From the look and feel of the site, OkCupid and Match have nothing in common. This may be good news from users who are trying to have different experiences on each online dating site. (There are plenty of other online dating sister sites that are almost carbon copies of each other. If you log into one, you may as well be on the other.)
But on OkCupid, it’s all about the questions and answers. Sure, you can answer basic queries about pets, eye color, body size and your relationship status. But get ready to answer everything from porn to politics. If there’s a question to be asked, OkCupid is ready for your answer.
Even better, you can see how you mesh well with other users who answered the same question. OKC is less of a personality test with “what-if” questions and more like “what are you doing today?” So which site is best for you? It all depends on what you’re into.
OkCupid vs Match
Key Features of Both Websites
If you joined a dating site like YourTravelMates in hopes of finding significant others who love to travel, you’ll probably find the travel push to be underrated.
However, on Match.com, events are all over the world. This includes Caribbean cruises, Machu Picchu excursions, Iceland adventures, and traveling to Portugal. On Match, with a paid account, if you’re someone who enjoys swiping to the left or right, or liking and passing, click “Discover” and have at it.
For an unpaid account, you can only free message one user. If you have very specific needs and wants, you can use “Save Search” to look for certain physical attributes, “Reverse Search” to see who considers you their type (even if they’re not initially yours), and/or “Mutual Search” for like-minded preferences.
On OkCupid, it’s a free-for-all to look at profiles, photographs and send several intros. Free users will only get one message per day though, but at least you’re not blocked from messaging them like on Match (a one-and-done).
If you ever need inspiration for what to talk about, OkCupid is filled with questions about everything from pets to social justice to politics to Black Lives Matter to sex. Match keeps the initial questions a bit blander, no controversy unless you add it to your profile.
Comparison of the Sign-Up Process
The Match.com sign-up process is simple. If you have an email address with “spam” in it, beware. The site will not take it. Other than that, there are a few initial identification questions (name, email, phone number, SMS code), and suggestions for a photo and intro message.
Once it confirms you’re a real person, you’re in. While OkCupid doesn’t have the same strict block point to start a membership, it definitely wants to get to know you.
OkCupid wants to know everything that’s a dealbreaker for you, whether big or small, including what kind of relationship you’re looking for (i.e. New Friends, Short-Term Dating, Long-Term Dating, Hookups), whether you’re looking for marriage, and/or whether you want pets around.
Then dive right into the questions that help you learn what you and other users have in common.
User Base
Since 1995, Match.com services 24 countries and territories, and hosts websites in 15 different languages. This includes Yahoo! Personals in Australia and North America, along with many countries throughout Asia, Europe, North America and South America.
Ease of Using Each Platform
Neither platform is particularly hard to use, but by far, you’ll get to be more interactive on OkCupid because there are less strenuous rules regarding messaging and browsing.
If you have never been on an online dating site and want to really understand what it’s like to talk with other users, OKC is probably a better choice. Match is not hard to navigate, but there’s just not a lot to do unless you’re ready to pull out your credit card and cross your fingers for mutual matches.
Which Dating Site Has the Highest Success Rate?
This is one of those tricky areas where both sites will brag about how successful dating is. As with any online dating site, some people will mesh well while others will not. But going out on a date or two does not mean one site is better than the other.
It really comes down to how two people feel about each other once they log off of their computers and meet in person. Neither OkCupid nor Match can control what an in-person experience will be like.
How Secure Are the Sites?
On Match, all profiles start off in “hidden” mode while the photo and intro are reviewed. Once that’s complete, then you can choose to have a protected account or share with the public.
OkCupid does ration out the intro messages so free users cannot spam everyone, and it also makes sure that you can easily opt out of additional messages from someone you’re not interested in. Just pass, and they’re gone. Be careful with the browsing though.
Unless you block the person, you may end up feeling like it’s deja vu when this person shows up in your photo feed again.
Pricing of Each
On OkCupid, the most popular membership option is $24.99 per month for six months ($149.94). Next up is $33.33 per month for three months ($99.99). Just paying for one month is $49.99. All three options allow you to see the full list of people who like you.
You can view all of the intros from people who want to skip the process of waiting out the Mutual Likes. There’s also an option to search for attractiveness, specific body types, and other dating specifications. Unlike a free membership, a paid version allows for unlimited likes, no ads, and faster page loads.
Match.com prices for standard plans are $19.99 per month for a year ($239.88), $21.99 per month for six months ($131.94), and $33.99 for three months ($101.97).
Premium plans (one profile review per year, message read alerts, monthly boosts) are a little higher at $20.99 per month for a year ($251.88), $22.99 per month for six months ($137.94), and $38.99 for three months ($116.97).
Pros and Cons
If you don’t want to pay for Match, it’s pretty much pointless to join at all. Free members can only search (public) profiles, receive top picks, create a profile, appear in search results, post photos and send likes. Paid members are the only ones who can see, send and respond to messages; see who has viewed your profile; see who has liked your profile; remove members from view, and stand out with a “Super Like.”
With OkCupid, you can still like real pictures and see full profiles, along with sending intro messages in hopes that someone you’re interested in will respond. Both sites are about equal when it comes to users sending messages that are worth your time as they are for users who just respond with “hi.”
Bottom Line: Which Site Is Better? OKC or Match?
Sometimes you get what you pay for, and other times you don’t really have to pay for much to get the most out of a situation. It would make more sense to believe that serious daters would be on sites with paid subscriptions and tighter security like Match.
But paying for an online dating membership does not automatically mean you’ll hit it off with other users nor does it mean users will be more active. Ask anyone with a gym membership in February.
All those New Year’s resolutions are long gone, even if they’re paying for the membership. Is it fair to say that online dating sites like Match and OkCupid work the same way? Yes and no. Users should be ready to send messages to members who never respond (or even bother to pass on you) as much as they hear from users who respond almost immediately. It’s a toss-up.
Unlike in-person dates, online dating users are working on someone else’s time clock. So it’s best to not put all your eggs in one basket and depend on one particular user to answer you: date around (online, that is).
Although OkCupid gives more conversation prompts to kick off the conversation, if there’s something that you really feel strongly about, you can always put it in your Match profile. It’s a good idea to join both sites to see which one works best for you. But which one is better between the two? It’s pretty difficult to see how Match would have the upper hand.
Even for a casual browser, OkCupid is set up in such a fun interactive way for users to get to know each other and ask all those awkward questions you’d probably never ask on a first date. OkCupid gives you the CliffsNotes version so you know whether to run and hide or dive right into your inbox. There’s no competition here: It’s OkCupid all the way.
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