We all have different communication styles when it comes to dating. Whether you prefer to send lengthy, electronic missives to the object of your affection or or get right down to it and chat instantly to gage chemistry – you want an online dating website that offers you communication modes that suit your comfort level and personality.
Luckily, there’s lots of different options when it comes to online dating websites and the features they offer. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite online dating websites and highlighted some of their best features so that you can decide which one(s) are your perfect match. Looking for love? Want to test the waters by casually flirting with someone? These online dating sites have features that will help you accomplish these goals in a fun and efficient way!
Zoosk “Carousel”
If you love connecting and flirting on the go with your smartphone, head over to Zoosk because they have exactly what you’re looking for. Where Zoosk really excels is with their mobile technology. One of the best parts of the Zoosk mobile app is the Carousel feature, which is perfect for singles who want to add a playful spin to their online dating experience. Carousel allows you to look through photos of other singles and “swipe” left or right if you like them or not. If you find each other mutually attractive, you have the option to connect with them instantly using Zoosk’s in-house, free chat service. This is means that you can chat, flirt, interact and gage chemistry with a potential date without ever giving out your phone number. However, unlike hook-up driven apps with similar technology, Zoosk gives you way more options.
If you get tired of the Carousel, the site also comes with other more traditional ways of getting in touch with people – for example, straight forward messaging. If you don’t want to limit yourself, Zoosk’s offers communication options for people who are looking to flirt, for a serious relationship or something in between – all under one site.
Match.com’s Advanced Search Functions –
Let’s face it – what’s the point of having really great communication tools if you’re not able to find and talk to the right people? When it comes to premium online dating websites, Match.com has one of the most advanced search functions of out there. If you have very specific criteria for a partner, Match.com is where it’s at. With Match.com’s advanced search functionality, you can actually build your own match, based on interests, background, and lifestyle.
Advanced search filters contain detailed sorting of lifestyle features, such as exercise frequency and occupation, but also physical appearance, such as hair color and eye color.The search functions will also allow you to search under and specific keyword in profile, such as “tennis player” by using the MatchWords™ feature. You can even choose a set list of words that other users can search you with. You’ll even get a list of some of the most recently added and most popular MatchWords™ to get you started. Match.com knows that your time is valuable, so there are also additional search filters that provide the ability to filter by “Online Now,” “Available to Chat,” and “Has Photo.”
Mate1 – “Least Favorite Things”
Unlike most other dating sites that only allow you to list and search under things that potential dates actually enjoy, Mate1 allows you to review potential matches’ “Least Favorite Things.” Although the website also allows you to list your favourite things (Yoga! Kale! Game of Thrones!), the ability to share with the online dating sphere that you really dislike cauliflower or the sound of Neil Young’s voice is a refreshing option for the curmudgeons among us (not to mention highly entertaining to read.) Combined with Mate1’s highly intuitive, integrated chat feature, which encourages you to connect with other singles instantly, you can meet the cauliflower hater of your dreams and start up a conversation within seconds.
eharmony – Stylish, Modern Profile Pages.
If you’re a highly visual person like I am and are tired of generic online dating sites that offer profile pages that look like they’re straight out of the 1990’s, head over to eharmony for a breath of fresh-air. eharmony has some of the most stylish, easy to navigate and prolific profile pages in the industry.
When it comes to online dating profile pages, you want to be able to find the information you need quickly and easily (without feeling like your eyes are bleeding thanks to questionable graphic design and comic sans-style fonts.) eharmony makes looking at an online dating profile page a pleasurable experience. In fact, their profile pages look more like well designed infographics. Profiles are packed with nuggets of useful information and sprinkled with lots of photos. Unlike most other dating sites, profile pages are designed horizontally so you can move side to side, from one section to the next, using the arrow keys or clicking the onscreen navigation icons. This is a great feature because it allows you to see more information on the screen at once, which is great if your communication style is highly visual.
There’s also a “What If” section, where the profiles are presented as super-sexy slides which you can navigate in a slideshow-like fashion. Although these users are designated by eharmony as “outside of your range” (meaning, not a deep compatibility) the site displays what you have in common (for example, indie music festivals or Crossfit). Overall, this makes for a fun, modern approach to online dating and also saves you time by only showing you profiles of people you have things in common with.
OurTime – “No Bells and Whistles”
OurTime is an online dating website geared toward singles over the age of 50 who are looking for all types of relationships, including marriage, travel companionship or even pen pals. As a mature adult, your dating needs are likely different than they were when you were younger. OurTime takes this into account by offering a user interface that’s incredibly easy to navigate – even for people who are technology challenged! The sign-up process is extremely simple and searching for users is very straightforward. The basic search allows you to search by gender, age and location and to specify whether your search results should only include profiles with photos, video or other features. The advanced search function includes additional options such as marital status, relationship expectations, zodiac, and religion.
The fact that OurTime doesn’t offer many “bells and whistles” is actually what makes it great for singles aged 50+. Instead of becoming distracted and frustrated by a website’s latest tech-savvy features, you can just get right to what matters: searching for users and making connections.
