OkCupid Review: Is It A Good Dating Site?

Since online dating is no longer the "for losers only" experience it once was, dating sites have exploded. Some cater to the infamous "one-night stand" while others look to match users for something more long-term.

Home page screenshot.

Although it's actually under the umbrella of the Match family, OkCupid is one of those dating sites offering quite a bit of bang for the buck, providing you know how to best use it. Sure, it might not be perfect, but let's face it, guy — there isn't a single dating site online that doesn't have a few downsides to it.

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Pros

  • Access most of the app for free. That means you can view the talent before handing over your money.
  • The profiles are actually pretty in-depth.
  • Algorithm does a very good job at pairing you with someone.
  • Easy to use UI which is enjoyable to click around and quite addictive.
  • Mobile app is awesome and has the same features as the online account.

Cons

  • Surprise, surprise — the really good stuff costs money.
  • At times, the search function isn't as accurate as it could be.
  • If you're looking to get into some video chatting, that isn't available at the present time.

Statistics

The largest percentage of users on OkCupid falls into the following age ranges:

  • 18-29 (14%)
  • 30-44 (10%)
  • 45-54 (2%)
  • 55-64 (5%)
  • Over 65 (2%)

In terms of gender, men outnumber women by almost 2-1. (Personally, I've always liked having a lot of guys on a dating site because most of them have no clue as to what it takes to really stand out when dating so it always makes those of us who know what we're doing look like we're solid gold.)

OkCupid also seems to really score high with monthly users numbering over 100 million visits monthly, giving you a pretty large dating pool to choose from.

Diving into OkCupid's Pool

Let's just get right to it, okay? You're interested in OkCupid and you want to know what you're going to have to go through in order to get maximum benefits from the site. One of the best things about the site is the ease of use and the user-friendly interface. You can pretty much get yourself up and running in a matter of minutes.

Creating an Account

For me, one of the key points, when I was setting up my account, was it didn't ask me for my credit card information. Let's face it — nothing can ruin the search for online romance when the first thing you need to do is fork over your credit card information.

Basically, you're just going to give out your email address and create a password. After that, all you need to do is verify your email address and you're up and running.

Profiles

Once you've set up your account, OkCupid's going to want you to create a profile. You'll be asked a series of questions that are designed to find out exactly what kind of a relationship you're looking for. You've got a choice from hooking up, short-term dating, long-term dating, to the rest of your life.

Other questions are going to ask you about religion and politics and whether or not you're a slob or a neat freak. What I found the most appealing about this was the questions were in-depth enough to generate some solid matches without having me spend two hours creating a psychological profile so exhausting that I'd want to give up on the whole process.

The App

Of course, what online dating site would be complete without an app? It's a breeze to install and once you do, you can sign in using either your email or your phone number. After that, the app is going to recommend potential matches, tell you when someone is liking you, and even give you a percentage of how well you matched up, based on the questions you answered in your profile.

Contacting People

Okay, so you've installed the app, you've discovered that there are some definite possibilities open to you. What's the next step? Well, obviously, you're going to want to contact some of the ones that have attracted your attention.

If you're not a paid member, you can send a message at no charge. If your message is clever enough and sincere enough and clicks with them, they'll contact you back and the online dance will begin.

Premium Features

The question of whether or not the premium features depends on just what you're looking for. If you pay some extra money, you can find out who might have messaged you in the "Discover" portion of the app or from their full profile if you've seen them elsewhere on OkCupid. If you've connected with them and they've connected with you, messages move to a conversations page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns OkCupid?

OkCupid is owned by Match Group, the same people behind Tinder, Plenty of Fish, Hinge, as well as other dating sites.

Where is OkCupid based now?

If you're worried that OkCupid is a website based out of some European basement compound somewhere, don't worry. Their headquarters is out of Manhattan.

When was OkCupid founded?

OkCupid was founded in January 2004, making it one of the longer-lived dating sites out there.

Is OkCupid for hookups or dating?

According to the site, it's designed to run the gamut from hooking up to dating to spending the rest of your life with someone. No matter what you're looking for, OkCupid seems determined to accommodate your personal preferences.

Is OkCupid free?

Yes, OkCupid has a free model, as well as a Premium model. You can sign up without having to provide any sort of credit or debit card information, letting you take it for a spin before you commit to going any further.

Is OkCupid full of fake profiles?

Naturally, as with other dating sites, there are some fake profiles out there. You'll be able to spot them pretty easily, though. You'll notice only one or two photos that look professionally staged and a blank profile. On the whole, however, you'll see a great deal more actual profiles than fake ones.

How do you see who likes you on OkCupid without paying?

If you message someone and they actually like what you've said and message you back, you'll be able to see who they are and what they are. Also, if they've seen you and like you before you like them, you'll see their profile. If you like them first, OkCupid lets you know when they've messaged you back.

Is OkCupid worth the money?

At a monthly cost of just a hair under $60 a month, that's a hard question. If you've got the money to spare, it's probably worth it — but for what you're getting, it's not that great a deal, in my opinion. For people looking for a serious long-term or forever-after relationship, it would be worth it, as long as you remember you'll get out of it what you put into it.

Should I use my real name on OkCupid?

That's entirely up to you. If you're looking for someone long-term, go with your name but if you're hitting the hookup rodeo, use whatever makes you feel comfortable.

Does OkCupid tell if you screenshot?

No, it doesn't.

How do you spot a fake dating profile?

Fake profiles are easy to spot. The photos all look like someone paid good money for them. The profiles are usually blank or very uninformative. In many cases, they're there to both pad out the website and to entice people to pay for premium features.

Does OkCupid show who views your profile?

No. Until they message you or like them, OkCupid doesn't tell you who has been viewing your profile.

Is OkCupid a good dating site?

On the whole, I'm going to say that OkCupid is a pretty solid dating site. It allows you to get started on the romance road without paying extra but if you do decide to spend a little money, it'll give you enough bang for your buck with the additional perks.

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