Online Dating - Is It Worth aying for an App?

Anyone who is single nowadays knows that looking online is necessary if you want to get a date.
According to Statista, online dating services and apps were used by 35 million people in 2019, but that number is expected to hit almost 40 million users by 2023. In other words, online dating has gone mainstream.

As the entire concept grows in popularity, more and more websites and apps appear. Nonetheless, one question remains: should you pay for online dating? You can find lots of popular apps and use them for free to list profiles and find matches, but an upgrade to a premium or paid user account comes with more options and matches ultimately.

Paying opens up new features and improves your user experience. An app can charge $8 or $28 per month, but all of them promise to match paid users with more potential dates faster and give you more connections. So, is it worth paying for an online dating website or app? We break down the pros and cons below.

You Get More Benefits and Matches With Paid Subscriptions

Practically all dating apps have some sort of paid version available. While Match and eHarmony give you a short free trial before prompting you for a payment, you can use Bumble and Tinder free or get a paid account. So, online dating without paying is possible, but you get much more if you upgrade. This includes features that let you check more matches per day and send more messages.

According to Vice, opting into a paid account on Coffee Meets Bagel will get you 43% more connections in comparison to what free users get. As a premium user, you also statistically tend to have longer conversations — something that brings you more overall success. It’s much the same with Tinder Plus or Gold. Users report noticing a larger number of quicker matches when paying for an account, reports Vice.

Of course, each service or app intended for online dating gives you perks if you pay. Bumble and Tinder provide an unlimited number of likes, a feature to see who you’ve matched with, and your profile is more visible. OkCupid does it in a slightly different way by offering additional search features and additional information about your matches.

As you can see, wherever you go, a paid account can open many more doors with various features. Looking for a date online can quickly become a numbers game, and in that case, you need all the help you can get.

Paying Doesn’t Guarantee Great Dates

For many people, the perks and extra features of a paid online dating account make this an obvious and easy choice because they’re looking to get better results faster. There’s also a belief that having to pay for service will bring in a larger number of serious people. Certain experts think that a premium site like eHarmony or Match tend to turn away people who aren’t as committed to online dating, so the overall quality of potential matches improves significantly, according to Consumer Reports.

But this isn’t always true. Spending money on a dating site or app-only makes people think they’re getting a better deal. However, there’s no sure way to know if your money gives you better matches. Peoples’ intentions differ and they look for different things such as hookups or serious relationships. Paying doesn’t mean you will get rid of the people with goals opposed to yours. There are other ways to get better quality matches, notes Vice, like changing up your profile, using already tested methods of getting more likes, and being honest with potential matches about what you really want. Of course, you can find lots of other useful advice and strategies to try out.

Free Dating Apps Might Do the Job

If you’re on the fence about paying for an online dating site, know that there are pros and cons to consider. Paying gives you more features, insights, and matches, but this may result in better conversations and dates. Besides, those who use free dating apps seem to be more satisfied, according to Consumer Reports. There’s really nothing stopping you from having fun for free or getting a good number of matches, but different services offer different experiences and approaches to dating online. That’s why it’s always wise to try multiple apps out and do things like improving your profile photos or bio which is free.

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