Have you noticed the recent rise of mentions of non-monogamous and polyamorous relationships? There is no official research to describe this trend. On the other hand, many psychologists and sociologists claim that there is an uprising of this type of relationships. Moreover, researchers estimate that around 5% of people in America are poly – and that’s millions of people.
Despite such a trend, the stigma related to open relationships is nowhere near gone. People with religious and conservative backgrounds are especially critical of them. This creates lots of problems for people who want to find another partner. Here’s where online dating platforms come in.
Recently, we took a close look at poly dating sites. Now, it’s time to take a look at the apps most suitable for polyamory relationships.
7 best poly dating apps
1. OkCupid
Pros: huge dating pool, ability to link profiles together, open and non-judgmental community
Cons: no differentiation between polygamous and non-monogamous relationships
OkCupid is one of the biggest online dating services. Since its launch in 2004, it has grown and evolved a lot. In 2016, the service has introduced a feature of connecting accounts with marks like “married” or “open relationship”. Before that, a couple had to have a single joint account to be able to meet with someone new. Now, it is a lot easier for everyone involved to communicate and get to know one another.
On the other hand, this feature can cause some confusion. There is no differentiation between couples that look for a one-time partner for a threesome and someone who looks for a relationship. Some people try to be as clear about their intentions as possible, while others can be vague and shady.
2. Tinder
Pros: the most popular dating service in the Western world, friendly towards non-binary people, people can only chat with people they got matched with
Cons: lots of trolls, less profile information
When you hear “a dating app”, you will probably immediately think about Tinder. It was the first app to introduce swiping matching system, and it has gained a lot of popularity thanks to its simplicity. In 2016, Tinder has added a lot more gender options to choose from, which also made it more popular with transgender and non-binary people.
The popularity of Tinder has another side to it. Many users install it just to have some fun swiping without any intention of going on a date. Some just use it to make fun of people. Another thing is that you can’t always see if a person is interested in a poly relationship unless they state it directly in their account.
3. POF Dating
Pros: huge user base from all around the world, advanced tools to help you improve your matches
Cons: outdated chat system, no direct support for non-monogamous relationships, an abundance of trolls and fake accounts
Plenty of Fish is another example of an old, but still good and popular service. In 2015, it gained over 100 million users all over the world, from New Zealand to the UK. There are a number of quizzes you need to take to find the best match possible.
Although it is fairly easy to find someone polygamous on the app, there are no tools for you to separate them from the crowd. The chat system is old and slow – there is no video chatting, and only premium users can send photos.
4. Bumble
Pros: gives women the control over the matchmaking, limits the response time to eliminate ghosting
Cons: only 2 gender choices, no direct support for non-monogamous relationships
When it first appeared on the market, Bumble was an improvement over Tinder. With it, women are the ones to start the conversation after the match is made. It has saved thousands of women from a cringy pick-up line or a sexist comment. Furthermore, you have 24 hours to reply to the message you get, which gives a sense of urgency to the conversation and limits the amount of ghosting you can often find on Tinder.
Although in some aspects Bumble is better than Tinder, in others it lacks certain features. For example, there is no support of non-binaries – there only are two genders to choose from. Polyamorous people don’t get any attention either.
5. Feeld
Pros: made specifically for non-monogamous people, detailed profile info, users are verified, but their anonymity is ensured
Cons: mostly for hookups, requires a Facebook account
Feeld is among the most progressive dating apps out there. You can register your account as a single person or as a couple. There are a lot of different account options: you can include your gender, sexual preferences, and even kinks.
Fortunately for some, but unfortunately for others, it is mostly oriented towards setting up group sex dates. Another disadvantage is less impactful – the only way for you to register is to link your Facebook account. The app won’t post anything on your profile, it only needs it to make sure you’re a real person.
6. Ashley Madison
Pros: private and discreet, made exclusively for poly interactions
Cons: important features closed behind the paywall, no automated matchmaking
If you’re not new to the polyamorous dating scene, you’ve probably heard about Ashley Madison. It was one of the first websites oriented towards people in open relationships (and people who wanted to step outside the boundaries of their monogamous relationships). Not many people know, though, that now you can access the website using a mobile app.
However, the system used on the website is a bit outdated compared to Tinder and others. There is no real matchmaking – you need to search through profiles by yourself. On the plus side, the profiles are usually really detailed and you can even see what each person expects from the relationship. Another thing is that the service is far from free. You need to pay credits to unlock crucial features, like starting a conversation (free for women).
7. PolyFinda
Pros: made specifically for polyamorous relationships, there is a forum
Cons: not that popular
PolyFinda is one of the younger dating services on the list. Like in the previous case, it is made specifically for people seeking a polyamorous relationship. However, you can not only find a partner or partners on the app, but also polyamorous friends or even mentors that would love to help a novice in the field.
PolyFinda is also not equipped with an automatic matchmaking system. Besides, the community is not as big as in previous cases, so you might have a hard time if you’ve been around for a long time.
Final Thoughts
The polyamorous relationships are getting more and more popular, which leads to the appearance of new ways to find a partner who shares your goals and beliefs. Although there still isn’t one and only ideal solution, it is much easier than it was 10, even 5 years ago. This means that these solutions will evolve even further, and hopefully the stigma connected with non-monogamous relationships will completely disappear.
So, if you want to either find your soulmate (or soulmates) or just have some fun, try some of these apps out and find out which one suits you the best.
