Online dating is so much more than Match.com and eHarmony. With the rise of photo apps like Tinder, it’s clear there are much quicker and quirkier ways to find your better half.
Whether you’re looking for friendship, a random hookup or location-based love, there’s a slew of dating apps and websites out there for every kind of single. As we start 2014, here are the most popular.
See also: 9 Excellent Apps For Discovering New Things
Ever wanted to bring a wingman on your date? How about two? Grouper sets you up with a match, then lets both parties bring along two friends. The drinks are prepaid and Grouper tells you exactly where to meet up, so all you have to do is decide who should tag along. Who knows? Maybe all three of you will find a love connection.
Formerly called “Bang with Friends,” this app lets you find friends on Facebook who are willing to get down tonight. At least it’s somewhat discreet. Friends won’t know who’s selected them unless the feeling is mutual. Down can be used for dating as well, but let’s be honest: This app still lives up to its former name.

Image: TrintMe
Interested in a friend or a friend of a friend? TrintMe allows shy users to initiate the next step behind the veil of their smartphones. The true intentions (“trints”), which can range from “let’s talk” to “coffee” to “romance” to “hookup,” aren’t revealed unless there is a successful match. But singles can leave a hint if they’re feeling brave.
Using Facebook, Hinge sends you a selection of friends-of-friends every day at noon. A simple profile photo followed by age, job and education information are all users have to go off of when they rate the potential connection on a scale of one to five. Those who mutually rate each other at a four or higher will get introduced via email. “Black Status” users are sent 100 matches per day, which means they have a large number of Facebook friends who also use Hinge.
Tinder is fast, fun and kind of addicting, which is why it seems more like a “hot or not” game than a site for true love connections. Facebook profile photos of nearby singles appear randomly; users respond with an easy “like” or “nope” with the swipe of their fingers. When both people like what they see, a connection is made. Then you can "flirt" via the in-app messenger.

Image: Carrot Dating
A little bribery can go a long way (for some people). Carrot Dating doesn’t want its users to settle for their second choice. Instead, it encourages them to score the date with – not wits or smarts – but gifts.

On this site, unique date ideas attract potential matches. Post an idea to the site (Gelato-making class? Wine tasting? Wendy’s and Anchorman 2?) and interested parties will raise their hands. Couples who’ve locked down a serous relationship can join the $10 per month couples section of the site, which offers date night deals by city.
Sometimes called the “anti-Facebook,” this app encourages people to get offline and go out in the real world. Post an update like “Who wants to go surfing this afternoon?” and like-minded individuals nearby can opt to join in on the fun.
Coffee Meets Bagel sends one potential friend-of-a-friend match to your inbox every day at noon. The “bagel” is based on specific profile information and preferences, such as religion, height and personal details. Matches who mutually like each other can begin the conversation via text.
It’s gonna cost about $30 a month to move forward with a match, but Zoosk “learns as you click” in order to constantly deliver relevant matches. It also lets users hook up Last.fm and Netflix accounts, which is a unique way for singles to display personality and tastes.

Image: Grindr
This all-male dating app matches guys with nearby singles, similar to Tinder, with only a photo and a brief profile. Grindr calculates exactly how many feet away your next potential match is. The ultimate goal – if you’re both interested – is to end up zero feet away. Straight? Try their other location-based love app Blendr.
Those interested in putting passion first can find a match based on sexual chemistry, with ihookup. Don’t expect to find a long-term relationship here, though – shocking, I know. This site is for singles who are ready to mingle but not ready to commit. And they’re not sorry about it.
It’s free, which is probably why OkCupid remains pretty high on the popularity list of traditional dating websites. Lengthy profiles and questionnaires make this one of the more thorough options of late, which means more potential for some serious matches – or some serious liars.

Image: Are You Interested?
Here’s another friends-of-friends dating site that finds matches through Facebook. That means users can easily do some recon before agreeing to a date. Users can also search by shared friends or interests, then connect via a live instant messenger chat.
Match.com claims it's lead to more relationships and marriages than any other dating site out there, which is probably true since it’s been around since 1995. Creating a profile, browsing singles and finding matches is free, but you’ll need to pony up a membership fee of about $35 per month to enjoy all the benefits, like emailing members.
Those who don’t actually want to date, but want their friends and family to get off their back, can pay their way to a faux girlfriend. Choose from different packages that offer an array of virtual and real-life proof, from texts and voicemails to a Facebook relationship status to gifts.
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