Online dating can be very overwhelming. There are dating apps that are more on the casual/hook-up side of things like Bumble and Tinder, and apps that focus more around relationships like Match, eHarmony, Coffee Meets bagel, etc. There are also more specialized niche dating apps and sites like Farmers Only, Christian Singles, J-Date, and more. We decided to test Match first since it has been around for so long and is the number one dating app in the app store.
Match claims that they have led people to more dates, relationships, and marriages than any other dating site, and we believe them. Match.com offers a free version and an upgraded premium version as well (we will explain more details down below). After creating your profile, the Match app finds people in your local area that are likely to be a good match for you based on some of the interests and information that you included in your profile. You can “like” someone by clicking on the heart icon, “wink” at someone by clicking on the eye icon, or send someone a message by clicking on the mail icon. When people that you favorite like you back, it creates a “match” and sends you a notification to alert you of the good news.
Match.com does allow for more of a casual search experience than eHarmony. With eHarmony you really need to answer a lot of questions and go through a more complex registration process, and the reason for that is because they have a very complex algorithm that does it’s best to find you someone that would be good to have a relationship with. While Match.com still focuses on relationships, the search experience and user functionality does give users the potential to have more of a casual date connection. It’s not quite like a Tinder search, but it is relaxed enough where you can casually browse and reach out to people you like.
OVERALL
Fun Level - 9.7
Addiction Level - 9.5
Easy to Use - 9.5
Graphics 10
Concept - 8
One of the best parts about the Match dating app is that it’s very easy to browse singles within the search feed. With a Tinder search you can only view one at a time and either swipe left or swipe right, but with Match there are about 4-6 image tiles in view that you can check out depending on what type of device you’re on. Within each image of the girl or guy it shows you how old they are, what city they are located in, how many images they have uploaded, and it also gives you the option to like/favorite them or send them a message. You can also tap on the three little dots in the top right corner of each image to either view their profile or delete from the list so that you don’t have to waste time checking out people you are not interested in. A lot of dating apps include either too much info in the search feed, don’t have the layout setup in a simple way, or don’t include enough info so that you are forced to click on their profile to get it.
Another thing we really like about the Match dating app is the Match Stories feature. It’s kind of like the stories feature on Instagram; it allows users to add photos or videos to create a story that other singles can view. This is something that should be talked about because it truly is unique. With most dating apps you can only add pictures, and sometimes video, to your profile. Lots of times they get old and stale because people don’t bother to go in and update them. Match Stories allows singles to see what you look like and how you sound in present time. If you are only uploading a picture it even allows you to record your voice in the same slide so that you can narrate what you’re doing in the photo.
On the Home tab is where you can view everybody’s stories. It feels like Instagram, but the main difference is that you know every picture or video you see in the feed is from somebody that is single and looking to meet other single people. Instead of just “liking” the photo or video and leaving comments (premium members can leave comments only), users can favorite that single and/or send them a message directly from the feed. This is a wonderful addition to the traditional “Discover” tab that they have had for so long. Sometimes it’s these small little features and difference that could make the difference in finding the man or woman of your dreams.
It’s time to talk about pricing and premium accounts. While the Match is one of the best free dating apps on the market, it is also one of the best premium paid dating apps on the market. Pricing could change so do not set this in stone, but they offer 3 different types of plans:
- 6 Month Bundle – $21.99/month
- 3 Month Bundle – $24.99/month
- 1 Month – $42.99/month
There isn’t an option to get an additional discount for a 1 year subscription because odds are that within 6 months you will either find your perfect match or get so frustrated that you give up completely (let’s hope it’s the first option). Let’s be honest, it takes a lot of time and energy to date and try to find someone you can build a life with. It even takes a lot of time and energy to just go out on casual dates as well. You have to browse people, message people, charm people via text, and then when you finally reach the point where you both want to see each other you have to figure out a time to meet, get ready, travel there, and then hope that they show up. After doing that for 6 months it can be mentally and physically draining, and if you’re a proper gentlemen it could be quite draining on your wallet too.
What do you get as a paid premium user? All of these features:
- Remove unwanted members from your search results
- Send and receive unlimited communications
- Get access to Match Events – this is really cool because you can actually go to special dating meet-ups and mixers that Match sponsors
- You can see who has viewed you
- Know who favorited you and saved your profile
- Comment on photos and videos within the Story Feed
Although you do get a lot of extra bonuses with the paid version, Match was kind of enough to create a dating app that could be used for free. We think it is well worth it to get the upgraded version, mainly because you get to see who is checking you out and are not limited when it comes to the amount of messages you can send back and forth. We suggest going with the 3 month bundle since it is only $3 more than the 6 month package.
If you’re thinking about using the Match app for dating then you are probably already using other dating apps like Tinder, eHarmony, Zoosk, Bumble, etc. we are very curious to hear your stories and feedback, so please don’t be shy to leave comments below; other singles that are also looking for the best dating app option are very interested in what you have to say.
AppMan
