Anyone who has spent time as a single adult will tell you dating isn't easy. When you're getting to know someone, there are a lot of factors at work that can make things tough. If you're living with a sexually transmitted infection (STI), it can be even harder.
People living with the herpes simplex virus are capable of having healthy, safe relationships. It can be hard to communicate that to a partner or FWB that isn't positive, however. Sometimes, the people who know that best are other singles living with herpes. Whether you have the herpes simplex virus or understand how to behave in a relationship with someone who does, you can find love on these sites that cater to singles dating with herpes.
1. Positive Singles
2. Meet People With Herpes
3. AdultFriendFinder.com
4. MeetPositives
5. HWerks
6. H-Date
7. HSV Singles
Positive Singles
PositiveSingles is one of several dating herpes dating options. The site doesn't just cater to people with herpes, however. It's also one of few dating sites for people with other STDs. Their goal is to help singles find love and support from a community that understands what they're going through.
Positive Singles has over 1.5 million members and is growing every day as people living with sexually transmitted infections and diseases look for ways to overcome societal stigma. Being positive doesn't mark the end of your love life and this site is determined in making a stand against that misconception.
Why do users love it?
PositiveSingles strikes an amazing balance between transparency and protecting user privacy with their features. You can see who has viewed your profile, but you also have the option to search anonymously. You can choose to hide your whole profile at any time, or just hide areas of it. You can even set up a special password to access the mobile app on your phone, should you choose to download it.
They match singles not just based on their medical conditions, but on compatibility factors such as interest, lifestyle, zodiac sign, and more. If you're struggling, you can consult one of their one-on-one dating advisors as part of your membership. If you're looking for friendship as well, they offer forums that are bustling with conversations, not just about medical concerns, but also current events and other interests.
Meet People With Herpes (MPwH)
MPwH, which is short for Meet People With Herpes, claims to be the original dating site for people with herpes. Members can have any kind of relationship status, but they must be living with HSV-1 or HSV-2. If you have another STD or STI, your profile will not be accepted, because it is herpes dating exclusively. Many of the members who sign up to MPwH are tired of being judged for living with herpes and are looking for serious partners and true love.
Why do users love it?
While MPwH is certainly focused on catering to partners with herpes, when it comes down to dating, it's only part of who you are. Your profile reflects that by listing your status among 25 other fields that could tell someone what you're all about.
Users also love that they don't have to worry about inauthentic profiles. Like other dating sites, MPwH has a profile verification option that makes it so that people know you're the real deal.
Video introductions and private photo albums make it easier to connect with other users and focus on dating. While these features aren't available with a free membership, about half of the site's features are, which makes it a good place to start.
Adult Friend Finder
Adult Friend Finder is one of the biggest online dating sites out there. While it doesn't cater specifically to members with STIs or STDs, its large user base is notoriously welcoming of all kinds of people. By the sheer number of users alone, you're likely to come across someone who can provide understanding and support at the times when you need it most. It's one of the few general picks that singles with herpes feel comfortable and safe navigating.
Why do users love it?
With over 80 million registered users, you can meet someone new every single time you log on. If you're afraid of rejection, a big dating pool could help you keep perspective.
The lack of judgment makes this more popular among those dating with herpes than anything else. Adult Friend Finder features a wide variety of adults that have all kinds of experiences. While it may not be the best place to find long-term love, if you're looking for something a little more casual, or just to make some new friends in the dating community, this could be a fun place to get started.
Meet Positives
MeetPositives is one of the newer dating sites for people living with STDs and STIs. It doesn't cater to any particular infections or diseases but does celebrate a community that understands how to navigate dating someone who is living with something they must manage.
Why do users love it?
Users love dating without the awkwardness or stigma that can sometimes come with dating someone who has never had a partner with an STI or STD.
Many users also love that the website has an almost equal split between male and female users, making it possible for anyone of any sexuality to find someone on this dating site. They also have a mobile app that makes it easy to take the experience on the go with Android and iOS devices.
HWerks
HWerks aims to celebrate singles who know that a herpes diagnosis doesn't define you. They're exclusive to those living with herpes, so everyone on the site is aware of what dating with the condition is like. HWerks really fosters community by providing advice and information that fit people from all lifestyles. It's an easy place to make friends, and it's easy to see how those friendships could lead to something more.
Why do users love it?
HWerks offers the possibility of both friendship and romantic love to people with herpes. They also do it with a unique membership model. Instead of monthly payments, there's a one-time sign-up fee of $30. Once you pay, you have full access to the social media-style dating site. That's less than the monthly cost for some other herpes dating sites, but each experience is different, so only you can determine what's right for you.
Aside from the usual dating site features, there are also opportunities for users to blog, join local groups in their area for meet-ups, or even attend national events. If you're into more of an online dating set-up than an in-person thing, you can take advantage of their chat rooms, which include instant messaging and video chat.
H-Date
H-Date is another one of the top dating sites for people living with STDs and STIs. They pride themselves in being the largest community for dating with HSV-1, HSV-2, HPV, Hepatitis C, HIV, or none. Unlike other dating sites for people living with herpes, H-Date doesn't require that all its members are positive singles.
H-Date has a small, but active pool of 50,000 users that is growing every day. While this could make it difficult to find matches in certain locations, it can also work for users who are intimidated by having too big a selection to choose from.
Why do users love it?
H-Date was once entirely free. As a result, their free membership still gets you a pretty sweet deal. Other herpes dating sites don't let you do much more than create a profile for free. With H-Date, you can send and receive up to 30 flirts a day for free, as well as browsing local profiles.
H-Date premium does open you up to users from around the world, which can be appealing for users who like to travel or ones that are looking for a unique love match. It can also be ideal for someone who wants to make friend, talk, and meet other interesting people, but don't like the idea of people who judge them for their positive status.
HSVSingles
HSV Singles brings a judgment-free safe zone to people with herpes looking to date. Like other herpes dating sites, it a dating site that also focuses on community and has a friendship element to it. It's an overall social space with a specific emphasis on dating that feels very organic.
This site has become particularly popular with those in the 25 to 44 age range despite their smaller user base. HSV Singles is also an LGBTQ-friendly site, which is still rare in herpes dating. These demographics have made the site friendly to people living with herpes and help it continue to grow.
Why do users love it?
The community as a whole feels welcoming, entertaining, and even inspiring for HSV Singles members. It may be a dating site for people with herpes, but it's also a place where people who have seen the judgmental side of society over something as personal as a sexually transmitted disease or infection can talk to other people living with herpes who understand the experience.
As far as the services they provide, they have some awesome features. There's a chat room where you can get to know many members who are online at once, but also private messaging so you could break away with anyone you hit it off with. There's a swiping option that gives you a Tinder-style experience. There are also blogs that range from funny to insightful and everything in between.
HSV Singles offer a 5-day free trial to see if you're interested in subscribing to a paid membership. Instead of a mobile app, they have a mobile-responsive site that will work on any mobile internet browser.
Why do people living with herpes have trouble with dating?
Many people living with herpes struggle with when the right time to disclose their status to a potential partner is. It's a really sensitive subject for many. Even with all the information out there about safe ways to go about dating and sex as a person with herpes, people can still be wary. There's been a stigma around herpes dating that's pervaded pop culture, and sometimes people simply don't want to understand the facts.
How does online dating help?
Online dating has made it easier for many people to find their perfect match. It's a little easier to have some of those difficult conversations over text, chat, video, or other means of communication dating sites use. Dating sites for people with herpes have made it so that disclosure is a given, leaving room for the more important details of a relationship.
