Our OurTime review will tell you everything you need to know about one of the first senior-focused dating sites to hit the internet. We cover all the details you could want, from the premium features to the basics of getting started and how to contact the team if you run into problems.
Online dating can be a daunting prospect, especially for those over 50. There are a lot of online dating apps and sites out there, and it’s sometimes hard to know how to tell if any given site is a scam. Given that approximately 10% of the world’s population is over the age of 50, it’s no surprise that niche dating sites have cropped up to help mature singles make a match.
OurTime is widely known as the original online dating site for seniors, and it has gained a long-standing reputation. Launched by People Media, OurTime brings the expertise that only comes with long-term, steady experience. Its features are straightforward and easy to use, and the value behind the premium membership is strong.
Overall OurTime Rating: 4.4 Stars
OurTime has been around since 2001, and over the decades, it’s offered a simple, strong proposition: senior dating that’s easy to use and lets site members find exactly the kind of relationship they’re looking for. The site’s features are geared to making things as simple and secure as possible, with intuitive setup and simple navigation.
OurTime is an over-50 dating site with a lot of helpful features to facilitate friendships and relationships. Senior singles can look for dates themselves using the search tools, or they can view a curated list of matches to find compatible folks. Singles can send likes, flirts, and faves for free, but they have to subscribe to send messages to their online crushes.
- Open to straight, gay, and lesbian singles over 50
- Free match recommendations and conversation starters
- Use Tokens to promote your profile and send virtual gifts
- Browse OurTime profiles 100% free »
The site also boasts a mobile app counterpart for those in the over-50 crowd who are as attached to their smartphones and tablets as any millennial. The mobile features combine the ease of Tinder and the depth of OurTime’s parent company Match.com.
Some of the high points of OurTime include:
- 8.9 million monthly site visitors, making it one of the largest online dating pools for seniors
- Matching based on hobbies, lifestyle, goals, and proximity
- Easy signup process that takes only a few minutes
- Daily matches based on your criteria
- Real-time messaging
- Private phone number for texting and calling
- Robust, accessible customer service
- OurTime sponsored live events to take things offline without the pressure
OurTime has a gender ratio of 52% female to 48% male. This gap is small enough that anyone has a good chance of finding a potential match. The site can recommend same-sex matches as well as opposite-sex matches.
How OurTime Works: Premium Chat & Dating Profile Features
One of the key strengths of OurTime is the fact that it’s very easy to get started. You can set up a basic account in less than 5 minutes, and if you want to take the time to fill out every section, you can be done within 20 minutes. Even better: the site is set up to guide users through the process every step of the way, making it as easy as possible.
OurTime doesn’t ask a ton of questions, and what it does ask from users is fairly open-ended. Sections include “In A Nutshell,” “The One I’m Looking For,” and “I’d Just Like to Add,” giving users the freedom to answer in as much detail as they want. As you go through the process, you can also choose to tag specific interests, and add photos or a short video of yourself.
Finding Your Matches
Once your account is set up, you can get down to finding prospective matches, using the site’s algorithms and your own criteria. The OurTime algorithm presents one profile at a time, giving users the option to Like it or Pass on it. The presentation includes the person’s pictures, basic information, and their In A Nutshell response, and you can choose to look deeper by checking out their full profile.
In addition to the suggested matches, users can also do a search of their own, using the filters of their choice, including:
- Age
- Gender
- Personal habits (for example, smoking or non-smoking)
- Religion
- Geographic location
- Family life (kids, etc)
Premium members have access to even more filters and selections, but it’s easy for anyone on the site to narrow down the field of eligible, single seniors to come up with the people most likely to be a good match.
The algorithm also gets smarter over time, using the preferences and experience each user has on the site to refine the suggested matches that come up in the match list. Searches and other interactions help the site get better at suggesting who you might be a good match for, so it’s definitely worth using all the features to get closer and closer to the best match available for you.
Communicating With Your Matches
Once you’ve found someone who seems interesting, you have a few options at your disposal. The “Like” and “Pass” system with your personalized matches creates the possibility of a mutual match, which is one way to open up the lines of communication. There is also an instant message feature, along with some options for on-site email, phone calls, and texting.
OurTime Cost Breakdown: Prices Start At $3.75/week
While it’s possible to use OurTime without paying, there are definitely advantages that come with a premium subscription. But before we delve into the value that comes with the premium membership, it’s a good idea to break down the cost itself. The site often has specials, reduced rates, and free trials, but the average monthly costs are very reasonable.
- 6 month premium membership: $15 per month ($3.75 per week)
- 3 month premium membership $17.99 per month ($4.49 per week)
- 1 month premium membership $29.96 per month ($7.49 per week)
So what do you get for the premium price? The features on OurTime definitely give more weight to the premium user compared to the basic free member OurTime account. The best example of this is the communication options: a premium OurTime user can message as many people as they want, and can message anyone they want to. Basic, free account options only allow you to reply to messages, along with sending likes.
Premium members have a wider range of interactions open to them on the site. The paid membership includes perks like the ability to send a virtual gift and boost your profile in search results. As a paid member you also get greater access to customized recommendations and filters. A more recent premium feature includes video chat via the app.
As a basic OurTime member, you can be sure that anyone you receive a message from is invested in something serious. Each premium member pays for the privilege to contact people, after all. But given the restrictions that come with the basic membership, we think it’s well worth the reasonable prices to make the investment in a premium membership.
OurTime User Demographics
While OurTime doesn’t prohibit people under the age of 50 from using the dating platform, the majority of the membership is over 50. It’s also easy to restrict the profiles that come up in your daily matches to a particular age range; so if you are interested in only dating people in the 50+ demographic, it’s easy to make sure those are the only potential match profiles you receive.
OurTime is most popular in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, so users from those countries are more likely to find a match nearby. For those interested in an international connection, the OurTime website and dating app are gaining popularity in several other countries, including France and the Netherlands.
OurTime Customer Support Information
One of the biggest selling points for the OurTime dating service compared with other senior dating sites is its robust, accessible customer support systems. While some online dating platforms make it difficult to track down assistance, OurTime makes it very easy to get in touch with a dating expert, get a question answered, or report suspicious behavior.
As a member of the site, all you have to do is visit your account settings, and select the Help tab. This option takes you to the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), which may solve your conundrum right away. But if that doesn’t get you the answer you need, just scroll down the page until you see the Contact Us button.
You have the option to fill out a simple form that goes directly to People Media, the company that owns OurTime. You can also call the customer service line directly at (866)-727-8920. The line is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. While it’s not a 24-hour service line, it’s definitely a helpful option for people who prefer talking to a live person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our experts have taken the time to answer some common questions we get from mature singles who want to know more about OurTime and online dating.
Is OurTime a Scam Website?
No! OurTime has been around for 20 years, and it stays in business because it offers a lot of value for the membership. One of the biggest selling points of the site is that it has strong systems in place to moderate the user base. The dating site takes the time to verify each account, and makes it easy to report suspicious activity.
What Do I Do If I See a Fake Profile on OurTime?
If a person you encounter on the OurTime site or app seems to be acting suspiciously or have a fake profile, it’s easy to report the behavior and let the website team take care of it. OurTime takes the prospect of scammer profiles very seriously, and works quickly to remove them.
In general, it’s important to take a few measures of your own to make sure your online dating experience is safe and that you can keep meeting new people without risk. Some best practices include never revealing sensitive personal information (such as your address, Social Security number, or birthdate) or financial details that a scammer might use to steal your identity or commit fraud.
Some scammer behaviors go beyond asking for sensitive details. Many scammers will make excuses to avoid video chats or phone chats, and try instead to keep things to text-based messages to prevent their targets from finding out they’re not who they say they are. Other online dating red flags include:
- Getting too intense, too fast: saying they’re in love very early on or making over-the-top expressions of desire
- Elaborate sob stories with the implication that they desperately need financial help from you
- Vague descriptions of jobs that make them unable to meet in person (common lies are that they work in the military, on an oil rig, or have an international medical job)
- Pressuring you to leave the platform’s communication system as soon as possible
- Thin excuses for why they can’t meet in person or constant last-minute cancellations
While OurTime does its best to eliminate scams and con artists, the first line of defense is to recognize them yourself and report the accounts that seem suspicious.
Is OurTime Better Than SilverSingles for Senior Dating?
It’s definitely a close comparison, but we think that OurTime is just slightly better than SilverSingles. Both online dating services cater to the 50+ crowd, and both use algorithms to suggest the potential match profiles that might interest each user. Both sites also have a subscription model that includes both paid subscription and free options.
SilverSingles is serious about helping singles over 50 meet one another, and its network stretches across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The secure signup process includes profile verification and fraud detection, so new members must portray themselves accurately to gain access to the platform. By fostering a safe environment, SilverSingles helps men and women meet mature dates in their area.
- An exclusively senior membership base
- Over 800,000 monthly users worldwide
- App available for free on Google Play
- Browse SilverSingles profiles 100% free »
SilverSingles uses personality profiling to generate matches for its user base, but it doesn’t allow you to independently search for people you might be interested in. In addition, the SilverSingles premium membership costs a little more on a monthly basis, and it lacks features that OurTime has, like video chat and voice calling functions. All in all, we think that OurTime is the better deal.
Do You Need Facebook to Sign Up for OurTime?
You do not need Facebook to sign up for OurTime. All you need is an email address. Although you don’t need a Facebook account, and you don’t have to link your Facebook account if you want to stay somewhat anonymous, there are some benefits to those who choose to link their Facebook to OurTime.
If you decide to pay for a premium subscription, using your Facebook profile helps with the verification process that OurTime demands. If you’re a free user, registering with your Facebook profile helps to shorten the signup process and makes filling out your profile faster. For example, you can export pictures directly from Facebook to your OurTime profile, instead of having to upload them from your computer or mobile device.
Another benefit has less to do with OurTime itself and more to do with the people you meet there. Including your Facebook details in your profile makes you less suspicious to a potential match because it’s a little harder to fake a profile across more than one website. If you want to keep yourself anonymous, you can definitely use just your email address — but for a few reasons, it can be helpful to register using Facebook.
Is OurTime Good for Finding Sex?
It’s definitely possible to find sex on OurTime, since one of the features the site boasts is the ability to select for exactly the type of relationships you’re looking for. However, the user base for the dating site tends to be looking for long-term relationships, friendships, and connections of that nature; so while nothing is stopping you from looking for sex, it’s difficult to find a receptive person on the dating platform.
If you’re primarily looking for sex partners, a stronger option is likely to be Adult Friend Finder. Here is some key information about the AFF sex community.
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 »
The AFF hookup site is specifically oriented toward casual sexual relationships. Its features make sense for that purpose. It’s free to join, and the premium membership (about $15 per month) provides access to perks like private messaging and adult videos.
OurTime: A Trustworthy Dating Service for Mature Singles
The OurTime dating site has developed a strong reputation in its 20+ years of existence, and for good reason: Senior singles have given OurTime positive reviews thanks to the site’s simple, secure system. Of course, no online dating site can guarantee success 100% of the time, so it’s important to keep that in mind while you browse the platform.
In this OurTime review, we’ve touched on the features that set OurTime apart and what makes the premium membership worth the investment. Today’s mature singles deserve a big dating pool and a dating website that puts them in control of their matches. The OurTime dating site provides features and services that really make a difference. Plus, the OurTime app provides an even deeper level of features and benefits, especially with premium membership for seniors.
All in all, OurTime is a trusted site that puts seniors in the driver’s seat in terms of finding who they’re looking for, what type of relationship they’re seeking, and how they want to engage with others. The strong customer service and moderation systems in place help to weed out imposters and scammers, making it a safer environment for single seniors to explore dating in their silver years.
