7 Best Apps For Finding A Date Tonight

This all-new app, The Dating Bucketlist, takes app dating to a whole new level. If you want to match with someone based on mutual interests and date ideas, look no further. After all, some people feel having common interests is important in dating, so with this app, you can see if an activity you have on your bucket list is the same as someone else's. Sounds intriguing and like it'll save you and your future date ~a lot~ of time. Plus, you'll cross items off your bucket list, so it's a win-win either way. And, it's free.

With BeLinked, you match with people via LinkedIn, and it’s actually the first dating app to leverage LinkedIn’s professional network. Right away, this implies that it'll be more serious than some other dating apps out there (i.e., goodbye ridiculous photos, perhaps?). Plus, as you know, many people on LinkedIn are pretty career-minded, so what better a way to match up? And you may be wondering: Who are you matched with? Not your immediate LinkedIn connections (phew!).

Like other dating apps with a swipe-right/swipe-left interface, when you and others get matched, you can start messaging. BeLinked is free, but the premium features are $6.99 per month, which you can cancel anytime. And for giving you a whole new group of matches — not linked via Facebook like several other dating apps out there — $6.99 does not seem like a high price to pay.

ICYMI, Bumble is the dating app where women message men first — at least in heterosexual pairings. (With same-sex pairings, either person can message first.) Plus, the app gives you a deadline, so once you and someone match, you have 24 hours to write to them. From personal experience, I think this is key. After all, how many times do you match with someone and you tell yourself you'll write to them "later," but then later never comes? And if you have no idea what to say in an online dating message, don't be stumped — your only goal here is to get the conversation going. You can be short and sweet — comment on their profile and ask an open-ended question. Easy! You'll have plenty of time for longer and wittier messages later. And since the goal is finding a last-minute date ~for tonight~, write to the person right now before the 24-hour deadline hits. Bumble is free; however, if you want extra perks, they'll cost you.

Tinder is another dating app wherein it's efficient and you can find a date for tonight — or even an hour (or less) from now. Like some other dating apps, Tinder tells you how close (or far) someone is, so you can plan accordingly. But since the goal is finding a date for tonight, you may want to start matching with people at this very moment, so that the messaging can begin, and the weeding-out-your-date can begin, too. And even though some people still think Tinder is for hooking up, I beg to differ and never had a Tinder hookup date. Every guy I met on the app wanted a relationship, and a couple became boyfriends. Of course, when swiping, read profiles so you see if you and your match are looking for the same thing, i.e., a fling or not (more and more people seem to state this lately). Chances are, you can find exactly whom you're looking for. Like many other dating apps, Tinder is free, but you can pay for certain features (like hiding your age).

You may have heard of Happn, the free dating app that uses geotracking and lets you know when you crossed paths with a potential match. Though this concept may seem a bit creepy, I think it's genius. When I met my Bumble boyfriend last year, I'd also seen him on Happn, and the app said he and I were crossing paths numerous times each day. It turned out that the apartment I was subletting was down the block from his work. So, in terms of looking for a date for tonight — simple. Your date could be standing right in front of you — literally.

You may be familiar with Klique in terms of meeting groups of new friends and people nearby — your "klique" meets up with theirs — but now the app allows you to chat and meet with people one-on-one, too. This makes the free app perfect for finding a date for tonight. Or, perhaps you want to stick to Klique's initial meeting experience — your friend group meeting up with another friend group. You can go out to a bar, or go do an activity date (or non-date), like bowling. Plus, a group date could mean less pressure, and a win-win for everybody — at least you were all out doing something fun in the process. And if you want to opt for a one-on-one date, you can do that with Klique, too.

With OkCupid, you can swipe on people based on their online dating bios and pictures, but you can also match with people based on algorithms. Yep, there's science and math behind matching with people on OKC. There are endless multiple-choice questions you can answer, from everything on how affectionate you are in relationships to your political beliefs. Answering the questions is optional; however, you may find a better-suited match — and last-minute date — if you and someone "match" 90 percent versus 10 percent. Plus, you can skip certain questions, so no pressure. A couple examples of questions are: "How important is it for you to make physical contact when showing affection for someone?" and "Politically, which are more important to you right now?" Sounds like plenty of date options, for sure. And the app is free, unless you want added features, in which case you can choose a membership option.

All in all, no matter what the reason is for wanting a date tonight, there are many apps to get a last-minute date. I mean, if you think about it, there are plenty of other single people out there with no plans tonight, too. So why not turn "no plans alone" into "definite plans together," right?!