Remember when the idea of admitting to online dating was embarrassing? For a long time, searching for a partner through the Internet was seen as something that only lame and lazy people would do. A “normal” person would never ditch the face-to-face contact in favor of the virtual one, right? Well, not so fast. While I do advocate for a healthy social life, the Internet helps us jump over the hurdles that might prevent us from showing our true colors to the person we would like to date. Shy people understand! For them, writing is a way to open up without having to deal with sweaty palms and red cheeks. Still, even if you don’t have such issues, the Internet is a great way to meet all kinds of people you might not stumble upon, because you take the morning buses at different times. So, do you feel prepared to be struck by the arrow of cupid through online dating? We’ve picked out some of what we consider to be the best websites for you to try.
1) Match.com
With millions of active monthly users and a wide demographic, Match.com is THE dating website, no matter if you’re in for a serious relationship or for casual dating. It is a premium service – while signing up is free, you will need a paid membership to contact the people you are interested with. As you register, you will be required to fill a lengthy profile questionnaire where you don’t just check boxes of characteristics that define you, but also the ones you are looking to find in a partner, no matter if it’s of the opposite sex or the same one – Match encourages both. This way, you won’t find yourself matched with someone who doesn’t want children, while you can’t wait to become a parent. The Match.com app is also available on iOS and Android.
2) OkCupid.com
OkCupid is free, which means that your potential matches can be all over the place. Still, OkCupid tries hard to help you find the right partner, by making you fill up a lengthy questionnaire which will be used with their matching algorithm. As a matter of fact, just like with Match, OkCupid is very proud of its algorithm, guaranteeing no random pairings. Like, an atheist will probably not be paired with a Catholic nun. It’s quite interesting to note that there are many success stories about how OkCupid helped people find their one true love. OkCupid is really striving to get Mr. or Mrs. Right for you, by keeping statistical data about its users and their rate of success. It’s all about compatibility.
3) GetItOn.com
If the name makes you think of that famous Marvin Gaye song, it’s because you are supposed to. It’s the song you’ll find on every “Tunes to make love to” compilation, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that GetItOn.com is all about sexual compatibility. GetItOn is raunchy and has no interest in matching people who love taking their puppies for a walk. If you are looking for someone who is thoughtful, sentimental and sensitive, this is not the place for you. The good thing though is that because the focus is on getting to that place where the magic happens, both of you will have the same desire, so it’s safe to assume that there won’t be any awkward “Do you really want to do this?” moments.
4) BeautifulPeople.com
This website receives no subtlety points. Yeah yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder bla bla, but really, how often would you initiate a conversation with someone who looks repulsive to you? How does it work? Applicants send in their pictures and the existing members will have 48 hours to vote whether or not they find the person attractive enough to join. It’s harsh to wait 2 days to see if you’re beautiful enough to join, but there is a bright side to it no matter if you are accepted or not. If you are accepted, it can certainly boost your moral that a community finds you beautiful, while if you are rejected, you will at least avoid that awkward moment when a hot (according to you!) man or woman will tell you upfront that you are not meeting their beauty standard. Why does BeautifulPeople.com care so much about looks? Well, according to them it’s because by that, they eliminate that dating obstacle where a person sees himself as less beautiful than the other. With that out of the way, they can focus on the (beautiful) person’s traits and characteristics.
5) Tastebuds.com
How often did you judge someone based on his or her tastes? I know I said a few times in my life that I could never date someone who listens to X. And no, I won’t give any names, I don’t want to cause a stir. Music, as any form of art, is a great compatibility indicator, because it can tell quite a lot about a person and there is nothing worse than having to stick fingers in your ears because the other person is listening to someone you absolutely loathe (again, not giving names). Tastebuds is fun and simple – pick a few artists or bands you fancy, the gender you are seeking and – voila! Besides, music is always a great conversation starter and bringing your date to a concert can be a score, if you are both into it.
BONUS: Tinder
Tinder is the dating app everybody is talking about. It has 50 million active users who spend an average of 90 minutes per day checking the app and it’s not hard to see why. Tinder is addictive and feels quite game-like. It finds possible matches based on how close they are to you. So no, you won’t get matches from someone living in Alaska, while you live in London. It locates you through GPS and creates your profile using your Facebook data and photos of your choice. Once you receive possible matches, you can either ‘like’ them or ‘pass’ them. Those you rejected will never know you did, while you will be able to message those you liked only if they like you as well. At least there will be no awkward interaction, since it requires mutual liking. Bonus points if you have Facebook friends in common! Is it shallow? Yes. But it’s damn effective, since this is what you would do in a normal environment, like a bar, as well. Still, because it’s so easy to get caught up in the liking and passing game, messages might end up being ignored, despite the high compatibility factor.
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