In today\’s modern technology, blind dating has taken on a new dimension. Before the Internet, this way of finding a partner meant that a friend, relative, colleague, sister, would arrange a meeting with someone they considered a perfect match for you.

Today, we have something similar – dating websites. The only difference is that you don\’t need a live matchmaker. To understand the reasons why this form of a quest for love takes primacy over face-to-face dating, read the following link:

The choice of online platforms where you can find love or just someone to hang out with is extensive. Besides general dating websites, there are the ones for specific target groups, such as military members, teens, people over a certain age, and so on. Creating profiles on several dozen websites will be a waste of time; that is why you need to know how to choose the best platform for yourself.

Know What You’re Looking for

Although most websites offer this option when creating profiles, you need to define what you want from online dating. Is it a short-time fun, one-night stand, \’friendship with benefits,\’ or you really want to find yourself a keeper. This decision is your best starting point when looking for a suitable dating website.

Apps and dating platforms that serve for hookups are mostly free. When looking for someone for a serious relationship or even marriage, the best solution is paying a subscription. It will give you access to all those who have also paid the fee. Like you, they are people looking for a soul mate, which increases the chances of finding a perfect match.

Paying Subscription or Not

Before you make this decision, you need to know what and who you are looking for on a particular platform. All these portals have free access while paying the membership fee is optional. Websites that apply to specific groups most often require payment, in turn offering additional options such as direct messages or more details on profiles you like.

Remember this option usually requires some personal data, such as a credit card number or address. If you\’re not comfortable leaving your personal information all around, try free basic membership first. For more information on how to be safe in the online dating world, check here. When you gain trust in a dating website you have signed in, consider paying a monthly fee.

Most subscription sites will automatically renew it until you cancel paying. These prices generally rise after a while; these were low at the very beginning when the dating platform had to attract users. As becoming competitive, they raised fees. If you do not mind spending a few tens of dollars a month, go for it, but only after thorough research of the website.

Define Your Type of Partner

Most people usually have a predefined type of partner they want by their side. These criteria are only slightly different than in the \’real\’ world and will serve as search parameters. According to them, websites algorithms will find matches for you.

In addition to some basic things like gender, age, and education, you can set some physical characteristics you look for in a potential lover. For example, you can fine-tune the search for mid-height blond men with green eyes looking for a hookup. 

More detailed search options usually don\’t matter if looking just for fun. You will get access to them as a paid membership, and then you can search for a soul mate that reads Bukowski, likes to travel, or grow cacti. Be aware of one thing: dating platform users sometimes lie about themselves.

The number of dating portals is increasing day by day, which means that websites for specific target groups are continually appearing. For example, today, you have dating platforms only for those who like men with beards or for those with a career priority.

General or Niche Dating Website

There is one unwritten rule that you could follow when choosing a dating website – if you are looking for casual dating, go to the most popular portals. When looking for someone for a serious relationship, forget about top sites for hookups; niche websites are a better solution. 

When you are looking for a hookup partner, a more extensive selection of people is right for you. In this case, searches are less thorough; you don\’t really care if your match likes animals or not. Things that matter most are the physical appearance and the speed of making personal contacts.

On the other hand, a smaller number of people using niche sites is both an advantage and a disadvantage of online dating. The downside is a possibility that no one among them could be your soul mate. But the great benefit is that you can easily find potential candidates worth of your time.

Safety Issues

Online scams and scammers are the harsh reality of the Internet. Dating platforms are the perfect place for hackers to \’pick up\’ your information and abuse it. Of course, this is not the rule, but there is always a risk. That is why you need to be very careful when choosing a website and leaving personal data.

If a website seems suspicious at first glance, it probably is. A poorly designed interface, weak user experience, and a generally negative impression are signs of skipping such a portal. Most likely, it seems like phishing (unauthorized collection of personal information and sensitive information).

Before joining a website, look for reviews and comments about it. If there are allegations of fraud, harassment, discrimination, or any other act of misbehavior, this is certainly not the place to leave personal information and spend time searching for a soul mate.

Online dating was often labeled as a move of desperate people unable to find love in the real world. But today, hookups and dating over the Internet became our reality. Most of us lost the habit of meeting people in person. Dating platforms are our safe place in finding a perfect match.