California is a state in the Western United States. It is the most populous U.S. state, home to one out of eight people who live in the U.S., with a total of 39 million people, and it is the third largest state by area (after Alaska and Texas).
California is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and Mexico to the south. It shares an international border with the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur to the southwest and west, respectively.
Los Angeles is California’s most populous city and center of the Greater Los Angeles Area, while San Diego is the largest military base in North America. The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s busiest seaports and a major gateway for trade with Asia. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metropolitan area was ranked first among metropolitan areas on a list of America’s fastest growing metropolitan areas from 2000-2005.
California free dating site
California—the Golden State, the land of movie stars, and arguably one of the hardest places to date on Earth. With a population of over 39 million and diversity for days, it feels like it should be easy to find someone special, but it just doesn’t always work out that way.
Luckily, the best California dating apps do a masterful job of cutting through the noise and helping to connect singles just like you with exactly what they’re looking for. Whether you’re in LA, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno, Bakersfield, or anywhere else in CA, these top online dating apps are going to work wonders for you. Dating in California doesn’t have to be as hard as people make it out to be, as long as you’re willing to utilize the resources you have available!
Stick around to see our picks for the best dating apps in California, statistics on the singles scene, and some great date ideas to help you out when you do find a potential match.
Top Dating Sites in California
| Rank | Site | Free Trial Link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | eHarmony | Free Trial | |
| #2 | Higher Bond | Free Trial | |
| #3 | Elite Singles | Free Trial | |
| #4 | Zoosk | Free Trial | |
| #5 | Christian Mingle | Free Trial | |
| #6 | The League | Free Trial |
Key Details About These California Dating Apps
- All of these CA dating apps come with robust free trials you can get by using the links we’ve provided.
- Every site we’ve recommended is safe, secure, and has dedicated teams focused on your privacy.
- You can use the search functions to look for exactly what you want and exactly as close (or far away) you want to search, which really helps in a state as big as California (155,858.3 square miles and 39.3 million people)
- It takes just minutes to get signed up for a free trial and start seeing who is out there you might like!
Table of Contents:
- What Makes These the Best California Dating Sites?
- How California Ranks for Best Cities for Singles
- What Cities in CA are Most Interested in Online Dating?
- Stats About the Singles Population in CA
- Are There California Hookup Sites?
- Best Date Ideas for California
- Free Dating Sites in California
What Makes These the Best California Dating Sites?
As the most populated state in the U.S., California is full of eligible singles looking for love through online dating. And with so many people single and looking to mingle, it should be easy, right? Not so fast. Dating online in California only gets easy if you choose to use one of the top options that has the features you need to find that special someone.
Here’s a look at some of the main features we look for when selecting the best California dating apps.
Technology to Make the Matching Process Easier
The best dating apps in Cali have tons of great features to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. This starts with a search function that allows you to put in what you want and see who is out there. This includes things like interests, location, age, gender, sexuality, religion, and a whole lot more. This is especially important in a state like California where each of the 481 cities or regions in the state is going to have its own vibe and diverse group of people.
Representation and Singles Options Statewide
The California dating sites we’ve listed in this guide cover the entire state’s single population – including all the major (and minor) cities. If you’re looking for singles in bigger cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco, you’re taken care of. And if you live in a smaller city, you’re going to have options as well. You can search for singles in every city including, Irvine, Anaheim, Stockton, Fresno, Eureka, Sacramento, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Long Beach, Hollywood, and so many more.
Additionally, the apps give you the ability to search by distance and not just city, which is ideal for singles who may live close to another states border (Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona), or who live close to the border of two major cities.
Mobile App Functionality
Maybe you’re an aspiring actor working the Hollywood scene, or perhaps you’re a beach babe hitting the surf up and down this beautiful state. With the CA dating apps listed in this guide, you’re sure to connect quickly with a love match that you wouldn’t have found elsewhere. Life is busy and a mobile app really helps to keep track of your communication contacts easily with potential matches. Enable push notifications directly to your phone so that you don’t miss a moment in your own love story.
Some of the perks of using a CA dating app include:
- Get your messages on the go
- Meet singles you never would have otherwise
- Get push notifications for flirts, messages, or other actions
- Easier to upload new dating photos from your phone
- Work with iOS and Android
How California Ranks for Best Cities for Singles
Want to know more about what dating in California is like? Well, that starts with looking at where in the state is best for singles. Recently, the team at Healthy Framework took a look at the top 100 cities for singles in America. The study looked at 36 different data points to try and get to the bottom of the age-old question—what’s the best city for singles? Well, California certainly made its mark on the list. An impressive 12 cities made the list! Here’s how each city ranked:
- 20th – Riverside
- 44th – Long Beach
- 61st – Sacramento
- 74th – San Diego
- 75th – Los Angeles
- 76th – Anaheim
- 77th – Fresno
- 78th – San Francisco
- 80th – Oakland
- 81st – Bakersfield
- 84th – Stockton
- 90th – San Jose
Singles and Dating Guides for Specific California Cities
If you’re from one of these cities, you may be interested in some more specific information (and dating app recommendations) for your area. While the lists may be similar (or the same for some cities), there are instances where there are better options and more detailed information. If you’re from one of these cities, take a minute and check out our even more specific and dedicated guides on dating in California below.
What Cities in CA are Most Interested in Online Dating?
To take our study of dating in California further, our data team took a look at which cities in California showed the most interest in online dating over the past 12 months. How did they get these conclusions? The team looked at search volume data and trends over the past 12 months for topics relating to online dating. The winner? The Monterey-Salinas area. This was a surprising win over the second place city—Los Angeles. Los Angeles had about 86% of the traffic volume that we saw in the Monterey-Salinas area. Here are the full results.
- Monterey-Salinas CA – (100)
- Los Angeles CA – (81)
- Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto CA – (78)
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA – (77)
- San Diego CA – (76)
- Fresno-Visalia CA – (75)
- Yuma AZ-El Centro CA – (63)
- Palm Springs CA – (48)
- Chico-Redding CA – (45)
- Bakersfield CA – (43)
Stats About the Singles Population in CA
Total Population
- 39,346,023
Population in California by Gender
- 50.3% women in CA
- 49.7% men in CA
Overall Singles by Gender
- 52.2% of women in California are single
- 50.2% of men in California are single
Population in California by Age
- 14.7% aged from 20-29 years old
- 14.3% aged from 30-39 years old
- 12.9% aged from 40-49 years old
- 12.7% aged from 50-59 years old
- 20.1% aged 60+ years old
% Households With Internet in CA
- 84.7% of households in California have internet access
Source(s): Census.gov
Are There California Hookup Sites?
Sometimes your life is busy and you just don’t have the time for a serious relationship. Maybe instead you’re just looking for some casual dating and some no strings attached fun? If that’s you, who are we to judge! Let’s get you the information you’re looking for.
Yes, there are hookup sites in California that lend themselves much heavier to casual dating. Can you find casual dating at the sites we’ve recommended in this guide? Yes, but not at most of them. You may be better off checking out our more specific list of casual dating apps. These options are going to be way more in line with what you’re looking for in the beautiful Golden State.
Best Date Ideas for California
Did you find someone special you want to take out? Going on a first date? Taking out your special lady or guy for a celebration? While there are plenty of things to do in California, we wanted to take a minute and give you some suggestions. We’ve included different suggestions for each city. Also, our team regularly updates this listing, so feel free to bookmark and check back often!
Date Ideas in Los Angeles, CA
- Santa Monica Pier
- Griffith Observatory
- Hollywood Boulevard
- The Getty
Santa Monica Pier
While it’s technically in the city of Santa Monica, it’s close enough to count on our list for the best date ideas in Los Angeles. The pier has games, rides, food, amusement, and incredible people watching, making it a fantastic spot for a date!
Griffith Observatory
On the side of Mount Hollywood, Griffith Observatory is a super-fun and super-cultured place that you can take a date. Known as California’s “Gateway to the Cosmos,” this is a must-visit even if you aren’t a big fan of science or astronomy. Try out the telescopes, head into the planetarium, or enjoy any of the other exhibits available year-round.
Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles is a transient town, which means your new love interest might be new to the city. If you’ve been there for a while, you might not frequent Hollywood Blvd. that much. However, someone who is new to the city is going to think it’s super cool. This is also a good opportunity to look up some knowledge of the locations or about the stars to share with your new boo.
The Getty
If you really want to see some cool stuff while looking cool and cultured at the same time, take your date to The Getty. This museum/research institute/ conservatory is filled with inspiring and educational exhibits and events. Oh, and if you’re single, you might want to look into some of the group events offered here. It could be a nice way to meet someone new.
Dating Ideas in San Francisco
The Ferry Building Marketplace
Artisan shops? Ferry rides? Shopping? If all of that sounds incredibly fun (which it should), then you should look into taking your special someone to the Ferry Building Marketplace. It’s a must-see and somehow gets left off of most best-of lists for no good reason.
Alcatraz Island
Who ever said prison couldn’t be a fun date? Well, if you want to take in some great history and also the scene of the great Sean Connery movie The Rock, then checking out Alcatraz Island on a date is an awesome idea. It’s one of those places that everyone knows is there and wants to visit, but a lot of people just never got around to it.
Golden Gate Bridge
Looking to see something famous, get some exercise, and get to know the person you’re on a date with? The Golden Gate Bridge is a great idea, as long as the wind isn’t too crazy. Check the weather, let your boo know to wear some tennis shoes, and get ready to take in the beautiful panoramic views.
Union Square
Located down by the financial district, Union Square is a bit of a tourist stop, but it’s still somewhere that you can get out with someone you’re on a date with. If you really want to impress, do some homework and pick out one of the unique mom and pop restaurants in the area. The food is incredible, and you’ll look like you’re in the know. This is definitely one of our favorite date ideas in San Francisco.
Free Dating Sites in California
What’s best about these online dating communities is they all come with access to a free basic account. These free trial memberships give you an exclusive pass to browse CA singles and begin interacting with potential matches. Free trials don’t usually have a time limit to use – but you will want to subscribe if you want to gain full communication abilities.
Check out the free trials we’ve suggested to begin looking for that California love match today.
| Rank | Site | Free Trial Link | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | eHarmony | Free Trial | |
| #2 | Higher Bond | Free Trial | |
| #3 | Elite Singles | Free Trial | |
| #4 | Zoosk | Free Trial | |
| #5 | Christian Mingle | Free Trial | |
| #6 | The League | Free Trial |