The battle for supremacy between Match vs eharmony has been going on for over 20 years now. And we’re here to settle it once and for all.
Both Match.com and eharmony have long and impressive histories of pairing up couples in serious relationships. They both have international networks of single people. But only one dating website can come out on top in our book, and it will be the one with the best user reviews and statistics behind it.
When comparing Match and eharmony, we assessed everything from the membership stats to the success rates to determine which dating platform is better, faster, and stronger. Now let’s get into the specifics!
Match vs. eharmony: Overall Reviews
Our dating experts are no strangers to Match.com and eharmony. We have completed the signup process, explored the free and premium features, and even used these dating sites for fun when off the clock. Our overall review is grounded in personal experience and professional expertise, and you can trust us to deliver the facts.
Match: 4.9/5.0
Match.com is a top-rated dating service that has been in the matchmaking game longer than any of its competitors. The online dating site made a name for itself in the 1990s, and the online dating app became available on Google Play in 2010. Match has pioneered technology that has brought tens of millions of single people together and inspired countless love stories.
Our overall rating for Match.com is 4.9 stars because it’s pretty close to perfect in the way it pairs up singles and fosters budding relationships.
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 »
If you look at the history of Match.com, you’ll see that it was a success from the very beginning. The Match Group company started in 1993 with a vision to create something entirely new — an online dating website. Match.com launched in April 1995 as one of the first online dating sites ever, and it has set the industry standard for how online dating works.
eharmony: 4.7/5.0
When it launched in 2000, eharmony positioned itself as an online dating solution for men and women looking for a committed relationship. A Christian theologian and psychologist founded the dating website to identify true compatibility, make valuable introductions, and inspire lasting marriages.
Our reviewers have given eharmony a respectable rating of 4.7 stars in recognition of its sophisticated algorithm and quality matches.
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 »
The eharmony matching algorithm has been perfected over the last two decades to focus on the qualities that matter in relationships. The 32 Dimension Compatibility Quiz provides insight into a single person’s character, values, and goals, and it can calculate the likelihood that two individuals will hit things off on their first date and beyond.
Who Takes This One? Match Does!
Just like that, Match.com gets its first win of the article. But it likely won’t be the last. Match is just an overall winner in the online dating scene, and we have to give it props for kicking butt and taking names for so long. Although eharmony is easily among the best dating sites for relationships, it falls short of that top spot in our rankings.
Match vs. eharmony: Cost Comparison
Let’s talk dollars and cents. Match and eharmony are both premium dating sites, which means not every feature will be available for free. However, all online daters can start with a free trial and maintain a free membership if they’d rather not pay for any upgrades.
Match: Memberships Cost $0 to $26.99
Match does not charge members anything to create a dating profile, search for potential matches, and send private messages to users in their Top Picks list. The basic plan offers a pretty good deal, but it can be limiting if you only have one or two profiles that qualify as Top Picks. You don’t get to decide who makes the cut — the Match algorithm does that for you.
It’s free to create an account on Match.com and browse user profiles.
A premium membership on Match.com offers unlimited chatting opportunities with all users on the dating site and app. The cost of Match is less than the cost of a high-end matchmaker or speed dating event, yet it includes access to dating expert consultations, Match sponsored events, AND an online dating database.
A one-month subscription costs $26.99 and comes with no obligations to continue. Online daters can also choose to get a six-month or 12-month subscription if they’re in it for the long run.
Pro tip: You get the most bang for your buck by getting a yearlong subscription, which costs $19.99 per month. You may pay more upfront, but the monthly cost is as low as it gets.
eharmony: Memberships Cost $0 to $65.90
The basic membership on eharmony is totally free and comes with some free matching and chat options. Free members can take the Compatibility Test, browse profiles, send icebreakers, and even respond to some messages. However, only premium members have the ability to send unlimited messages through the eharmony.
How much does the premium membership cost? Here’s a breakdown:
- eharmony Premium Light: $65.90 per month for six months
- eharmony Premium Plus: $45.90 per month for 12 months
- eharmony Premium Extra: $35.90 per month for 24 months
As you can see, eharmony requires a significant investment from users. The six-month plan comes with the highest monthly price tag, but it’s actually the most popular plan. Most singles on eharmony are hoping to find a potential partner sooner rather than later, and they don’t want to be on the hook for monthly payments a year or two years from now.
We should note that eharmony frequently offers discounts on its paid membership plans. For instance, in the months leading up to Valentine’s Day, we’ve seen eharmony offer a 60%-off deal that dropped its two-year subscription to $14.36 per month.
Whose Has More Appealing Prices? It’s Match.com
When you study the numbers, this matchup isn’t even close. The monthly cost of a yearlong membership on Match.com is less than half of the monthly cost of a yearlong membership on eharmony. And Match offers shorter monthly subscriptions so a single user doesn’t have to commit to online dating for a year or more.
The Match subscription is more affordable than the eharmony subscription, and Match offers more free communication features and thereby provides a greater value to online daters.
Match vs. eharmony: User Base Comparison
The online dating pool can vary from dating app to dating app, so it’s worth looking at the quality of the Match membership base in comparison with the eharmony membership base. Both of these popular dating sites have verification processes in place to keep fake profiles and scammers at bay. And both seem to have struck a chord with serious relationship seekers. Let’s get into the numbers and history to paint a clearer picture of where they differ.
Match: 15 Million Straight & LGBTQ+ Users in 50 Countries
Over the last 25 years, Match has created a welcoming space where straight singles and LGBTQ+ singles can find love. The dating network encompasses 15 million people in 50 countries, including the United States where it was founded.
When you look at the numbers, it’s clear that Match.com caters to the cream of the online dating crop. Approximately 75% of Match members are over 30 years old, and 74% say they have earned at least a college degree.
Match currently offers 18 gender options upon signup. However, the dating platform does limit online users to browsing only one gender type at a time. Bisexual singles can go into their settings to switch their gender preferences whenever they wish and carry on conversations with men and women simultaneously.
eharmony: 10 Million Mostly Heterosexual Users in 125 Countries
The eharmony dating site has a large membership base with over 10 million members around the world. The dating service is available in 125 countries, but it is most popular in the U.S. and the U.K. The typical eharmony member is over 35 years old, has a stable career, and identifies as straight.
It’s no secret that eharmony hasn’t always been the most gay-friendly dating site. In fact, eharmony was sued by LGBT rights advocates for only allowing opposite-sex matches. As of today, eharmony has reversed this discriminatory policy, but it has a lot of ground to make up in earning back the trust of gay and lesbian singles.
The eharmony site welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds, and orientations.
Conservative Christian values have been at the heart of eharmony from the beginning. That accounts for the team’s reluctance to accept the idea that the same matching algorithm that works for straight couples can work for same-sex couples.
The eharmony leadership has taken some controversial and even downright homophobic stances in the past. As recently as 2013, eharmony’s Co-Founder said gay marriage damaged the company and described homosexuality as “a painful way to live.” He stepped down as CEO in 2016, and eharmony has quietly opened its doors to same-sex dating. But LGBTQ+ singles have not exactly rushed to sign up.
The Winner Here is Match for Its More Inclusive History
Match may be the oldest dating site on the market, but it cannot be accused of being old-fashioned when it comes to inclusivity. Unlike eharmony, Match.com has unequivocably embraced non-binary gender options and same-sex matching — no lawsuits or protests required.
We appreciate that eharmony has changed its policy regarding same-sex dating. However, we’re not going to heap praise on its membership or reward it for doing the bare minimum for the LGBTQ community. Match.com has a more diverse and inclusive user base than eharmony does, so Match wins this matchup.
Match vs. eharmony: Matching Comparison
Every dating service handles matchmaking a little bit differently. Some apps have swiping, and others have search filters. Some sites recommend compatible match prospects, while others leave it up to the user to navigate the dating pool.
Match.com and eharmony have both been proactive about deriving matches based on user profile data, but the way they define, identify, and promote compatibility sets them apart.
Match: Search for User Profiles on Your Own & Receive Daily Matches
Match may look like a standard no-frills dating website at first glance. But it actually invented that standard over two decades ago. The Match team has stuck to what works, and its straightforward search and matching has definitely gotten results.
The Match profile includes a basic summary, some demographic details, and fun topics that can spark conversations. Users can also choose to fill in categories in the What I’m Looking For sections. This information determines which profiles appear in your daily matches and Top Picks list.
Members can swipe through match suggestions in the Discover tab, or they can charter their own way in the Search tab and find compatible profiles based on appearance, lifestyle, and background.
Match’s established dating experts can also offer advice in the online dating scene. It’s free to schedule a consultation with a dating coach or matchmaker, and their insights could be very eye-opening.
eharmony: 32 Dimensions® of Compatibility Does All the Work
The eharmony matchmaking system is grounded in scientific research. From its earliest days, this online dating site has relied on psychological principles to spark long-term relationships. The match suggestions are not random but carefully calculated based on the user’s personality traits and preferences.
An eharmony user must complete a detailed dating profile and upload a photo just to gain access to the eharmony database. The profile includes sections regarding a person’s occupation, hobbies, life skills, and opinions. Plus, eharmony members can add a favorite quote or icebreaker prompts to make themselves stand out.
The eharmony Compatibility Quiz is the foundation of the matchmaking process.
The Compatibility Quiz, which features over 80 questions, is where the matchmaking gets really serious. The quiz is optional and free, but users must complete it once they start. The Compatibility Quiz delves into communication styles, relationship goals, and other important values. After taking the quiz, eharmony members receive smart match ratings and detailed compatibility breakdowns.
The results of the Compatibility Quiz are crucial because they heavily factor into the order of dating profiles in the Matches sections. This automatically generated and updated list provides introductions between highly compatible people.
Free members can only filter their matches based on age, height, smoking, and desire to have children. Premium eharmony members have extra filters based on religion, ethnicity, income, and education. The eharmony platform automatically prioritizes profiles within the same city or state, and it does not allow users to adjust the results to be within a certain mile radius.
Our Pick: Match Lets You Take the Wheel But Also Offers Assistance
Once again, we have to declare Match the winner here. Match.com has a variety of search filters and matchmaking tools to help its members find the perfect match. The dating service can guide the user experience with its compatibility ratings, but it also empowers users to take control of their own romantic destiny.
Match is different (and better) than eharmony when it comes to matchmaking because users aren’t very constrained in how far and how broadly they can conduct a search for love.
Match vs. eharmony: Success Rates Comparison
Singles enter the online dating scene with all sorts of expectations and goals. Some just want a short-term distraction and ego boost. But many are genuinely looking for a compatible partner and hope that dating sites actually work. Match and eharmony have been around long enough to collect a lot of success stories and statistics that prove it is possible to find a husband or a wife on these sites.
Match: Inspiring More Marriages Than Any Matchmaker
We’ve seen quite a bit of evidence that Match.com has had a positive impact on the dating scene. Researchers have estimated that the dating site is responsible for nearly 100,000 marriages, over 517,000 relationships, and the births of about 1 million babies. A Wedding Channel survey reported that more married couples met on Match.com than any other dating platform.
Match.com often receives thank-you messages and wedding announcements from former users.
Match.com no longer publishes success stories or wedding announcements out of respect for user privacy. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take much Google searching to find proof that the dating site works.
“I’ve had more success with Match than any other service,” said one Reddit user. “I find that having to pay to communicate is enough of a barrier to entry that it keeps a lot of the flakes away.”
Sometimes Match.com gets flack from users who say it’s not worth the price of admission. Maybe the dating pool was less populated in their area, or maybe they didn’t like any of their daily matches.
Online dating is a mixed bag, and people of different ages, backgrounds, values, and personality types will have different experiences. That’s why Match basically offers an extended free trial period (which includes free messaging), so new users can judge for themselves whether the dating site can fit their expectations and needs.
eharmony: Over 2 Million Couples Introduced in the U.S.
Since 2000, eharmony has introduced over 2 million couples in the U.S. and countless more worldwide. According to eharmony user data, the app creates a new love connection every 14 minutes.
The eharmony site sees over 2.3 million messages exchanged per week.
A recent survey revealed that eharmony members place a great deal of trust in eharmony to find them quality matches. The eharmony members in the survery said they prize honesty and kindness most in potential partners. Over 70% of eharmony members said they are looking for a committed relationship.
You can read a ton of eharmony success stories on the website to get an idea of just how many lives have been changed by this online dating service.
Bruce had only been an eharmony member for a couple weeks when he matched with Lorri, chatted her up, and asked her on a date. The couple fell in love and got married in September 2011. “She is everything I wanted and needed,” Bruce said in his testimonial. “We have become unofficial eharmony enthusiasts and recommend it to everyone who wants to find that special person for them.”
Who Has Impressed Us the Most? The Stats Don’t Lie: Match Wins
With a clean sweep in all five categories, Match.com is the clear winner in the battle of Match vs eharmony. The Match dating site and app have millions of members, affordable prices, smart matchmaking tools, and a long history of success. So it blows eharmony out of the water.
Match has ranked among the top dating sites in the world for over 25 years now, and our dating experts don’t think that’s going to change any time soon.
If you’re looking for a committed relationship, both eharmony and Match.com can direct you to quality matches. But Match.com requires much less time, effort, and money from the user to get results.
Is Match Better Than Other Dating Sites Besides eharmony?
Since 1995, Match.com has seen unprecedented success in the online dating scene. The dating platform has pioneered personality-driven match algorithms and led to over 1 million babies being born. But is it the overall best dating site ever? Depends on who you are and what you want.
Match.com appeals primarily to serious daters in their 30s and 40s. Many younger singles are unable or unwilling to pay the subscription fee on Match.com, and many senior singles have concerns about joining such a large and diverse dating pool.
Senior daters often don’t feel comfortable mingling with younger people on mainstream sites like Match and eharmony. That’s why senior dating sites have become increasingly popular among baby boomers.
Is Match or eharmony Good for Hookups?
No. Match and eharmony have a great track record when it comes to inspiring serious relationships, but they’re not ideal for casual dating, sexting, or even making friends. Match and eharmony members tend to be more interested in a long-term commitment than anything else, so anyone looking for a casual hookup will likely get rebuffed and rejected here.
Sex seekers may prefer the sexualized content on Adult Friend Finder. This hookup site doesn’t censor naked photos or sexually graphic language, and it has 104 million sex personals available online.
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 has top marks as a sex dating site. But it does not have a dating app on Google Play or the App Store. Casual daters who want to swipe and sext on the go may have better luck on Tinder where over 50% of members are under 25 and up for just about anything.
Is Match or eharmony Worth It?
Match and eharmony offer singles the chance to invest in their romantic future and potentially fall in love. But it is a bit of a gamble. You never quite know who you’ll meet through these dating platforms, or if your online connection will inspire a first date and real relationship. The matching algorithm can provide predictions and guidance, but it cannot do all the work nor guarantee fast results.
With good timing and a little luck, your online dating profile could make a huge difference in your love life and lead you to a happily-ever-after ending. We’d say that’s plenty worth the $0 price to sign up and look for a potential match.
Are There Any Completely Free Dating Sites?
The high cost of Match.com and eharmony can scare off some online daters, especially young people, but not all online dating services charge a premium fee for matching and chatting. Free dating sites like OkCupid and PlentyOfFish (POF) do not charge a cent for online communication. Anyone can join these sites and send messages for free.
The only downside is that free dating sites tend to sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity. As in, you may have more messaging opportunities but find fewer people with real relationship potential.
5 Alternatives to Match and eharmony
We’ve been talking so much about Match.com vs eharmony, but these dating sites are not the only options out there. Hundreds of online dating platforms can help singles mix and mingle on their terms. Here’s a short list of our favorite alternatives to Match and eharmony.
1. Elite Singles
First up, we have to credit Elite Singles for elevating the online dating experience. This premium dating site has established registration policies that have banned fake profiles and cultivated a user base of well-educated and successful singles.
Over 80% of Elite Singles members have graduated with a university degree, and over 90% say they are looking for a committed relationship.
EliteSingles.com maintains a sophisticated network of young professionals seeking a relationship. Over 80% of its members hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree, and over 90% are over the age of 30. Elite Singles uses an intelligent matchmaking system to introduce daters to someone on their level.
- Over 2 million monthly users
- Premium members receive 20 wildcard matches a day
- Search features include age, height, education, ethnicity, and lifestyle habits
- Browse Elite Singles profiles 100% free »
Elite Singles set up a premium membership to act as a barrier between online riff-raff and genuine daters. Viewing photos is a premium feature. Chatting with members is a premium feature. Singles have to pay the subscription fee if they are serious about meeting a new person on this online dating site.
2. Zoosk
Since 2007, Zoosk has established itself as a social networking and dating app where singles can kick back and have fun. The platform does not pressure its members to make a serious connection or pay for the pleasure of chatting. It is open to all types of singles interested in all types of relationships.
Zoosk is a socially savvy dating site known for its diverse membership base and behavioral matchmaking system. Over 40 million singles in 80 countries have joined the network so far, and it's growing larger every day. The platform offers many different ways to communicate and express interest in members, so it's easy to form a fast connection here.
- Send messages to premium members for free
- Over 3 million messages sent a day
- Premium perks include photo verification and sending virtual gifts
- Browse Zoosk profiles 100% free »
Zoosk has over 40 million members in 80 countries, which makes it one of the largest dating pools in the world. In terms of sheer size, Zoosk can compete with Match and eharmony, but where it really has the advantage is in its affordable pricing model.
3. Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle is a particularly useful option if you’re a Christian single looking for a Christian relationship. The niche dating site has over 15 million members, and about 90% of them identify as Christian. The remaining 10% are non-Christians who are open to interfaith dating.
Christian Mingle is a faith-based dating website for singles who want a relationship grounded in Christian values. People of all religions and backgrounds turn to this site in hopes of meeting a good Christian man or a good Christian woman. Christian Mingle's claim to fame is that it has the highest percentage of Christian members of any dating site or app in the world.
- For singles interested in God-centered relationships
- Over 3.5 million monthly users around the world
- Available as an app on Google Play and the App Store
- Browse Christian Mingle profiles 100% free »
Christian Mingle can help Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, and other Christian singles find their way to a loving and God-centered relationship. Christian Mingle dating profiles feature specific personal details, including favorite Bible verses and hobbies, to encourage good-hearted Christians to get to know one another on a deeper level.
4. Tinder
Tinder launched in 2012 as a Silicon Valley startup with an idea to put mobile users in charge of their romantic prospects. The online dating app went viral thanks to its innovative swipe-based matching. A few years later, the Match Group acquired the company, which is currently valued at $3 billion.
The Tinder app has empowered singles to match, chat, and date on their terms.
In less than 10 years, Tinder has been downloaded over 400 million times and created more than 55 billion matches. The dating app should definitely be on your radar if you’re looking for a hot date.
5. Bumble
A former Tinder Co-Founder founded Bumble in 2014 in an effort to promote the interests of single women. The Bumble app gives women sole discretion to message their male matches. A man cannot message a single woman on Bumble unless she likes his dating profile AND messages him first. That’s a strong line of defense against creepy guys bent on spamming inboxes with crude remarks.
As of 2020, Bumble has surpassed 100 million users, and it continues to uphold progressive and feminist values in the online dating industry.
Bumble is a quality-driven dating app that opposes superficial swiping culture.
Bumble aims to be more than a casual swiping app. Its women-first system has attracted serious daters who know their worth and are ready for a commitment. Over 85% of Bumble users in a survey said they want to find a relationship, and less than 4% said they were only looking for a casual hookup.
Match and eharmony Both Provide an Excellent Service
The battle of Match vs eharmony has been one of the most exciting rivalries in the online dating industry. However, the competition isn’t a winner-take-all situation. As fun as it is to pit these two online dating giants against one another, the truth is single people do not have to choose between the two and sometimes using both offers the best online dating experience.
Instead of joining either Match.com or eharmony, you could create a free dating profile on both Match.com and eharmony. That way, you can see for yourself which appeals to you more. Both online dating sites have terrific matchmaking features and quality membership bases, so you really can’t go wrong between the two of them. Best of luck!
