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Free Online Dating vs Paid Online Dating

Free Online Dating vs Paid Online DatingFree Online Dating vs Paid Online Dating

Some online daters think quality always comes at a price; others get swept off their feet when a free online dating app is mentioned. So which one is better off with? Free vs. paid online dating apps, here's what you need to know.

 

What to Seek in an Online Dating App?

Believe it or not, online dating is a 1.9 billion industry, and it's getting more desired every day due to the lack of social life and the excessive reliance on technology. However, many users continue to struggle to find their significant other and get overwhelmed with choosing the best dating app. Why the rush? Take your time finding what meets your needs and check the following features first:

  • Define your needs and your potential partner: Before getting any further, it's important to know what you're looking for if you care most about religion, it's recommended to look for a dating application that is geared towards a certain religion if you care about finding a partner from your region, it's better to use a dating application with regional filter option, and so on.
     
  • Are you ready to pay? In case you want to narrow down your options and contact potential people only, it's better to choose a paid dating application, which will provide suggestions than a free service. Since people need to pay for it, you can rest assured that the majority of users are serious about finding their partner.
     
  • If you aim for a dating application that can put you closer to your like-minded love, we suggest eHarmony or EliteSingles. It's simply because they put tailored questions to lead you to the best suggested potential partners out there based on your answers to their questions.
     
  • A dating application with multiple features is what you need to narrow down your options. It allows blocking, filtering, and allowing certain users to reach out to you. It is also a good choice if you don't want every user to send you messages or view your profile.

 

Free Online Dating Apps: Is It Worth Your Time?

While free services are catchy and might be a good choice to find your true love, but they have their flaws. Here are some points that you need to know before heading off to a free online dating application:

  • Free means all types of audiences and the lack of reliable filtration: When you choose a free online dating application, expect to deal with multiple users with different purposes. In other words, if you have certain preferences in terms of religion, age, or physical appearance, a paid dating application would get you closer to your potential partner.
     
  • Free dating apps are easily cracked by scammers or snoopers since it is unpaid and open for everyone to use. It is also annoying to lack essential features like blocking certain users or preventing others from seeing your profile.
     
  • A free trial of paid online dating apps is recommended to get familiar with the app and find out whether or not it is a good choice for you. However, the free trial won't give similar features to the paid ones; you might not be able to send as many messages as you want, view profiles, or even filter out the unwanted features.

 

Online Dating Apps: Our Top Suggestions

Whether you look for your potential partner, a friend, or a community with which you can share ideas, discussions, or feelings, the following suggestions have been tested and compared to many other services to guarantee to have the best value for your money:

 

1. eHarmony
 

 

eHarmony has a long history in the business, and with more than 2 million relationships in 125 countries, it proved its effectiveness and ability to predict the most fitting potential partners based on psychologically analyzed personality traits.

To guarantee the best results ever, eHarmony asks new subscribers to answer 80 personality-tailored questions, which significantly impact pairing the right people. Compared to the majority of free online dating services, eHarmony doesn't show you random suggestions. Instead, it brings you the best matches only.

eHarmony offers a free version for those who prefer to give it a try first. However, it lacks a number of features such as photo viewing, video dating, distance search, and seeing who viewed your profile. It also allows a limited number of messages and a basic personality profile.

Premium plans by eHarmony include:

Type Premium Light Premium Plus Premium Extra
Price $27.95/month $17.95/month $12.95/month
Duration 6-month plan 12-month plan 24-month plan

 

Fancy more info? Read our eHarmony full review and analysis.

 

Get 50% Off Your First Month Today!

 

2. EliteSingles
 

 

EliteSingles serves those looking for a serious relationship and have no time trying other dating apps. The sign-up process takes about 15-20, which could be considered a long process for some users, but let's think about this, the longer the process, the more serious suggestions you'll get. In other words, a dating app with a long sign-up process won't be the best option for unserious subscribers and guarantee better results, especially that the sign-up process requires answering around 100 questions that are tailored to bring the best matches.

EliteSingles also offers a free version with access to EliteSingles's database, personality profile, distance search option, unlimited intelligent matches, and access to the communication tools.

Premium plans by EliteSingles include:

Type Premium Light Premium Classic Premium Comfort
Price $34.95/month $19.95/month $17.95/month
Duration 3 months 6 months 12 months

 

 

Get 20% Off Your Plan Today!


3. Zoosk

 

 

For those who don't prefer answering a long list of questions to get started, Zoosk is a good option that requires 2 or 3 minutes only to subscribe and improve its results each time you use it by analyzing your behavior, choices, and clicks. In a nutshell, Zoosk refines your experience gradually instead of 100% relying on a personal questionnaire.

As for the advanced filters, you'll be able to search for specific features, including height, religion, relationship status, children, education level, ethnicity, smoking habits, and even blood type.

Like many other dating apps, Zoosk has a free version that offers limited messages, access to Zoosk's database, communication tools, and unlimited matches. While other advanced features, including instant crush, hide and seek, go invisible, and unlimited messages, are available only for premium subscribers.
 

Need more info? Read Zoosk's full review and analysis.


Get 50% Off Your First Month Today!

 

Conclusion

In the past few years, people have become busier than ever due to the excessive reliance on technology and the lack of social activities. However, technology has its bright side and has brought people together through online dating, which is expected to become more engaging in our lives and an effective tool to bridge the social gaps.
 

 

 

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