Best free dating site
- Free
- Easy registration process
- Automated matching system
- Robust search options
- Free mobile application
- Caters to those 35 and younger
- Nonscientific compatibility questions
- Emphasis on nontraditional lifestyles may turn off some users
Reviewers are impressed with OkCupid.com's capabilities as a free dating website with features rivaling those of paying sites. 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. The sign-up process is easy, but you have to answer a certain number of questions and upload a photo to create your profile. There's a definite emphasis on younger people (under 35) and nontraditional lifestyles, so if that's not what you are and you don't mind paying, Match.com (*Est. $35 per month) is a well-respected dating site with a large, diverse user base.
About.com's Bonny Albo recommends OkCupid.com over six other free dating sites and four paid sites. DatingSitesReviews.com gives an overview of features, pros and cons. PC World's male and female editors both give their assessment. We found fewer negative user reviews for OkCupid.com than for any other dating site at eDateReview.com and Viewpoints.com.
Our Sources
1. About.com
Bonny Albo, About.com's guide to dating, reviews six free dating sites and gives OkCupid.com the highest rating of 5 stars. Albo 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." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Ok Cupid Free Dating Site Review, Bonny Albo
2. PC World
Both female and male editors of PC World tried OkCupid.com and have nothing but good things to say about it. There's lots of fun activity on this free dating site. They do note the young demographic, though, and the sign-up process that takes a little longer than some other free dating sites.
Review: Online Dating for Nerds: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Postings, Sarah Jacobsson Purewal and Alex Wawro, Feb. 10, 2011
3. Dating Sites Reviews.com
Editors of DatingSitesReviews.com chose OkCupid.com as their favorite free dating site for 2010 (users preferred PlentyOfFish.com). They note the user-friendly interface and robust features, all for free, but 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.
Review: Summary of the 2010 Dating Sites Reviews Choice Awards, Editors of DatingSitesReviews.com
4. Viewpoints.com
Viewpoints.com users give OkCupid.com the highest rating among dating sites of 3.5 stars, and it's recommended by 69 percent of them for its diverse features. They warn, however, that scammers have free reign here. They also feel that most people are looking for a casual relationship, though there are exceptions.
Review: OkCupid.com Reviews, Contributors to Viewpoints.com
5. eDate Review
Only about half as many users have reviewed OkCupid.com on eDateReview.com as on Viewpoints.com. They echo what other users have said. 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.
Review: Reviews of OkCupid, 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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