Finding The Best Online Dating Site

Dating in in the digital age isn’t easy and neither is finding the right online dating site. There are many options out there that claim to be the best and to find you “true love,” but as most of you know, that’s not always the case. So, instead of wasting hours of your own time, Reviews.com, a company dedicated to conducting unbiased research, has looked into finding the best online dating sites out there. The last thing you want to do is be on an ineffective dating site that never pays out, so let’s see what they found…

They first rounded up all of the contenders, focusing on dating sites as opposed to apps and they looked for sites with a wide geographical net. Then they prioritized an active user base, looking through a web-traffic analytic company to see how many people are actually on each site . Then they scoured through user-reviews and even personally tested the finalists to get a hands-on feeling of each site.

After applying these criteria, reviewers were left with four sites: OkCupid, Match.com, Tinder, and Plenty of Fish.

Best Overall: OkCupid

Reviewers deemed OkCupid as the best overall because the site is successful for people who want casual relationships, serious relationships, or hookups. The website is clean and easy to use, making it easy to jump right in. Most importantly, OkCupid has the most effective algorithm for matching people.

Best Long Term: Match.com

According to previous studies, Match.com and and eHarmony lead to more marriages than any other dating sites. However, reviewers found eHarmony to be old-fashioned and boring. Match.com is exciting and promotes more in-person meetings. So, if you’re looking for the real deal, Match.com might be your best bet.

Apps and Niche Dating Sites to Remember

Although reviewers eliminated apps and niche sites from their original study, they still shared their opinions on reputable apps and niche sites people can consider. They recommend the apps Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel, and Hinge. Using Bumble, only women can message men first, which makes for a more fun approach (and less creepy messages). Coffee Meets Bagel matches people based on mutual Facebook friends. Hinge aims to be the first “serious relationship” app.

As far as niche sites go, the Reviews team recommends Our Time, aimed toward senior citizens. Christian Mingle and JDate are good sites for people who want to date according to religious affiliation. And for the LGBT online dating sites, each of their top picks has a thriving gay community.

Did You Know?

Regardless of the site, creating a strong profile makes a huge difference. Spend a good amount of time making sure you are happy with how your profile comes across and if it’s a good representation of yourself. And another thing to be aware of is safety with online dating. Beware of harassment online. Give dating websites a chance, but stay safe.

Reviews.com is a website dedicated to informing the public on the truth about products, services, and industries. Their goal is to change the consumer experience and help people make more educated decisions about their purchases. For each review, their research and content team spend weeks researching through data, articles, scientific research and much more. They also connect with top experts in the field to get their opinion and develop a well-rounded view. But further than just simply creating a "best of" list, they also create helpful guides for readers to find products and services suited for their specific needs.