Site for casual dating
- Fun for casual dating
- Three types of communities
- Can reply to messages for free
- Mobile and phone options
- Last login date clearly visible
- Not suitable for serious relationships
- Sending messages requires subscription
- Can't turn off instant messaging
- Caters to ages 32 and younger
Lavalife.com's unique structure includes three dating communities: dating (which can lead to serious relationships), relationships (long-term) and intimate encounters (sexual encounters only). Depending on your preferences, this could be a great bargain, since it's cheaper per month than its main competitor, Match.com (*Est. $35 per month). Reviewers are also impressed with the variety of ways to connect with singles, such as online chat, video clips and instant messaging. Anonymous phone contact and mobile access are also available for an extra fee. It costs nothing to respond to members, but to initiate contact you must be a paid member. However, both reviewers and users warn that this is mostly a site for casual relationships for people 32 and younger.
The best reviews for Lavalife.com come from NextAdvisor.com and About.com, though DatingSitesReviews.com gives a good overview of features, pros and cons. Online Chat Dating also gives some useful information from the perspective of people who've actually used the site. The user reviews we found at eDateReview.com were plentiful but outdated, commenting on the site before it underwent major changes.
Our Sources
1. NextAdvisor.com
Neither the male or female editor of NextAdvisor.com is impressed by Lavalife.com. Both note it's more for casual encounters. The female editor calls the men on the "Intimate Encounters" community "desperate and creepy." The editors also criticize the interface, which they feel is difficult to navigate.
Review: Lavalife Review: Online Dating, Editors of NextAdvisor.com
2. About.com
About.com's dating guide Bonny Albo likes Lavalife.com's versatile three communities. She also praises the transparency of the "last login" date, which many other dating sites hide, because it allows users to determine if someone has been inactive for a long time. She also likes the many ways people can interact on this site. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Lavalife Review, Bonny Albo
3. Dating Sites Reviews.com
Lavalife.com has received DatingSitesReviews.com's award for top Canadian dating site for four years running (though the site also covers the U.S. and Australia). Editors like the three communities as well as the ability to see the last login date and reply to messages for free. They gripe, however, that you can't know if you've been "hotlisted" (favorited, essentially) by another member.
Review: Lavalife Review, Editors of DatingSitesReviews.com
4. Online Chat Dating
Online Chat Dating has two (undated) reviews of Lavalife.com. Editors echo previous reviewers in that free replying to messages and transparency of last login date are pros while the emphasis on casual dating is a con. Inability to turn off instant messaging and know if you've been "hotlisted" (favorite) is also annoying.
Review: A Lavalife Review -- The Good and the Bad, Editors of Online Chat Dating
5. eDate Review
Lavalife.com is the top pick for Canadian dating sites on this user-rated site. Unfortunately, most reviews are from 2007 or older when the site operated differently, so the information isn't current. One male member feels that the older site had better quality matches.
Review: Reviews of Lavalife, Contributors to eDateReview.com
Online Dating Runners Up:
4 picks including: eDate Review, Dating Sites Reviews.com…
2 picks by top review sites.
2 picks including: About.com, eDate Review…
Best Reviewed
Online Dating
- Best dating site overall Match.com *Est. $35
- Best matchmaking site eHarmony.com *Est. $60
- Site for casual dating Lavalife.com *Est. $30
- Best free dating site OkCupid.com *Est. $0
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