The best dating apps for bisexual folks to find non-judgemental matches

Read our full review of AdultFriendFinder.

Who it's for:

Archer is the best dating app for bisexual and queer men who are looking for more than a one-night stand. Its "social-first" approach encourages users to join a community rather than solely focusing on hookups. (If you're a queer man looking for a quickie, we recommend using Grindr or Scruff instead.)

Owned by Match Group, Archer is unique in that it has a comprehensive in-app Health Hub where users can learn more about PrEP, how to talk about HIV, and get access to resources for sexual health and mental well-being.

Why we picked this:

Archer may be a newer app, but it's definitely more bi-friendly than its NSFW competitors. The app's focus on community-building and promoting healthy conversations about sexual health sets it apart from the hookup apps, and it's a safe place for bi guys to look for a relationship with guys who get it. This inclusive environment also makes it easier for HIV-positive users to, at the very least, feel open to starting a conversation about their status.

Not only is Archer completely free to download and use (which is a major plus for many), but it's also backed by Brooklyn's resident bi-man Zachary Zane, the author of Boyslut: A Memoir and Manifesto. (So you know it's legit.) The app features a Smart-Blur filter to help shield users from unwanted dick pics and explicit content until they're ready, and there's a Selfie-Verify feature to cut down on catfishing and fake profiles.

Who it's for:

HER is an award-winning app made for queer women by queer women, and it's the perfect place to go if you're tired of the only queer woman you know being your ex-girlfriend (we feel you). HER is the app that wants to "introduce you to every lesbian you've ever wanted to meet" and makes good on that promise with more than 10 million registered users worldwide. And this app isn't just for women — it also welcomes non-binary and gender-fluid folks. It's designed to be a queer space free of cis men. Hallelujah.

Why we picked this:

In the summer of 2019, HER revamped its minimalistic profiles to let users get more creative in categories like gender, sexuality, pronouns, diet preferences, and star signs — as well as a "What does this mean?" field in the sex, gender, and pronoun categories. There's also a space for a text bio where you can showcase your stand-up-worthy sense of humor, describe your job, and make clear what type of relationship you're looking for. The app has groups like "newly out," "in a relationship/finding friends," and "travelers" to help you find your people. All of this makes HER quite a well-rounded dating app platform.

While it does have a problem with some bot profiles, HER's built-in features (from the profile identifiers to the community tab) ultimately make it one of the most open and inclusive apps for queer folks. For all these reasons, it's also one of the best dating apps for bi women specifically.

Who it's for:

People looking to go on a few dates with the same person — instead of everything turning into a friends-with-benefits situation — was a major blind spot for dating apps until Hinge blew up. The premise and user base might be in full-on Tinder and Bumble territory, but Hinge's unique profile criteria and algorithm set the scene for finding matches with real-life potential. When measuring user experiences during beta trials, Hinge discovered that 90 percent of users had a "great" first date, and 72 percent said they were open to a second date.

With Hinge's robust dating intention options, you'll see that not everyone is into finding their life partner on the app, but there's still an overwhelming amount of users who are team "long-term relationship."

Why we picked this:

Known for its (in)famous slogan, "the dating app designed to be deleted," Hinge actually has a ton of features that are meant to let you get to know someone on a deeper level. Cheesy questionnaires have been swapped for 100+ prompts, which are neatly organized into categories like "About me," "Storytime," "Self-Care," and "LGBTQ." The latter is a major win for all bisexuals everywhere. Hinge cleverly ditches the swipe model and requires users to like a particular part of someone's profile (which means putting some time into your profile pays off).

Olivia from Texas told us why she prefers Hinge over other apps: 

"I feel like because they place such a heavy emphasis on your personality with all the question prompts it helps it feel more romantic, which is more palatable to people who were raised to believe that the only way to meet people is some kind of meet-cute or something."

She also mentioned that she finds way more real bi girls than unicorn hunters on Hinge.

Beyond helping users make connections, Hinge makes an effort to help its LGBTQ+ user base feel supported by offering a queer-specific dating guide. As with any app, your mileage may vary while using Hinge (as Mashable writer Rachel Thompson describes in this essay), but overall, we think it's one of the best dating apps for bisexual folks.

Who it's for:

Tinder isn't exactly new in the dating game, but a classic is a classic. However, the Tinder experience is a mixed bag if you're a queer swiper. Every bi woman we talked to for this piece immediately brought up being scouted by other female users who were, of course, straight, in a relationship, and just looking to find a third for a threesome, aka unicorn hunting, the scourge of the bisexual dating community. The real kicker is that most of them conveniently don't mention their motive right away.

All things considered, you can't deny Tinder's role in connecting queer people who may not have signed up for a dating app otherwise. Despite an onslaught of gross opening lines from men who were simply blown away by the "bi" in her bio, Megan from Virginia found her current partner on Tinder. This isn't as uncommon a story as you might think — regardless of how awkward it is to tell your grandma or your wedding guests that you met your LOML on an app primarily used for hookups.

Keep in mind that because Tinder is the dating app of the masses, you'll get users with all sorts of beliefs and attitudes toward bisexuality. If you encounter anyone that's disrespectful, don't be afraid to report them for violating Tinder's community guidelines.

Why we picked this:

Tinder has helped many people explore their bisexuality and practice same-sex flirting for the first time. The now-ubiquitous swiping function gets shitted on for being shallow, but The Cut spoke to two people who said that the low-stakes vibe (less pressure than hitting up your first-ever gay bar) made it easy to explore their sexuality after years of dating one gender exclusively.

Since June 2019, Tinder's orientation options have included bisexual, asexual, pansexual, and six more. Users can decide whether or not that's made public and can also opt to be shown people of the same orientation first. Problematic daters can still work around this if they're that devoted, but it's an appreciated step toward making Tinder a safer space for LGBTQ+ users — something that should be at the top of every dating app's priorities list.

Who it's for:

If you're looking for something slightly more serious than Tinder — albeit with an eerily similar user base — Bumble's the dating app for you. Its famous "women send the first message" model can be especially reassuring for bi women who are tired of creepy messages from men (anyone can start the convo in a same-sex pairing, BTW).

Why we picked this:

In terms of the bi experience on Bumble, it's easy to look at people of all genders at the same time. However, profiles don't come with a tag to signify your own sexual orientation, so if you want people to know your bi, you'll have to throw it in your bio alongside some fitting emojis or make it known through one of the prompts. Bumble is one of the most popular dating apps in the game, so the chances you'll find someone good are high. And if you're looking for queer pals, Bumble BFF does have some LGBTQ-focused profile tags.

This app ups the stakes and discourages the type of dating app behavior everyone, not just bisexuals, is all too familiar with: Conversations taking months (and in-person meetings even longer to arrange), mainly because people are using the app more like a boredom buster and less like a genuine way to find a potential partner. Bumble matches go dead after 24 hours of no first messages — if you don't send a first message or your match fails to respond to your first message within 24 hours, the time for talk is over.

Who it's for:

Feeld is an app for open-minded folks looking for relationships or hookups that involve more than one partner. And while unicorn hunting is a major problem for bisexuals navigating other apps, with Feeld you know exactly what you're getting. LGBTQ+ folks also appreciate that Feeld offers more than 20 sexual and gender identities, and that the app's users generally understand what those identities mean.

According to the company's own stats, 35 percent of users are on the app with a partner and 45 percent identify as something other than heterosexual. All of this makes the app, which focuses heavily on non-monogamous sex, great for open-minded bisexuals who know what they want and aren't afraid to ask for it.

Why we picked this:

Bisexual people certainly aren't against using a dating app to get laid... they'd just prefer to do so on their own terms. Created by a non-hetero and non-monog couple, Feeld is a dating app for couples and singles looking for threesomes, foursomes, or however many people you want in your spicy arrangement. Because more-than-two sex is the entire point of the app, most people are honest about what they're looking for (aka no need to lie about unicorn hunting).

Sex positivity is the name of the game here, but it's different from the vulgar, dicks-everywhere kind that you might see on Grindr or AdultFriendFinder. Here, you can get specific about boundaries, find people with the same kinks, and say you're least interested in "cis het men" in your bio without people batting an eye. While "sit on my face" is the sexiest opening line that horny Tinder guys can think of, people on Feeld are generally chill, respectful, and can talk about sex without frothing at the mouth.

Feeld did experience some major problems during a recent relaunch of the app, and you can read more about these concerns in the "How we tested" section below.

Who it's for:

Those interested in sex-positive hookups will probably have the most luck on this app (in contrast to bisexuals looking for a legit relationship). With its chatroom feature and Facebook-esque feed, you're almost guaranteed to encounter unwanted pictures of random couples and invitations to "be a third" on Bicupid. At least it tries to go beyond the one-dimensionality of Tinder swiping with these extra options of making bi connections.

While we like the idea of a dating site specifically for bi people (in theory), BiCupid's more of a haven for hookups than you might expect. This leaves us hesitant to give it a full endorsement.

Why we picked this:

We were thrilled to find out that Bicupid, a dating site/app made specifically for members of the bi community, even exists. The reality of using the site, however, was lackluster — something we should unpack before explaining why Bicupid still made our list.

For starters, the interface feels a tad on the outdated side, but it's not the design that gives off an odd vibe. On the homepage, the site boasts that it's the "largest and most effective dating site for bisexuals, hookups, threesomes & swingers." We're down for some sex-positivity, but it would be nice to see a bi-centric dating site that's just about dating — and not about having sex with people of more than one gender at the same time. Unfortunately, this marketing appears to have attracted many a unicorn-hunting couple. Within a single day, we also received a decent amount of related spam in our tester account's messaging inbox.

That's not to say it's all bad, though. There are bi-users looking for relationships on Bicupid and community tabs let you meet more people through means other than swiping. For most of the functions though, you will have to pay for a premium membership; with the state this site is in, we don't feel it's entirely justified. Chances are, you'll have better luck on an app like OkCupid (for a relationship) or even Tinder if you want access to that voluminous user base.

For those who still want to try their luck on Bicupid, it's an option (just not the best one).