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Hannah’s been reviewing Match.com, and telling us her honest thoughts (Picture: Metro/Getty/Hannah Van De Peer) Whether you’re a first-time dater or an old pro, dating apps can be an all-consuming, untameable beast leaving you with infinite options you didn’t even know you wanted. Gone are the days of meeting someone, going on a date, going on another date, possibly sleeping together and deciding whether it’s something you might want to pursue long-term. Nowadays, you open an app and you’re suddenly greeted with people wanting open relationships, low-commitment flings and lazy f**kbuddy scenarios which always seem to include you schlepping over to their house across town – and schlepping all the way back the next day in a £25 taxi you have to pay for. For Millennials-and-up who might just be looking to nail down a serious, simplistic relationship without frills – I can assure you the dating website is still very much alive-and-well – and perhaps an option you’ve said in the past you’d never use. Enter Match.com. Match.com is indeed a legacy dating site, founded all the way back in 1993 by engineer Gary Kremen and Peng T. Ong. But, despite a drop in users over the last decade, the site still reports millions of sign-ups year-on-year. Ever the comprehensive route to dating, Match has just four different relationship types to choose from, including the option not to specify. I was keen to try the site for myself. As a lifestyle writer and columnist specialising in sex and relationships, I’m no stranger to the world of dating, hook-up apps and websites. I’ve been working in the field for over half-a-decade; writing for BBC News, Refinery29 and Cosmopolitan, and being interviewed on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and British Vogue. To test the site, I set up a full profile with multiple photos, good answers to four profile prompts – and even paid £7.99 to get my messages prioritised. Hannah’s ready to search for Mr Right on Match.com – or at least Mr Right Now (Picture: Metro/Hannah Van De Peer) Rating: 4/5 Match.com specifications: Price: Free Paid subscription options: Starts at £9.99 a month for paid membership; Love Notes start at £7.99, and Boosts start at £2.99. Number of users globally: 5.5 million reported in 2024. Age range: 18+ Inclusivity: (Roughly) three gender options – man, woman and ‘any,’ three sexualities, four relationship types Reasons to use: Easy to use – simple Swipe model, like most dating apps. Financially accessible – the free version still has lots of features available. It can be fun to see when your profile is getting attention – these pop-ups appear on the right-hand side of the screen. Reasons to avoid: There could be more inclusivity where sexualities and gender identities are concerned. Our Verdict Match.com is truly not as overwhelming as some daters might think. Compared to other dating sites, it’s pretty quick and easy to set up an account – you have to answer a simple questionnaire based on your preferences, and fill out at least three profile prompts after adding your photos. Once you’re in, you’re presented with potential matches under the Discover heading. You can then either choose to click left/no, or right/yes on first glances, if that’s your thing. If you have a little more time on your hands, all you need to do is click to expand the user’s profile which is where you’ll find their prompts, pictures and bio. I set an age range of 27 to 40. The majority of users presented to me fell somewhere in the middle, so older Gen Z daters needn’t be put-off – you’ll be able to find lots of people your own age on there. A lot of users were also figuring out their dating goals – which can be a huge relief if you’re not wanting to commit to something serious just yet. What is Match.com? Match.com – more specifically, the Match Group, which acquired household names like Tinder in July 2017, Hinge in February 2019 and OkCupid in February 2011, say it pioneered dating – claiming one-third of marriages begin on a dating app. The Match website – as well as the app, which was founded around 2009-10 – is tailored towards adults of any age looking to date, start relationships or simply have interesting conversations. As well as, slightly bizarrely, finding ‘real, genuine and reliable gentlemen’. Like other dating platforms, Match.com works by presenting users with singles in their local area – you can choose to accept or decline a potential match by glancing at their profile, or expand it to find out more. If you both Like each other – that’s a match, and you can start a conversation from there. Although Match.com has been overtaken over the years by dating giants Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, as well as facing new contenders like Breeze and Happn, the site still managed to attract 5.5 million users globally in 2024. Match.com review Having common interests with someone helps kickstart the conversation (Picture: Metro/Hannah Van De Peer) I don’t typically use dating sites – in fact, before setting up a Match.com account, I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive. My old preconception of how these websites were meant to be used included a well-off middle-aged single sitting in a half-a-mil Kensington flat; browsing their matches and sipping on red wine as David Grey plays softly in the background. I’m not too sure why my mind automatically conjured up a scene akin to a 2002 episode of Doctors, but there you go. All this to say – I was expecting it to be really expensive. As I typed my name and date of birth into the landing page, my jaw clenched at the thought of being met with a paywall showing me three extortionate membership options. And there’s never a free trial, is there? I was genuinely relieved when, instead, I was taken to the questionnaire and prompted to fill out my – well – prompts. I carefully thought about each one, uploaded three of my nicest photos and that was that. No membership, no voluntary donation, no drink tokens. Match.com has a fully-functional free version and, to be honest, you don’t feel restricted while using it. Sometimes I feel like, on dating websites, you can’t exhale without spending a fiver – but Match’s ‘basic’ version still allows you to click through profiles, send messages – it even lets you know how compatible you are with another individual. I did pay £7.99 to send a Love Note – a feature which budges your message up the priority list so potential matches can vet you before anyone else. Frankly, I had so many people Liking me that I didn’t even notice whether it worked or not. Other one-off paid options include a Boost, which allows you to be seen by more members from £2.99, and Incognito Mode, in which you can view profiles ‘invisibly’ for up to one month, costing £9.99. If you’re on a tight budget, I think the Free version is just fine. But, I can see why dating app fatigue might prompt you to shell out for five Love Notes or a Boost. Have you ever gone to fill out a dating website questionnaire, thinking you’ll be putting five minutes aside to answer questions like: ‘Do you smoke?’ and ‘Would you like kids?’ Only to find, 25 minutes in, you’ve been driven to existential crisis by questions like: ‘Do you feel like other people annoy you easily?’ and ‘If you had to identify with a spiral, which spiral would you choose?’ By the end of it, you feel like contacting Isabel Briggs-Myers herself via Ouija board just to find out what on Earth her problem is. Hopefully this isn’t an original experience and other people find this annoying – don’t worry, you don’t get any of that on Match.com. I went through each question – there are only a few – selecting my preferences in a partner. I’m newly chronically ill, so I wouldn’t want a smoker, please. I’m undecided on children, so I selected ‘don’t know yet’. Quick, simple, and it lets you get to know someone via conversations and meeting up, rather than attempting to pair you with the perfect person on paper. In the Discover section, it can seem like a lot while you’re trying to flick through potential matches and an outpouring of notifications pop up on the top-right of the screen, telling you someone’s watching you. Other than that, it’s a pretty self-explanatory ‘Swipe’ model displaying ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ buttons on a person’s profile. This is all for free, by the way. Again, you aren’t met with a single paywall while you’re simply trying to sit-and-swipe – and I also really appreciate the fact that there aren’t any long waiting lists or joining queues, either. How does it compare to similar products? Looks like Hannah’s sparking some interest! (Picture: Metro/Hannah Van De Peer) Over the last decade of dating, I’ve managed to determine that it’s all about the people you meet – rather than the websites you connect on. No one app, or site, is perfect – hence why I’m sparing with my five-star reviews. However, I’d happily put Match.com on level-pegging with some of my favourite and most frequently-used apps like Hinge and Bumble. All three feel free-and-easy. You don’t feel pressured to look for something serious, which may be slightly more encouraged on apps like Breeze, and you’re less likely to be invited for a threesome compared to apps like Tinder or Feeld. Unless, of course, that’s your thing. How does it rate online? We’ve got everything crossed for Hannah’s love life! (Picture: Metro/Hannah Van De Peer) Users on social media platforms like Reddit have mixed reviews for Match.com. One user said: ‘Any dating site is as good the number of active members in our area… I met my future fiancee (we’ve discussed it) on [the site.]’ Another added: ‘I signed up the other day. I am unimpressed.’ On TrustPilot, the site has an overall ranking of just 1.9 stars. One unsatisfied member commented: ‘A few short messages from ‘invitations’ but that’s it. I can’t even contact customer service to try and understand why my inbox remains empty.’ Another, more favourable review, said: ‘Go for it – most matches give you lots of information about individual profiles and the site is easy to navigate once you get the hang of it.’ FAQs Which age group uses Match.com most? According to Match.com themselves, people aged 30 to 49 are the most likely to use the site. 25% of users are under 30, and 26.5% are over 50. What can you do on Match.com without paying? Match.com allows you to set up a profile, Discover and chat to people on the Free version. Sending priority messages, Boosting your profile or browse in Incognito Mode each include one-off payments. Is Match.com easy to cancel? If you’re browsing for free, you just need to select My account settings, head to Suspend my account, and the option to totally delete your account should be at the bottom of the page. All you need to do is re-enter your password to confirm deletion. Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below ArrowMORE: I’m a dating expert – these are officially the best dating apps & sites for 2025 (trust me, I’ve tried them all) ArrowMORE: Woman who feared she’d never be able to orgasm insists this Ann Summers toy left her body in a ‘euphoric state’ ArrowMORE: Ann Summers unveils naughtiest Countdown to Christmas with three cheeky advent calendars
