These are the best dating apps for men over 40 insidehook


These Are the Best Dating Apps for Men Over 40
“Men, in particular those over 40, really seem to like Bumble,” says Wilson. “Most of the guys tell me they like it because, when they get a message, they know she looked at their profile and she liked what she’s seen.”
These Are the Best Dating Apps for Men Over 40
Experts weigh in on how to navigate the online dating space as an older guy
Updated July 2, 2021 7:14 am
This is how men with their proverbial shit together swipe. Take notes.
Getty/EyeEm
If you’re a man over 40, chances are your dating life pre-dates the mainstream advent of dating apps. You probably started dating back when people met at bars or got set up on blind dates or just settled for their classmates or coworkers, got married in their 20s, had a couple kids by 35 and then got divorced. In fact, maybe you did exactly that and that’s why you’re now looking for dating-app advice.
Whether you’re a middle-aged guy returning to the dating game after a marriage-length hiatus or a proud “never married, no kids” type, chances are you can recall a time when dating didn’t require wifi, and you may be looking for some guidance when it comes to navigating the online dating space.
While college-aged millennials were the first to thrust dating apps into the mainstream in the early 2010s, the platforms have become increasingly popular among older singles as well in recent years. After all, the oldest members of the generation that first embraced dating apps a decade ago are approaching 40. Whether you’re an older guy who’s brand new to dating apps or an aging millennial (sorry) who suddenly feels too old for Tinder, you may be wondering which dating apps are best for you, a mature adult man.
So what do I, a 23-year-old woman, know about being a man over 40 on a dating app? While I might not know much about being you, I happen to know a lot about dating you. I know which apps I’m most likely to find you on, and, in turn, which ones you’re most likely to find me on.
But since not everyone is looking to waltz into middle age with a much younger woman — or to take dating advice from one — I also tapped two expert dating coaches, Lee Wilson and Joshua Pompey, to weigh in on the best dating apps for men over 40. Here are their top three picks, and a couple bonus picks from me.
Bumble
Both experts I spoke to named Bumble their top pick for guys over 40. ”Right now, the most popular one for older generations above 40 is Bumble,” says Pompey. “That’s one I highly recommend.”
For those unfamiliar, Bumble is an early Tinder successor that differentiates itself from the competition with its signature ladies-first model. On Bumble, women have to make the first move, and they only have 24 hours to do so.
While some straight men may find themselves initially turned off by the idea of waiting around for a woman to shoot her shot, Wilson says most men quickly come around for the simple reason that when women have to make the first move, men waste a lot less time and energy pursuing women who aren’t interested.
“It’s no secret that women often have a lot more power on these online dating sites than men, because the ratio at which women receive messages is just so overwhelmingly high,” says Pompey. With Bumble, however, men get to take a break and let interested women come to them.
“Men, in particular those over 40, really seem to like Bumble,” says Wilson. “Most of the guys tell me they like it because, when they get a message, they know she looked at their profile and she liked what she’s seen.”
You’re a busy, adult man who doesn’t have time to endlessly message a sea of potentially uninterested women. Let them come to you.