A little searching will uncover a lot of positive Match reviews out there, and that’s no accident. As the longest-running dating site, Match has set the standard for online dating for more than 25, and its team knows a thing or two about matchmaking and identifying missed connections.
Since 1995, Match has successfully arranged more first dates, relationships, and marriages than any of its competitors. In fact, about 200,000 people a year find love on this well-respected dating site (and companion app).
If you’re looking for a long term relationship with a genuine person, you can trust Match.com to present you with the best quality matches in one of the largest dating sites in the world. We’ve assessed how Match.com works and put together a full review of how easy to navigate it is, how much money it costs, and how the bundle plans can help consumers pay less for more features.
Our Match Review: 4.9/5.0
Match is undeniably successful when it comes to identifying compatibility and creating romantic opportunities. There’s a reason Match has been the top matchmaking site since the mid-90s. The dating platform continually prioritizes quality matches and has pioneered a personality-driven dating experience that can’t be beat.
Check out our Match review of the site’s demographics, features, and user base:
Match.com has come a long way since it launched in April 1995. This well-reputed dating site has honed its match algorithm to identify long-term compatibility and facilitate countless first dates, serious relationships, and successful marriages. Match's esteemed dating experts go to great lengths to guide singles to a seriously good match.
- Match is the world's longest running dating site
- The Discover section has search filters by interests, looks, lifestyle, and more
- Match is available in 50 countries and 15 languages
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
As you can probably tell, we’re a pretty big fan of Match. Our dating experts have long praised the site’s easy-to-understand interface, bundle plans, and global membership base. Some of us have even used the Match website for meeting dates in our personal lives.
Anyone interested in finding love would do well to at create a free profile on Match, use the search function to meet people in the area, and see what all the fuss is about.
Ratings by Category
Match.com is a dating site by the people for the people. It welcomes singles of all stripes from young 20-somethings seeking a fun date to recently divorced 50-somethings seeking a second chance at love. Whatever your age, sexual orientation, or background, you can become part of this dating community and take advantage of its matchmaking technology in building a long term relationship.
For Men | Women | Seniors | Black | Christian | LGBT
We’ve broken down what Match.com has to offer particular types of daters, so you can see there’s something for everyone.
For Men
Guys can sometimes have trouble hitting their stride on traditional dating sites and apps because the numbers are against them. Men tend to outnumber women on most dating platforms, which means they can face some stiff competition and receive few matches and messages.
Match.com puts men and women on even footing and supports a good balance of male and female users. Here’s everything you need to know:
Since 1995, Match has made a name for itself as one of the most successful dating platforms in the world. The site empowers singles to find compatible dates and make a deep connection based on shared interests and lifestyles. Match.com is responsible for countless love stories, and the next one could be yours.
- Find quality women with advanced search filters
- Communicate with your Top Picks for free
- Add up to 26 photos to your profile
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
With its advanced search filters, Match can help men find the love of their life online, and they don’t have to pay money to receive messages or quality matches in their inbox. Our Match review favorably rates the free and paid membership for men seeking real relationships.
For Women
On the other side of the coin, women can sometimes have too many options in the online dating world and become overwhelmed with unsolicited messages in their inboxes.
Fortunately, Match has set up quality-driven chat system and verification tools to filter out the creeps, fakes, scammers, and rejects. Free members can only send messages to their Top Picks, and they must have a valid profile picture to even browse the database.
Match has become a trusted name in the online dating industry by catering to quality singles looking for love and romance. Since 1995, the dating site has developed a time-tested matching system to facilitate deep connections between men and women who share similar goals in life.
- In-depth matching appeals to women with high standards
- Video chat tools help online daters establish a rapport
- An established singles network in 50 countries worldwide
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match.com is one of the best dating sites for women who have marriage on the brain and don’t want to waste time sifting through an endless pile of profiles.
By verifying profiles and eliminating scammers, Match offers a safe and friendly environment for finding love. Only Match subscribers can send unlimited messages to any active user online — free members are on a much tighter communication leash. Plus, a paid Match user can only arrange a Vibe Check (aka video date) with the consent of their match.
For Senior Dating
Seniors have started embracing online dating in the last few years, and that has been good news for Match, which is known to support a more mature crowd anyway. According to Match.com’s internal stats, 26.5% of members are over 50 years old.
Match.com is a quality-driven dating site that has been around the block a few times. Since 1995, Match has invited mature men and women to build friendships and relationships online. Its simple and straightforward matching process has helped widowed, divorced, and never-married singles put themselves out there in a safe environment.
- Match has more over-50 members than any other dating site
- Automatically filter potential matches by age, background, and keyword
- Date Check Ins help singles feel comfortable planning a first date
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
As a senior-friendly dating site, Match can offer guidance throughout the online dating process and recommend matches who meet your particular standards and preferences. Match dating experts are available via private chat, and they are well-versed in how online dating works. These experts can even recommend compatible profiles in the database.
Match has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from one of the top online dating sites in the world, and its search function can help senior people look for a potential partner in their age range.
For Black & Interracial Dating
Match is one of the largest dating websites and apps in the world, and it has facilitated countless promising matches between singles who share similar backgrounds, perspectives, and lifestyles. Its diverse membership base ensures that Black and biracial singles can be themselves and meet people who believe the saying “Black is beautiful.”
In 1995, Match.com became one of the world's first dating sites and gave all singles a place they could call their own. Today, this general dating site has millions of members of all races, genders, orientations, and backgrounds. Match welcomes diversity and gives Black singles plenty of options when it comes to finding a new friend, date, or relationship.
- Search for date prospects by ethnicity as well as age, distance, looks, and lifestyle
- Available in 15 languages and 50 countries
- 91% of members have a college degree
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match is a free dating service where finding potential dates, possible matches, and perhaps even true love is as easy as browsing the Reverse Search or Missed Connections section.
In addition to its matchmaking algorithm, Match.com offers an advanced search function to help free members find like-minded people they’re interested in getting to know better in the online dating scene. The Match website has gotten flack for offering ethnicity filters, but its dating experts say such additional features actually empower people of color to locate one another more easily.
For Christian Dating
Christians naturally want to date someone of the same faith — it just makes life easier, and Match is all about making things easy. This top-notch dating service has search filters for religion, and you can also write in your profile that you’re looking for a Christian date.
Match.com can assist Christian men and women seeking a partner in life and in faith. This time-tested dating site has created countless joyful relationships since its launch in 1995. The Match algorithm takes your dating preferences and lifestyle into account and searches for a perfect match who aligns with you in as many ways as possible.
- The popular dating network reaches 50 countries
- Search by age, distance, looks, interests, or faith
- Ideal for serious daters over 30
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
If religion is important to you, you can set it as a “must have” in your Match profile and automatically filter out folks who don’t want a God-centered relationship.
Match offers Christians the chance to choose potential dates based on their values, personality traits, and goals, so there’s no need to waste your money on a subscription to other Christian dating services.
For LGBT Dating
Dating sites are roughly twice as popular among LGBTQ+ singles than among straight singles. You don’t need to have great gaydar to pick up a date in this nonjudgmental scene, and sites like Match have become the go-to dating service for bi-curious, questioning, and closeted individuals — as well as openly gay singles, of course.
Since 1995, Match has cultivated a diverse following and welcomed singles across the spectrum of sexuality. Gay men can rely on Match to hook them up with bears, queens, twinks, and other hot dates. Match's time-tested compatibility scores and search features can help men navigate the dating scene and find a partner who is everything they're looking for.
- Proud ally to the LGBTQ community
- Millions of verified dating profiles to browse for free
- Over 20 years' worth of success stories
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
Match also performs well as a lesbian dating site. You can set your match preferences as a “woman seeking women,” and you’ll never have to see or come into contact with a guy on the site or app from that moment on.
It costs money to send messages to all Match members, but free members can contact a person in their Top Picks list, so lesbians can save money and meet people via email messaging.
Match supports the LGBTQ+ community by providing a safe online space where anyone can log on and pursue a real relationship. The female-friendly dating site prioritizes the happiness of its members and offers effective matching tools to help them land their dream dates. Whether you're looking for new friends or a long-term love, you can trust Match to point you in the right direction.
- Women enjoy an expert-led online dating experience
- Can set specific date preferences for age, education, pets, etc.
- Premium messaging and video chat features keep the riff-raff out
- Browse Match profiles 100% free »
There you have it. We consider Match a great tool for all types of daters and encourage you to give it a try the next time you’re interested in meeting quality matches, saving money on the dating experience, and falling in love with someone special.
Now our Match.com review will look at the features that make Match so special and effective. Keep reading to learn more about the ins and outs of Match.com, including how much it costs and how to contact the customer service team.
Match.com Costs $19.99 a Month
Match may not be a completely free dating site, but it is definitely one of the cheaper premium sites available. You can sign up for free and see what it’s all about. Maybe you’ll become the next Match success story.
It’s free to browse profiles and send likes; however, if you want to send a message to your online crush, that’ll cost a little extra. Some subscribers say it’s worth spending the money though to receive quality matches and send messages to anyone they want.
Here’s a breakdown of the standard Match.com subscription pricing:
As you can see, you get greater value for committing to a longer subscription period. Signing up for a monthly subscription package means you get full access to your inbox (not just a limited number of free messages), and an array of other fun features, including the ability to see who’s liked and viewed your profile.
Premium plans cost more money per month, but they also provide more perks. Match members with premium plans show up at the top of search results, and they’ll receive notifications when their email has been read by their online crush. That paid feature means a Match user won’t be left guessing.
An active user does not have to pay money to meet people on Match.com. Free members can can message any members who are in their Top Picks list, and Match offers special free communication deals every so often to keep singles chatting and having a good time online.
Fill Out the “About Me” Section and Upload Photos, and Your Profile is Created
Setting up a profile on Match.com takes less than five minutes. Honestly, the hardest part is choosing a cute picture for your dating profile. Don’t worry if you have several top contenders, though, because Match allows users to add up to 26 photos. So you can go crazy and post albums that show off your personality traits.
You can improve your Match profile by uploading pics and completing the About Me section.
Of course, the About Me section can be just as crucial if you’re looking for a date with substance. Serious daters want to know who you are and what you’re looking for, so provide as much information as you can. The About Me section tackles the basics in terms of looks, religion, and lifestyle, and you can go into more detail about your life and personality in the Summary section. This open-ended section can be anywhere between 100 and 4,000 characters long.
Match recommends that consumers include personal information about their schooling, careers, childhoods, pets, hobbies, passions, and friends. And it never hurts to give a shoutout to your favorite movies, TV shows, books, authors, bands, and songs as well.
You don’t have to go into detail about every aspect of your daily life, but you should give your potential matches a reason to want to get to know you better. As the Match.com blog says, “Save some details for later. Use anecdotes that tell your readers about the real you.”
Writing an attractive dating profile can take more time than completing the bare minimum, but being thoughtful and funny in your profile responses can pay off by increasing your likelihood of getting a lot of views, likes, and messages.
The profile creation process is easy to navigate, and doing it right can help a Match user meet other singles who share similar interests, goals, values, and dating preferences.
Search for Matches and Receive Daily Recommendations
Once you’ve completed your Match.com profile, the real fun begins. You can immediately start your search for a compatible date and like profiles (by clicking the heart icon) as a way of showing interest and initiating romantic contact.
You can search for profiles in the Discover section and Missed Connections section. Free members can play around with different search filters to find the perfect match. The Match website and app will automatically set age ranges and locations within the parameters you set up when completing your dating profile, but you can adjust them as needed to widen or narrow your search.
The advanced search filters go beyond general demographics and allow singles to be more targeted when looking for compatible dates. You can state a preference for particular interests (fishing, blogging, cooking, skiing, soccer, etc.), looks (slender, curvy, tall, short, etc.), educational background, family, faith, politics, and healthy habits (i.e. smoker or non-smoker).
Match.com offers an abundance of search criteria for a dream date.
Once you’ve put together your ideal search criteria, you can click the bookmark icon to save that search so it will automatically appear every time you log into your account and go to the Discover section.
What’s more, Match.com uses your profile information to generate up to seven daily match recommendations. You’ll find these in the Matches tab. This section has a familiar swiping setup where singles see a profile picture and some basic information and then choose to either send a like or skip it.
This swiping system offers a fast way to create mutual matches and stimulate interest in your profile. Only visible members with a profile picture can send likes, so make sure you get your profile up and running before diving into your matches.
Paid subscribers can send and receive messages from all Match members, and they have access to video date options, Match event invites, and the Match Phonebook. Thanks to these privileges, premium members are much more likely to successfully land dates and build relationships on Match.
Over the years, Match.com has perfected the online dating process and made it easy for compatible singles to find one another — and now the dating site is growing its influence in the real-life dating scene as well. Match Events have become the talk of the town in major cities throughout the U.S. and the U.K., and they offer a fantastic way to meet viable dates in person, no swiping required.
More Than 15 Million People Use Match Every Month
Match has attracted millions of singles and facilitated countless relationships over the years. This isn’t a dating site for just anyone. It’s for serious daters who are willing to invest in the dating process to find a romantic partner for life.
Our Match review has found a lot of positive insights into this membership base. According to an internal survey, over 74% of Match.com users have attended college, over 67% are non-smokers, and about 84% of respondents said they are selective about who they want to date.
Match is available in 50 countries and has been translated into 12 languages, but it is by far the most popular among English-speaking daters. All in all, the dating site sees over 15 million visitors every month, and supports over 1.5 million messages sent in the average day.
Our reviewers have ranked Match among the largest dating sites of all time, and it also has the distinction of being one of the most successful dating sites and apps of all time — after all, online dating is a numbers game and few dating services can compare with Match.com in terms of sheer size and online activity.
Contact Match Customer Service by Email and Phone
Match supports singles through every step of the online dating process — from when you first sign up until you deactivate your account because you’ve met someone special.
If you want to talk to a Match representative on the phone, you can call its customer service team at (800) 926-2824. A live person is on hand to field your call from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
You can contact Match with questions or concerns about the dating services.
You can also reach out by email or live messenger during these regular business hours. Match members can expect a quick response from the team regarding technical and payment issues. These experts can also provide general guidance about meeting people safely through online dating sites.
Note: If you have a complaint about a particular dating profile on Match.com, the best way to deal with that is to block and report it directly on the dating site. Reasons for reporting a profile include inappropriate content, fake profiles, abusive behavior, and other suspicious activity.
The Match customer service team looks over all reports within 24 hours and takes action to rectify the issue and even delete the profile if necessary.
If you’re simply looking for dating advice, you can always seek out a consultation with a Match dating expert. These professionals are available via live chat, and the first session is totally free.
Bonus Alternatives to Match
We think Match.com is about as good as it gets when it comes to online dating, but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to fall in love as soon as you log in. The matchmaking tools can only go so far, and it doesn’t hurt to keep your options open with a dating profile on some of the largest dating apps and sites out there.
Here are some of our favorite alternatives to Match for casual daters, LGBTQ+ singles, and anyone else seeking an alternative.
BeNaughty invites singles to walk on the wild side and explore their sexuality in a fun, free-wheeling environment. This adults-only dating site is full of X-rated content, but users can blur nude photos if they'd prefer to leave some things to the imagination. Premium subscribers get the most bang for the buck because they can send messages, browse incognito, and receive alerts when their messages have been read by someone special.
- Sexually active adults in 10 countries
- Browse the Like Gallery for hot singles
- Stimulate conversation in intimate private messages
- Browse BeNaughty profiles 100% free »
BeNaughty is a trustworthy hookup site for men and women looking to get down and dirty in the online dating world. You can stay up late sexting someone on this free site, which doesn’t charge any money for access to messaging and matching features.
While Match focuses on quality relationships, BeNaughty facilitates steamy encounters, romantic trysts, and one-night stands. It’s the go-to wingman for singles interested primarily in sex and casual dating.
BeNaughty is a cheaper option for budget-friendly singles, and it’s more appealing to adults looking to get laid without making a big commitment.
In 1996, Friend Finder Networks began harnessing the power of online networking to help adults meet sexually active singles in their area, and it has now grown into a global X-rated phenomenon with over 93 million profiles. Adult Friend Finder provides a safe, anonymous dating platform where singles and swingers can hook up with another.
- Among the largest online sex and swinger communities
- Completely free no-obligation registration
- Live chat rooms and discussion forums open 24/7
- Browse Adult Friend Finder profiles 100% free »
Adult Friend Finder is another hookup and sex site geared toward finding horny singles and arranging late-night adult encounters, if you know what I mean. The AFF community has over 100 members, and it’s growing larger each and every day.
You can view photos, read erotic blogs, watch video broadcasts, join chat rooms, and salivate over X-rated dating profiles in this sex-positive environment. The AFF site offers fewer rules and limitations than a more straight-laced platform like Match.com, so sexy singles are eager to bare all and attract dates in the AFF community.
It’s free to join AFF but it’ll cost money if you want to send and receive messages from people online. Our Adult Friend Finder review breaks down the costs as well as the pros and cons of joining this top-rated hookup platform and dating service.
Both Adult Friend Finder and Match.com were founded in the 1990s, but that’s pretty much where their similarities end. AFF has come to dominate the casual dating space while Match focuses exclusively on helping serious daters find love.
Grindr became the world's first gay geosocial app in 2009, and it continues growing its all-male user base more than a decade later. The app uses real-time GPS data to locate nearby date prospects and give gay and bisexual singles a chance to connect while they're out on the town.
- Social networking for gay, bi, trans, and queer men
- Location-based matches spark instant chemistry
- Grindr Equality advocates for LGBTQ+ interests on the global stage
- Browse Grindr profiles 100% free »
Grindr has been the top dating app for gay men since 2009, and not even an old timer like Match.com can compare with its presence in the LGBTQ+ community. Grindr has over 27 million users around the globe, and it sees millions of guys flirting and swiping every day.
From the beginning, Grindr stood out from traditional dating services because of its location-based searches and matches. The app uses real-time GPS data from your Android or iOS device to find potential dates in the area.
Grindr is a dating app used for straight-up sex as well as relationships, and it doesn’t mess around with complicated matchmaking formulas. This app identifies which gay singles are closest to you in proximity, and then it gets out of the way and lets the conversation flow.
If you’re frustrated with the low number of gay matches on Match.com, then download Grindr for free and you’ll soon see why so many gay men have become addicted to swiping.
Since its launch in 2014, Bumble has positioned itself as one of the queens of the online dating world. The dating app turns gender stereotype on its head by empowering women to make the first move in a conversation with a man. Once you've made that mutual match, you have up to 48 hours to respond and make a connection.
- A feminist dating app puts singles on equal footing
- 60% of Bumble matches turn into dates
- Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF spark non-romantic connections
- Browse Bumble profiles 100% free »
Speaking of swiping, Bumble is one of our favorite dating apps, particularly for women, because of its progressive take on online dating. The app launched in 2014 as a female-friendly alternative to apps like Tinder and Match.
Bumble encourages women to take the lead in their matches and send the first message to the guys they like. Women have first move privileges on Bumble, meaning they’re in charge of setting the tone and breaking the ice once a mutual match is formed. They don’t have forever to kicks things off though — Bumble sets a timer of 24 hours on new matches, and the conversation window will disappear after a day of inactivity.
Many singles say they enjoy the unique matching process and level playing field upheld by the Bumble team. Millions of singles swipe and match here every day, and it’s completely free to send messages to anyone who likes your dating profile — but if you’re a straight guy you’ll have to wait for gals to say something first.
Since its launch in 2000, eharmony has endeavored to find the formula for love. Its 32-dimension personality test uses psychological truths to identify areas of compatibility between two individuals. The dating site's mission is to foster relationships that last, and every potential match has a reason behind it.
- Over 2 million people have found love here
- Users can filter their match recommendations by age or city
- Compatibility Quiz identifies common interests, lifestyles, and goals
- Browse eharmony profiles 100% free »
A lot of people often confuse eharmony with Match.com because the two sites are very similar. Match.com got a five year head start on eharmony, which was founded in 2000, but they both have become well-known icons in the online dating scene.
Both Match and eharmony focus on building long-term relationships between top-quality singles. Both have subscription fees for messaging privileges. And both are incredibly successful at identifying like-minded people and inspiring deep connections and even marriages. The eharmony team boasts creating a love match every 14 minutes.
Over 2 million couples in the U.S. alone met and fell in love on eharmony. The secret to its success isn’t so secret — it’s the in-depth personality test that uses 80 questions about your likes, interests, goals, opinions, and habits to identify true long-term compatibility. You can read our eharmony review to learn more about its features and user base.
In 2004, OkCupid's founders decided to create a fool-proof formula for love, and they launched a free dating site to delve into what personal attributes made relationships work. OkCupid members can send unlimited messages for free. It's easy to discover mutual interests and compatibility on the platform's information-rich dating profiles.
- Free, unlimited communication for everyone
- Singles can swipe or search for a compatible date
- Over 91 million connections every year
- Browse OkCupid profiles 100% free »
In 2004, four Harvard math majors founded OkCupid because they wanted to come up with an algorithm for love. How did they do that? By asking singles a lot of personal questions and comparing their answers to come up with a match rating. This data-driven dating site and app continues to draw from a wealth of personal data to identify who’s a good fit in terms of values and interests.
The OkCupid personality test is optional and includes over 4,000 questions ranging from “Do you like the taste of beer?” to “How important is religion in your relationships?” You can answer as few or as many of these questions as you’d like, and each answer will become a data point in your personal assessment and match ratings.
OkCupid has a similar matchmaking process as Match, but it draws from a lot more data from the profile and questions. Plus, messaging is 100% free on OkCupid, so consumers can save money while meeting people on the site and app. The only restriction is that only messages from mutual matches will show up in your inbox. Anyone can send a first message on OkCupid, but only mutual matches can engage in conversations.
HER is a women-only (or "womxn" as the team says) dating app that helps cis, trans, and non-binary identified singles come into their own. This is a strict no-boys-allowed zone. HER encourages LGBTQ+ women to mingle by commenting on photos or events in the Feed, or they can like profiles to initiate a private conversation with a mutual match.
- A quirky and unapologetic womxn-only dating community
- Queer events get users connecting IRL
- The constantly updated Feed facilitates social networking
- Browse HER profiles 100% free »
Last but certainly not least, HER is a dating app made by a lesbian women who realized that traditional dating sites and apps did LGBTQ women a disservice by not catering specifically to their needs. HER changed all that when it launched as one of the first women-only dating apps.
Today, HER has over 4 million members, all of whom have been verified as authentic by Facebook, and it is rapidly becoming one of the most popular dating platforms for women seeking women. The easy to navigate interface is more like a social network than a dating site. The newsfeed features photos and posts by queer women in the area, and there’s even an Events Calendar to help people get engaged in the community.
HER fosters a sense of belonging, solidarity, and rainbow spirit that you won’t find on most dating sites where straight people are in the majority and heteronormative rules reign supreme. Joining HER is like a breath of fresh air for lesbian, bisexual, queer, questioning, and trans women seeking fun, friendship, and love.
Reviews Are In: Match is the Best of the Best
Match has been in business longer than some of its current users have been alive, and all those years have given the Dallas-based team a lot of insight into what it takes to spark romance in the online dating scene.
Since its early days, Match has developed a compatibility rating system that unites people based on shared lifestyles, interests, and goals. That provides a solid foundation for a long term relationship, and its dating services have proven effective time and time again.
We highly recommend Match because it has been around longer than all other online dating sites, and it has more success stories to its name as well. You can use Match’s streamlined interface and curated match lists to find many like-minded people who strike your fancy.
Or, if Match.com doesn’t seem like it’s your cup of tea, you can read our Elite Singles review and learn how a dating website for professionals can take your online dating experience to a whole new level. Whatever you choose, make sure you do your research and know what you’re getting into before you sign up for online dating. Good luck!
