Dating in Nottingham: Best Free Sites & Apps

The Nottingham dating scene

Nottingham is one of the UK’s major student cities, home to the University of Nottingham, with its large University Park campus, and Nottingham Trent University in the city centre. Add the hospitals, Boots and a growing number of creative and tech businesses, and you get a young, busy dating scene with a good mix of students and professionals.

The city centre is compact and walkable, with the trams linking it to Beeston, Hucknall and Clifton. Locals are generally friendly and unpretentious, and a pint in a historic pub is a perfectly respectable first date.

Which platform suits you

All services in our United Kingdom ranking are available in Nottingham:

• Match: serious dating for 25+. Free profile, filters and likes; sending and reading messages are paid.
• eharmony: long-term relationships, with most members over 30. The compatibility quiz and suggestions are free.
• Ourtime: dating for over 50s, with free profile, browsing and likes.
• Loveat50: simple dating over 50, with free registration and browsing.

For free dating, Tinder and Bumble offer free matching and chat, Hinge has limited daily likes and free chat, and Plenty of Fish lets you message without paying. Expect a strong student presence on the apps during term.

Where Nottingham goes out

Hockley is the city’s independent quarter, with cocktail bars, coffee shops and the Broadway cinema. The Lace Market next door has historic warehouses turned into bars and restaurants. The Old Market Square is the central meeting point. For a calmer evening, West Bridgford, across the Trent near the cricket and football grounds, has a strip of bars and restaurants popular with professionals, and Beeston has a village feel close to the university.

Nottingham also claims some of the oldest pubs in England, including Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, built into the rock below the castle, which makes a memorable first drink. Sneinton Market hosts independent makers and food. For daytime dates, Wollaton Hall and its deer park, the Arboretum and the River Trent embankment are free and pleasant. Running clubs, climbing walls and Meetup groups are common, and the city’s comedy and live music venues are great for a second date.

Practical and safety tips

Weekend nights in the centre can be very busy, so choose a quieter bar if you want to talk. Meet somewhere public, let a friend know your plans and check your tram or bus home. Never send money to a match you have not met in person.

Which site fits you in Nottingham?

Chloe, 22, Nottingham Trent student living in Lenton

Chloe is on a tight budget. Bumble and Tinder let her chat with matches for free. Free tip: a walk round Wollaton Park, with its deer, costs nothing and is easy to reach.

Raj, 33, pharmacist in West Bridgford

Raj wants to settle down and prefers people with a similar outlook. Match lets him filter by age and distance. Free tip: creating a profile and sending likes are free; pay only when he wants to message.

Emma, 41, solicitor in the Lace Market

eharmony suits her goal of a long-term relationship. Free tip: the compatibility quiz is free, and a cocktail in Hockley makes a relaxed first date.

Pauline, 58, widowed nurse in Mapperley

Ourtime and Loveat50 are both aimed at over 50s. Free tip: the Arboretum is a quiet, central place for a first walk.

Dating in Nottingham: FAQ

Is Nottingham a good place for singles?

Yes. With two big universities and a busy centre, Nottingham has a young, sociable population and plenty of places to go out.

Which dating app is best in Nottingham?

Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are the main free apps. For serious dating, Match tops our ranking.

Where do singles go out in Nottingham?

Hockley, the Lace Market, the Old Market Square area and West Bridgford.