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Meet new people & potential dates on these teen-approved apps
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Are you a teenager looking for love? Or maybe you’re a parent wanting to support your teen’s endeavors with safe dating practices. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a list of the top dating apps and sites for teens and young adults. Plus, we sprinkled in some advice from teen life coach Cyndy Etler to help teenagers be safe while online dating.

How to Get the Most from Teen Dating Apps

Teen life coach Cyndy Etler says to consider what you want from a relationship when choosing an app and setting up your profile. Present yourself and your interests in a way that will signal the kind of relationship you want. When you're ready to get started, look into dating apps made for teens like Yubo or Hoop.

  1. Yubo is a social media app designed to expand your inner circle. There are no likes or follows; you simply vibe with others in real time! Chat, play games, or hang out with others via livestream to make instant connections. Who knows? You may just meet someone awesome near you! [1]
    • You have to be at least 16 years old to sign up for Yubo (and yes, they pride themselves on 100% age verification.)
    • Yubo has many safety measures in place, including age verification, real-time alerts, Muted Words, and more. Check out Yubo’s Safety Hub for more information.

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Cyndy Etler is a certified teen life coach and young adult author with over two decades of experience working directly with teenagers.

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  1. Hoop lets you make new friends all over the world! This social media app is designed to form connections and build lasting friendships. While it’s not technically a dating app, many have found their partner on it. Simply post photos and scroll through the Discover page to find interesting people to meet. [2]
    • You must be at least 13 years old to use Hoop, and those between 13 and 17 years old must have a guardian’s permission to create an account. [3]
    • Hoop separates the profiles and content from 13-17 year olds from 18+ year olds, adding an extra layer of protection for younger users.
  1. MeetMe lets you connect with other teens and young adults via livestream and live chat. Livestream your day-to-day activities or sit down and do your makeup like you’re chatting with a friend. Then, see who slides into your DMs! Just be sure to hide your location while using the app for safety.
    • You must be 13 years or older to join MeetMe, but must be 18 years or older to stream.
    • Know that MeetMe doesn’t have age restrictions in place for watching streams. While it’s against the community guidelines to involve minors or adult content in streams, anyone can watch. [4]
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4

OurTeenNetwork

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  1. OurTeenNetwork is a free teen social network designed specifically for teens to date online. The site uses apps like kik, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook to connect teens from all over the world. Use OurTeenNetwork to find the usernames of other single teens so you can slide into those DMs!
    • You must be at least 13 years old to use OurTeenNetwork. [5]
    • Keep in mind that OurTeenNetwork is a hub for other social media usernames. Users can add their handles to the database to say, “Hey! I’m single and ready to mingle.”
  1. Wizz is deemed the “safest place for young people” to make connections. This app inspires you to get out there and meet new people—it can be a huge confidence boost! While Wizz isn’t intended specifically for dating, it can be a great place to make new friends and socialize virtually.
    • You must be 13 years old to use and join Wizz. [6]
    • Wizz uses Yoti (an AI service) to verify the age of users. When signing up, you’ll be asked to take a selfie to ensure you’re as old as you say.
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  1. Skout lets you chat with people in your area for free. Join livestreams, play games, and send virtual gifts to make new friends and find your next crush. Back in the day, Skout had restrictions in place to separate teens from adults. But now, you can join and chat with anyone as long as you’re 18 years old . [7]
    • Skout does not have an age verification process.
  1. Bumble is among the most popular dating apps out there, and rightfully so! This dating app lets women make the first move and prioritizes safety. You’re able to video chat and voice call on the app, so you don’t have to share your personal number. Profiles are also photo verified, so you can make sure you’re talking to who you think you’re talking to. [8] [9]
    • And that’s not all! You can also filter your searches by age so you match with someone who’s a young adult too.
    • You have to be at least 18 years old to join Bumble . [10]

    It may be tempting to join a dating app by lying about your age, but it can hinder your online dating experience: other users may realize you’re younger and quickly unmatch, and you may be reported.

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  1. Hinge is a popular dating app that prioritizes making lasting connections. The app is so confident that you’ll find your person that they pride themselves on being “the dating app designed to be deleted.” Hinge uses a series of personality and preference questions to find your ideal matches. Plus, you can filter matches by age to ensure you’re only connecting with those within your age preference. [11]
    • You must be 18 years or older to use Hinge . [12]
    EXPERT TIP

    Cyndy Etler

    Teen Life Coach
    Cyndy Etler is a certified teen life coach and award-winning young adult author who divides her time between Providence, Rhode Island, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Cyndy has over two decades of experience working directly with teenagers and supporting adolescent social and emotional health. In 2012, Cyndy founded The Teen Life Coach and began offering support and coaching to struggling teens and their families. She is dual certified through the Youth Coaching Institute and the International Coaching Federation. She has two published memoirs, Dead Inside (2017) and We Can’t Be Friends (2017). She is the narrator for Robert Downey Jr's troubled teen industry podcast The Sunshine Place, and her work has appeared on CNN, Newsday, NPR, and more. In 2017, she founded 1st Block Revolution, a program designed to counteract the school to prison pipeline by helping meet the needs of at-risk teens in the English classroom and supporting teachers. She is an in-demand speaker who previously taught high school English, special education, and English as a second language in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North Carolina. Cyndy has a double-major bachelor's degree in English and American studies and a Master of Education degree from UMass Boston.
    Cyndy Etler
    Teen Life Coach

    Check in with yourself before you start dating. If you’re a teen, before you start dating, ask yourself, “What am I interested in doing? What am I like?” Knowing the answers to these questions can help you feel more confident and self-assured, which can help foster respect in a relationship.

  1. Happn uses uniquely specific GPS information to notify you when you have crossed paths with another Happn user—it’s a game of chance! This dating app inspires real-life meet-cutes to find connections in your area. See when and where you and a match cross paths IRL, and then meet up.
    • You must be 18 years old or older to use Happn. [13]
    • Know that Happn uses your real-life location to help you meet people and makes your current map location known to users within your area.
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10

Coffee Meets Bagel

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  1. Coffee Meets Bagel is unique from other dating apps in that it only offers a select few users for you to “like” each day. These are your “bagels,” and they’re uniquely tailored to your profile and preferences. [14] Just keep in mind that the app is designed to help users find serious relationships, so know what you’re looking for in a partner before joining. [15]
    • You must be 18 years old to use Coffee Meets Bagel . [16]
    • Coffee Meets Bagel has strong safety measures in place for its users and is constantly removing fake profiles and bots. [17]
  1. Lovoo prides itself as being the dating app “with heart.” This dating app uses swiping and icebreaker features to help you meet potential matches and make new friends! Create a profile that highlights your best features and see if you match with someone nearby.
    • You must be 18 years old to use Lovoo. [18]
    EXPERT TIP

    Cyndy Etler

    Teen Life Coach
    Cyndy Etler is a certified teen life coach and award-winning young adult author who divides her time between Providence, Rhode Island, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Cyndy has over two decades of experience working directly with teenagers and supporting adolescent social and emotional health. In 2012, Cyndy founded The Teen Life Coach and began offering support and coaching to struggling teens and their families. She is dual certified through the Youth Coaching Institute and the International Coaching Federation. She has two published memoirs, Dead Inside (2017) and We Can’t Be Friends (2017). She is the narrator for Robert Downey Jr's troubled teen industry podcast The Sunshine Place, and her work has appeared on CNN, Newsday, NPR, and more. In 2017, she founded 1st Block Revolution, a program designed to counteract the school to prison pipeline by helping meet the needs of at-risk teens in the English classroom and supporting teachers. She is an in-demand speaker who previously taught high school English, special education, and English as a second language in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North Carolina. Cyndy has a double-major bachelor's degree in English and American studies and a Master of Education degree from UMass Boston.
    Cyndy Etler
    Teen Life Coach

    If you’re a parent, know that it’s normal for teens to be interested in dating. Start a conversation with your teen about dating and any ground rules you may have. Give them space, but be sure to respect their boundaries, too.

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      Tips

      • If something feels off when chatting with someone online, reach out to a trusted adult for help. [19]
      • Try safer online dating alternatives by using social media to connect with new people. Reach out to people on TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, or other platforms where you can safely block or report suspicious behavior.
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