Is Match.com Worth Trying In 2024? A Full Review Of The Classic Dating App

In the early 1990s, entrepreneur Gary Kremen started Match.com in San Francisco as a digital version of classified personal ads. In fact, this idea was inspired by his own dating perils, as he struggled to find his own partner from newspaper ads, which were the norm back then. Since then, the online dating service has only grown in popularity and is now part of Match Group, INC., which also owns other dating services like Tinder, OKCupid, Hinge, and many others. 

Currently over 39 million people use Match.com, with a majority of members being ages 30 to 49 years old. However, per a 2018 report, the site's fastest-growing demographic is the 50+ age group, and 59% of Match.com users are single parents using the site to find love. And according to a 2019 report from PC Mag, Match.com is supposedly the most popular dating app in 17 states across the U.S.

It's easy and straightforward to set up your profile on Match, but it will take some time to fill everything out—and the more you fill out, the better your matches will be. You're given various prompts to follow to help with describing yourself, including details like your body type, if you have pets, your stance on cannabis, and how often you exercise. You also fill out a short summary and have the chance to answer three "topics," which are questions or prompts (e.g., "My best scar story was when…")

Staying true to its origins, the website offers many ways to match with folks. The mobile app resembles Tinder in some ways, where you can "like" and mutually match or pass on someone. You can also use the search feature and add filters (such as age or distance) to browse profiles, or you can just wait and see who "likes" you. Match also allows you to search for potential matches based on interests, looks, marital status, education, lifestyle habits, and more, which is helpful so you don't feel like you're wasting your time sifting through deal-breakers.

What I found most unique is the reverse matching and mutual matching features: The reverse matching feature shows the people looking for your likes, interests, and such, while mutual matching shows the people who fit your criteria in a partner. There's a little sidebar called "You're their type," which shows users who are looking for matches like your profile states. Both of these features are available for free, which is nice. 

Match has many subscription package options to choose from. Their Standard Plan costs $19/month for a one-year subscription, which is their cheapest monthly rate. You can also purchase a single month for $46, though you'll save more per month if you buy months in bulk.

The free version of Match is honestly just not worth it, in my opinion, but the paid version could be worth trying out for people who are willing to invest. On the free version, my overall experience was very OK. You get very limited features and abilities if you don't pay, while you can message many more people for free on Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, and other dating apps. With the paid version, I felt like I could use the app more freely and browse many more folks, plus actually be able to message them.

About half of my matches responded to my messages, and all seemed friendly and excited to chat—though notably, there wasn't a big selection. (For what it's worth, I was swiping in both Hawaii and Los Angeles.) From my personal experience and from speaking with others, it seems like many matches aren't that responsive. So, depending on where you live, the process may be slow; but it could definitely be worth it if you're wanting to invest in your dating journey and try a new pool of people. 

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