Which online dating service is right for me?
Are you looking for your soulmate but don’t know how to go about finding them?
Are you shy or an introvert who finds it difficult to go out and approach people? Perhaps you saw your friends find their current partner with dating services, and you’re interested in trying it out yourself, but you feel skeptical.
With so many online dating services available, it is natural to feel a bit lost. But you should know you’re not alone; according to the Pew Research Center, roughly half of never-married Americans have tried out an online dating service.
Luckily you have plenty of options if you want to give it a try. Apart from the big players like Tinder and OK Cupid, there are many interest-specific dating services too. There are even services if you click here that will allow you to develop more confidence in dating and will show best practices on how to interact with others.
But with so many online dating services out there, how do you know which’s the right one for you? Here are some tips to help you.
Determine what you’re looking for
Start by exploring the variety of sites and apps. But first, you need to ask yourself a few questions.
What exactly are you looking for? Once you’re honest with yourself, narrowing down to one option is easy. Different people have different reasons to be on a dating site. While some people look for serious long-term partners, some just want to have casual fun or a companion for the night.
Depending on what your goal is, narrow down your search. For example, if you are looking for someone who shares the same interest, hobby, political views, or religion, you can go to specific niche dating sites.
Similarly, consider demographics and your region while searching for an appropriate dating site. If you want to meet up with someone in person, then Coffee Meets Bagel is your go-to.
The website sends curated matches and encourages you to meet up. If you want to prioritize safety and security, then check out eHarmony. It verifies all the details of their members including, name, city, age, so you can feel comfortable meeting up with someone.
Fancy your partner educated, affluent, between 30-55 years, and ready for long term commitment? Then you should check out Elite Singles. You can learn more about finding a curated online dating website here to choose a service that matches your preferences.
Set your price range
Once you have your goals pinned, you need to determine whether you want to pay the price for the dating service or not. Both free and paid dating sites are equally popular, and people have successfully found long-term partners using both services.
There’s no reason to believe that paid services are better than their free counterparts. Free dating services score slightly better than the paid ones in terms of user satisfaction. The phrase “you get what you pay for” doesn’t hold much water in the online dating realm. Unless you give it a try, you won’t know who’s waiting for you out there.
Know that different dating sites have different price plans. For example, a one-month subscription at Zoosk is $29.95, which is a great deal to explore and get the hang of it.
Some dating online dating apps and websites also offer free trial packages such as Match or free weekend communications that occur once a month, this is included in the eHarmony price that members sign up for. There are also dating apps that offer both free and premium versions such as OKCupid.
As for free dating sites, Happn is the best option for you. It’s the best alternative for approaching someone in public. But remember, free sites tend to have fewer filters, so it might get risky to introduce yourself to strangers with no background information.
If you’re a shy person who wants to understand how a dating site works without paying a fee, you can check out Anomo, a service that matches partners anonymously.
Embrace trial and error
You don’t need to bounce around different websites, but give each platform sufficient time before trying the next.
Even if you want to be active only on the best dating site, you should know that there is no single best dating website. Each has its share of pros and cons, and you need to give yourself enough time to determine which is the best platform that suffices your needs.
Are you up for the challenge of finding love online?
Online dating services are certainly not for everyone, but if you’re up for the challenge, go and explore some dating sites and apps.
Whether you’re looking for some casual one time fun or a serious long-term commitment, online dating sites are full of surprises, and you won’t know what is in store for you unless you try it.
It can be either a complete waste of time or your first step to finding your soulmate. Whatever it is, approach it with an open mind and have some fun because that’s what dating is all about.
Photo by Hian Oliveira
