Love in the Golden Age: Finding Love in Australia for Over 50s
Last Update : May 22, 2024 by Noah
It is said that the 50s are the new 30s, and maturity is the perfect period in life for experimentation and discovery, the discovery of new love and a new passion for love and life. More and more Aussie senior singles are taking the reins of their love life with the help of mature dating sites. Whether divorced, separated, widowed, or single, dating after 50 has lots to offer! But what dating apps do people in their 50s use?
Many singles in their 50s face the trouble of where to start looking for their date. Dating apps and websites are as numerous as they are complex! With so many to choose from, it can be hard to know where to go, especially with some dating sites catering to specifics, such as those looking for only a serious relationship or those just looking for friendship and companionship. So, we have created this guide to help you find the best mature dating apps in Australia so that you can start finding your perfect match.
The Best Dating Apps for over 50s in Australia
Choosing a dating app or website to find potential life partners can be dauneveryone is different and looking for different things from both their potential matches and the platforms they use to find them. We have selected our top 3 choices for mature singles below and detailed why. We do have in-depth reviews for all the Australian dating apps, but our top 3 for mature singles are detailed below.
#1 SilverSingles
SilverSingles is one of the leading dating sites for the over-50s in Australia. It connects senior singles based on their emotional compatibility and matchmaking personality type. Considered one of the most reliable dating sites for this age bracket, it has some unique features that help you find a partner you can connect with – without the stress!
This, in part, comes down to its unique personality test, which helps you narrow down your potential matches based on personality traits, age range, etc. More importantly, it helps you narrow down the profiles looking for serious relationships only.
If you want to know more about why we love SilverSingles, be sure to check out our in-depth review of their app here.
#2 Zoosk
The famous matchmaker Zoosk is very popular amongst millennial singles, but recently it has become one of the main options for mature men and women in the search for a long-term relationship. If you are looking for an easy online dating experience that allows you to find compatible matches with ease, then Zoosk could be the senior dating website for you. We did an in-depth review of the dating app here, but the main points why we think it is good for mature dating seekers are:
- The Carousel: The carousel learns about you as you click and sends you more relevant profiles.
- Advanced search filters: you can enter specific criteria to look for particular users. Zoosk then shows you profiles of users who meet as many of your preferences as possible.
- The Behavioural Matchmaking™ Engine: the platform takes your history into account to present your potential partners. It shows users a profile every 24 hours based on the behaviour of the user on the dating site.
- Zoosk’s Scientific Matchmaking Service™: the site finds proposes you a potential match every 24 hours. Matches will slowly become more and more accurate the more you interact with the site as the scientific Matchmaking Service will understand better your romantic expectations!
#3 EliteSingles
Our final pick for the best dating apps in Australia is EliteSingles. Thousands of senior singles from Australia and all over the world have trusted EliteSingles’ exclusive matchmaking service. Why? Well, it comes down to its in-depth features and affinity test, which matches singles using important traits such as lifestyle, future relationship expectations, and romantic preferences. With its diverse user base EliteSingles is one of the best apps to find meaningful connections.
Choosing the Right Dating App: What to Consider
Whilst we recommend the 3 apps above, they might not be the best fit for what you are looking for, and that’s OK! If we were all the same, wouldn’t life be boring? If our three choices do not fit the bill, we have some advice on what to look for in other senior dating sites to help you make the right choice.
User-Friendly Interface
Finding a compatible partner is hard enough without needing an instruction manual to use the dating site! Find a senior dating site that allows you to navigate its options with ease. While most are now swipe-based apps which is intended to make it really easy to move between matches, this is not for everyone, so check out the communication features and user interface before signing up to ensure that it is for you.
Free or Premium Membership
Almost all dating platforms have a free version and premium features that require a paid membership or fee to use. Free basic membership usually allows you to view some profiles but might restrict the number of matches, contact opportunities or features you can access. It is worth noting that the membership fee is not indicative of your success in finding matches; so keep in mind your personal budget when choosing an app.
Feature Rich Platform
Despite the core mission of every dating site being to help you find matches, they all approach it in a slightly different method, and you need to ensure that these methods and features align with you. Features such as:
- Video chat
- Personality tests
- Desktop version or app only
- Suggested matches
- Messaging features
Choosing the best dating app for you is paramount to finding the perfect match. It should aid you with its features, not leave you feeling confused or wanting more.
Dating Over 50: Where To Start
Now you know where to look, you might be thinking what the next steps are; well, we are here to help! Let us be honest for a second: the dating scene has changed beyond measure in recent years, and the simple act of buying someone a drink in a bar or asking someone out on a date feels very old-fashioned! Online dating feels like it has made this way of finding meaningful relationships redundant, but it has opened things up for a lot of mature singles!
Create Your Profile
Dating apps and sites, be they free versions, or paid memberships, will all allow you to create a basic dating profile. It is important to put some effort into this, as boring a task as it is, as this is your chance to stand out to potential matches. A common error for dating profiles is to add too much personal information and not enough about what you are interested in and what you are looking for. Try to keep it high level and focus on your interests, your goals and what you are looking for in a life partner. That way, it is very clear from the outset if a potential match will be a good fit for you and saves everyone some time and effort!
Put Your Best Foot Foward
Adding pictures allows you to put your best foot forward and make a good impression. A good smile or a twinkle in the eye can be the factor that allows you to shine above the rest and attract that all-important potential match. Try to choose a picture that you are comfortable using. It is even better if it shows your fun side, such as doing a hobby or smiling/laughing.
Put In The Effort
No matter the dating platform you choose, no matter how strong your profile is or how attractive your profile pictures are, if you do not put the effort in – it’s all in vain. We all get busy balancing work, family and hobbies – but if you cannot find time to find a partner – how can you expect to find time to be with anyone? Plus, if you are not utilising that paid subscription – it’s a waste of money!
Remember To Stay Safe
Every dating app has a list of safety features, and most have blogs with some online dating safety tips; make sure you are aware of them. It is also a good idea to keep abreast of online dating scams so you know what to look out for. While most potential matches in chat rooms and one dating platform will be genuine, there are cases where dating safely crosses a line into scams and fraud. If something feels off, utilise the dating app’s safety features to protect yourself.
Be Open-minded
Online dating allows you to match with people that you might not always immediately be attracted to in real life. It allows you to get to know someone based on personality and compatibility as opposed to just physical attraction. If you asked the vast majority of dating app users if they found love with their usual “type,” we’d wager that the answer is no. This also applies to first dates; whilst dinner and flowers are the standard, maybe try to think outside the box. Do something that you are both interested in or allows you to capture a sense of fun and gives you plenty to talk about – as opposed to long, uncomfortable silences across a table.
Be Honest With Your Intentions
If you are only looking for casual sex – be honest about it; if you are looking for friendship or companionship only – let the matches know, or if you are looking for casual dating – again, be upfront about this. Setting your dating intentions from the get-go allows other users to know if you are going to be compatible from day 1. Senior dating isn’t all cocco and slippers, and chances are that being honest and upfront about things is likely to mean that you find what you are looking for quicker – and find success in the dating game.
Finding Love In Australia
We hope you have found our advice on the best senior dating sites useful and wish you luck in your hunt for love. If our above recommendations for the best dating sites have not provided the chance for you to find it, we do have in-depth reviews on other dating apps, such as:
We are always expanding our reviews of any new reputable dating sites or apps that come to our attention; if you are aware of any that we have yet to review, why not reach out to us and let us know?