7 Dating Apps for Single Parents (with Pros & Cons)

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Learn about the best dating apps to use as a single parent

Co-authored by Renee Slansky and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: August 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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Dating Apps for Single Parents

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Navigating Dating Apps as a Single Parent

As a single parent, dating apps can be hard to navigate. Luckily, there are plenty of dating apps specifically designed for single parents, so you can kiss the uncertainty and frustration goodbye. Read on to learn about some of the best dating apps for single parents (and how to navigate them).

Best Single Parent Dating Apps

Stir: A dating app designed for single parents. Features scheduling options and prompts about co-parenting and child preferences.
DoULike: A dating app catered to women that allows you to find matches based on values, faith, academic background, and lifestyle.
SingleParentMatch: A dating app made for single parents with date ideas and strong filtering options.
Frolo: A subscription-based dating app designed to match single parents.

Section 1 of 2:

Dating Apps for Single Parents

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Stir Stir is an app that’s designed for single parents, so when you hop on, you’ll know that everyone is on the same page in terms of children. The app also has prompts about your lifestyle preferences, co-parenting styles, whether you want more kids, things like that. There’s even a feature that lets you show which blocks in your schedule are free, making for an easy, seamless experience made to match you up with someone.^{[1]
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- Pros: Made for single parents, has tools to make scheduling, parenting styles, and goals easier to communicate.
- Cons: Smaller pool of users.
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SingleParentMatch Although it’s not an app, SingleParentMatch is a dating site that’s designed for single parents, serving the same purpose. Created in 2001, it’s made to connect single parents with strong, long-term partners.^{[2]
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Research source} It also has features like single-parent date ideas and filtering options to ensure you can find a partner who meets your needs.
- Pros: Designed for single parents with features catered to them, offers relevant news, and allows you to refine your search with filters.
- Cons: Smaller user pool, potential for bots.
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DoULike DoULike lets you list details like your faith, academic background, and values, making sure you match with someone who’s similar to you and will mix well with your kid(s).^{[3]
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- Pros: Values-based matchmaking, safety features designed for women, and a focus on local matches.
- Cons: Some users report bugs and bot accounts; others find the paywall a barrier to connecting with others.
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SingleParentMeet SingleParentMeet is a dating app made for single parents who want to find serious connections. It gives you potential matches based on your location, but you must pay a subscription to be able to message them. This means when you want to connect with someone you have to make the interaction count! In this way, SingleParentMeet encourages thoughtful messages and meaningful matchups.^{[4]
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- Pros: Designed for single parents, features info about past relationships and children, good for building relationships and friendships.
- Cons: Features are extremely limited on the free version of the app.
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Frolo Frolo is a dating app designed for single parents by a single parent. The user base is primarily single parents, so you don’t have to worry about matching with someone who doesn’t understand your situation. The user base is also supportive, with the app offering a community mode to meet fellow single parents and relate to one another if you’re just looking for a friend.
- Pros: Designed for single parents, so everyone’s on the same page. Dating mode and community mode make it easy for you to make friends and meet potential partners.
- Cons: Entirely subscription-based.
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eHarmony eHarmony is a classic dating app that’s built for you to find love, whether you’re a single parent or not. It gives you a 70-question compatibility questionnaire that covers values, parenting needs, day-to-day scheduling, and other lifestyle needs, making it so you match with someone who fits all of your criteria.^{[5]
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- Pros: Focused on values and compatibility, has a large user pool, and the strong algorithm is designed for meaningful connections.
- Cons: Long questionnaire, lack of photos on the free version of the app.
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Hinge While Hinge isn’t made for single parents, the focus on finding a match based on preferences, shared interests, and values makes it a great tool for single parents to use. The creative prompts also make it easy to spot red flags and matches that won’t work, so you’ll be able to rely on the app to help you filter out people that don’t fit your lifestyle.^{[6]
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- Pros: Easy use and fun, thoughtful prompts that encourage deeper conversations.
- Cons: Limited number of swipes.
EXPERT TIP

Renee Slansky
Dating Coach
Renee Slansky is a Dating, Relationship, and Life Coach based in Europe. Her business combines mindset and life coaching with love education. As a global dating advisor to several of the largest online publications and dating platforms in the world, Renee’s aim is to help people cultivate strong, healthy relationships. In addition to offering one-on-one coaching services, Renee has produced courses to help both men and women gain clarity, confidence, and direction with their love life and relationships. Renee has contributed her expertise to multiple publications, including the Huffington Post, The Good Men Project, Your Tango, Yahoo 7, Bustle, Marriage.com and Elite Daily. She has served as a dating advisor and writer for some of the largest online dating sites in the world, including eHarmony, RSVP, Plenty Of Fish, Happn and Dating.com. Renee’s methods are practical, down-to-earth, and aimed at helping her clients get sustainable results while finding love.

Renee Slansky
Dating Coach

The best dating app is the one that meets your needs. It’s not necessarily about which app you should use, it all depends on how they cater to your needs. For example, if you want to meet someone in real life and build a thorough connection, try Hinge.

Section 2 of 2:

Navigating Dating Apps as a Single Parent

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Shared values really serve as a foundation for your relationship. Although they may not seem important at first, down the line, you’ll want to be with someone who has similar life goals and beliefs and who values the same things as you, especially with a kid in the picture. It’ll ensure that your child is raised how you want them to be, as well as help dampen potential conflicts.^{[7]
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Figure out what you’re looking for in a match. Are you just looking to have fun with someone who won’t ever meet your kids, or do you want a deep relationship that eventually evolves into co-parenting? Ask yourself these questions to determine what to put in your bio and who to swipe on, and get all of the awkward guessing games out of the way.
- If you're looking for a committed partner, make sure anyone you match with is okay with the kids. Include the fact that you’re a single parent in your bio to filter out anyone who’s not okay with it, and have conversations about kids being in the picture to avoid unnecessary conflict or tension.
Kids are fun, but they’re a lot of work, too, so you’ll want someone who knows how to handle them. This may not be all that important if you're just casually dating, but the closer you get to a partner, the more likely it is that they’ll become a part of your child’s life. So, make sure the person can handle things like tantrums, accidents, and random facts being rattled off at the speed of light.
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Beware of matches who pressure you to move too fast. It's always important to look out for red flags when dating, but this goes double for single parents. If you match with someone who seems overly interested in meeting your kids and committing to a relationship too soon, they may be moving too fast.^{[8]
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- Not everyone who matches this description has bad intentions. Some people may see themselves—perhaps unconsciously—as a "rescuer," here to help shoulder the burden of single parenthood. Or, matches who don't have kids themselves may just get easily swept up in the fantasy of childrearing, without understanding the level of commitment it really takes.
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Set strong boundaries around introducing your date and your children. When you find a good match, make sure the rules are clear on what the relationship between them and your kids will look like. There’s nothing wrong with them being good with kids and wanting to eventually meet yours, but setting boundaries and drawing that line is essential for letting them know what’s okay and what’s not.^{[9]
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- If your match wants to eventually take that parent spot, explain how you feel about that and what a timeline would look like (if any). Many people wait months before introducing a partner to their children, but your and your children's timelines may vary. Go at the pace that's right for you and your family.