For the bold and brainy: Best dating sites for geeks, nerds, and sci-fi buffs

Because nothing says true love like a shared obsession with something obscure.
By Leah Stodart and Tabitha Britt  on 
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Overview

Our top pick

OkCupid

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PROMOTED
For those looking for sex

AdultFriendFinder

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Best for serious relationships

Match

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Best for career-focused folks

EliteSingles

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Best if you believe in love at first sight

happn

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Best if you have marriage on the mind

eharmony

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Dating site to avoid

Zoosk

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See 2 More

If there's one thing geeks know how to do, it's care a lot.

We're no strangers to nerding out and expressing our love with no reservations, but sometimes, it can be hard to find like-minded people in the dating pool.

For women, it can involve a lot of creepy guys who want their manic pixie dream girl. For men, it can involve a lot of simply trying not to be that guy. If you're in the majority of geeks who are a little bit introverted, dating can be more than a little intimidating.

Are there dating sites for geeks?

Yes, but you may not need them.

We compared the internet's top full-on dating sites, trendy swiping apps, and geek-specific sites to find the ones where geeks can express themselves and find that twin flame. Hidden in millions and millions of users, you could find someone who shares your nerd passions and similar interests, whether it's an endless debate about whether there will ever be a Pokémon game as good as Pokémon Emerald or the perfect couple's cosplay inspired by your favorite Star Trek characters. Bonus: they're all readily accessible via the App Store and the Google Play Store.

You'll notice that we no longer include any geek-specific sites (e.g., Soul Geek, Gamer Dating, Dating for Muggles) in our recommendations because we found these niche dating sites to be out-of-date — you can find more info on this decision in our 'How we tested' section below.

Here are our top picks for the best dating sites for geeks, nerds, and anyone passionate about their niche hobbies:

Our Pick

Who it's for:

OkCupid has stepped up and is now one of the most popular dating sites for left-leaning 25 to 35-year-olds looking to find a more profound, meaningful connection.

Whether you're searching for a fellow gamer to conquer virtual worlds with, a comic book enthusiast to attend conventions together, or a self-proclaimed dork who shares your passion for geek culture, OkCupid offers a welcoming and inclusive space where geeks and nerds can find a like-minded person who appreciates their unique passions and shared interests.

Why we picked this:

OkCupid is particularly well-suited for geeks and nerds who value intellectual compatibility and shared interests.

By allowing users to answer in-depth questions about their hobbies, OkCupid gives you the opportunity to find a romantic partner who shares your enthusiasm for gaming, science fiction, technology, comics, or any other geeky pursuit. It's always helpful to find other nerds by answering prompts like how you'd spend your Friday night by being honest and saying you're playing Magic: The Gathering at your local game store, but OkCupid's specific prompts about your memorable board game moments, who you main in melee, and what anime defined your childhood make the process even easier.

OkCupid's huge (and inclusive) user base means you likely have a higher chance of finding a fellow nerd who understands your references and embraces and celebrates your geekiness.

Read our full OkCupid review.

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adult friend finder logo
PROMOTED

AdultFriendFinder

For those looking for sex

Buying Options

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Details

match app screenshots

Match

Best for serious relationships

Who it's for:

Match boasts a diverse user base with plenty of opportunities for everyone. According to their website, 19% of users are between 18 and 29, 44% are between 30 and 40, and 37% are 50 or older. This mixed bag of users makes it an excellent starting place for those new to online dating or looking for a broad range of potential matches.

If you're serious about finding a soulmate and have some disposable income, Match is the place to go. This online dating community is one of the largest and most reputable matchmaking services online — with millions of active users logging in daily. The platform is user-friendly, has a clean interface, and features a lengthy matchmaking questionnaire to help optimize your dating profile and narrow your matches as efficiently as possible.

Why we picked this:

While it's not exactly a geek dating site (and may be pricier than other dating websites), Match delivers in its profile customization options, including plenty of areas to show off your personality. Interest tags give the rest of Match's extensive user base the quick rundown on your geeky self, whether you're into anime, binge-watching horror movies, attend comic con every year, or can't live without your VR headset (there's an entire section of tags related to "Intellectual Stimulation.") Outside of tags, you can write an "essay" on your profile — so yes, user's bios are expected to be more than a sentence long — and choose three topics to give longer form answers to.

Match also has a ton of paid features, which helps weed out anyone who isn't more serious about finding a partner. You'll also have to upload at least two clear pictures of your face for anyone to see your profile. Match isn't for anyone who thinks they're too cool — effort is rewarded on this dating app.

Read our full review of Match.

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elitesingles app screenshot

EliteSingles

Best for career-focused folks

Who it's for:

EliteSingles is designed to help educated, mentally, and emotionally mature singles find a potential match. This dating site isn't for one-night stands or endless swiping. These singles are busy and don't have time for that BS.

Why we picked this:

With its in-depth, 200-question personality test that assesses important traits like agreeableness, openness, extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, this dating app takes matchmaking to a whole new level.

Geeks and nerds, known for their analytical minds and attention to detail, will appreciate the thoroughness of EliteSingles' personality test. By diving deep into your personality traits and preferences, the app ensures that the matches it sends you are genuinely compatible, increasing your chances of finding someone who shares your intellectual interests and nerd passions.

Unlike other apps that rely on endless swiping, EliteSingles simplifies the process by curating a selection of three to five highly compatible matches for you each day. This thoughtful approach saves you time and energy, allowing you to focus on getting to know your matches on a deeper level.

Read our comparison of EliteSingles vs. eharmony.

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happn app screenshots

happn

Best if you believe in love at first sight

Who it's for:

You know how when you see a cute stranger you hope they'll miraculously pop up on your dating apps? This app ups the chances by showing people you've seen in real life based on your smartphone’s location tracking. Think of it as meeting your next great love in line at a coffee shop — without awkward in-person icebreakers.

Why we picked this:

For those who've always dreamed of having a meet-cute moment straight out of a romantic comedy, happn brings that fantasy to life. By leveraging your location, this niche dating site creates opportunities for spontaneous connections with people you've crossed paths with in your daily life. It's like having your very own rom-com script unfolding right in front of you. Maybe that person you've seen at the local game store but have been too shy to go up to will pop up.

Happn's unique approach to dating is the ideal setup for rom-com geeks who appreciate the allure of unexpected encounters and the potential for a true love story to emerge from the most unlikely places. Instead of swiping through endless profiles, happn focuses on those meaningful moments when your eyes meet across a crowded street or cross in a bustling café.

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eharmony dating app screenshots

eharmony

Best if you have marriage on the mind

Who it's for:

The eharmony brand has been matching singles online for over 20 years — but the platform feels fresh and modern despite being online for a long time. The trusted dating site is ideal for singles who are ready to settle down and find their forever person. Remember that the guiding ethos of eharmony is true love and marriage — so if you’re not ready to get that serious, you might want to choose another platform.

Why we picked this:

eharmony's advanced matching algorithm sets it apart from other dating platforms. With 32 different dimensions of compatibility, it delves deep into your personality traits, values, beliefs, and preferences to ensure highly compatible matches. This meticulous approach increases the likelihood of finding a partner who aligns with your core values and aspirations.

Like most dating apps, eharmony has a space to add interests and hobbies. Though none are specifically nerdy, you can definitely use the extensive profile to share what you're passionate about so you can connect with your fellow nerds looking for a long-term connection.

Read our full review of eharmony.

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zoosk dating app screenshots

Zoosk

Dating site to avoid

Who it's for:

Zoosk isn't the trendiest or most visually appealing dating platform, and unfortunately, it doesn't have great features for daters either. That's why we recommend you steer clear of this dating site unless you're really dying to use a dating platform not owned by Match Group. (Zoosk is owned by Spark Networks, which also owns Christin Mingle, Jdate, and EliteSingles.)

Why we don't recommend this:

There are a ton of options out there for dating sites these days, and Zoosk doesn't stand out. It's filled with bot accounts, isn't cheap, and requires paying for most basic features, like messaging. Considering there are free dating sites for serious connections and paid sites that tend to attract more real (literally, not just emotionally) people, we'd say you'd probably do best to take your geeky interests and open heart elsewhere.

Read our full review of Zoosk.

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Topics Dating Sex

How we tested

To offer our readers the most reliable and current information, we regularly test online dating sites to ensure they're worth joining. We extensively examine each site's features and functionality, from signup to the actual user experience.

Our testing process involves creating different types of profiles, some complete and others incomplete, to track the number of matches generated with incomplete profiles. This can suggest a lack of quality control, bots, and fake users.

For this roundup, we revisited several geek-specific sites we'd previously recommended, including GamerDating, SoulGeek, and Dating for Muggles. While they might have been decent options in the past — and they definitely cater to a geeky crowd — these days, they seem too outdated and lack active users to reasonably recommend. However, many mainstream apps these days allow for enough profile customization that you can freely share your interests and find your fellow geeks "out in the wild."

We also assess the diversity and inclusivity of each platform we review, including whether or not it caters to the LGBTQ+ community. Apps on this list with linked reviews have been hands-on tested by Mashable staff writers or freelance writers with experience researching and writing about sex & relationships.

Leah Stodart
Leah Stodart
Senior Shopping Reporter

Leah Stodart is a Philadelphia-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable where she covers essential home tech like vacuums and TVs as well as sustainable swaps and travel. Her ever-growing experience in these categories comes in clutch when making recommendations on how to spend your money during shopping holidays like Black Friday, which Leah has been covering for Mashable since 2017.

Leah graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with dual degrees in Sociology and Media Studies. When she's not writing about shopping (or shopping online for herself), she's almost definitely watching a horror movie, "RuPaul's Drag Race," or "The Office." You can follow her on X at @notleah or email her at [email protected].

Mashable Image
Tabitha Britt
Freelance Writer

Tabitha Britt is a freelance writer, editor, SEO & content strategist. Aside from writing for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO — a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School of Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online pubs, including National Geographic, Insider, Kinkly, and others.


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