Finding love in a superficial world can be daunting today, hence the growing popularity of online dating sites. Chances are you know someone who has already found love, dates or hookups online – it is perfectly normal these days. A couple of decades ago, the idea of finding online dating would have been absurd. Today, it is just part of the game, especially when attending a fun festival.

Now, with so many options out there, choosing the right dating app can be a bit daunting. So, what do you need to look for before signing up?

Trial more than just one website

You need to find the right app for an authentic connection with other singles. Some websites or apps are free to use. Some others come with premium features – for example, it might be free to browse around and find potential matches, but you would need to pay in order to be able to send messages and communicate.

Some other websites come with free trials. Do not settle on the first website you run into. Instead, you need to get an idea about what to expect. There are lots of free dating apps that offer access to premium functions. When installing a new app, look around to check out the features and ensure you have a good search function and lots of potential matches.

Search criteria

Now, you need to make a list with the most important things for you. If religion is important, try to find a religious dating site for people who share the same beliefs. Indeed, you might get lucky on a generic website too, but then, there are websites specifically made for particular communities as well.

On the same note, some websites are aimed at those who seek long term relationships and even marriage, while others are mostly about casual hookups.

Free or paid

You will also need to determine if you are willing to pay for a dating site. Lots of people are happy and content with what they can find on free websites. Some others believe quality is higher if you have to pay to date. The truth is love can be anywhere.

If you do decide to go for a paid website, explore the free version first. Make sure there are lots of potential matches and profiles look real – rather than generic pictures of models or bots that will never reply to you.

Mobile app

The mobile app is not mandatory to help you find love. However, it is convenient. Big dating sites have mobile apps for both Android and iOS mobile devices. You will most likely find the exact same features. You will be able to find love with or without an app too. However, the app has one major advantage – push notifications.

Whether someone messages you or likes one of your pictures, you want to be notified straight away. You want to go online straight away and reply. It shows you are interested and more importantly, you will be able to catch that person while still online – a good opportunity to make a first great impression. Lots of people who are not familiar with online dating go on a website, send a few messages and forget about returning. Be there and reply straight away – it could be your soulmate.

Going through profiles

Once you figure out how to search for profiles, how do you know the people you find are authentic? What do you need to look for in a profile? It makes no difference if you are up for a long distance relationship or you want someone local. Think about what you look for in a date, write these things down and make sure your potential date has them.

Most importantly, go for profiles with pictures. You want more than just one picture. Normal pictures – just like yours – show an authentic profile. If you can see modeling pictures or generic smiles, those are probably false profiles.

Conclusion

As a short final conclusion, your soulmate could be on the other side of the screen. Online dating is pretty much like real life dating, but more convenient. It reduces the tension and pressure, which is great if you are a bit shy. You can explore, discuss with people and have a comfy chat without feeling anxious about it. Keep in mind that there are plenty of gadgets and apps that you can get to ensure you have a good time and find new people when partying at festivals.