It is not easy finding the right guy for you. How many times have we gone out on dates with the hopes that this might be the one only for it not to be? Or how many times have we already been in a relationship and thought that it might be one that lasts for longer than a few months only for it to fall apart weeks later? It seems like it happens too often. In addition, the fact that meeting people is not always the easiest thing to do in the world means that there might be some lonely nights lying in wait for us.

However, with the growing world of online dating, you do not have to be alone unless you want to be. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can have a list of guys or girls (or both), that meet the basic criteria you seek in a partner. However, what are some of the better sites? After all, not all sites are the same. Below is a list of five of the more popular gay dating sites. Check them out and see which ones are right for you.

Match.com

Match is synonymous with online dating, which is one reason why it is such a great site for gay dating. Let’s face it, most sites offer all kinds of dating, whether gay, straight, or otherwise, but what it comes down to is how many possible matches can you find. With Match, you have literally tens of thousands of opportunities because it is so popular.

If there is any knock against Match.com is that it is a pay site. Most sites are pay sites, so it is not that big of a deal, but if you are on a tight budget than you may want to look elsewhere. However, a great thing about Match is that it does offer free six months of membership if your first six months do not produce any results.

One of the other great features Match offers is an in-depth profile. Many other sites only require a few basic bits of information before a person can start searching other profiles. This can make for a higher failure rate because you do not have a good idea of who you are initiating contact with. With Match and its extensive profile questions, you can gain a very good idea of whom you are winking at or emailing. It makes for a much higher rate of success.

Zoosk.com

Zoosk is a great site for gay dating for a couple of reasons. The first is that it offers a free basic membership. Granted, it does not allow you full access to all of Zoosk’s great features, but at least it offers you a chance to meet people despite your current financial situation. If you have a bit of money to spend on your online dating search though, Zoosk does offer very reasonable rates for varying lengths of membership. Either way, with all the benefits that Zoosk offers, it is worth a look.

For example, Zoosk makes it very easy to access not only the site, but also other people. With the Zoosk app, you do not ever have to be disconnected from your account. You can know instantly who has messaged you or change your profile whenever you want. It also makes chatting extremely easy. As anyone who has done online dating before knows, chatting is a great way to make a connection. Well, with Zoosk messenger, you can easily keep track of and continue conversations with everyone you want to. Chatting it up was never so easy!

CompaitblePartners.com

CompatiblePartners (CP) is a great site for gay dating because, well, it offers it exclusively. Unlike the previous two sites where one can narrow their search for others who are seeking same sex relationships, CP offers only same sex relationship. What makes it even better is that the profile questionnaire is detailed and is also designed to determine personality types. This determination is then later applied in your searches. The ultimate effect is that you find more people who are more likely to be compatable. There is not any of that exchanging of emails or chatting for several weeks only to finally learn that there really is not a connection. With CP, you know right away whether the other person has what you are seeking.

If there is a drawback to this site, it’s that it’s a bit more expensive than the other sites. Unfortunately, there is no free basic membership, but with the exclusivity of the site and the great profile features, CP is definitely worth your time.

GayDating

As anyone could guess, GayDating (GD) is another site that is exclusively for those who seek same sex relationships. Mostly, this site caters to gay men looking for serious relationships, but it also offers plenty of features for women who are seeking other women.

A good thing about GD is that it is relatively inexpensive. There is a free basic membership, but it has limited options. However, with even the basic one-month membership (which costs a little over ten dollars) you can access to most of the sites wonderful features. And if you want a better per-month price and more features you can chose to get a longer membership. In addition, while other gay dating sites do not offer a full array of features that many primarily straight sites do, GD offers any feature you would find on any dating site.

SeniorPeopleMeet

While SeniorPeopleMeet (SPM) is not exclusively a gay dating site, it is a site that caters to those of us who are over 40 years old. After all, just because you have had a few experiences in life does not mean that you are ready to settle into a routine. Some of us still enjoy going out and meeting people. Well, SPM lets those of us who want to get into a same sex relationship but aren’t right out of college to do so.

Now, while there are some membership costs, there is the option of browsing the profiles for free. This can give you a good idea of who is on there and whether you want to invest any time, money, or energy.

Possibly the biggest benefit is that you know there are other people your age on the site. It can be a bit demoralizing to go onto some other sites and see profiles of only twenty year olds — many of who set their date parameters to no one over 30. With SPM, you can rest assured that most of the other people there are like you.

Summary

It is not easy finding the right person or getting into a healthly long-term relationship. Thankfully, there are plenty of sites available for those of us who seek an exciting and stable same sex relationship through their collection of great profiles and useful features. It makes the idea of finding someone — and not just anyone but the right person for you — all the more appetizing. The only question remains: What are you waiting for?

Breakups hurt regardless of how long you dated your former partner. You want to get back on the dating wagon, but are unsure of how to go about it. Dating websites are a great way to do this. They allow you to look through listings of potential partners without actually meeting them unless you want to. You are in charge of who you choose to contact and get the chance to talk a bit first before heading out on that first date. This will help to eliminate some potential mates that just aren’t meant to be and allows you to avoid that awkward blind date scenario.

Be Open to Moving On

The beauty of online dating is that there is no commitment until you actually make one. You can start by perusing profiles and causally chatting with those that interest you. This can help to build up your dating confidence again before you even head out on the town. However, you have to be open to actually moving on before you can fully enjoy the casual online dating world. If every profile you look at is compared to your ex, you may want to turn off the computer and take a break. Then, after a few days, head back to the site and get back to checking out the other fish in the sea. The best way to get over a breakup is to get back to dating.

Know the Kind of Love or Sex Relationship You Want

Are you looking to get back into another long-term relationship, or are you looking to just casually date and meet new people? It is important to establish this before you head into the virtual dating world. You need to be honest and real about this from the get go. The last thing you want to do is break someone’s heart while yours is still healing. This does not mean that one of those casual encounters will not become your next long-term love, but if this is not your initial goal, be clear about this.

Know that Your Ex is Not the Only Person Out There

Online dating is a great way to be reminded of this. You sign up for a site and within a few days, you are sure to have winks and messages from several potential mates. The signup process may be painful, but it is a mega confidence builder knowing that there are other guys or gals out there that want nothing more than to connect with you. This helps to gradually erase the heartbreak and sense of defeat and loneliness. You will soon start to feel hopeful and excited again.

Keep Your Ex Out of It

It is inevitable that you and your new date will delve a bit into ex territory at some point, but keep it simple. Just be simple and honest about why you broke up and move on. For example, if your ex cheated, just say that he or she cheated and move on. There is no need to go into detail about how you caught them, who they were cheating with and how heartbroken you were. A new potential mate should be fun and nothing brings down the mood more than rehashing past heartbreaks.

Be Picky

You will get a lot of hits and messages, so be sure to scrutinize these. If you really do not want a mate that works 60 hours a week, then be honest about this. If you do not want a mate with kids, then be honest about this. This is your time to find a new special someone and you should not settle just to get back into the dating world. Take charge and find someone who has all of the qualities that you want.

Be Patient

You may not find a suitable dating partner right away. In a nutshell, you may have to virtually kiss a few frogs before finding the one. Take your time and enjoy the attention and chatting with new people. This alone can sometimes be enough to reinforce your dating confidence and give you your groove back. You will know when someone is worth meeting in person, so go with your gut.

Do Not Wait Too Long to Meet Those You are Interested In

Phone conversations and messages are a great way to initiate knowing someone, but it can also be a bit deceiving. How you interact in person is the best way to gauge your true mate potential. Because of this, it is important to set up a face-to-face date shortly after knowing that you two have some chemistry. There is nothing worse than it seeming perfect online or on the phone, and then you meet in person and realize that it just is not meant to be. The faster you know, the faster you can move on to the next person if necessary.