Although it’s only been on the block for around 20 years, Match.com has established itself as one of the biggest dating sites around. You’ll find people paying Match.com prices in 24 countries, worldwide, and it’s been translated into 15 different languages.
It’s estimated that around 50 million people in South Africa have given online dating a bash, at some point in their lives. Approximately 50% of those users chose Match.com as the dating site through which to look for love.
If you’re considering taking out a subscription but are still wondering ‘is Match.com worth it?’, then we should be able to answer a few questions for you in our Match.com review. You’re probably aware of the site’s free membership option, but how does it stack up against the premium services?
While the free features are pretty good, there’s always that sense of missing it out. However, it’s worth knowing if the subscription based features are worth paying for, before you even think about opening your wallet.
Our guide to Match.com fees should give you a good idea as to whether this is the site for you, or whether you should be looking elsewhere.
Premium Features
Before we look at the Premium Features included as part of the Match.com subscription prices, let’s take a look at what you get as a non-paying member. Any legitimate dating site should offer a free version of membership, just to give you an idea of what to expect from it.
Compared to other dating sites, Match.com is fairly liberal with the number of free features you can use. Free membership allows you to create a profile page, upload a photo, receive messages and Winks, send Winks and browse the profiles and pictures of millions of other users.
However, there’s another level of free membership available to you, in the 3 day match trial. For 72 hours, you’ll be able to live like a Premium Member and send messages and have your profile promoted. However, once you hit the time-limit, that’s the end of it.
If you’re prepared to pay Match.com prices, then the door opens to a whole host of further benefits and perks:
- You can send as many messages as you like.
- You can see messages that have been sent to you and reply to them.
- You’ll get Priority Access to events organised by match.com
- You can see who’s looked at your profile and who’s liked it.
- You can remove members from your feed.
- You get daily matches, but still have the ability to seek out your own.
- You can like profile pages.
- You can create and curate your own profile page and upload photos.
Another benefit for anyone still wondering about prices for Match.com membership is that the site uses an intelligent algorithm that considers your preferences. As an example, if you find yourself looking at people with blonde hair, the algorithm will make note of this and you’ll find more in your match suggestions.
How much does Match.com cost?
If you’re wondering ‘is Match.com free?’, the answer is that it can be, as long as you’re prepared to tolerate the restrictions that being a non-paying member incurs. However, if you want to know Match.com how much to join, then take a look at the table, below.
What’s important to notice is that the cost per month of a Match.com subscription decreases, the longer you subscribe for. However, there’s another tip that can help you save money. The six month bundle is a great option for anyone who’s still not sure about the Match.com prices.
In addition to receiving all the subscription based features, the website is so sure of its powers that it’ll offer you a further six months for free, if you don’t find that special someone before your subscription runs out. A superb money-saver for those looking for serious relationships.
| Period | Normal Price Per Month | Discount Price |
| 1 month | R230,34 | R161,17 |
| 3 months | R460,90 | R322,56 |
| 6 months | R691,47 | R483,96 |
Conclusion: is Match.com worth it?
In a nutshell, yes. While the free membership is OK, it doesn’t give you enough to play with in order to find a match. However, if you’re not sure whether the services are worth paying for, remember that membership does tend to sort the wheat from the chaff.
In addition to rooting out scammers and time-wasters, being a paid-up member means that you’re going to meet other people who are equally committed to finding a relationship. However, if you’re happy to watch from the side-lines, then basic membership could be the way to go.
As a non-paying member, you have to go through a similar process to fee-paying subscribers:
- A little about you, such as age, height, sex and location.
- A little about the type of person you’re looking for and how far you’re prepared to travel for a date.
- A little about your interests, lifestyle and hobbies.
This gives you a good idea of what you can expect from your Match.com subscription. However, the free features are totally outnumbered by the full functionality of the site. For your money, you not only get all the free features, but you are also able to send and receive messages.
Match.com is by no means one of the most expensive dating sites on the market, but what you get for your money certainly ranks it as one of the best. Unlike others, Match.com users don’t communicate through online windows.
Instead, members are provided with their own, dedicated email address, adding an extra layer of privacy and security to any communications. In addition, the website has to approve any changes you want to make to your profile.
While this might sound a bit over the top, it’s to prevent people from making fake profiles and operating scams. Match.com seems to take its users’ online safety very seriously.