Online dating sites with no membership. Free. Is it possible?
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Everybody knows that, concerning the free dating sites, where no paid membership is required initially, this means mainly basic features or similar. Well, is your precious time lost?
Should you waste your attention and interest with such online dating sites without some kind of meaningful membership?
A meaningful answer to such questions comes out of the results of various online surveys on this matter.
In this blog post, I’ll write about several facts, mainly concerning the structure and use of almost every online dating site.
This is my humble and personal opinion; please, consider these lines only as my subjective impressions; there is no decisive advice implied here.
Surveys about online dating. Online is rising.
The most significant change between surveys is the use of mobile apps.
This makes it easier to get a date or partner through an app.
Mobile apps are easy to download and use.
Most online dating surveys (I mean here the Pew Research Institute ones or similar, as far as I recall) ask respondents what brought them to online dating and whether they are happy with the way things are.
But this question has been expanded by mobile apps and websites that ask a more in-depth inquiry.
This broadens the survey and is an essential consideration in understanding trends.
The most exciting finding is that more women report having had a positive experience with online dating.
Women over 35 years old are more likely to have a positive experience than women under 35.
Women over 35 years old are also more likely to say that their match was from an online dating website, app, or network.
And for women under 35, the biggest motivations were that their mate was intelligent and funny and they were looking for friends.
Women are specific.
But among all online dating motivations of dating girls online, girls and women are twice as likely as men to have a very negative experience.
The top reason women reported a negative experience was that their match was not a very attractive or successful person.
For men, it was that their match was just a little too rich or famous for their tastes.
Younger people are more likely to report that they have been matched with someone who was somewhat attractive or successful than older people.
This could be because, generally, younger people are more likely to rely on dating sites to find mates.
These findings also show that men are more likely to report having a negative experience.
This could be because of the “pressure” of finding a mate online.
A stark contrast in reporting negative experiences…
It could also mean that men are more inclined to report negative experiences.
In contrast, women are less likely to report negative experiences.
In terms of the most positive experience, women have more of the luckiest reasons.
They rated their own attractiveness positively and said they had been matched with a very attractive or successful person.
Does age really matter?
Women under 35 are twice as likely than younger women to report that their match was clever or funny.
And this could be because younger people are more likely to rely on dating sites to find a mate.
It could also mean that women perceive that men are not as willing to report that they are attractive.
The survey also found that the best ways for people to be matched together were through a website and friends.
And the least preferred method was by finding someone from a club or bar.
The mentioned study does not say whether or not people have found their soulmates by other means.
Still, it does suggest that people are willing to use technology to find people who are similar to them.
People are prepared to share their photos.
The survey also shows that people are prepared to share their photos, and they are not scared of sharing their blood type (read more here).
All of these factors indicate that the Internet does work.
Women have more opportunities than men to report on their experiences (read here more about it or this contribution on Quora).
And they are more willing to report on the first meeting.
And women are less likely to report on whether or not they cried on their first date.
They are given a chance to report on the first date’s success and the first phone conversation.
The study was completed by a panel of Internet users who were recruited via mailings.
It does not measure the success of all Internet daters, but it does show the trends.
Several conclusions.
This is not the first study that offers support for Internet dating.
Another research suggests that couples who met online stayed together for longer.
However, this study gives data on the percentage of couples who met online.
Online dating does not have to result in marriage.
Some couples may meet online and marry. And the number of couples who marry after meeting on the Internet is still anecdotal.
Still, the percentage of couples who marry is increasing each year.
It is difficult, however, to determine the trend of online dating.
However, with the number of people who have met online, it is reasonable to assume that many people want to meet someone.
However, if you’re interested in online love stories with happy endings, click the link to read another blog post of mine.
No membership, free dating sites mean useless services?
If you have decided to step into the arena of online dating, this is what you should know.
Online dating sites offer various services.
I have tried to make a very concise description of what you could get online.
Thus, you’ll be aware of what your requirements could reasonably be and how these requirements could be fulfilled.
Free or Paid membership?
Most probably, you will start with a free subscription where you’ll get essential elements.
Then, suppose you are serious about pursuing your online dating experience.
In that case, you will need a paid membership.
This could offer the amount of information to start meeting people online effectively.
It is not something unusual, and I am sure that you already see that these online dating services mimic various aspects of offline activities.
In short, nothing original or extravagant.
Membership requirements would be…
Many online dating services require members to sign up for a membership and charge a monthly fee to become members.
Some services offer extensive profile matching, instant messaging, email, and phone contact services.
Other services provide “casual encounters” where two users can set up a casual encounter by chatting online to meet in person.
Different services have “hobby services,” which generally provide a forum for users to discuss various topics.
However, some also allow users to meet for “coffee” or other casual encounters.
The services vary significantly in terms of the nature of their activities.
For a few services, a service subscriber must be a paying member to communicate with other members.
Paid subscriptions
The monthly fees charged to users vary widely. Some services offer free access to some or all of their information.
In contrast, others require that users become paying members to be able to communicate with other members.
Some sites need users to set up a short-term credit facility with a substantial monthly charge.
Other services include unrestricted free access; however, users must become paying members to have a complete profile and communicate with other members.
Membership terms vary greatly.
Some services are completely free, while others require that a monthly payment is required to be able to communicate with other members.
Specialty online dating services
There are a wide variety of specialized dating services that are provided online.
Some of the most common are Russian dating services, Christian dating services, Romance services, Equestrian dating, Adult dating, and more.
The specialized services are often geared towards specific age groups, geographic locations, or interests.
For example, some adult dating sites are aimed at people in their 20s and older.
And other sites are targeted towards people in their 40s and 50s.
Specialty services are usually more expensive than general online dating services.
In the case of a Russian dating service, for example, a member’s ability to find a match will largely depend on their nationality.
It would not be surprising to discover that the members of an equestrian dating site are mostly horse lovers (wink, wink…).
The cost of online dating
The cost of a subscription is not the only factor determining the cost of an online dating service.
Members will usually decide the price when registering with the service.
Some sites may require a monthly payment, whereas others may allow the user to join for a free trial period.
The price for the free trial period may be free. Still, the service will only be operational for a limited time, after which a subscription fee will apply.
Paid services will generally allow the user to contact and communicate with other members for free.
Still, additional services may be required to interact with other members.
Are there any dating sites you can browse without signing up?
Well, it depends. Anything depends on the costs…
Of course, the cost of running an online dating service will be a factor that you will have to consider when deciding on whether to join an online dating service or not.
The Internet dating market is very competitive, so you may come across sites that are either free or offer a free trial period or a one-time fee for access to members.
Suppose you are considering joining an Internet dating service. In that case, you may wish to check with members and compare their experience with various sites.
If they offer free access, the service may be working correctly, and you may be better off joining a paid site.
The number of members
A general rule is that more members will generally be better than fewer members, so you may wish to consider joining a service that has many members.
Conversely, a very few (less than 1000) members will be small enough that you may want to join a service that has few members if you really choose to do so.
Suppose you think that the number of members is appropriate for your needs.
In that case, the service should provide services and functionality to allow you to communicate with a high degree of efficiency.
If the number of members is too small, you may find that you cannot contact a high percentage of the members because you did not pay for sufficient access to use all the features.
The Features of an online dating service
Features may include those offered via the service and the ones you can implement by using the service.
The elements may consist of all, some, or limited services.
Still, you may not be able to initiate a search or respond to emails from all members sometimes.
The services of an online dating service
A particular service may be a limited or a general one.
The main difference is that a limited-service is free, as in that you can use all of the features, but the only people who can see you are those who subscribe to the service.
A general service includes many different subscription features, and the additional components may be restricted to paying members only.
If you feel that some particular characteristic is lacking, you may propose changes to the site.
It is crucial to note that these changes may not be accepted, as the site owners feel that the feature is non-essential.
The membership of an online dating service
The membership includes both paying and free members. Regarding the free dating sites, where no paid membership is required initially, anyone could guess that this means mainly basic features.
The free members have no restrictions on contact or information being made available to them.
The paying members may still be able to initiate search requests to the site.
Still, the other features are limited to those who subscribe.
Limited features…
A free online dating service may also have limited features.
You may have the option of making your own profile or making it by the site creators.
The main advantage of creating your own profile is that you can include any information you want.
Alternatively, you may create your own profile to select only the information given to you.
This option is only available to paying members.
Here come travel agencies…
The membership may be made by the site itself or by a travel agency or travel company.
The travel company is chosen to get the membership as large as possible.
They are preferred to have people travel to the closest locations for a better dating opportunity.
This service is only available to paying members, and they are shown the areas on their own personal profiles.
This information will be limited to them.
They will not be able to make connections with someone in another state or country.
Exotic features…
The dating service may also be divided into geographical areas.
There may be people who want to use the service for only the country, state, or city where they live.
This may be a way of being specific, having the ability to select only their state or city.
This may be a way of having their cake and eating it too.
They may be able to have a general membership but have a limited location.
They may choose which area they want to be a member of.
If you are a member, you may be given a list of the city or state you may contact.
The email options are limited, and you must add them on your own.
This is not a good thing.
You could try to get to as many cities as you want and contact as many states as you wish.
This may lead to some exciting stuff.
You should be able to make connections in multiple locations.
What is the alternative to online dating? None, if you mean local dating, in my humble opinion.
The good thing about online dating services is they also have a local section.
If you live in a city that is part of a service, you may contact that service and choose who you would like to reach.
This is not a bad thing. It is a good way of having someone contact you.
The online dating service usually does not have a full-time staff.
It relies on its members to send an email regularly.
In many cases, people are working, so it is difficult for the service to monitor them. They even might not have a schedule.
It is also difficult for the service to monitor its members: some have become inactive or no longer be in the database. There may be a possibility that they have moved or are a student.
It is up to the members how they want to communicate with others.
Local dating again…
It is also a way of taking a chance and getting out of your comfort zone.
You may get to learn more about someone.
You may be able to have a conversation with someone exciting.
You may also be able to communicate through a member that is part of the exact location.
This way, you may have a good conversation without having to leave the comfort of your home.
It is another advantage that makes online dating services appealing. It’s inexpensive.
The other considerable advantage is that it also offers you the ability not to meet someone physically.
They should do background checks, but this is awful expensive…
The only major disadvantage with online dating is whether there are no membership, free dating sites, or the paid variants of these – they don’t do background checks.
They don’t verify addresses or anything of that nature.
You may be talking to someone who is not who they say they are. It is sometimes a possibility, a frightening one.
Maria
Disclaimers. All photos were used from the “Captiva Collection,” People (1) and Romance, Wedding, Pregnancy by David Watson. The illustrations on this page are from Pixabay, from authors Gerd_Altmann, Bessi, and mohamed_Hassan; a great thanks to everyone!
PS. Please, observe that English is not my first language. If expressions “sound” a little bit weird, please excuse my skills. I sincerely hope that my post – No Membership, Free Dating Sites | Why People Don’t Disregard Them – was useful to you.
Thank you for your interest!
