Pros & Cons #
-
Robust, vetted profiles
-
Intuitive interface
-
Excellent filtering tool
-
Video chat
-
Features that specifically target longer relationships
-
Expensive
-
Profile approval isn't instant
Match Specs #
| Desktop App | | | Free Account Offered | | | Mobile App | | | Starting Price | $44.99 per month | | Video Calls |
Founded in 1993, Match is one of the longest-running digital dating services. As a result, the service has had many years to refine the online dating process, and there is much to like about it. I like the finely tuned interface, the breezy sign-up process, and the fact that you're not allowed to create a half-baked profile. Since I last reviewed the service, Match has added the Mia AI matchmaking feature, which lets you find a partner without excessive swiping. Overall, Match isn't the cheapest dating app, especially if you want to take full advantage of its features. However, if you're looking for a life partner, Match remains the best option among the many services I've tested and retested over the years and is an Editors' Choice winner for dating apps focused on long-term love.
Plans and Prices #
You must pay if you really want to play. Your free, basic membership lets you see who's out there, receive daily matches, message a handful of personalized picks, and send likes (by clicking a heart on a profile), but going beyond that requires a subscription. Once you pony up cash, you can see who has viewed your profile and liked you. Most importantly, you can also see and respond to messages. Basically, you must pay for any feature that involves connecting with a person.
Monthly subscriptions start at $44.99, but they get progressively less expensive the longer you commit to the service. You can also boost your profile to the top of search results for 60 minutes; you can try it once for $5.99 or buy a 10-pack for $3 each. Match's monthly fees are higher than those of most other dating apps. OkCupid's monthly plans start at $9.99, and Plenty of Fish lets you communicate with other members for free. Note that the prices you see may vary, as the Match Group uses fluid pricing based on many user factors.
Getting Started With Match #
People who remember Match from its early days may be familiar with its browser version, but the service has successfully moved into the modern era with convenient Android and iPhone apps.
Match asks two big questions up front: What are you looking for, and where do you want to find it? After inputting the preferred gender of your partner and your ZIP code, you log in using your email or Facebook credentials. Then, you add other top-level information, including age and first name. After that, you're ready to build your profile.
Interspersed with the personal info inquiries are questions about why you're using Match. Are you browsing the meat market or looking for a lifelong relationship? The app also asks for your height and current relationship status. Don't worry; you can choose "I'd rather not say" if you so desire. No judgment.
Then things get more personal. Match wants to know the number of kids you have, whether you want kids, your education level, whether you smoke and drink, and details on your ethnicity, religion, salary, and interests. Then comes the dreaded bio section. Try to get away with writing a bare-bones self-description, and the app will prompt you to try harder. Once you complete this section, you don't simply publish your profile. You receive a note stating that it's under review by Match's staff. This is an added layer of protection that most other apps don't offer. Of course, you must also add a photo, and it has to be of a real person. A photo of, say, last night's dinner will get rejected.
Once you're done talking about yourself, it's time to tell Match what you're looking for in a companion. You can choose your preferred age (18 to 70-plus) and height (4 feet, 4 inches to 6 feet, 10 inches), and specify your body type, ethnic background, faith, and marital status. Finally, you can choose whether you are OK with someone who has kids or who smokes.
This process, however, has an annoying feature. If you want to go back and make a profile change, you must finish the survey first. Once you finish, it feels as though you've answered enough questions to better pair with a like-minded user; you're not just casting a huge net into the dating pool. Match's profiles are far richer than Zoosk's anemic write-ups.
The entire process is quick and simple, progressing naturally from the most important items on your list (your desired mate's age and whether they have or want kids) to the more picky stuff (smoking, drinking, and ethnicity preferences). You don't need to answer every question to finish the process. In theory, though, the more questions you answer, the better your chance of finding the perfect match. Email onboarding is smartly paced, too. There's one welcome email, one note to let you know if your profile info is approved, and a few check-ins over the following days.
Interface, Profiles, and Matchmaking #
You're now almost to the part where you get to see who's waiting for you. But before that, Match asks for your money after you've invested some time in the setup, taking you to a page that outlines premium subscriptions as the final step in the process. You may think, after completing the full sign-up process, that there's no easy way to avoid spending money at this point.
It turns out, though, that this presentation is more of an ad, not an obligation, to get you to pay up. Once you get to that Subscribe screen on the app, you are actually a member—you can log in and begin browsing via desktop without paying for a subscription. Your profile is saved, so you can close and reopen the app to start browsing. You can also just press "No Thanks" on the Subscribe screen.
If you want to tell Match even more about yourself, there's a Topic section where you can add personality traits and anecdotes. This is a helpful tool that lets people learn more about you without having to write an extensive essay. Topics include your bucket list, your current obsessions, and your craziest travel stories. Trending Topics add a sense of timely relevance to your potential conversation starters. You can display up to three topics on your profile. The prompts offer examples, but you can write whatever you want in the box. You can also add more photos, see who's viewed you, and check out events available to members (for a fee, of course), like escape rooms, speed dating, or even cruises and ski trips.
Once your profile is complete, it's time to see who's out there. Match's search function is simple and satisfying. The Discover function offers many filters that let you quickly adjust the basics. For example, if you signed up as a man seeking a woman, but want to mix things up on a Friday and search for men, it's quick and easy. The filters also save each time you search, so it doesn't keep throwing you back to square one. And if you return to the search page after clicking into a profile, it doesn't return you to the top of the results—you go right back to where you left off.
Viewing profiles is intuitive and easy. You'll probably want to check out your potential match's photos first. The app makes it easy to scroll through them, either within the profile or in full-screen mode for a closer look. It's nice that profiles serve up more than just the basics. In addition to the stats already mentioned, you get subsections, such as Favorite Things and Favorite Places to Hang Out.
Since I last reviewed the service, Match has fixed the profile filtering tool. Before, I'd get served profiles in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, even though I was looking for people within a few miles of Chicago. Now it works as intended, focusing profile returns on people in my area.
The Missed Connections feature uses your phone's location data to show people who have been in your vicinity recently. This might be appealing in some circumstances; for example, if you spend time at the gym or the library, the app might display folks with similar interests. It's also opt-in, which reduces potential creepiness. Still, it may cause you to look around when getting off the train to see if anyone looks familiar. Happn uses a similar location-based gimmick.
As Match embraces its role as a more mature dating app, it rolls out more features designed to foster lasting adult relationships instead of fast flings. For example, the Mia AI matchmaker offers custom connections on your behalf. It's easy to use; instead of swiping through a sea of profiles, you answer prompts to receive potential matches. However, letting a cold machine handle your warm human connections may set you up for failure when it comes time to meet up in real life. In addition, Match discourages ghosting by nudging inactive conversations before they fully expire.
Virtual Dating Tools #
Match has beefed up its virtual dating features in recent years, adding many new features. With Vibe Check, people already in a conversation can initiate a live video chat session if both partners agree. Thankfully, Match makes it easy to block creeps after the fact.
You can privately let Match know, via a Vibe Check, if you feel serious about a potential partner. If both parties are ready to go to the next level, they can move their conversation to the separate Dates section. With both parties' true intentions out in the open, Dates helps you plan next steps, such as discussing first-date preferences. It also helps you easily tune out other distracting conversations and focus on this one promising shot at true love.
While on a date, you can check in and share details with friends as a safety precaution. If you still don't feel comfortable meeting in person yet, Match offers unlimited video chat. Some regions offer a pure audio chat feature for a different kind of intimacy. Match also has a blog, Heartbeat, that hasn't been updated since 2022. However, it offers many useful virtual dating tips. Note that Match is the flagship product of Match Group, which also owns Hinge, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and Tinder. As you'd expect, the apps share similar video dating features. Non-Match Group services, including Bumble and eHarmony, offer video chat, too.