Should anyone ever pay for online dating? Free sites like OKCupid and PlentyOfFish boast hundreds of thousands of active members and plenty of cool features. So why shell out money every month to scan the paying sites like eHarmony and Match.com?
Well, there are reasons. There are differences between the sites that charge and the sites that don’t. These differences are sometimes significant, sometimes minute. What matters most is what’s right for you. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when you’re trying to decide how much green your online dating life is worth:
Is finding a relationship a major priority right now?
If it is, it may not be a bad idea to invest in the possibilities on eHarmony. One of the benefits of paid sites is that they are likely to contain mostly serious daters. There aren’t a lot of reasons for One-Night-Stand Stan to snoop around Match.com when he can hit up single ladies on OKCupid for free. So if what you’re looking for is love and commitment—and if it’s at the top of your to do list—the paid site investment might be worthwhile. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for casual dating, save your money.
Will I actually go crazy if I come across one more lame or offensive profile?
The paid dating sites tend to keep a stricter eye on member profiles. For many sites, there’s a minimum word count for essays, meaning members can’t get away with self-descriptions like “Ask Me.” These sites also tend to monitor profiles for obscenities a little more closely than their free counterparts . . . a welcome thought in those moments when you find yourself on an unexpectedly “adult” profile. Of course, just about every dating site keeps an eye out for bad behavior, so you’re hardly setting yourself up for offensive encounters when you join a free site. It’s just that the sites that charge have the fancy technology—and fancy employees—to go the full nine yards when it comes to keeping out the smut and slurs . . . something to keep in mind if this is among your online dating concerns.
How much time am I willing to invest in online dating right now?
You may prefer the features of a paid dating site, but what are those features worth if you only plan to browse a couple times a month? Think of your membership fee as a fee per visit, rather than per month. $30 a month may not sound so bad until you do the math and realize that you’re actually paying $10 a visit. If you don’t have the time to give to online dating right now, it might be a good idea to stick with free sites until your schedule clears.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure it fits with your current needs and dating goals. There’s a lot to be said for eHarmony. But before you shell out the bucks, make sure it’s an investment that mirrors your priorities.
