Best dating app with free chat

During the lockdown, more and more of us have turned to dating apps – including those with video call functions. Even as lockdown restrictions start to lift, and we can meet prospective partners in the park or (soon) the pub, dating apps still have a part to play.

As the internet plays an ever greater part in our social lives, with sites such as Facebook helping us to keep in touch with our friends, it's inevitable that we use it to help run our love lives as well.

Online dating and dating apps are one of the most popular ways to meet a new partner and there are more than 1,400 sites in the UK alone, catering for people from all walks of life and interests.

So whether you’re mad about dogs, passionate about green issues or a connoisseur of fine wines you’re sure to find someone who shares your interests.

Here is the pick of the best dating websites and apps – not forgetting our very own website dating.telegraph.co.uk.

The best dating sites and apps in the UK

1. Eharmony

Best for: serious relationships

Free membership (limited)

5 million users in the UK

Modern matchmaking service, eHarmony, claims over half a million couples have found love through their site. Users are required to fill out an 80-question compatibility quiz to determine their core values in relation to others, but it powers many useful tools to help them find love (including compatibility scores, personality profiles, and relationship advice).