PROS
Almost all important features are free, especially sending messages. This site uses a quick method of registration and profiling, and yet the matches are still great. OKC’s mobile apps, both supported and run on Android and iOS, are always following the trend. The price you have to pay for extra-cool features is worth it.
CONS
There will be times when you’ll find lousy messages from lousy users. You cannot see who liked your profile without purchasing a paid membership.
Among the best and most popular online dating sites in the world, Okcupid.com is one that can grab your attention without you being aware of it. Its colourful interface and witty webpage remarks are all very inviting. And it doesn’t stop there. Let’s have a quick breakdown and see what good stuff we can dig from this site.
Overview
Okcupid, or OKC, is not only a dating website. In fact, it’s also something you can use for friendship and social networking. It also has a lot of decorations to its name. In 2007, it was listed in Time magazine’s top 10 dating websites. That gives you an idea how far and wide the reach of this site is.
OKC sports a very colourful interface that looks almost psychedelic with brightness. Logins and sign-ups are quick and easy. You can finish the whole process in 5 to 10 minutes if you think fast.
Among the many great things you can enjoy from this site is the free unlimited messaging to other members. Unlike other popular dating sites, this one does not require you to have a subscription just to communicate with other users, though you still have to spend some cash if you want to upgrade your account and enjoy better and more interesting features.
Ease of Use
Registration is simple and quick. First, you have to provide your sexual orientation (straight or otherwise). This is because they have separate sections for different orientations and this makes the website more inclusive. Then, you must answer questions relevant to the matchmaking procedure.
Perhaps one of the most notable features of this site is it engages your attention with some witty remarks about what you do or say on the website. For instance, when I indicated that I was also looking for a hook-up, the website wrote “Did it get hot in here?” or something of that sort. When I indicated I was down for non-monogamy, it wrote, “Oh you sly fox.” That was fun.
Now, once you finished answering those questions, you have your profile set—it’s that easy. You don’t even have to verify your account or number, which, by the way, you don’t have to provide.
OKC lets you in on an easy-to-navigate homepage. You have the Browse Matches, DoubleTake, and Purchase A-List tabs on the upper left-hand side, while the Likes, Messages, and Profile setting hover on the upper right-hand side.
That’s pretty much all there is to OKC’s interface and website. Let’s dig into its features.
Features
Among the websites that have simple and straightforward designs, OKC uses it most effectively.
The simplicity goes well with the free enjoyment you can get. You don’t have to pay for sending messages and liking profiles. That means you can interact with other users right off the bat. Of course, the cheesy and cutesy side comments from the site don’t go away. When I tried sending a message to another user, the site said, “If it’s meant to be, you’ll hear back.” Those kinds of messages from it somehow keep users going.
You can view users’s self-summary, the things they say they like doing, and other such trivia about them. One more very good addition to this is that you can view a user’s answers to the same questions during the registration. This way, you can see how similar or different your attitudes and outlooks are. If your prospect date has answered a question you haven’t tried, you can go and answer it. OKC also gives you the choice to add an explanation to your answers.
OKC also offers a quick matching system if you’re too lazy to scroll through many profiles. Once you click the DoubleTake tab, you’ll be presented with users you can either Like or Pass, one after the other. It’s some sort of bookmarking, where you can view your “liked” users and them message them.
As for security, you can choose to block some users if they’ve done something inappropriate or they’re flooding you messages. You can also choose to be viewable only by users who are signed in.
Costs
Although almost every major feature of this site is free, it still has something different, and better, to offer if you purchase a paid membership.
You can buy the A-List Basic. You can buy the 1-month plan at $9.95/month, the 3-month package at $7.95/month, and the 6-month package at $4.95/month. A-List Basic enables you to see who likes your profile, to access advanced search filters, know who’s read your messages, and remove ads.
Meanwhile, you can also try the A-List Premium, which starts at $24.90/month. Advanced features you can use are daily auto-boost, increased attractiveness; see public question answers, message priority, and all the features available at A-List Basic.
Pros:
- Almost all important features are free, especially sending messages.
- This site uses a quick method of registration and profiling, and yet the matches are still great.
- OKC’s mobile apps, both supported and run on Android and iOS, are always following the trend.
- The price you have to pay for extra-cool features is worth it.
Cons:
- There will be times when you’ll find lousy messages from lousy users.
- You cannot see who liked your profile without purchasing a paid membership.
Conclusion
Okcupid.com catches your attention and keeps you hooked with its free and easy access. It also serves according to what you really want. Enjoying this site is easy, relaxing, and very fun to do. Though it doesn’t sport other bigger features like the Match Events (from match.com) or the 29 Dimensions of Compatibility (eharmony.com), it still provides the fastest, easiest, and most exciting free features among online dating sites
