Given the nature of the internet and the social nature of human beings, it is no surprise that a quick search for online dating sties yields millions of hits. Ranging from free sites that are little more than ad-plastered forums, through professional sites that guarantee results, finding a site that is both high quality and will help you find romance can be a daunting task. While there are sites out there that cater to virtually any style of encounter you may be looking for, most of us want something that can put us in touch with real people.
10. Facebook
Facebook appearing on this list will probably raise a few eyebrows, but when you think about it a social media site like this is a perfect place to find someone to date. Facebook has tens of millions of users and you can easily find other people who pique your interest in a safe environment. The one thing that makes Facebook less than idea for finding love is that you risk being seen as a weirdo if you do try to reach out to someone in a romantic way. A good tip is to hit Facebook to make friends not to find love, but if love does find you, go with the flow.
9. Craigslist
The want ads of the internet Craigslist actually has a section devoted to dating. The advantage of Craigslist is that it is free to use and easy enough to navigate. What Craigslist lacks is substantial security features to protect its users and poor moderation of its various hook-up sections. Overall Craigslist is ideal for those who are looking for a free place to browse woul- be dates or to post their own interests.
8. Plenty of Fish
Plenty of Fish is the ideal free dating website and is great for anyone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune finding potential romantic partners. Plenty of Fish has a large user database and many easy to use features to post your profile and browse the profiles of other singles looking for love. One drawback about Plenty of Fish is that it is somewhat cluttered by advertisements which can be annoying. Another problem with Plenty of Fish is that it can feel a bit like a meat market. However, if you are looking for a quality dating site that doesn’t cost any money, Plenty of fish is your best bet.
7. Christian Mingle
Online dating for the Christian set, Christian Mingle is a well put together dating site that is moderately priced. Christian Mingle doesn’t have any features that will blow you away but is a great place to find other singles of the Christian faith. What Christian Mingle offers that other sites do not is a chance to meet people who share your values
6. SingleParentMeet
This is a site that is all about helping single parents find each other. Traditionally dating for single parents can be tough because a lot ofpeople in the dating scene tend to be nervous about dating people with kids. SingleParentMeet seeks to avoid that whole problem by making sure everyone on the site either already has children or is okay with dating someone who does. Aside from its niche SingleParentMeet also has an easy to use interface and is fairly affordable. This is nice considering the challenges of managing finances for many single parents. Where SingleParentMeet could improve is in making its messaging system a little less unwieldy.
5. Matchmaker
Matchmaker is best described as the prototype that all other dating sites want to follow. One of the first big time dating sties on the net Matchmaker has gotten some things right since the beginning. The main advantage that Matchmaker has for those looking for other singles online is its chat functionality. Matchmaker has one of the easiest to use chat programs out there and with a few clicks you can chat with anyone who catches your eye. The drawback to this functionality is of course if you can easily chat with a person that means they can easily chat with you as well. If for some reason your profile piques a lot of interest you can find yourself quickly overwhelmed by chats.
4. EHarmony
EHarmony is all about using science to help people find love. If you are looking to meet people based on your personality profile then EHarmony is actually really good for this. It does put a lot of work into making sure it has an accurate picture of your personality then finds others who it believes will match well with you. The one serious problem with how EHarmony goes about matching people is that if someone isn’t honest with themselves or is willing to manipulate the test a bit, it can match you with someone who is exactly the opposite of what you are looking for.
3. Zoosk
The best way to describe Zoosk is as Facebook focused on dating. Zoosk is a fun and easy to use website that can help almost anyone find a partner for not only romance but for hanging out, special activities and more. Zoosk has a very active and fun culture and is a great place for younger people. The downfall of Zoosk is that it is populated heavily by young people and so can be a bit fast moving for those who want a more calm experience.
2. Match.com
Match.com boasts that it has the largest database on the internet and this claim is probably true. Along with Matchmaker, Match.com is one of the oldest and most active dating sites on the internet and is easy to use. If you are looking for a solid online dating experience without annoying ads where there are real people hoping to find other real people, Match.com is a great place to go. If there is one problem with using Match.com, it’s the fact that there are so many people on it that it can be a bit daunting to search through all the profiles you can find. Here’s a tip – refine your search as much as possible at first then widen it as you get used to the system.
1. Outside your house
While there is no doubt that internet dating sites are a great place to meet people, it seems that a lot of us forget that the best place to find other people is outside of our house. There are always activities you can find that will get you introduced to potential dating partners as well as the old stand by bars and clubs. While using an online dating service is convienent in one way, it can take out a bit of the thrill of the “chase”. This is not in any way to say that people are wrong for using dating sites because these places do offer a lot of advantages. What suggesting going outside your house is really about is just remembering to not limit yourself in the search for love and companionship. You never really know where you will find someone.