Dating Blogs For Seniors
If you’re 50+ or a senior looking for love, you aren’t alone — not in real life and not online, as evidenced by the proliferation of senior dating sites. But where do you start online? And why should you seek out a date on the Internet? I’ll get to the where below. But first, the why …
(Compared in this article: SilverSingles, Stitch, Match, OurTime, eHarmony.)
SilverSingles is one of the best dating sites for over 50s because we think about compatibility first. It’s 100% free to join and access all the necessary features. This helps us pair people up based on their goals, values, and own criteria. You can also filter for specifics such as mature dating, gay senior dating, and older women dating. Online Dating for Seniors The use of online dating sites has increased greatly in recent years. It is now considered an efficient, safe (as long as reasonable precautions are observed) and interesting way to narrow the field and meet potential partners. Senior Planet is a blog that “celebrates aging by sharing information and resources that support aging with attitude, and helps people who were born long before the digital revolution to stay engaged and active by bringing a digital-technology focus to a range of topics.”. At Senior Planet, no topic is off limit.
Dating Blogs For Seniors Free
When my grandfather passed away at the ripe old age of 66, my 64-year-old grandmother lived alone for the remainder of her life — 20 more years. A widower once approached her at the cemetery (there were no online dating sites back then), and she turned him down cold. “What would I want with that old fool?” she huffed.
Times have changed. As they say, 60 is the new 40 (or something like that). If you’re over 50 and still — or suddenly — single, don’t despair. Life and love may not have passed you by. With life expectancy today longer than ever, at 50 or 60 — even 70 or 80 — many single seniors have a lot of life left to live. And not surprisingly, they often long for someone to share it with.
But how in the world do you get back into the dating scene? Where do you even start? Church groups and mixers for the widowed and divorced notwithstanding, many seniors find it hard to meet someone. How many people really meet by literally bumping into a future mate at the grocery store? My guess: not many. But with 75.4 million baby boomers (between 52 and 70) living in the U.S. as of 2015, there‘s certainly a big pool of people out there!
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Enter Online Dating for Seniors
If the young folks can find dates online, why can’t the over-50 crowd? Well, they can. In fact, according to a Pew Research study, 12% of 55 to 64 year-olds report having used an online dating site — a 6% increase from five years ago.
So with the stigma gone (or declining), what’s holding senior daters back? For many, the idea of joining a dating site is overwhelming. And asking questions is, well, embarrassing! But isn’t asking and answering questions the whole point of dating?
So let’s compare some of the most popular senior dating sites. The pricing and process vary, so keep in mind that the site that worked for your best friend may not be the best fit for you. Also, note that all of these sites also have mobile apps, so you can look for love via your smartphone, too.
SilverSingles.com (an affiliate of Elite Singles)
www.silversingles.com
As with parent company Elite Singles, the goal of SilverSingles (for adults 50+) is to help users find a long-term relationship. SilverSingles matches users by analyzing their questionnaires. The cost varies, starting at $31.99 a month.
“The biggest thing that sets us apart from other sites is that we are dedicated to catering for an over-50 dating crowd,” says spokeswoman Sophie Watson. “Whereas some other sites might be overly concerned with first loves, or with timelines like settling down and starting a family, our members have already achieved many of these milestones, and are now in a place in their lives where they can focus on themselves.”
What else you should know about SilverSingles.com:
- A personality test determines compatibility
- You get guided help to create your personal profile
- Expect 3 to 7 suggested matches daily
- You can respond with a “like,” “smile,” or personal message
- SSL encryption and fraud detection ensure safety
- Profiles are verified by a customer care team
- 25,000 users sign up each month
- The site was founded in 2002 (as PrimeSingles.net)
Stitch.net
While Stitch.net has helped thousands of people find their perfect love match, founder Andrew Dowd stresses that Stitch is not purely a dating site. Instead, its primary focus is on community and helping adults over 50 find the companionship they need.
“That’s why one of the major features of Stitch is the ability to browse profiles of other members and get matched based on companionship preferences (friendship and/or romance), as well as distance and interests,” he explains. For many, this means finding a romantic companion — but not always. “People often find themselves somewhere in the middle of that spectrum,” he says, “not necessarily ready to launch into a full-blooded romantic relationship, but open to the idea of finding one — especially if they start with companionship first and things grow from there.”
Basic membership to Stitch lets you browse one profile a day and have limited access to the Community (for free). For $80 a year, Community members get full access to events, activities, groups, and chats, with limited profile browsing. Connections members get full access to the Community, as well as full profile browsing, including one-to-one introductions, starting at $19 a month.
Stitch places an emphasis on safety and security because seniors are often the target of scammers. “We have a built-in identity verification system,” says Dowd, “and our Community events create a safe environment for members to see how other members interact in the real world.”
What else you should know about Stitch.net:
- You can create a profile with tagged interests
- You can browse other profiles based on companionship preference
- You can meet new people for companionship, romance, or both
- Complete identification verification ensures safety
- There are 3 membership types available
- Organized activities are available to members
- The site was founded in 2014
Match.com
www.match.com/senior/seniors.html
As the largest online dating service out there, Match.com is a name you’re sure to recognize. But did you know that it has a section dedicated to senior dating? It does, but here you can be matched with someone a little older or younger, rather than staying within the strict 50+ guidelines of some senior dating sites. And Match claims to have inspired twice as many marriages as any other dating sites.
According to Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match Group, there are several components to finding your ultimate match. They include what you say (that you like and dislike), what you actually do (e.g., contact someone with characteristics you say you don’t want), what others likeyou do, and historical data. Match.com prices start at $15.99 a month (based on length of subscription). If you don’t find a match in six months, the site will give you another 6 months free.
What else you should know about Match.com:
- Suggested profiles are based on algorithms
- There’s no questionnaire — you search through matches to connect
- You indicate your likes and dislikes
- Users communicate through “winks”
- Messages are sent through an anonymous email network
- There’s no limit on the number of people you can contact
- A 3-day free trial is available
- The site was founded in 1995
OurTime.com (an affiliate of Match.com)
If you like Match.com’s history and success rate, but you don’t want to weed through the under-50 crowd to find your true match, try Match’s sister site exclusively for seniors — OurTime.com. The site is the largest online dating community for those over 50.
OurTime’s philosophy? “We recognize that what people want in their 50s, 60s, and beyond is often very different from what they wanted in their 30s and 40s,” the website says. “This online dating community focuses on the specific interests and desires of people like you.”
Reviews tout the site’s easy-to-use format — probably one of the reasons for the site’s popularity. Unfortunately, very little information about the site or the matching process is available until or unless you sign up. On the bright side, OurTime does offer a free trial for those wanting to explore its features a little more.
What else you should know about OurTime:
- There’s no comprehensive questionnaire
- Tips help you create your profile
- A free trial offers limited features
- Prices start at $11.99 (depending on length of service)
- A compatibility button allows you to compare lifestyles with potential matches
- The site was founded in 2011
eHarmony.com
www.eharmony.com/senior-dating
Like Match.com, eHarmony is an all-ages adult dating site that also operates a “senior dating” section. Users are matched based on eHarmony’s “29 Dimensions” model, which eHarmony describes as a “soul-searching questionnaire” that compares features of compatibility found in successful relationships.
Rather than a Tinder-type attraction based on looks alone, or even a profile-based choice (which sometimes tells very little about a person), eHarmony says it looks to science to help generate the most reliable — and successful — matches. There may be a lot of seniors looking for love, but eHarmony says it matches you only with people who, scientifically speaking, make the cut. It offers several levels of membership — including free, basic, and premium — that start with minimal features and increase accordingly.
What else you should know about eHarmony:
- You don’t need to search through hundreds of profiles
- The site has a lengthy questionnaire
- Matches are based solely on levels of compatibility
- The system weeds out members wanting only one-night-stands
- Communication is available only between paid subscribers
- The site is monitored for fake profiles and scammers
- eHarmony was founded in 2000
Quick Comparisons of 5 Senior Dating Sites
Questionnaire Required?
- SilverSingles: Yes, a personality test
- Match: No, but you create a profile and indicate likes and dislikes
- Stitch: No, though you indicate companionship preferences
- eHarmony: Yes, a lengthy questionnaire for compatibility matching
- OurTime: Optional questions for profile
Profile and Photo Required?
- SilverSingles: Yes
- Match: Yes
- Stitch: Yes
- eHarmony: Yes, 3 photos required
- OurTime: Yes
Communication Method
Dating Blogs For Seniors Over 80
- SilverSingles: Smile, Like or send personal messages
- Match: Send winks, followed by emails or IM chats
- Stitch: Click on profiles you like, then private messaging. Also, chat rooms and discussion forums.
- eHarmony: 4-step process, from Quick Questions to eHarmony Mail
- OurTime: Text or audio/video chats and messages
Cost*
- SilverSingles: Starts at $31.99 a month
- Match: Starts at $15.99 a month. Promos often available
- Stitch: Basic membership, free. Community, $80 a year. Premium, $19 a month.
- eHarmony: Starts at $26.95 a month. Promos often available
- OurTime: Starts at $11.99 a month
Safety Measures in Place
- SilverSingles: Encryption system & fraud detection. Profile verification.
- Match: Screens for sex offenders. Uses anonymous email network. Profiles and photos screened.
- Stitch: Identity verification & data encryption. No publicly shared information.
- eHarmony: Screens for sex offenders. Monitoring of account activity.
- OurTime: Offers safety tips. Uses a secure connection.
Demographics of Visitors**
- SilverSingles: 62% male, 38% female
- Match: 58% male, 42% female
- Stitch: 45% male, 55% female
- eHarmony: 50% male, 50% female
- OurTime: 56% male, 44% female
Monthly Visitors**
- SilverSingles: 81,000
- Match: 11.1 million
- Stitch: 21,000
- eHarmony: 2 million
- OurTime: 1.7 million
* Be aware that some subscriptions might auto-renew, so be sure to cancel if you don’t want to keep being charged.
** Source: SimilarWeb. Numbers for Match.com and eHarmony.com are for the full sites, not just the senior sections. These numbers are for site visitors, not subscribed users.
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Seniors Only Dating
What do you think? Have you tried senior dating sites or online dating at 50+? Share your thoughts and advice in the comments below!