Top 7 Canadian Dating Sites & Apps for Singles in 2024

David Krant

Dating Writer & Site Founder

Last updated: March 21, 2024

13 minutes read

1.3K views

Around 3 million people in Canada already use dating apps. Should you join them to find love? Where exactly you’ll have the best chance to find a perfect match in Canada? There are 7 great Canadian dating sites for different categories of singles—take a look, learn more about each, and make your choice!

Choose the most popular online dating sites in Canada

1. FriendFinder — Best for having a social media-like experience
2. AskMe4Date – Best for singles who want to try online dating for the first time
3. Date4you.net — Best for all types of relationships
4. Zoosk — Best for traditional dating
5. EliteSingles — Best for meeting well-educated singles & young professionals
6. SilverSingles — Best for mature singles looking for serious relationships
7. Cupid.com — Best for international dating

So, these are the top dating sites in Canada, but what exactly does each of these platforms offer to a user? Keep reading, and you’ll learn everything you should know to make the right choice.

1. FriendFinder

FriendFinder is a unique international website that works more like a social networking site. Though its name suggests it’s a place where you can meet friends, it works well enough for people looking for all types of romantic relationships in Canada.

Those who want to join the community only need to provide a valid email address and answer some questions about themselves.

The registration is fast and entirely free. Members can add profile photos and videos, friend and unfriend each other just like on social networking websites, send emails, voice greetings, and video greetings, create Hotlists and more.

Most features can be used only by premium members, and users can choose between a Silver membership (from $10.82 to $22.94 per month) and Gold Membership (from $15.82 to $34.94 per month).

2. AskMe4Date

AskMe4Date is a versatile dating platform that is supposed to meet the expectations of all categories of singles. Why exactly did we add it to the list of the best Canadian dating sites? First, it’s a website with over a million active monthly users, a lot of whom are from Canada. 

Second, the registration is nearly automatic. You only need to fill in the registration form with the basic questions, provide a valid email, and you’ll be redirected to the website right away. Note that the photo you upload (this can be skipped but not recommended) must be real—the algorithm checks the pictures and doesn’t let you join if it’s fake or stolen. 

Third, you can boost your profile for free right after registration. There is a profile promotion for all the newcomers, and members can use plenty of other great features, including advanced search, the Like Gallery swiping feature, instant messaging, premium, support, etc. 

It’s not of the free Canadian dating sites, though. Messaging, priority support, and full access to all information and photos are available only to premium members, and the costs range from $0.69 to $1.39 per day (the price depends on the duration, for example, 1 day, 1 week, 3 months, etc.)

3. Date4you.net

Date4You is a website that can work for all singles, regardless of the type of relationship they are looking for. The platform is also available worldwide, and there are many registered users in Canada.

Registration takes just a few minutes—you only need to provide some basic information to be able to view profiles and use some free features. You can add more details later to attract more potential partners and stand out from the competition on the platform.

All new users get instant access to profiles, can use search, send Kisses, and like & favorite users they like. Premium members, in turn, can send messages and icebreaking GIFs, as well as virtual gifts. 

Using premium features costs coins, and the prices range from $4.99 for 200 coins to $99.99 for 4,000 coins. Note that the number of coins will be doubled regardless of the chosen package—if you buy 200 coins, you’ll get 200 more for free. 

4. Zoosk

Zoosk is a popular online dating site designed for singles looking for long-term relationships, love, and deep commitments. Now, most of its members are from the US, but Canadians are the second largest group of members here after Americans, so it can be considered a top Canadian dating app, too.

You can join it pretty easily—the registration process will take up to 5 minutes, and no payment details must be provided. There’s the matchmaking algorithm, but it’s rather a behavioral one.

Members don’t have to spend hours providing a lot of information about themselves, but the SmartPick algorithm analyzes the choices they make on the website and suggests matches based on the member’s specific preferences.

There are multiple verification procedures, special features like Crushes, profile boosts, and virtual gifts for those who want to get more attention from Canadian singles.

It’s not one of the free dating sites in Canada, but it falls under the category of mid-range Canadian dating sites. In particular, members who want to send unlimited messages can upgrade their accounts for $64.99 for 3 months or spend $89.99 on a half-year upgrade. Those who want to boost their accounts and send virtual gifts will need to purchase extra coins (the cheapest package of 180 coins costs $19.95).

5. EliteSingles

EliteSingles is widely used in the US, and its sister site, EliteSingles.com, is incredibly popular in Canada—now, it has around 300,000 monthly visits. The user base, however, isn’t the only thing that makes it one of best paid dating sites in Canada. It’s also a niche platform with advanced matchmaking services designed only for educated singles and young professionals looking for serious relationships.

The registration process usually lasts around 30 minutes as every newcomer must answer multiple questions in the personality test.

The results will not only be shown to a user but also displayed in their personal account. Members can also see their compatibility scores, get suggested matches, set search criteria, and of course, communicate via live chat.

If you have a free account, features will be limited, but once you upgrade, you’ll be able to start conversations, view photos, and see detailed personality test results. The prices for premium plans range from around $29.95 to $79.95 per month, and the longer you expect to stay on the website, the lower the price.

6. SilverSingles

SilverSingles is a niche dating site created exclusively for singles in their late 40s and older who want to enter the dating scene again to find love. It was launched by an international company, and though Silver Singles is especially popular in the United States, there’s a sister site SilverSingles.com created only for Canadian singles and no one but them.

You won’t be able to set up a profile in minutes like on other dating sites. There’s an extensive test all the members must take to help the algorithm find them the best matches based on the information on their traits, religion, education, personality type, etc. After you join the dating site, you’ll be able to see all the match suggestions, view profiles, see physiological portraits of other members, and, of course, communicate via text chat.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do with a free membership. Members who want to see profile videos, initiate conversations, and view photos should upgrade their accounts, and the prices range from around $12.95 to $39.95 per month.

7. Cupid.com

Cupid.com is one of the best dating sites to find local matches. It’s available internationally, and Canada is one of the countries on the website’s white lists. The platform also works for different categories of singles, including those who are looking for serious relationships.

The registration process is super-fast. Members only need to provide some basic details to join the community, but they will need to add more information later to make their profiles work. All newcomers can use the Profile Promotion feature—the notification that will be sent to your best matches and make you way more popular, browse profiles, use search, and other features.

Profile boosts, access to all photos, priority support, and messaging are premium features that can be used only by paying members. Prices here range from $0.39 to $1.39 per day.

Tips for successful online dating in Canada

Let’s say you’re going to enter that online dating scene in Canada. Should you just pick a popular dating site and rely on luck? That’s not the best approach, actually.

If you want to improve your strategy and experience, take a look at some important recommendations below:

1. Set your priorities. Are you looking for a serious relationship or something casual? What’s more important to you: education, income, or other criteria? If you know exactly who you’d like to meet, it’ll be easier for you to choose the right online dating site.
2. Do research on a dating website you’re going to use. Learn everything about the dating app—find feedback from users, consider the prices, and ideally, join the site to take a look at the profiles and evaluate the quality.
3. Create the best dating profile. Don’t hesitate to say what you expect to find on the dating site and try to provide as many other details (and photos, of course) as possible.
4. Use a rational approach to meet the right person. Apply search filters, use match suggestions, and focus on one’s background and interests, not just on appearance.
5. Communicate using the right features. Profile boosts, video calls, virtual gifts, all these things really help a user be more successful on an online dating site.

Bonus tip—always follow safety rules regardless of how good and reputable the dating app you’re now using is.

There’s no system that provides 100% safety for all the members, and according to statistics, in 2021, CAFC received nearly 2,000 reports of romance scams.

If you don’t want to be a victim, never send money or accept money, regardless of how close you think you are to someone you’ve met online.

Types of dating in Canada

All dating sites fall under categories and subcategories, and the type of dating is one of the most important of them. So, what kind of relationship singles in Canada may be looking for?

Take a look at the list below to find out:

• Mainstream or traditional dating. This is the most common scenario—a person is just looking for a new partner and wants to see how it goes. If it’s about you, too, you can just choose the most used dating app in Canada, and you won’t go wrong.
• Casual dating. There’s a separate category for singles who aren’t looking for anything serious—they usually choose and use the dating platform that connects singles looking for casual relationships, affairs, one-night stands, FWB, NSA, etc.
• Serious dating. Marriage-minded people who are 100% motivated to start a long-term relationship and, ideally, find a soulmate and get married, and they usually choose dating apps in Canada aimed to connect singles who expect to find something more than just casual relationships.
• International dating. Some people want to date outside their home country, and they usually join international and long-distance dating sites to find foreign partners. Users can join European dating sites, Latin sites, Slavic sites, or just global international platforms—there are enough good options in the online dating market. 

What’s your dating type? Answer this question before you choose a dating app—that’s how you can make the right decision and improve the experience.

Read also:

Best Icebreakers for Online Dating that Work (Examples + Tips)

Differences between Canadian and American dating cultures

Each society has its own dating culture, and Canadians are no exception to this rule. What traditions and customs differentiate the Canadian culture from other cultures, particularly the American one? Take a look and find out.

1. Dating is more seasonal in Canada compared to the United States—people are more motivated to find someone to spend the winter with. 
2. Canadians get married later, and they take such steps more seriously, and the divorce rate is lower, too. 
3. In Canada, women make the first move way more often. 
4. In Canada, people in the couple take turns paying the whole bill. 
5. Surprisingly, interracial relationships are less common in the United States than in Canada. 

Canadian dating culture is unique, but it’s still Western, so there are not many dramatic differences from the American culture.

Final thoughts and recommendations for Canadian singles

So, what is the best dating site in Canada? The truth is every user should make their own choice. Choosing the right dating site where you’ll have the best chance to find a perfect match is important, so it must have the right user base, search features, and communication features.

Take a look at the list of the best dating sites at the beginning of our guide once again, consider the target audiences and offers, and make the decision.

FAQ

What are some popular free dating sites in Canada?

Note that all the best dating apps in Canada offer premium plans—you’ll hardly find online dating services that would be 100% free for all users. However, sites like Seeking can be free for women, and all other platforms on our guide have free versions and accept all members without charging them, so you can test any of them for free and then decide to upgrade or not to upgrade.

Is online dating widely accepted in Canada?

According to statistics, there are around 2.88 million online dating users in Canada, and this number is expected to grow, so yes, it’s definitely widely accepted.

What safety measures do dating apps in Canada have in place for users?

The best Canadian online dating sites offer the following: good moderation, strict requirements for new profiles, best data encryption software, reasonable rules for managing users’ data, safe payment methods, and anti-scam tutorials and guides.

What types of people typically use Canadian dating sites?

There are different people on Canada dating sites—there are singles looking for serious relationships, people looking for casual sex and affairs, older singles, younger singles, those who are looking for local singles, and those who want to date internationally. There are different websites for these categories of users to connect people with similar relationship goals. 

Are there any specific dating apps tailored for certain demographics in Canada (e.g. LGBTQ+ community)?

Yes, there are a lot of options. For example, you can join an affair dating site, a traditional dating site like Seeking or Zoosk, a site for educated singles like EliteSingles, a site for mature singles like SilverSingles, etc. By the way, nearly all platforms in our guide work for the LGBTQ+ community.

David Krant

Dating Writer & Site Founder

David Krant is a dating writer, and the founder of DatingSites.org. His deep knowledge of human behavior and master’s degree helps him analyze how people represent themselves and their behavior in online dating communities, distinguish the healthiest ones, and choose the best platforms in terms of the quality of features.