7 niche dating sites to make Valentine’s Day less of a disappointment

Single and ready to mingle? Perhaps you’re looking for a revenge hookup? Maybe your overbearing mother demands you finally find a nice person to bring home for the holidays.

Whatever your reasoning, Valentine’s Day seems to be the best time to try dating apps. After all, dating has gone fully digital. And any stigma that may have surrounded finding love online has vanished. 

Online dating services help you narrow down your choices to a small pond of fish that interest you. If you’re looking for something a bit different, look no further. 

Find your own April Ludgate

While the old adage that opposites attract sounds nice, Hater is proving the opposite. The dating app seeks to match people on mutual hatreds.

Hater users are able to indicate a range of things they hate, and are then shown people in the same area with similar dislikes. Besides, there’s strong scientific evidence this approach to finding love is better. That the commonality of a shared dislike promotes “closeness more readily than a system in which two people share a liking.” Basically, we like people who also hate the same things we hate.

Being able to bond with someone who has a strong aversion to the same shitty things in life is real love.

Turn free-time into billable hours

Ohlala is an app for any woman who thinks she ought to be compensated for her time when she’s out with someone.

The pay-to-play service is “for men who aren’t afraid to pay for company”.  Male users place a date request – including time, duration, and how much money they’re willing to pay. With an average offer of $300 for a two-hour date, there needn’t be any awkward expectation issues.

Grab them by the dating site

My parents taught me never to talk politics or religion on a date, but with Trump Singles, you no longer have to be afraid that your candidate of choice will become a source of conflict.

As the exclusive dating site for Donald Trump supporters, you can find your soulmate to discuss all the important topics in life – the definition of ‘ban’, why judicial oversight is bad, and, of course, all those pesky fake news sites.

Perhaps Trump isn’t your thing. Maybe you’re still feeling the Bern. We’ve got you covered with Bernie Singles. Unless you’re feeling a burn after meeting someone online. Then we can only recommend you get that checked out.

Indulge your inner nerd-fantasy

Touted as ‘a place for nerds’, LFGdating wants to break through the barriers gamers sometimes face when online dating.  Especially when some sights treat ‘gamers’ as a sub-genre of people.

Whether it’s casual cosplay-filled afternoon, a long walk on the beach looking for Pokemon, or a hot-and-heavy conquest session during Battlefield, LFGdating is about connecting people with the common thread of gaming.

Looking for the whole package

In this “swipe right” era where dating sites have created a fickle shopping mentality, Sapio is helping you find love beyond the selfie.

A play on the word SapioSexual – meaning “attracted to the mind” – the app puts physical and intellectual attraction on the same playing field.

Sapio pairs like-minded singles through common interests, intelligence levels, and conversation ability; highlights our inner selves as much as what you’re likely to find on a typical dating questionnaire.

Three’s not a crowd

As if finding one potential partner wasn’t hard enough, if your perfect Valentine’s Day includes more people, find your perfect match – or multiple – with Feeld.

The threesome dating app, formerly known as 3nder, is for couples and singles. And promises to help you find kinky, curious, and open-minded people interested in sexual relations that include more than two people.

The 50 shades of Tinder

Whiplr, a location-based messenger that helps you find potential play partners, is like Tinder for the kinky.

The app discretely allows users to channel their inner Christian Grey by connecting them with people who share similar interests in BDSM or other fetishes.

Preferences are categorized by fashion, objects, behavior, and accessories; among others. And every experience level – including the mere curious – are welcome.

No plans tonight? Give one of these sites a whirl. Then let us know how it went in the comments. Depending on which one you choose, be careful how descriptive you get.