Reading dating site reviews probably isn’t on your checklist for finding a relationship, but it should be. There may not be any written rules that certain sites only cater to summer flings while others are more suitable for finding longterm relationships, but the online dating site scene certainly seems to operate in its own sort of code.
We know you’re eager to meet your match so the TLDR version is eHarmony, Match.com, and OkCupid are your best bets for finding a long-term relationship. And if you don’t really know what you want but you’re open to date, we recommend trying FirstMet, Bumble, and Zoosk. If you want something even less commital, Grindr, Tinder, and Her lead the charge on hookup apps. Looking to compare dating sites? Continue reading for what each service has to offer and what reviewers say.
Online dating site reviews
1) eHarmony
Since its launch 2000, eHarmony has continued to top lists of the highest rated online dating sites. Founded by a former marriage counselor and clinical psychologist, eHarmony practically forefronted compatibility testing. After sifting through years of data on what makes a long-term relationship successful, eHarmony introduced its patented Compatibility Matching System which uses your responses to a specific series of questions (I.E. Do you have kids? Are you religious? Are you good at building romance in a relationship? etc.) to match you with someone who meets your criteria. The test is regularly updated to ensure quality matching, and if you feel like you need a bit of coaching to get back into the game, eHarmony even offers dating advice to all of its members through its eHarmony Advice blog.
eHarmony reviewers say that its biggest flaw is the fact that the site doesn’t delete or hide inactive accounts. So instead of only suggesting people that are actively chatting on or using the site, users have found they’ll be “matched” with old/expired accounts that will likely never respond. Additionally, users complain that the site is rather expensive to use (more on that below)–especially since you can’t pause your account. So if you sign up for six months and meet a great partner within the first four you’re still stuck paying for those two months that you (probably) aren’t even using.
Joining eHarmony is free but in order to access all the site’s benefits, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid subscription. Standard subscriptions allow you to see who’s viewed your profile, unlimited messages and photos, and access to more matches. The Premium plan includes all of that plus the ability to browse anonymously, see when people read your messages and get featured with Spotlight.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
Standard Subscription rates
- $59.95/month for a six-month Standard subscription
- $49.95/month for a 12-month Standard subscription
- $39.95/month for a 24-month Standard subscription
Premium Subscription rates
- $69.95/month for a six-month Premium subscription
- $59.95/month for a 12-month Premium subscription
- $49.95/month for a 24-month Premium subscription
2) Match.com
Match.com has been another leading singles site since its debut in 1995. Instead of running capability tests, Match requires its worldwide users to express themselves in free writing sections and by selecting partner preferences. Profiles can also include up to 26 photos, but the site’s most notable feature by far is its heightened level of privacy, which allows members to message each other anonymously while keeping all names and contact information confidential until you decide to share it with another member.
People who have used Match.com offer mixed reviews on SiteJabber, with most saying it really only caters to an older crowd (60+) as many of the profiles of people in their 20s seem to be fake. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that Match.com isn’t responsible for a bad date, there’s only so much potential chemistry they can predict. So if you choose to read more reviews, do it with a grain of salt.
Joining Match.com is free, but a premium subscription gains you access to all the site’s perks. As a paid Standard member, you’ll be able to chat with local singles, send and receive messages, see who’s viewed you, attend live events and more. Premium members even get notifications when someone reads your email, one profile review per year, and monthly boosts. Plus, for a limited time, all Match.com memberships are up to 67% off–so if you’re looking to try it out, there’s never been a better time!
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
Standard Subscription rates
- $33.99/month for a three-month Standard subscription (regularly $45.32/month)
- $21.99/month for a six-month Standard subscription (regularly $29.32/month)
- $19.99/month for a 12-month Standard subscription (regularly $26.65/month)
Premium Subscription rates
- $37.99/month for a three-month Premium subscription (regularly $50.65/month)
- $23.99/month for a six-month Premium subscription (regularly $31.99/month)
- $20.99/month for a 12-month Premium subscription (regularly $27.99/month)
3) Passion.com
Unlike other online dating sites, Passion.com is a sex dating site for posting personals. But that doesn’t limit the service from offering other very NSFW content, like private chatrooms and adult movies.
According to online dating reviews, Passions.com is a solid site for enjoying explicit content but it lacks key features (like a mobile app) and hides its best content behind a paywall. But once you get past that (and the overall corniness of the site’s design) you’ll find that Passions.com has all the fun you’re looking for.
Passions.com is free to join but in order to view explicit photos, private cams, and profile summaries, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid membership. Currently, the service offers a monthly Gold membership which gives you unlimited access to everything, a Private Chatroom membership that gives you access to just the cam section of the site, an Adult Movie membership for all your pornographic movie needs, and a points/credits based system that you can use to send tips and gifts to models.
Membership payment options (payable by credit card, electronic check, or money order):
Gold Membership rates
- $31/month for a one-month Gold Membership
- $24/month for a three-month Gold Membership
- $17/month for a 12-month Gold Membership
Private Chatroom Membership rates
- $10.95/month for a one-month membership
- $7.65/month for a three-month membership
- $6.55/month for a six-month membership
Adult Movie Membership
Points
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4) EliteSingles.com
EliteSingles.com has one of the cleanest interfaces when you compare dating sites. It’s intended to help users find long-term relationships, not just flings–which is why it developed the 5 Factor Personality Questionnaire for its users to take prior to registering. This quick quiz uses your answers to match you with other users that offer compatible responses.
If you’re looking to hear from reviewers, SiteJabber users had mixed things to say about this service. It worked for some, while others say the service doesn’t screen profiles well enough–leading to incompatible matches and lots of fake profiles. So is it worth the risk? We’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
- $37.95/month for a three-month Premium membership
- $21.95/month for a six-month Premium membership
- $19.95/month for a 12-month Premium membership
5) Zoosk.com
One of the highest rated online dating sites, Zoosk.com offers members access to both free online dating services and paid subscriptions. Registering is easy and only takes a few minutes, and unlike other dating sites, Zoosk actually walks users through how to access all of the site’s features. So if you’re new to or unsure about online dating, Zoosk is the metaphorical equivalent of “just getting your feet wet.”
Free users can message members, swipe through profiles, access dating advice, see who viewed their profile, flirt, and favorite members. Paid subscribers can boost their visibility, send gifts, go invisible, and access advanced search filters.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
6) FirstMet.com
After reviewing internet dating reviews of FirstMet.com, it seems like this is the site for people who don’t know what they’re looking for (in terms of relationship style). The service doesn’t offer compatibility matching like other dedicated dating sites, which is part of its appeal–at least for those just looking to date or meet someone they can have fun with. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t people looking for committed relationships, either–it just means they may be a part of the site’s minority.
FirstMet users gain access to a social network style dating service, an “interests” page where users can search for matches with similar hobbies or passions, and icebreaker questions to help with starting conversations. But since the focus is on honing that “first connection,” the site doesn’t offer video calling or instant chat support–just plain ol’ email!
FirstMet.com is free to join and allows users to read/compose a limited amount of messages to other free members (Premium members are always free to message), browse in their local area, and access basic search features. Premium members unlock unlimited messaging, can see who’s viewed their profile, search around the world, and access advanced search filters.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
- $24.99/month for a one-month Premium membership
- $16.66/month for a three-month Premium membership
- $12.50/month for a six-month Premium membership
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7) OkCupid.com
Also in the list of the highest rated online dating sites, OkCupid has seen a lot of successful relationships and even marriages! Since 2004, OkCupid has offered users free messaging, profile building, and access to dating advice through the service’s blog. And just five years ago, the dating app was the first of its kind to introduce gender and sexual orientation options that exceeded the binary–so if diversity was ever a concern, just know that OkCupid embraces it.
And instead of a more traditional compatibility test, OkCupid has its members fill out a questionnaire that they can use to rank the importance of questions. For example, one question is “How do you feel about gender-neutral passports?” Users can choose to select “I’m in favor of them” or “I’m not in favor of them,” and then either check the box to denote that “this is important to me” or leave it blank if it’s not a dealbreaker.
OkCupid is free to join, but paid members (or A-Listers) do get to enjoy some perks–like seeing who views your profile, read receipts on messages, access to advanced search filters, and no ads. A-List memberships are available in two packages: A-List Basic which offers everything aforementioned, and A-List Premium which gives you everything available in the A-List Basic package plus daily boosts, increased attractiveness, access to other member’s questionnaire answers, and message priority.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
A-List Basic membership rates
- $19.95 for a one-month A-List Basic membership
- $14.95/month for a three-month A-List Basic membership
- $9.95/month for a six-month A-List Basic membership
A-List Premium membership rates
- $34.90/month for a one-month A-List Premium membership
- $29.90/month for a three-month A-List Premium membership
- $24.90/month for a six-month A-List Premium membership
8) PlentyOfFish.com
According to dating website reviews, PlentyOfFish is a mixed bag. Some people say it’s no more than a very basic dating site, while others complain that it’s not worth having to sift through all the ads and fake profiles in order to use the site without a paid subscription. So if you’re thinking of using it, you should proceed with caution.
The site is free to join but in order to access the best features, you’ll have to upgrade to a Premium account. Paid members receive read receipts, will show up first on the Meet Me page and stand out in searches, see when other members viewed your profile, send up to three gifts per day, be able to upload more photos, and unlock users’ extended profiles.
Membership payment options (payable by credit or debit card):
- $19.35/month for a two-month Premium membership
- $12.75/month for a four-month Premium membership
- $9.99/month for an eight-month Premium membership
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