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Features
Matchmaker is catering to a wide audience that could be considered international. The site offers dates to people of the American borders too, including lovebirds in Canada, the UK, Spain and Germany. The site is very open towards people with different taste in dating, which means that people who prefer to search according to their faith, ethnicity or age can find a match there.
Getting Started
Creating a profile with Matchmaker is very pleasant, as the service doesn’t push too hard on sharing everything about yourself in overly long questionnaires about personal preferences. After finishing the basic steps by providing an email address, user name, zip code and password, you are offered the freedom to upload a picture and set the basic outlines of your interests, then start looking for your soulmate. Alternatively, this second step can be skipped at first for those who wish to jump right into the search.
After logging in, you’ll find countless opportunities you can partake. Matchmaker serves a similar purpose to Facebook, as people can follow others’ activities. For example, new photo uploads and information of potential partners appear on your main page, and you can go through this feed to find out more about them. This is also a nice way to keep track of new or active members and to avoid wasting time on inactive profiles.
Matching System
Matchmaker is using a complex algorithm to ensure a diverse and relatable setout of singles. Every time you log in, you find a new gallery with the latest possible candidates for a lovely date. There are three ways to discover new people. The first is the basic feed. On the homepage, you’ll always see the list of newest activities of members who are geographically close to you. The second is the good old search system. Here, you can set different parameters, like age, location education, faith or interests. Lastly, you can use the site’s social club, the Minge: here you are constantly offered new people you might be interested in, while asked to rate their photos, decide whether you like them, or share funny trivia about yourself, like “Which celebrity would you love to punch in the face?” Not only is this an innovative way to get in touch with new singles, but also a way to update your profile, which in turn makes you become more attractive for others.
Communication
After your lovely target got into your crosshair, there are several ways you can interact with each other. Just like in real life, the first step is winking at her or him. This is the basic way of notifying the person that you are interested in a little talk. After that, you can like the person’s picture, mark the user as favorite, or break the ice by sending a message. Unfortunately, this is the time when Matchmaker’s gilded cage of free account loses its shine. Although two partners are able to send email messages to each other, the text becomes blurred and unreadable unless the receiver upgrades to the Gold plan. The live chat is also blocked for free accounts, but the people you get in touch with appear on the list, tempting you.
Mobile
Even though Matchmaker prides itself on its large user base and worldwide dating service, it lacks any form of presence on smartphones and tablets. This starts with the distinct absence of a mobile website, but it should be stated the page is optimized for a better experience on phones. A solid smartphone app could greatly benefit people who like to take their date-searching with them, but sadly this is feature is also missing.
Pricing
Upgrading from free mode to a “Gold” membership is the most controversial part of Matchmaker. It’s true that creating a profile is free, and it remains so forever, but as stated above, a free account comes with severe restrictions. The most notable being the cyphered messages from your possible soulmate, which can be seen only after you upgrade. “Joining is free – but remaining costs you money” could be said. And how much does it cost you? Well, Matchmaker works with monthly subscription fees, and it’s up to the user to decide how long they wish to pay in advance. A single month costs $24.95, while going for a longer period – 3 months – come with a discount as it only costs $16.65 per month. Opting for half a month comes for $12.49 per month, while a full year is an affordable $8.33 for each month. Matchmaker membership fees can be paid via credit card or PayPal.
Customer Service
Matchmaker operates a user-friendly website that emphasizes smooth browsing. Navigating through the menu is really easy, and the different features are self-explanatory. Other than editing the profile and searching for nice-looking strangers, users are able to Minge, look into their message box, and see the “Sparks”, which revolve around other people’s reaction to their own profile. As for the support and customer service, Matchmaker offers a limited range of possibilities. The customer service can be reached through emails only, as the live chat only displays friends and dates. There is also a very simplified help section that answers a few basic questions.
Bottom Line
Matchmaker rightfully earned its huge community in the world of dating services. Contrary to its long history, the site continuously keeps up with the trends, presenting users with an easy to use matchmaking interface where people can socialize and search for partners. The site has thousands of ever-active members, and thanks to the clever algorithm behind the digital walls, you always have access to relevant and fresh profiles close to your vicinity. Profiles can be customized with numerous interesting preferences, which provide deeper insight into your match’s personality. The greatest flaws are undeniably the restriction for the free service and the absence of mobile apps.
Positives
- Easy registration
- Versatile preferences
- Mingle
- Complex searching option
- Thousands of active members
Negatives
- No real contact options for free users
- No smartphone application
- Basic help section
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