EmailBest Reviewed
Online Dating
- Best online dating site overall Match.com *Est. $35
- Online dating site for serious singles Chemistry.com *Est. $50
- Best casual dating site Lavalife.com *Est. $30
- Best free dating service OkCupid.com *Est. $0
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Best online dating site overall
- Largest and most refined service
- Excellent search options
- Most diverse range of members
- Only paying members can send and read e-mails
- Subscription renews and bills automatically
- Personal information may be shared with third parties
With more than 15 million subscribers, Match.com emerges in reviews as the largest and best overall online dating site. Reviewers of online dating websites praise Match.com for being user-friendly. Match.com's custom search options include a solid keyword search function and two-way matching based on common interests of members. You can browse for free, but you will have to register to read a complete profile, and you will have to become a paying member in order to contact someone. Overall, reviewers say Match.com is a fun dating site with the most diverse member base compared to other online dating sites, but it lacks some unique features such as online chat, which is a standout quality of Lavalife.com (*est. $30 per month).
We found the best critical review of Match.com at VillageMatchmaker.com, which rates dating sites on their number of users, ease of use and price. The site includes a short list of pros and cons in addition to a detailed description. Consumer Reports magazine reviews online dating sites objectively based on payment options, matching, privacy, safety and user complaints. Individual user reviews of dating sites are mainly negative.
Our Sources
Match.com receives the highest rating on this site, which reviews most competing dating sites in balanced write-ups. Editors don't like the ads sprinkled throughout the site, however. A message board at VillageMatchmaker.com allows readers to post reviews, but few readers have used this feature.
Review: Match.com, Editors of VillageMatchmaker.com
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Consumer Reports' editors sign up for accounts with five of the largest online dating sites, including Match.com. Sites are assessed for the quality of the matches, security and privacy.
Review: Romance.com -- CR's Guide to Online Dating Sites, Editors of Consumer Reports , Dec. 2006
3. About.com
About.com's dating guide Bonny Albo rates Match.com based on features and cost. Match.com is praised for its unique features, but it doesn't appear that Albo tested the site herself. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Match.com Dating Site Review, Bonny Albo
The editors at TopTenReviews.com award Match.com the highest rating. Features are discussed extensively, but it's unclear if editors actually signed up and tested the service.
Review: Match.com, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
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