OkCupid.com

Bottom line

If you're under 35, somewhat quirky and are not looking too hard for a serious relationship, then OkCupid.com (Free) is a good choice for an online dating site. You need to upload a photo and answer a brief questionnaire to set up your profile, but then you can let the site choose matches for you or conduct your own searches. Upgrading to a competitively priced paid subscription (Est. $20 per month) buys you more features and search capabilities.

Members

Best if you're quirky. Reviewers say OkCupid.com's quizzes and forums make it fun to use, but there's an emphasis on nontraditional lifestyles and ages 35 and younger. Some reviewers say the site is a fun place to hang out, but many members are inactive or not serious, so finding a long-term relationship through OkCupid.com is challenging. Bonnie Albo of About.com states she has used the service for years, and though she personally hasn't met a lot of people on it, she and her friends have been well matched. It's a great site, she says, for "the quirkier among us."

Matches

Nonscientific questionnaire. The OkCupid.com sign-up process is easy, but you have to answer a certain number of questions and upload a photo to create your profile. All the questions are nonscientific compatibility questions generated by the site's staff or users, not a relationships expert, and the more questions you answer, the better the matches will be.

You can also write a profile essay, and there's an easy to follow explanation of the OkCupid.com matching algorithm on the website, so you can figure out how your matches are chosen. In addition, you can also conduct your own search for using terms including age, location, marital status and sexual preference. The A-list paid subscription (Est. $20 per month) lets you search also on body type and attractiveness.

Features and costs

Integrates social networking. OkCupid.com combines social networking, compatibility testing and online dating. The site includes instant messaging (though no group chat), a personality test, member-created quizzes and flexible search capabilities. Both female and male editors of PC World tried OkCupid.com and have nothing but good things to say about it.

They note the user-friendly interface and robust features, all for free, but they are disappointed that users can't chat in groups or upload videos. They also warn that many features aren't options if you want to remain anonymous. The A-List subscription (Est. $20 per month) allows you to browse profiles invisibly, see who rates you highly and stops all ads. You can pay your OkCupid.com bills using Bitcoin.

Security

Beware scammers on this site. Reviewers warn that scammers have free reign here, so users should be extra vigilant. OkCupid.com doesn't collect your real name, and your profile is available only to OkCupid.com users who are signed in to the site. Unlike most other online dating sites, you can see the last time someone was online, so you can tell if a match has been inactive for a while. You can browse anonymously, but then you can't see who's viewed your own profile, unless you have an A-list subscription.