Online dating website reviews: Features explained
Looking for love? You're most certainly not alone. Around six million Brits admit to using the internet to find a partner and there’s over a thousand online dating sites out there hoping to help you narrow the search.
How online dating works
Online dating is now a mainstream activity
Joining an online dating site is different to joining a traditional introductions agency.
Members do not undergo background checks or have any personal contact with online dating site staff. Instead, singles register with an online dating website in the comfort of their own home and create an online dating profile page by writing about themselves, answering survey questions and uploading photographs.
Users can then browse other online dating site members’ online dating profiles to find someone they like, or search for suitable dates using keywords, location or criteria such as age range. Many online dating sites also nominate and recommend potential matches through a computerised system of selection.
Once you've found someone you'd like to get to know better, you can get in touch using an online dating site’s built-in communication tools.
Signing up to an online dating site
Most online dating agencies allow new members to register and set up an online dating profile free of charge, but charge a subscription fee for full website functionality or certain important features such as tools for communicating with other members.
Some websites charge a fee others are free
Online dating package prices vary considerably depending on how many months membership you purchase in one go or sign up for in advance.
As a guide, a month's online dating membership typically costs between £10 and £25, though many offer daily, weekly, six-monthly or annual package deals which offer bigger discounts the longer your subscription.
There’s also a growing number of free online dating services, such as Plentyoffish and Flirt Box, that generally work like social networking sites. These online dating sites do not charge for access or use of features, instead making money through displaying advertising.
Getting to know other online dating site members
Once you've set up an online profile (see our Creating an online dating profile page for tips on how to do this) you can start checking out other members.
If you want to get in touch with another single on an online dating site, use the online dating site's communication tools. These vary from online dating site to online dating site, but the most common options to look out for are outlined below.
The aim of online dating is to meet in person
Online dating webmail
When signing up to an online dating site, you'll be allocated an online email inbox allowing you to send and receive emails when on the site.
Your webmail emails won't go to your personal email inbox (such as a Hotmail or Yahoo account), but you can usually opt to receive email notifications alerting you when a new webmail message is received.
All the sites in our survey offer webmail as the default way of communicating with other online dating site users.
Your online dating webmail account will usually be accessible through the 'My messages' area of the online dating website.
Online dating instant messaging
Instant messaging enables you to exchange short messages with other online dating site users in real time.
If another online dating site member is online at the same time as you and you'd like to get in touch, their profile will show an instant messaging prompt that will open a new messaging window. You then just type in a message and wait for a response.
Online chat
Similar to instant messaging, online chat enables you to exchange messages with other online dating site users in real time.
The difference is that online chat takes place in an established area of the online dating website, and you join existing conversations with multiple or single online daters.
Some online dating chat rooms have a preset topic of conversation, while others are allow new topics to be set up by members.
Online dating video messaging
Online date face to face using a webcam
If you have a webcam and your dating site offers video messaging, you can send or accept invitations to have live chats with other online dating site members.
A key advantage of video messaging is it mimics the experience of face-to-face dating, but in a more secure environment. You also get to see and speak to potential dates to get a better idea of their suitability.
You'll find Which? Best Buy webcams in our online review.
Video and audio online dating profiles
Many online dating sites enable users to record and upload video and audio clips to their online dating profiles.
Video clips can be recorded using a webcam and microphone, while audio clips can be recorded with a computer and microphone, digital voice recorder or by ringing a dedicated phone number.