Lavalife is a relatively new online dating site that seems to cover the entire gamut of what people look for in a dating site. You can create up to 3 unique profiles that cater to what type of relationship that you are looking for. The three categories include casual dating, serious relationships, and intimate encounters for what they refer to as "exploring your wild side". Initial sign up is free, and allows you to create a profile, post a picture, search for other singles, and send "Smiles" to those that you are interested. "Smiles" are a uniform, impersonal way of telling that person that you are interested in talking with them. You can send e-mails and start instant messaging only after you become a full paying member. They have two options to access the paid member benefits. One way is to purchase credits that allow you to use the features for a limited amount of time. The other way is to purchase a full time membership (1 month or 3 month intervals) where you will have unlimited access the the e- mail and instant messaging features for the total length of your membership. The website itself is easy to navigate, they respect your privacy, and they currently have "1000's of sexy singles" that you can meet.
Date.com opened its doors in 1997, and is one of the more popular online dating sites. It follows the more traditional theme for online dating sites. You can join for free, which allows you create a profile, upload a photo, and receive e-mails from paying members. They have created their own online dating community that inludes a chat room, and a well implemented instant messaging service (which includes some video features). They also put out a very helpful webzine that is packed full of dating and relationship advice, as well as, success stories that involved members of their site (this is strictly voluntary). Just because they started 10 years ago doesn't make them out- of-date. They are constantly updating and improving their site. As with most dating sites, if you want to go beyond the search status and want to make contact with someone you have to upgrade to a paid membership. The memberships range in price, but they start off as low as 25 cents a day. They have thousands of members, and because they have been around for 10 years you can bet that they know how to treat their customers. You really can't go wrong with date.com.
Matchmaker has been around since 1985 and is the original online dating site. Because of its longevity and the fact that it has produced great results for its members, they have been featured in several TV spots on online dating. They follow the same theme as date.com, probably because both sites are run by the same people. The one true difference between the two is that matchmaker focuses on members that are seriously look for a relationship, while date.com may be considered a little more casual. They have the same great features like the webzine, an innovative search page, and the well implemented instant messaging service. They have stayed up- to-date with the ever changing world of online dating sites through constant upgrades and updates. They are always looking to make their site better for their members. As with most online dating sites, in order to make personal contact with someone you are interested in, you have to upgrade to a paid membership. They also have several different membership plans that range in price to better suit what you are looking for. If you are looking for serious relationship, you should definitely check out this site.
Yahoo! personals is just one of the many online services that yahoo offers internet users. But yahoo! hasn't skimped on their online dating service. Their site has huge database of singles, highly customizable search tools, and they always put matches that fit your ideal date on the top of the list. They also have a series of personality tests (eHarmony style) that help you find people that are a best fit for you. It is free to create a profile and upload pictures, and you can also make contact with people you are interested in by sending "icebreakers". But just like other online dating services, if you want to start chatting with someone or send them an e-mail, you need to become a paying member. Right now they are offering a 7-day "free trial". After the trial period, they have different membership plans to accomodate your needs and their prices are very reasonable. In fact they are one of the few online dating sites that tell your their rates before you go through the registration process. A couple new features that Yahoo has added to their site include adding captions to the photos that you upload, and allowing you to see who has been checking out your profile. I am a little partial to this online dating service, because it is where I met my wife of two years. Just a little more evidence that online dating does work!
Match.com, started in 1995, is one of the most popular dating sites on the web. They claim to have 15 million members all over the world and helped start over 500,000 relationships last year alone. They have created a different look for their website, but they have maintained the uncanny ability of getting people together. As usual you can register and set up a profile for free, and then you can search for singles in you area. During that period, If you find someone who catches your eye you can send them a "wink", which basically tells them that you are interested. But in order to start any real communication (e-mail and/or instant messaging), you need to become a paying member. Right now, they have 3 membership options: 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months. Right now they are running a promotion where if you don't meet that someone special within 6 months, they will give you the next 6 months for free. I can tell you from experience that customer service at Match.com is excellent. They have special services for different ethnicities, age groups, and religous preference. They also have an exclusive contract with Dr. Phil, who continuosly posts newsletters and advice on the match.com website.
Chemistry is actually a new division of match.com. They take an approach similiar to eHarmony, but they claim to be more accessible. The way it works is that you fill out a free personality profile that captures "your essential truths and goals", and then the "science of attraction" kicks in where you will receive up to 5 matches a day that you can look into. Their "science of attraction" was developed by their expert, Dr. Helen Fisher. Dr. Fisher has 3 decades of research on attraction and relationships that backs up her expert status. You will have to become a full member in order to make contact with your matches. But your not alone at this; Chemistry guides you through the entire process of e-mails and messages, making it easy to quickly get through "the get to know you phase" so you can make the decision to move forward or move on. If a date ensues, chemistry does not consider their work to be finished. They still want to know how the date went and they use this information to fine tune their system. This is an interesting concept for online dating, and seems like it will work best for someone who needs a little more guidance through the online dating process. Knowing that it is affiliated with match.com makes it easy to assume that this is a quality online dating site.
Perfectmatch.com is a more advanced online dating site that relies on their Duet Total Compatibility system to help their members find their soul mate. This system is based on 30 years of research by their relationship expert, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and takes into account everything about you; your personality, life, lovestyle, values and preferences. They also give their members access to some of the most powerful search tools in the online dating world. These tools help you find matches that are not only similar to you, but more importantly matches that complement you. Your basic profile is created for you based on your results from Duet Total Compatibility System. You can them tweak your profile by adding photos, and writing introductions. You are offered guidance by the perfectmatch team throughout the entire process. You can search for matches yourself, but when the "perfect match" for you is found by the system, you will be notified immediately by e-mail. Then you will be given the option to look over their profile, including their photo and introduction. As with all online dating sites, in order to take the next step and personally communicate with your matches, you'll have to become a full paying member. Perfectmatch is a well-known site that has been profiled on several TV shows including NBC's "Science of Love". It has millions of members and is a highly regarded online dating site. You can't really go wrong with Perfectmatch.com.
JDate opend its doors in 1997 and is the leading Jewish singles network on the internet. It works in much the same way as other standard online dating sites, but it's membership is exclusively Jewish. They have hundreds of thousands of members from all over the world and are one of the few online dating sites that can boast about a 50:50 male-to-female ratio. You can set up an in-depth profile for free, as well as, upload up to four photos. They have some powerful search tools that allow you to find others singles based on your search criteria. When it comes time for you to make personal contact with other singles of course you will have to become a full paying member. JDate boasts that their monthly memberships cost less than one night out on the town. Full members have access to a myriad of different features including unlimited e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, message boards, and even e-cards that you can send to anyone (on or off the site). Jdate has become very possible in the jewish community and has led to a countless number of marriages. If you are Jewish, and are looking for someone who shares your faith, then this is definitely the online dating site for you!!
Elitemate is a lesser-known online dating service that follows the same format as sites such as Yahoo! Personals and Match.com. But it still boasts over a million members from all over the world and there are a couple of unique features that set them apart. First off, and probably most important, is that when you create a free profile and upload some photos, your first log-in is actually fully privileged. This means that you can search for other singles and actually communicate with them through e-mail or instant messaging without having to pay a thing. Unfortunately, this only works for your first log-in, and if you wish to contact other singles later on down the road you have to become a full paying member. Another feature is that they test your compatibility with other members with the use of an advance astrological report. So if our are a true believer in astrological compatibility, then this may be the site for you. Full member's benefits include unlimited email, accelerated instant messaging, chat rooms, invitations to exclusive singles event and parties, video profiles and even anonymous telephone conversation via their IP dialer. They do make it easier to get in touch with other singles and their members seem to be very active. If you are active on the internet, then this may be the online dating site for you!
Metrodate is a relatively new online dating site and primarily caters to singles who live within large cities. As usual, it is free to set up a profile with an introduction and some photos. The free portion of the membership also includes access to their search tools and visits to their chat rooms and message boards. If you want to receive or send personal messages to other members, you must upgrade to a paid premium membership. After which you will have access to all the features on their online dating site. They have different categories within their site that caters to different ethnicities, ages, religous affiliations, and sexual preferences. According to the website, it was built by other singles who found it hard to find compatible matches at other online dating sites and venues. They wanted to create a easy-to- use, highly effective, and low-cost service that helped singles make compatible connections within their city. They also offer their members dating tips and information on singles events in their respective cities. They even include restaurant guides that help you decide where to take the perfect date. If you are a resident of a large city, this online dating service may be worth a look!
FriendFinder.com is the perfect example of a traditonal online dating site, easy-to-use and very straightforward. Of course. this means that it is free to sign-up, search for singles in your area, post a profile, and upload some photos. You only have to upgrade to a paid membership once you find somebody you just have to communicate with. Having never used this site myself, I can't comment on the full membership prices, but I can speculate that they are very reasonable given the fact that they don't incorporate in fancy features that would cost the other online dating sites a lot of money to keep up and running. They boast that they have nearly 2 million "active" members from all over the world, and they even offer their online dating site in 10 different languages. If you are looking for a very practical, easy-to-use (and probably affordable) online dating service then this FriendFinder.com may be what you are looking for!
Cupid.com is an online dating site that believes that the "scientific formulas" that the other sites use have no place in the dating world. They allow you to use their advanced search tools to narrow down what you look for in a match, and deliver those results in an easy-to-use format. You can register, search, start a profile, and upload photos for free. With your free membership, you can even send "eye contacts" to other members to let them know that you are interested. They have a unique way of handling paid memberships. The first tier, Gold Membership, allows you to send e-mails and messages to all members, and you can even receive personal replies from new members who only have a free account. The second tier, Platinum Membership, allows you to send and receive e-mails and messages from anyone on the site. This means that even members who don't have a paid membership can start off the conversation. Other sites don't allow non-paying members to start any contact besides the impersonal "wink" or "icebreaker". Which means that half of the members on these sites are off-limits even if you pay for your membership; unless of course you initiate everything and give out your personal e-mail address from the beginning which isn't really a smart thing to do. Cupid.com works around that issue with the features of their Platinum Membership. Cupid.com also hosts speed dating events for their members all over the country. In short, Cupid.com is an excellent online dating site that offers some unique features that you cannot find anywhere else.
Matchclick.com is another site that follows the most common format used by most online dating sites. It's free to set up a profile and search for other members that are in your area. In order to make contact with someone you are interested in, you'll need to upgrade to a paid membership. They also offer a host of other features to paying members. These include a "MatchList" which is similar to a buddy list on popular instant messengers. This lets you know if someone you have been talking to regularly is online. They also have a very good, interactive chat room that has all the features that you would expect. Matchclick.com has recently implemented a profile rating system, which is totally voluntary, that lets other members rate your profile based on a scale of 1 thru 10. They boast a membership of over 1 million members, which always increases your odds of finding a match somewhere in your area. Ultimately, Matchclick.com tries to make the online dating experience fun (not frightening) without over-complicating things, and I think they have accomplished that.
If you haven't heard of eHarmony, then all you need to do is turn on the TV for about a half hour and you'll likely see one of their many commercials. They have used an aggressive ad campaign since they opened their doors in 2000. It was the first to introduce the use of a scientific approach to find highly compatible matches for it's members. The system was developed by Dr. Warren and his 35 years of research into love and relationships. His questionare (personality profile) was developed after many years of research and found that there are 29 dimensions to compatibility. It's free to complete your personality profile and to view highly compatible matches from the area of your choice. But as you probably figured, you have to become a paying member to make any contact with those matches. If you are worried about how to intiate contact with one of your matches, don't worry eHarmony will guide you through it until you get more comfortable. They are so serious about their service, I bet that they are the only online dating site that actually turns down potential customers if they feel that the customers are being dishonest in their personality profile. They have started some new services recently which includes eHarmony marriage which helps couples maintain a stronger, healthier, and happier marriage. They also have an excellent bookstore that sells books on love and relationships. If you are very serious about finding that someone special then eHarmony is for you. Just make sure that you answer the questions honestly and that you have some time on your hands; the personality profile has 436 questions. Have Fun!!
Match Ranger.com is another online dating site that uses the standard format. It's free to start and it can be completed in 3 steps: register, let people know a little about you, and describe what kind of person you are looking for. Once you do that, you our free to search for singles using some fairly powerful search tools. If someone grabs your interest and you just have to contact them, you can do it one of two ways: send an "interest alert" and hope they respond (its kind of impersonal) or you can become a paying member, Paying members get access to all the features. You can contact anyone on the site with a personal e-mail or an instant message. If you are really bold you can create a video profile with a webcam and a microphone that can be uploaded to your profile and even sent with your e-mails (it doesn't get anymore personal than that). You also get e-mail alerts if someone is interested in you, you have a new message, or a new member from your area has just signed up. Besides all the video features, this is your standard online dating site, but is worth a look to see if there any available singles from your area.
With as huge as the online dating industry has gotten, you have to figure that others would try on capitalize on it. Here are a couple of those such services that we have found during our web search for online dating sites:
ProfileHelper.com is actually a service that helps you write highly effective profiles for online dating sites. And in some cases you can give them the information and they will write your whole profile for you. I'm not sure how I feel about that, but being an ex-online dater, I can remember some people who could have really benefited from a service like this.
LookBetterOnline.com deals with what could possibly be one of the most important features of your profile. the photo. It's a known fact that profiles with photos get 10 to 20 times more views than those without photos. But if you upload a really bad photo, it could have the opposite effect. This service deals with this situation and helps you produce photos that will get you the attention that you deserve!
Update:
We Have New Reviews of Some Guides That Help in Any Dating Situation! You Have to Check These Out:
5-Steps To Online Dating Success.... A 55-page guide that includes everything you need!
* Why Online Dating Works! * How to Get Started! * How to Tell if Someone is Lying!
* How to Be Safe Online! * How to Write the Perfect Profile! * How to Approach the First Date!
* How to Let the Relationship Blossom! * And if Needed, How to End it Gracefully!
* BONUS...Reviews of the Top 15 Online Dating Sites!
