Best Dating Sites for Serious Relationships: Start a Long Term Relationship
If you are not interested in casual dating apps and want to find the best online dating sites for something serious, you’ve come to the right place. We have tested a lot of paid and free dating sites to select the top 5 platforms for a serious relationship—so read the short reviews, choose the app you like most, and start finding a partner today.
Top 8 Dating Sites for Serious Relationships in 2024
| Rank | Site | Free Link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Seeking |
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| #2 | Secret Benefits |
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| #3 | AshleyMadison |
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| #4 | FriendFinder |
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| #5 | JollyRomance |
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| #6 | TheLuckyDate |
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| #7 | EasternHoneys |
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| #8 | LaDate |
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Dating sites for serious relationships in US
We tested dozens of online dating sites to select the best ones—and the list below is a top list of the best, most trusted, and most popular platforms on the American online dating scene.
1. Seeking
Best for:
Those searching for an incredibly popular dating site with millions of users
Our Experts Say:
Seeking is a dating site for “luxury dating”, as they say. Seeking was established in 2006, which means it’s one of the most reputable and trusted dating platforms right now. It’s perfect for both serious and casual relationships, for both men and women (although the male-to-female ratio is around 4 to 1 here).
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Seeking
Gender ratio:
44%
56%
Visits/Month:
9.8M
Seeking is one of the most popular and one of the best online dating sites in the world right now. It has more than 40,000,000 users from all over the world, but the majority of Seeking members are from the United States—that’s the main difference of this site from the previously mentioned dating apps.
This site is 100% free for women, but men need to pay for a premium subscription to use it. Most users on this site are not into serious dating, to be fair: but this dating platform is impressively large, there are millions of marriage-minded women on it.
You can use the search tools to find a perfect match according to your preferences (it’s free), and you can also browse all the profiles on the site without paying anything. Messaging tools are only available to premium users, unfortunately.
Features we liked:
- Large dating pool (more than 40,000,000 users)
- Fast mobile dating app (Android) that has all the same features available to PC users
- Probably the best free dating site for women
- Personality test during the registration for better matchmaking
- Millions of users interested in a long term relationship
- Great reputation of the website
- Two-factor authentication and background verification for better safety
- Video messages and other advanced messaging tools
🔥 Unlike other dating apps on this list, Seeking has a premium subscription system, which means you can’t control your spending here. Click the link to sign up on one of the best dating apps today!
2. Secret Benefits
Best for:
Those searching for a legit and trustworthy dating app with millions of Americans
Our Experts Say:
Secret Benefits has an extremely large dating pool, a good reputation, and a lot of extra features such as secret albums and video verification. It has more than 15,000,000 unique monthly visitors which makes it the #1 most popular online dating app on this list!
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Secret Benefits
Gender ratio:
61%
39%
SecretBenefits claims to have more women than men—according to them, around 75% of the site users are female which makes this platform a perfect option for men searching for a romantic partner. The site has a transparent credit system which means you can’t buy a monthly premium subscription here. Instead, you buy credits, which can be exchanged for various premium tools. There is a video verification tool on Secret Benefits—if you upload a short video saying the phrase “let me be your secret”, you’ll get a Verified Profile badge, too. We can’t say that all the profiles on SB are incredibly detailed but there are tens of thousands of profiles with lots of pictures and a detailed profile bio.
Features we liked:
- Very detailed search filters (available for free)
- A video verification service
- A highly professional customer support
- A nice mobile version of the site
- Private albums
🔥 With more than 15,800,000 unique monthly visitors, Secret Benefits is certainly one of the most popular dating apps right now. It’s not free, so you’ll need to buy credits to communicate with other users, but with Secret Benefits, you pay for the quality. Try it now, and you won’t be disappointed!
3. Ashley Madison
Best for:
Casual dating, NSA relationships, affairs, and even serious dating
Our Experts Say:
With more than 7,000,000 unique monthly visitors, AshleyMadison is one of the most popular online dating sites in the US right now. It’s a legit dating app with a huge membership base, a high response rate, and free search tools, profile browsing, and matchmaking. However, the users need to pay to get access to live chat, gifts, and messages.
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AshleyMadison
Gender ratio:
38%
62%
Visits/Month:
6M
Ashley Madison is another dating site with millions of users (more than 70,000,000, to be precise). This is the best dating site regarding the number of members, but it’s not a niche service for committed relationship seekers only.
Ashley Madison has always been focusing on casual dating, but this doesn’t mean you can’t find anything serious here. Yes, it’s not like Christian Mingle where 100% of female members are marriage-minded, but the point is, there are more than 70,000,000 profiles there—this means there are millions of women who have serious intentions on this site, which automatically makes Ashley Madison one of the biggest dating sites for long-term relationships!
It’s not only about the number of profiles; it’s also about their quality. There are lots of detailed female profiles on Ashley Madison, and it looks like this dating site has an extremely high response rate.
Features we liked:
- Convenient messaging tools
- Free advanced search filters
- A lot of premium services, e.g., virtual gifts and profile boosting
- Travel Man feature
- A lot of free features (search, winks, favorite list, private albums)
- Free and fast registration
- Android and iOS dating app
- One of the biggest online dating websites in the world right now
🔥 According to the Ashley Madison’s parent company report, more than 12,800 new members join this dating site daily. Don’t waste your time and become a new member, too—it’s 100% free!
4. FriendFinder
Best for:
Those searching for a legit online dating app with real marriage-minded users
Our Experts Say:
Some say it’s outdated; we call it early 2000s vibes. FriendFinder doesn’t look like the most modern and fresh dating site, yes, but it’s just great when it comes to the dating pool. The profiles are detailed and look very real, which is rare to see nowadays.
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FriendFinder
Gender ratio:
59%
41%
FriendFinder is not one of those online dating sites with millions of users. In fact, it has only around 81,000 members right now—the absolute majority of them are Americans, but there are also some Canadian users there. Most people on FriendFinder are from New York: according to the website, there are more than 25,200 New Yorkers there. So if you’re from NYC, it’s certainly a great platform to try!
It’s not a free dating site, unfortunately, so you’ll need to pay for a premium membership to connect other online daters on Friend Finder. The good news is that the subscription is quite affordable (the price starts at $10.95). Of course, Gold members get their profiles highlighted and therefore get more responses.
Features we liked:
- Fast registration
- The profile approval might take some time, but it’s done for safety, so you can be sure the number of fake profiles is very low there
- A convenient dating site interface (although it’s certainly not that modern)
🔥 It’s one of the oldest dating websites in the world, by the way. It was established in 1998, and we believe that if a dating site is from a year that begins with 19, it must have a great reputation. FriendFinder is certainly a must-try for those interested in a long term relationship—click the link below, sign up (it’s free), and start meeting real American women!
Dating sites for serious international relationships
Now, we’re going to talk about some really good international dating sites. Here, you’ll find the list of the best dating apps for serious relationships with foreigners.
5. JollyRomance
Best for:
Those searching for a dating website with Slavic and European women
Our Experts Say:
JollyRomance is one of the most trusted and popular dating apps when it comes to Eastern European dating. This online dating service provides a lot of interesting messaging tools, from live chat and gifts to a Streaming service (which is 100% free).
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JollyRomance
Gender ratio:
24%
76%
Visits/Month:
66K
JollyRomance is not a free dating site. Like all the dating apps on this list, JollyRomance has a lot of free features and tools—for example, those who use the free version of the site can create a profile, upload photos, use the search tools, and browse profiles for free. But if you want to chat with the ladies, you’ll need to buy credits. This system is transparent and clear, and what’s more important, it’s perfect for those who want to control how much they spend on a dating site.
JollyRomance is focused on Slavic countries. There are tens of thousands of women from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Russia on this site. Most of them speak English and the absolute majority of them are genuinely interested in serious relationships. The response rate is very high here, as well as the quality of profiles.
Features we liked:
- Convenient live chat
- Gift delivery
- High quality of profiles
- All Slavic countries are covered
- Free credits for new members
- Fast registration
- Convenient mobile website
🔥 Click the link and create a profile to get 20 free credits right now—it’s not a free dating app, but you don’t have to pay anything to test its premium features.
6. TheLuckyDate
Best for:
Those searching for a legit dating app with a large international dating pool
Our Experts Say:
TheLuckyDate is one of the best sites for serious relationships right now. It has tens of thousands of real women who are genuinely interested in meeting a foreign man, it’s very convenient and easy to use, and it offers a huge welcome bonus for all new members!
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TheLuckyDate
Gender ratio:
31%
69%
Visits/Month:
46K
TheLuckyDate is a unique site on the online dating scene—it’s not the most advanced dating website in the world, but it’s surely a great option for beginners. It’s a very easy to use dating app with an intuitive interface and simple design.
The number of messaging tools isn’t that high (you can use a live chat and send messages here), but it’s not the best thing about TheLuckyDate. The best thing about this online dating app is that it’s really a great option for serious relationships—there are thousands of women from all over the world on this site, and most of them have serious intentions.
Features we liked:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Fast mobile version of the site
- Fast registration
- One of the best online dating platforms for international dating (almost all the world’s regions are covered)
- Perfect platform for beginners in the online dating game
- The dating profiles are very detailed
🔥 TheLuckyDate offers a nice welcome bonus—if you sign up today, you’ll get 2,000 free credits, which means you’ll be able to chat with the hottest foreign ladies for 10 minutes for free. Click the link, create a dating profile, and get your bonus!
7. EasternHoneys
Best for:
Those looking for serious relationship with women from Asia
Our Experts Say:
This dating app is just perfect for those interested in Asian ladies. It has a great reputation, a lot of real profiles, and the response rate on EasternHoneys is just incredibly high. An impressive welcome bonus is present, too!
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EasternHoneys
Gender ratio:
30%
70%
Visits/Month:
270K
EasternHoneys is a large dating app focused on international dating. This dating app has tens of thousands of members from Southeast and East Asia—obviously, the absolute majority of them are women who want to find a life partner from the United States. This online dating service has everything an average user needs, from a convenient live chat feature to gift delivery and the “Request a date” feature.
It’s not a huge dating service with millions of active users, but it’s easier to find potential dates and romantic connections here than in some other apps. Why? Because the girls on Eastern Honeys are pretty marriage-minded and focused on building a long-term relationship with a foreign man. We tested this dating site, and according to our experience, most women here are focused on long-term relationships.
Features we liked:
- A perfect dating site for meaningful connections with Asian ladies
- Great live chat feature
- A perfect platform for real relationships—you can ask any woman on a real date on EasternHoneys
- Well-optimized mobile version of the site
- One of the best online dating sites for American-Asian dating
🔥 If you’re interested in Asian dating, stop searching for online dating sites—EasternHoneys has literally everything you need. Click the link, sign up, and get 20 credits for free!
8. La-Date
Best for:
Those searching for an extremely popular online dating app with South Americans
Our Experts Say:
La-Date is one of the most popular dating websites for serious relationships when it comes to the South American dating scene—it has tens of thousands of users from Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and other countries. The quality of profiles is very high, as well as the response rate.
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LaDate
Gender ratio:
35%
65%
Visits/Month:
150K
The main problem when it comes to the online dating industry is fake profiles and scammers, and the La-Date team is doing its best to minimize these profiles. Once you sign up, you’ll notice that most female profiles on La-Date have a verified badge. Such a badge means that the user’s identity is verified through both a video call and documents. So, if you want to minimize the risks, chat with verified users only—on La-Date, there are thousands of them.
As for the messaging tools, the assortment is pretty wide: you can use a live chat, send messages with media files attached, buy virtual gifts, and send “Winks”. The latter is free, but all the other messaging tools are not free to use—you’ll have to buy credits to start chatting with the ladies.
Features we liked:
- A free Streaming service
- Incredibly detailed profiles
- Welcome bonus
- A well-optimized mobile version of the site
- Lots of ladies are genuinely interested in meeting in real life
🔥 La-Date is the leading dating site when it comes to South American dating. It’s popular, it’s legit, and it’s trusted—and if you sign up on La-Date right now, you’ll get 20 credits for free!
Tips on how to succeed on dating sites
We won’t tell you how to speak to the ladies here because, let’s be honest, there are lots of guides about it. What we’ll tell you here is how to succeed when it comes to online dating—how to choose the right dating app, how to analyze the profiles, how many credits to buy, etc.
1. Choose the best niche dating site possible
Read all the reviews, both expert- and user-written ones. If a dating app has a lot of negative reviews, it’s obviously not worth it. After that, pay special attention to the quality of profiles—the size of a dating pool is important, but its quality is a much more significant factor when it comes to choosing a dating site, so you’ll need to google the photos of the ladies to make sure they are not bots.
2. Stay away from free dating apps
It’s not that every free dating site is bad, of course. But most of them are. An average free dating app is an app without ID verification, with poor customer support service, and therefore, it’s an app that is overcrowded with fake profiles and bots. Chatting with bots might be free, but we believe that’s certainly not the kind of experience you are looking for.
3. Upload your best photos
Full-body photos, smiling photos, and photos that show your personality works best. You shouldn’t skip the personality test, too—it will help you find a perfect match!
4. Buy the largest credit package available on a dating site
Assuming you followed the second rule on this list and chose a paid dating site, we can recommend you choosing the most expensive credit package offered. Yes, this won’t be cheap, but the larger package you buy, the less you’ll pay per credit and the more you’ll save at the end of the day.
Our Editors’ conclusion
Editor’s notes
John Millerstone
Dating Expert
“The online dating world is slowly changing and shifting from casual dating to something more serious. This top list is the best evidence of this fact—even the sites that were focused on casual dating before (like Seeking or AM) are now changing their philosophy to long-term relationships. All the sites on this list require a paid membership for online daters to communicate with other members, but all the sites here are 100% worth the money. We tested dozens of paid and free dating websites carefully and can safely say that if you want quality, you have to pay for it.”
F.A.Q.
What is the best dating site for serious relationships?
The best online dating site for serious relationships right now is JollyRomance. Unlike lots of other dating apps, it has a lot of messaging tools, an ID verification tool, and a great reputation backed by lots of positive reviews. A welcome bonus for new users is also available on JollyRomance.
Are there any honest dating websites?
Yes. The websites like JollyRomance, La-Date, TheLuckyDate, and EasternHoneys, for example, have an ID verification service which means the absolute majority of users there are real and genuinely interested in a serious relationship with foreigners.
What type of users use online dating sites?
If we’re talking about an average online dating service for a serious relationship, most users there are in their 20s and 30s, most of them have no children, and most of them are women (especially when it comes to the international online dating scene). And obviously, most of them have serious intentions.
Are there welcome bonuses on dating sites?
Yes, almost every good dating website provides a welcome bonus. For example, the sites like EasternHoneys, La-Date, or JollyRomance provide 20 free credits for new users and TheLuckyDate offers 1,800 credits as a welcome bonus!
Can you really find true love on dating sites?
Yes, you can! Just choose the top rated dating apps for serious relationships to avoid losing your time and money to fake/scam dating sites (most free dating sites are not worth trying, too). Be yourself, be honest, show respect, make an attractive profile, and your chances of finding love online will be higher!
Our Editorial Team
Written byJohn Millerstone, International Dating Sites Expert
I started using dating apps when there were only 10 or 20 of them. Today, there are hundreds of them, and my main goal is to help dating enthusiasts like me to understand this industry, the world of online dating, better. I've been reviewing international dating apps and helping people to build a long-distance relationship—and now, I'm going to bring all my expertise as a dating expert to the readers of ISW.
