scroll through a list of Disney lovers can do so via their website here.

9. Coffee Meets Bagel – connects you with people who are already interested in you

Meeting your cup of tea (or coffee) is pretty fun, especially when they’ve made the first move.
Image credit: Tech Crunch

Second guessing a person’s interest makes it hard to establish meaningful connections. Thankfully Coffee Meets Bagel counters that by offering matches only after they’ve clearly indicated interest in you.

Every day at noon, men will be notified of up to 21 matches, or “Bagels”, whom they can choose to either swipe past or “like”. This process helps the app to filter out the best potential matches for women based on the guys who’ve hit “like”.

Thereafter, women can choose to connect with the interested party or look past them.

The app reveals only 5 interested individuals daily, which encourages everyone to carefully consider their options before just swiping that person away.

10. Tinder – most popular dating app in the world

You can also link your Instagram and Spotify accounts to Tinder for others to know more about you when redirected to your page.
Image credit: Tech Advisor

Tinder’s the household name that basically invented the trend of online dating. Giving you an unlimited number of choices every day, the app makes it impossible for you not to find a match before Valentine’s Day.

Image credit: Tech Advisor

Currently, the app has added some new features. This includes Smart Photos and Super Likes. The former helps you re-order your photos in the sequence that shows your most popular photos upfront.

Super Likes help you skip the normal “like” queue as your likes are sent to the user’s phone via push-notifications, making you impossible to miss.

Dating apps for singles in Singapore

Being loved is probably the most magical feeling in the world. For those who are still on the look-out for that special person, don’t feel demoralised by the wait. If anything, we hope this list of dating apps encourages you to continuously believe that there are lots of opportunities for you to connect with people and find love.