Comparison
Date A Widower vs OurTime
An over-50s dating service, or a site built around widowhood at any age.
- Free to join
- 18+ only
OurTime is a dating service for singles over 50, owned by Match Group, and it is open to romance, friendship and companionship. Date A Widower is a dating site for widowed singles of any adult age and the people who would like to meet them, with most members between 35 and 64. If you have been widowed and you are over 50, both may suit you; the difference is whether you want an age-based site or a widowhood-based one.
| What you get | Date A Widower | OurTime |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Widowed singles and people who want to date them | Singles over 50 |
| Ages you will meet | Mostly 35 to 64, some older | 50 and over |
| Widowed people only? | Yes | No; widowed, divorced and never married |
| How you meet people | Daily shortlist near you, messages, feed | Browse, search, daily matches, likes |
| US and UK | One site, prices in your currency | Separate US and UK services |
| ID checks | Free ID or video check with a badge | Moderation and phone verification |
| Free messaging | A set number each day, replies always open | Rules have changed with its newer app |
An age-based site or a widowed one
OurTime groups people by age. That works well when the thing you most want in common is your stage of life. But many people on an over-50s site are divorced or have never married, and you will still choose when to explain your loss. Date A Widower groups people by experience instead. Nobody here needs it explained. And because widowhood does not wait for fifty, our members include widows and widowers in their thirties and forties as well as their sixties and seventies, something an over-50s site cannot offer. Read more on young widow dating and widowed dating over 50.
How you meet people
OurTime lets you browse, search by lifestyle, like profiles and get daily matches, and its Topics feature lets members share stories. Date A Widower also sends you a daily set of suggestions near you, based on your age range, distance, the kind of relationship you want and your interests. Alongside one-to-one messages there is a members' feed, and VIP members can join chat rooms and set up group chats of up to 50 people, handy if a few widowed friends want to organize a meal out together.
One service, or two?
Worth knowing if you live in Britain: the US and UK versions of OurTime are separate services that look and work differently, so a review of one may not describe the other. Date A Widower is one site wherever you join, with most members in the USA and smaller groups in the UK, Canada and Australia, and prices shown in your own currency.
Feeling safe
OurTime describes profile moderation and fraud detection, and offers phone verification. On Date A Widower, any member can verify their identity for free with ID or a short video call with a moderator, and a badge shows it. Uploads are checked, a warning appears if someone pushes you toward another app, and real people answer support day and night. If you have been widowed recently, that kind of backup is worth having; our safety page explains each protection.
What you can do for free
Both are free to join. OurTime's free members can build a profile, search and get daily matches, with extras such as seeing who liked you on its paid plan; its rules on free messaging have changed with its newer app, so check them when you sign up. On Date A Widower, free members can send a set number of messages each day and always reply to paid members. Every plan is on our pricing page.
Which suits you?
If you are over 50 and want people your own age above all, OurTime is built for that. If what matters most is meeting people who understand widowhood, whatever their age, Date A Widower is the closer fit. Try the free version of each and see where the conversations feel easier.
Date A Widower or OurTime: your questions
Is OurTime only for people over 50?
Yes. It is a dating service for singles over 50. Date A Widower has no upper or lower age focus beyond 18+.
Does OurTime have widowed members?
Many over-50s are widowed, but OurTime is open to everyone over 50, so you cannot assume a match has been widowed.
Who owns OurTime?
Match Group, which also owns Match. The US app is published by Match Group Americas.
Which is better for a widow in her forties?
OurTime would not suit you yet, as it is for over-50s. On Date A Widower, women aged 35 to 54 are among the biggest groups of members.