Best dating sites: how to actually compare them
Most "best dating sites" rankings are paid advertising. Four criteria you can check yourself — and the three types of site you are really choosing between.
Search for "best dating sites" and you get rankings. Most of them are paid advertising — sites buy their place in the list, and the one at the top is the one that paid most. So it is worth knowing how to compare them yourself. Four criteria are enough.
1. How many profiles are alive
The number "two million users" tells you nothing. What matters is how many of them logged in during the last month. You will not learn that from an advert, but you can find out in ten minutes: create a profile and look at how many people your age and near you were actually online.
2. How the choosing is done
This decides the most and is talked about the least. Does the site choose for you, or do you choose from an endless list? If you choose, you decide by photo — there is no time for anything else. If the site chooses, find out what it chooses on. If it is age, height and distance, that is the same as a photo, only in numbers.
3. What it asks you when you sign up
There is a simple rule: a dating site can only take into account what it asks about. If it wants your age, a photo and a town, that is what it matches on. If it asks how you live, what closeness means to you and what you could not put up with at home, it has something to work with.
4. Who pays for you being there
Free sites make money from advertising and from your time. Which means their success is measured by how long you stay — not by whether you find someone. Paid sites make money when you renew, so at least in theory they care whether you are happy.
The three types you are really choosing between
**Swiping apps.** Fast, fun, an enormous choice. Good if you want to meet a lot of people and do not mind that most conversations go nowhere. Bad if deciding wears you out.
**Big profile databases.** Filters, search, long questionnaires. Good if you enjoy searching yourself and have time for it. Bad if everything blurs together after twenty profiles.
**Matchmaking.** Someone chooses for you and sends one suggestion. Good if you want a serious relationship and do not want to spend every evening on it. Bad if you want full control and prefer to browse people yourself.
Where SilviaDate sits
In the third group, and we will not claim it is for everyone. If you enjoy searching and choosing, a big database will give you more. SilviaDate makes sense when you have had enough of lists and want someone to do the thinking for you.
Every profile here is checked by hand, there is nothing to swipe, and instead of hundreds of options you get one suggestion — the one Silvia believes in herself.
How to check it for yourself
You do not have to trust us or the rankings. Run those four questions past every site you are considering and write the answers side by side. The differences will jump out. And if matchmaking is what comes out of it, signing up with us takes a few minutes and Silvia starts looking as soon as you confirm your e-mail.
On SilviaDate these problems have no room to arise. There is nothing to swipe, every profile is checked by hand, and instead of a catalogue of faces you get a single considered suggestion – and only when it makes sense. It is worth a try: registration takes a few minutes and the search begins the moment you confirm your e-mail.
Try SilviaDate