Online dating is great by itself. You can meet people from different parts of the globe, interact with singles from interesting backgrounds and walks of life, and most importantly, it’s easy and convenient.
Throughout the years, there are countless dating sites developed. From general to niche-specific sites that have adopted to technology’s growth. That’s already a lot! And with this comes the two types of dating sites, the free and paid ones. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages which can affect the user’s experience, time, and effort.
Today, we’ll go through with the expectations from each type and the things that you’ll most likely encounter if you decide to dive in the world of online dating, whether if it’s free or not.
Free dating sites
Everybody gets excited over free stuff and since we’re practical people, we always grab the chance when something is free. But does the same thing apply to dating sites as well? Does it really give you the service that you’re looking for? Here are some insights that I’ve gathered if you ever decide to join a free dating site.
Members
Because these kinds of dating sites are free, everyone is welcome to join which is pretty awesome. With hundreds of members who are joining every day, you’ll have a higher chance of meeting and interacting with singles which a friend of mine has actually experienced.
But with a dating site where just about everyone is welcome to join, surely there are also tens, hundreds to thousands of scammers (depending on how big the site is) which we know could be very dangerous to sincere users. Many have been victims of these people and the numbers are growing on a daily basis.
Features
When a dating site says it’s free, sometimes you have to try out all the features first to check if it really is what it says it is. Be sure to be aware of “freemium” dating sites and once you can confirm that all of its features are free, then YEY! You’re now sure to have all-out access to meeting people with a click of a button.
Free dating sites have the most basic features like searching and browsing. But in comparison to paid dating sites, their features are limited which makes you spend more time on the site and it makes it harder when you look for people with the same interests as you.
Bottomline
Having a free access to dating sites has its advantages and disadvantages. Not having to spend a single penny and accessing unlimited internet dating services sure is fun, but it can have limited features and less authentic users. Never forget that one of the most favorite hunting grounds of a scammer are the free ones.
Paid dating sites
People go to dating sites with different intentions, they might be looking for people interested in casual dating or just making friends. But when you’re looking for a serious relationship, then paid online dating sites are the way to go.
Members
On a paid dating site, the members are actually more serious about finding relationships since they’ve invested not just their time, but their money as well in order to find someone compatible for building a serious relationship with.
A safe online dating experience is also expected since scammers wouldn’t waste their time and efforts on a paid dating site since it would require their card details for payment transactions which can be traced back to them. But you can never be too sure. It’s prudent to always be careful even on paid dating sites since it’s so easy to be fooled by someone who you’ve never personally met.
Some or even most paid dating sites have a highly capable 24/7 support team, which caters to a user’s problem on the site, whether it’s technical or might it be that you just don’t have a clue on how to use the site. They’re also the ones who are keeping a watchful eye on potential scammers as well.
Features
Because it’s paid, you’ll have access to a more sophisticated dating site where it will have more features like compatibility matching by age, gender, interests, location, and many others which are pretty much very effective in matching singles who are compatible in terms of the qualities that they’ve shared on the site.
Another amazing feature that most paid dating sites have, is a video chat feature that enables you to have a face-to-face interaction with a fellow member without having the hassle of using another video chat app just to talk. Not only that’s it’s convenient, but you’ll also make the most out of your money.
Bottomline
If you do decide to go for the paid dating route then you’ll surely have perks in which you won’t be able to get on the free one. Although it’s going to cost you some cash, it would be a great investment if you’re serious about looking for “the one” in a safe and most advantageous manner.
Now is the time to decide
So there goes the things to expect where you’re choosing between a free or a paid dating site. Just to recap, there are two types of dating sites: free and paid.
With free dating sites, you can have instant access to all features available once you’ve signed up. In here you’ll be able to meet people from all walks of life looking for different kinds of relationships, whether it’s serious, casual, or simply just looking for a friend online. But when it’s free, it comes with conditions like higher chances of getting catfished online and having a longer time when you start looking for compatible matches.
With a paid dating site, a much safer and sophisticated environment like advanced searching is offered that’s pretty much not available on some free dating sites. People from these types of sites are looking for a serious relationship since money and effort are spent.
Still not convinced as to what type of dating site to use? Well, I suggest that you make an account for both dating sites and try interacting with singles there. Be sure to explore every feature and assess the possibilities as to how it will help you find the types of singles that you’re looking for. But at the end of the day, the decision would still be on you.
My last piece of advice to you is just remembered to enjoy meeting new people and don’t forget to be safe. Always.
