How These STD Dating Apps are Changing Online Dating (2024)

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Being positive can change your life in a lot of ways. But we believe that one thing it shouldn’t do is bring your love life to a grinding halt. Yes, dating gets different and arguably harder when you have to either be more selective of partners or have potentially awkward conversations. But again, that doesn’t mean you don’t still have the right to find someone special and have a fantastic dating life.

So, how does one with an STD diagnosis go about meeting singles and successfully dating? Well, there are a lot of options, but we feel the easiest and most effective is online dating. STD dating sites help you to connect with singles who may be going through the same challenges, or it helps you share what needs to be shared in a safe, inviting, and private environment.

Today, we want to showcase our picks for the best STD dating sites that can help you get your love life back in full swing!

Positive Singles offers a safe STD-only community.

  • Available 1-on-1 STD advisor
  • Thousands of success stories
  • Website is secure and well-moderated

Positive Singles is an app that supports those who have tested positive for herpes, HPV, HIV/AIDS, or any other lifelong STD. Whether you are searching for a supportive friend or a committed partner, Positive singles aids in your journey. This is one of the best dating apps for STD because itblends dating services and health-support services to keep you and your potential partners safe and happy.

The Bottom Line – If you want to meet other singles while also learning to handle your diagnosis, Positive Singles is the app for you. This was an easy pick for the top STD dating site.

How These STD Dating Apps are Changing Online Dating (1)

MPWH niches down on singles living with herpes.

  • Dedicated focus on privacy and anonymousness
  • iPhone and Android options available
  • Supportive blogs and resources for users

If you’re looking for a great herpes dating site where you can meet some other positive singles, MPWH certainly needs to be on your list. The site does a great job of pushing discretion and creating a safe and welcoming environment to find someone special.

The Bottom Line – MPWH is the go-to pick when it comes to herpes dating sites. The fact you can use the site on your iPhone, Android, or desktop is also a nice added perk.

How These STD Dating Apps are Changing Online Dating (2)

Meet Positives leverages anonymity bringing some major pros and cons.

  • Free to register
  • Wide user base for all sexual orientations
  • Provides support features alongside dating features

Meet Positives operates with the intention of making the dating scene less awkward for STD positive singles. The idea is that users of the site are all aware of your positive status, so the need for “the talk” is no longer necessary. Additionally, the app provides community support and success stories to help members come together for one another. All profiles are safely protected behind the account log in, so you don’t have anything publicly shown to anyone other than the other members.

The Bottom Line – If the idea of mainstream dating and telling your partner about your STD makes you uncomfortable, Meet Positives offers a place where positive status is upfront and needs no discussion.

HSV Date is a growing community great for a backup STD dating option.

  • Dating site exclusively for Herpes positive singles
  • Quick matching system
  • Membership as low as $13.33/month

HSV Date is a community exclusively for Herpes Simplex positive singles. It is on our list of the best dating apps for STD thanks to its easy signup, large user base, and easy matching system. Simply click yes or no on members to make navigating potential matches easy. If you want something a little more in-depth, you can go view members profiles before opting to send a message.

The Bottom Line – Blends features from hookup dating apps and traditional dating apps to create a customizable experience for HSV positive singles.

How These STD Dating Apps are Changing Online Dating (4)

Singles with HIV can use POS Date, though pricing is high.

  • Exclusive dating app for HIV positive singles.
  • Simple Signup – Takes 10 minutes or less.
  • Membership starts at $40.69/month

Pos Date is a simple, but visually appealing dating site for singles with HIV to find love online. While we can’t ignore that this STD dating site has quite a few positive reviews from users there were a few things that bothered us. Chief among them was that free users are very limited. With a free account you can only upload images, search the site, and send flirts (similar to a like or a wink on other platforms. After that this is one of the more expensive STD dating sites available.

The Bottom Line – If you’re looking for a dating site that only has other singles with HIV, Pos Date may be worth a try. Just be prepared to pay.

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Are STD dating apps safe?

The word safe can mean a lot of different things. And when it comes to STD dating apps being safe, that trend continues. So, let’s answer this overarching question by looking at a few different areas.

First, safety can mean privacy, and that becomes more important when your health information is out there. While STD dating apps aren’t bound by HIPAA or anything like that, they better be all over privacy or else they’re not worth your time. Most STD dating apps do an amazing job of this and only show information that you choose to share. Additionally, they only share this information to other members, not third party companies or the general public.

Second, safety can refer to your health. Yes, STD dating sites are going to be filled with people who have medical conditions that may be contagious. This does carry a bit more risk, but that can be completely mitigated if you’re open, honest, and smart about things. Don’t take unnecessary risks just because you like someone. While the sites can do a lot to give you the avenue to share your health information, it’s up to you to be smart and safe in this category.

Last, safety can refer to general safety (like creepers, stalkers, etc.). Dating apps can do a lot to help in this area with profile verification, proactive customer service teams, and fraud departments on the lookout for anyone who isn’t on the up and up. Just because a dating app caters specifically to singles with STDs doesn’t mean they’re off the hook for this stuff. In order to make our top-rated list, we better see all of this as a major priority.

Tips for Positive Singles Dating Online

Selecting an STD dating app is only the first step in your journey back to normalcy. It’s a big one, but there is a lot more that goes into having a successful online dating experience. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the right path.

  • Honesty Always – Whether you’re using an STD dating app or a mainstream app, you need to be prepared to be honest. If that’s something that’s hard for you, stick to the STD-only options. If you’re okay with being open and forward about things, you can venture to the mainstream options.
  • Take Your Time – When you match with other positive singles online, it can feel natural to rush along and get to meeting each other as quickly as possible. Slow down! Allow yourself time to assess the other person, and allow them to do the same with you. This is especially true if either of you had a more recent diagnosis, as all of this is like starting over fresh again.
  • Be Safe – For anyone dating who doesn’t have a positive diagnosis, we give the same advice. However, for people who do have a positive diagnosis, this does go a step further. Be safe in general, but also be safe with your sexual health. Do this for yourself and for the partners that you meet. There’s not reason to complicate things more and put yourself at undue risk.
  • Be Knowledgeable – Make sure you know everything there is to know about your diagnosis. One—this is just a good practice when you have something impacting your health. Two—this prepares you to answer questions from other singles and know what will and will not put you (or them) at any further health risks. The cheesy cliché that knowledge is power is actually a pretty accurate statement.

How Do You Tell Your Match Your Positive?

If you decide to use a mainstream dating app (which is totally okay), you’ll have to have a conversation with your matches or dates about your situation. Yes, it will be awkward, but it can go well. What we wanted to do is include a few tips on mastering that conversation so you can hopefully have the best results.

  • Be Direct – Don’t skirt around the topic. For example, “Before our relationship goes any further, you need to know that I do have a sexually transmitted disease.” And then be prepared to give details about what it is, how it affects you, and the potential health risks to them.
  • Listen Without Getting Defensive – Your match may have a lot of questions, and that is fair. As long as they aren’t insulting you, you shouldn’t take their curiosity offensively. Remember, them asking questions means they’re open to potentially finding a way to make things work. If they weren’t at all interested, they’d bounce immediately.
  • Respect Rejection – Speaking of bouncing, if your match decides to move on after learning of your positive status, there is no need to continue trying to convince them. There is someone out there for you, and they aren’t the one.

What if My STD is Curable?

Curable STDs are still scary, so we understand and appreciate your concern about dating. However, the best option for you is to seek medical treatment and avoid dating until you are no longer contagious. If you are already speaking to an online match when you discover your curable status, you are under no obligation to reveal that information to non-sexual partners. However, if you are having sexual contact with someone, you should let them know what is going on.

As for STD dating apps, you don’t need to use them. Just wait until things are fully cleared and healed and continue on with the mainstream options you’re used to.

Are there STD dating apps for certain conditions?

While there are STD dating apps that cover the full gamut of conditions, there are some that really dial in on specific conditions. Why? Well, certain STDs are far more prevalent and may have different implications when it comes to dating and the effect on your dating life. For example, there are a lot more singles with herpes than there are with HIV and the impact each has on your life is wildly different.

Below, you’ll find our list of dating apps for specific STDs.

  • Dating Apps for Herpes

An encouraging message for positive singles

Before you head on out there to find your special someone, we wanted to leave you with a bit of encouragement. If you’ve had your diagnosis for a long time, this might be a great refresher. If it’s new, this may be exactly what you need to hear.

Being STD positive does not define you or determine your worth as a person. Though being a positive single can make safe dating a little more involved, it doesn’t prevent you from finding love and happiness. It doesn’t even keep you from dating around, as long as you do so responsibly. The most important factor for any person, with any problems, and any past is how you handle yourself today. So, make the most of your love life with the help of these apps.

How These STD Dating Apps are Changing Online Dating (2024)

FAQs

How has online dating changed the ways in which people date? ›

Online dating has changed the dynamics of communication. A dating app does not give you nuanced communication in terms of tone of voice, inflection, or body language. You are relying on emojis to relay emotional nuance.

How do online dating apps contribute to the spread of super STIs like gonorrhea? ›

"You are able to turn over partners more quickly with a dating app and the quicker you change partners the more likely you are to get infections," Dr Peter Greenhouse has told Newsbeat.

How are dating apps affecting our connection with people? ›

Difficulties forming in-person relationships

An important drawback to dating in the digital world is that it can make it harder for you to relate to people face to face. “How do you go about meeting people in the real world when you're so used to doing it behind a dating app?” Foreman said.

What is the biggest problem with online dating? ›

Internet dating dangers
  • Online dating fraud. Scammers exploit people looking for romantic partners. ...
  • Stalking. Stalking is unwanted behaviour carried out by obsessive or fixated individuals whose actions disrupt their victim's life. ...
  • Sexual abuse.

How dating has changed with social media? ›

The digital age has expanded the dating pool, enabling individuals to connect with potential partners beyond their immediate circles, leading to more diverse and enriching relationships.

How have dating apps has an effect on modern relationships? ›

One major change is the shift from traditional gender roles in dating. With online dating, there are no longer set rules or expectations for who should make the first move or pay for a date. This shift can be empowering and liberating, but it can also add an extra layer of confusion and uncertainty.

How does online dating affect people? ›

Some of the positives include growing a social network, gaining new friends and having a sense of safety and control. However, some of the drawbacks to dating online include the time, effort, lack of success, unwanted sexual messages, and the risk of people misrepresenting themselves.

How social media affects relationships and dating? ›

This can lead to feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and even depression. In some cases, it can even drive a wedge between partners, as one partner may feel like they can never live up to the idealized version of love that they see online. Social media can also facilitate jealousy and insecurity.

How successful is online dating? ›

Dating App Success Rate

Nearly 70% of individuals who met someone on a dating app said it led to a romantic, exclusive relationship, while 28% said it did not. Individuals between ages 43 and 58 found the most success with online dating, with 72% stating that meeting on a dating app led to a romantic relationship.

What's wrong with dating apps today? ›

Part of the problem is that much remains unknown about the world of online dating. Not only are the companies' algorithms proprietary and essentially a black box of matchmaking, but there's also a dearth of research about their effects on users.

Why is it so hard to date online? ›

“There's so many options, there's so many people, you start to lose that care in one another. You don't have to invest in learning this person's feelings, because there's another.” Online dating is inherently disconnected.

What can go wrong with online dating? ›

However, knowing what these scams and their risks and dangers are will help you spot them and prevent them from actually doing harm.
  • Catfishing (i.e., fake online dating profiles) ...
  • Romance scammers asking for money. ...
  • Phishing for personal information (identity theft romance scams) ...
  • Fake online dating and “hookup” sites.

How has online dating changed dating relationships psychology? ›

Participants also thought meeting online helped them make better partner choices because they weren't relying on circ*mstances (e.g., people they met in their day-to-day life), which gave them a larger pool to choose from and allowed them not to lower their standards.

What are the effects of online dating? ›

Some of the positives include growing a social network, gaining new friends and having a sense of safety and control. However, some of the drawbacks to dating online include the time, effort, lack of success, unwanted sexual messages, and the risk of people misrepresenting themselves.

How has the use of technology changed dating relationships? ›

Technology has created new opportunities and ways for us to connect with others, from sending emails and texts to using dating apps and websites to meet potential partners. Love itself may not have changed, but technology has impacted how we communicate, form relationships, and keep in touch.

What is the difference between traditional dating and modern dating? ›

In traditional dating, males are expected to take a more active role, exert more effort, and couples reserve sexual activity for marriage. In contemporary dating, the gender roles and sexual boundaries have become blurred and men are no longer initially exerting more effort than women.

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