Dating as a teenager can be challenging. Between school or college work, pressure from friends and others about who you should or should not be with, and fewer chances to meet new people outside of your usual group of friends, it can be hard to meet someone new. That’s where dating apps can help, as they will allow you to meet and talk with new people easily. These dating apps are designed for teenagers, making it easier for them to communicate, meet new friends, and explore relationships at an early stage.
Dr Alexandra Solomon, author of Loving Bravely: Twenty Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want, writes in her book, “Early romantic relationships are practice grounds for intimacy and self-awareness.” While dating apps make it easier to find dates, they also come with a high risk of online scams. That’s why it’s essential to choose those dating apps that prioritize teen safety. In this article, we will discuss some of the best dating apps for teenagers and provide information about them.
Why Dating Apps Can Be Helpful For Teens?
Though teens can find genuine love in the real world by meeting people at romantic places, using a dating app makes it faster and easier to find the perfect match. Dating apps enable teens to share their information with a large number of people simultaneously. Not only this, but using dating apps can save a lot of time and money as teens can get to know their potential date before actually meeting in person. Dating apps also help teenagers expand their social circles and meet new people beyond their usual friend groups. They provide a platform where teens can connect with others who share similar interests and values, not just those who are nearby or popular.
Additionally, using dating apps can help individuals build confidence and enhance their communication skills. This is because dating apps provide a space where teens can express themselves and discover what they want in a potential partner. An article published by the National Institute of Health states that the online world gives teens a way to share their feelings and connect with others in a different way than they do in person. It also helps them feel safe and maintain control over their social interactions. Further, the article explains that teenagers use dating apps because they are at a stage in life where they are learning about their feelings and discovering what they want in romantic relationships.
What Are The Best Dating Apps For Teens?
Yubo
The first dating app that is ideal for teenagers is Yubo. Previously known as Yellow, this dating and social networking app is made to help people meet others and feel like they are a part of a community. This dating app is popularly known as Tinder, particularly among teenagers, as it allows them to make friends and connect with others who share similar interests, hobbies, and preferences. Yubo features a swiping mechanism similar to Tinder, allowing users to browse through profiles of other individuals. Moreover, it allows users to chat, swipe, and share their location. Because the dating app places a strong emphasis on safety and security, it is considered a great place for teens.
Furthermore, the dating app features a community specifically designed for teens aged 13 to 18 years old. The dating app’s live-streaming video feature is one of its main attractions because each live session can accommodate up to 10 people streaming at once, and anyone can watch it without limits. Not only this, but Yubo is inclusive and has a very welcoming environment. In 2021, the dating app introduced 50 pronouns and 35 genders, allowing individuals in the LGBTQ+ community to represent themselves more clearly. The dating app asks users to upload their photo and enter their DOB, gender, and name. Moreover, in May 2022, Yubo introduced a new Age Verification feature that helps keep all users safe. It just requires a real-time picture of the user. Then, Yoti’s age estimation technology examines the picture and estimates a user’s age. Yubo utilizes a specialized liveness algorithm that analyzes a brief video to verify the authenticity of the image. Once the age is calculated and matches the age mentioned on the profile, the user is verified and allowed to access Yubo. However, if this is not the case, users will have to undergo additional verification steps.
Pros
- The dating app has a special community for teenagers between the ages of 13 to 18
- Focuses strongly on the safety and security of its users
- The user base of this dating app is very large and diverse
- User-friendly and easy-to-use interface
- The dating app has a free version
Cons
- Sharing of location can be risky
- If not used correctly, the live-streaming video feature can lead to bad and unsafe behaviour
- The profiles are not very detailed on this dating app
Spotafriend
Although Spotafriend was very popular among teens, the dating app was discontinued as of 2024. Specifically designed for teenagers, it offered a safe space where they could date and meet new people in their age group. The functionality and features were similar to Tinder, and it was commonly advertised as a social networking application. Unlike other mainstream dating apps, such as Hinge and Bumble, Spotafriend focused on helping teenagers connect with others who share the same interests and values. This app was specifically made for teens between 13 and 19 years old.
It had a swipe-based matching mechanism that allowed users to swipe right and left on other people’s profiles. When a user swiped right on a profile, it indicated that the person was interested in them. Similarly, when two users swiped right on each other’s profiles, a match was created. The Super Swipes feature of Spotafriend allowed users to show that they were strongly interested in someone. This feature also helped their profile stand out and catch other users’ attention. Furthermore, the dating app is safe and secure due to its straightforward and strict privacy policies.
Pros
- The dating app was targeted towards the teenage generation
- It had a free version, which offered profile creation and browsing of matches
- The interface was simple and user-friendly
- The dating app had a verification process that checked and filtered out the profiles of older people
Cons
- Confusion occurred among people because Spotafriend was not promoted as a dating application
- Adults misrepresented themselves as teenagers, which caused safety issues
- Several reports claimed that selfie verification was not effective. Lisa Schmidt, a well-known dating coach, said that she was 42 years old and uploaded a selfie posing as a 15-year-old
- Sharing personal information on this dating app was unsafe for teenagers
- Michael Carr-Gregg, a child psychologist, claimed that Spotafriend was an online playground for predators
Skout
Launched in 2007, Skout is a popular dating and social networking app that utilizes your location to connect you with people nearby, making it easier to chat and make new friends. This dating app helps teenagers (ages 13-17) and adults (18 and older) find new people in different parts of the world. Skout has some cool features, such as live streaming and chatting, which make it appear more like a social media application. The dating app features a separate section for teens, which may help keep them in a safer environment.
It is essential to understand that in June 2012, Skout temporarily suspended its teenage service after there were cases of se*ual assault involving adults who had misrepresented themselves as teenagers. However, in July 2012, Skout reinstated the teen section with enhanced safety measures, including the removal of the location feature. Christian Wiklund, CEO of Skout, said that teens will no longer be able to see or search by location. Also, they will not be able to find anyone within a hundred miles. Moreover, teens will have to link their Facebook account to Skout, which will be verified. If anyone is found to be lying about their age, they will be permanently banned from Skout. The CEO mentioned further that Skout is deleting all connections, comments, chats, and favorite lists of teens. He promised that Skout would now closely monitor the users to ensure a safer environment. Therefore, Skout has tried to keep teenagers and adults in separate sections, but it can be challenging to ensure that everyone enters their correct age.
Pros
- The dating app’s user base is very large, as it spans over 180 countries and is available in 14 languages
- Allow teenagers to connect with new people based on their location
- Skout is available for both iOS and Android
Cons
- The free version has a lot of advertisements
- Skout allows both adults and teens to join, which can be risky
- The dating app has faced criticism because of the 2012 se*ual assault cases
- A large number of features require a premium membership plan
MyLOL
MyLOL was a widely used dating app for teens, but in 2023, it was removed from the App Store. As of 2025, MyLOL is no longer accessible and has been completely shut down. This social networking and dating app was mainly designed for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19. The primary objective of MyLOL was to connect teenagers from different parts of the world, allowing them to create profiles, chat, share pictures, and discuss their interests and values. This dating app was ideal for teens who enjoy chatting and meeting new people online and were looking for friendship or meaningful connections. MyLOL was probably the best pick for teens because it offered a wide variety of features, such as sending messages, using a search tool, adding friends, getting prioritized in searches, seeing people who were interested in meeting you, and many more.
The dating app was quick and easy to join as users could register using their email and Facebook or Twitter accounts. After the basic registration details are provided, the app will ask the user to choose their type from the given set of pictures. Additionally, users could upload a profile picture, but neither of these steps was mandatory. Through the Photo Moderation feature, the team reviewed every photo uploaded to the dating app to ensure it did not contain anything offensive and was respectful to everyone. However, the dating app lacked a reliable age verification system, allowing anyone to create an account using a fake birthdate. MyLOL asked users to enter their age while signing up, but it didn’t verify that the age was accurate. Therefore, this made it easy for adults to pretend to be young and trap teenagers.
Pros
- The dating application is specifically targeted towards the teenage generation
- The signup process is quite easy and simple
- The photo moderation feature helps to filter out inappropriate things, such as nudity and racism
Cons
- There is no verification system to tackle fake or spam accounts
- The dating app might experience some technical glitches
- The free version offers a limited number of features
Hoop
Although Hoop is not officially marketed as a dating application, it is often used in this capacity. In an interview, Lucas Gervais said, “Hoop is not a dating or meeting application as it simply offers an easy way to make new Snapchat friends.” It is a social networking app that is popularly called Tinder for Snapchat because it features a swiping mechanism similar to Tinder. Still, instead of chatting in a Separate App, users connect through Snapchat to talk. Simply, it helps users make new friends using a swipe system, then allows users to message them on Snapchat. Once two users match by swiping right, they can request each other’s Snapchat usernames and start chatting there. Although Hoop is designed for users aged 13 years and older, safety concerns have been raised due to its lack of an age verification process.
However, it is essential to note that to request a Snapchat username and customize the profile, users require diamonds, Hoop’s in-app currency. These diamonds can be earned by simply opening the app every day, sharing your profile, watching advertisements, and completing other challenges. Not only this, Hoop checks texts and pictures to stop users from posting things such as nudity and foul language.
Pros
- The Hoop app has a simple and user-friendly interface
- Users are allowed to report inappropriate content and activity
- It allows users to meet people from different parts of the world
Cons
- Hoop does not have chat features, as users can only send friend requests
- There is no strict verification system to tackle fake or spam accounts
- Users feel that the in-app purchases are a little expensive
- Users might get addicted to this app because it incentivizes addictive behavior
What Teens Should Keep In Mind Before Using Dating Apps?
As mentioned above, dating can be a little tricky for teenagers if not approached with caution. Before starting the process of online dating, there are a few important things teenagers should keep in mind:
- Teens should avoid sharing their personal information, such as their address and contact number
- It is advised not to lie about your age to access dating applications meant for adults, as it can put you in risky situations
- Teenagers should always stay cautious about fake and spam accounts. It’s essential to avoid anyone who appears suspicious or untrustworthy.
- Take your time and avoid rushing into dates or in-person meetings. It’s always better to get to know someone fully and ensure you feel safe.
- If you feel suspicious about anything on a dating app, you should immediately talk to someone more mature.
- Teenagers should avoid pretending to be someone else. They should be themselves because fake people do not attract real connections.
- Don’t be shy about making the first move. Confidence matters the most, and if you’re interested in someone, reach out and start the conversation.
- Teenagers should be creative with their messaging game as it will help them stand out and make a long-lasting impression.
- Be honest about your intentions from the very beginning because it will prevent future misunderstandings.
- Teens are advised to use strong privacy settings and keep their profiles private. This will help them reduce unwanted attention.
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