SinglesNet vs. Match.com: Online Dating Sites Compared

Today's world makes it difficult for a single person to find that special someone.  We barely have time to eat and sleep, let alone go out and meet people! Lucky for us, we have plenty of online dating sites just *waiting* to match us up with other eligible singles.  The problem is, how do we choose which sites to use? What criteria do they use to pick matches? How can we get in touch with someone we find interesting? How can we be sure that the person we see on the profile is the person we will be meeting? Can we afford it, and which sites will give us the most for our money? How can we keep ourselves safe from the creepy types? That's a lot of information to have to wade through, but it helps to do side-by-side comparisons to see which sites will best meet our needs. Here are some facts about two common dating sites: SinglesNet and Match.com.

Pros:

• You don't have to have a credit card to search for matches, unlike some sites. This is good for those of us who might not use credit or don't feel comfortable giving out that information.  
• It's free to create profiles, browse others, chat and email with other members. This makes it much easier for you to see if this is the kind of site you're looking for without having to spend a lot of money.
• It caters to homosexuals and bisexuals as well as heterosexuals. This is not true of other dating sites, such as eHarmony.
• There is a very quick and simple signup process. Depending on the depth of your profile, it can take as little as two minutes.

Cons:

• Free emailing only applies to Featured (paid) Members. If you find a profile you're interested in who happens not to be a Featured Member, you'll need to start a paid account to email them.
• Searches might not be specific enough to 'weed out' the traits you don't want in a person. The 'matching' system seems somewhat automated as opposed to being based on specific criteria. You might find that you have to wade through a lot of profiles to find one you're interested in.
• The chat rooms aren't tightly moderated, so you might meet some 'unsavory' characters there.
• There are a lot of inactive and inaccurate profiles featured in matches.

Pricing: A full membership is $25 USD per month, with discounts if you pay for three months or a year at a time.  Paid memberships are available on a 30-day, money-back trial basis.

Pros:

• The website is very user-friendly, with very specific searches and keywords.
• Match.com is one of the larger and more diverse dating sites out there today, allowing someone to search through a wide variety of people.
• There are professional matchmakers available for people who are too busy to sift through profiles and matches.
• For people who are new to online dating, Match.com features detailed guidance from well-known counselors such as Dr. Phil. There are also newsletters, forums and advice columns.

Cons:

• Lots of inactive profiles come up in search results without much of a way to weed them out.
• It can be expensive, with a confusing cost structure. The disclosure is written in 'legalese' that you have to wade through to get anywhere.
• Credit cards are required.
• Credit cards are automatically billed for each month, and it can be difficult to get a refund.
• It does not feature homosexual matches.
• Members cannot communicate with other members or even browse some profiles without a fully paid membership. 

Pricing: There are a variety of different plans, but generally membership is $30 USD a month. You have to sign up before you can even get to this information in depth; it's not readily available on the website for people who are just looking around. I would go into a lot more detail if I could but, as I said, the pricing is laid out in a kind of confusing way.

Overall, it depends on what you are looking for. If you are new to online dating and just want to 'get your feet wet' before you jump in, you might prefer a service that gives you a lot of options for free before making a financial commitment. In this case, SinglesNet would be a good place to start.  While no dating site will be able to fully ensure that everyone you meet is exactly what they say they are, Match.com allows you to specify a lot more details for matches than SinglesNet. If you are more serious about finding someone compatible for a long-term relationship, Match.com's in-depth system might be more helpful. Ultimately, your best bet would probably be to visit each site, see what they have and go from there.