Posted on02 Nov 2012
The numbers speak for themselves. With more than 40 million men and women in the US alone using dating sites to meet their perfect match, online dating is here to stay. That number grows every year too, and so does the incredible amount of money that users pour into these sites. Thankfully you actually get your money’s worth since the number of successful relationships formed through online dating is huge. If you want a relationship you can find one online so it’s nothing more than a matter of your motivation. There are a handful of exceptionally popular dating sites and I have the scoop on them. Read on to find out which one is right for you.
Chemistry.com offers the most serious approach to algorithmic matchmaking. In essence, they have you answer a slew of questions and base your matches on the results. It’s a fair bit of heavy lifting to answer those questions but it’s necessary for the algorithm to work. Your interest in this site depends largely on your belief in this approach to matchmaking. In my experience and from surveying folks that have used the site, it works well because it matches you with people that are right for you but that you might not have picked on your own. Sometimes, when it comes to picking mates, we can be our own worst enemies.
Cupidswand.com is similar to Chemistry in that they make you fill out a lengthy questionnaire (more than an hour) and then match you based on your results. This site is a little different because you’re restricted from messaging anyone but your matches. In fact, there was a time when they wouldn’t even show you pictures of the people you matched. Instead they relied solely on the survey. Nowadays you can see pictures but you’ll never be able to message anyone you want. It’s a stricter version of Chemistry and they’re for straights only.
Adultfinder.com was launched in 1995, making it the oldest online dating destination. They boast more than 20 million members, but apparently only a fraction of those are paying members that can actually read and respond to your messages. Adultfinder uses a basic algorithm built around lifestyle preferences (sporty, party, etc) and allows you to browse profiles and message members at your leisure. They offer a great service that lets you call members using dummy numbers so you don’t have to give out your contact info to someone you don’t know. If you want to break off contact you just delete the dummy number and you’re done.
All the previous dating sites require a monthly fee for you to message members. There are two prominent sites that are totally free (they offer a paid version that removes ads and adds a few premium features). Xpress.com and Passionsearch.com are fairly similar. You can answer questions at your leisure and the more you answer the more likely you are to be matched with someone right for you. On Xpress.com you can compare specific answers if your potential date has answered those questions. User generated questions also help to flesh out the experience. Xpress is the better of the two dating sites for your free online dating desires.
