Zoosk is one of the most popular dating sites. It’s been around since 2007 and gradually expanded from the US to over 80 countries. Today, the website is available in 25 languages and gets about 25 million visits per month. Heavily integrated with Facebook, it may or may not be the right dating site for you, based on the level of privacy you desire.
Match is Zoosk’s main competitor. It’s been around for much longer and counts much more visits – around 35 million per month. Boasting international coverage, Match is available in over 8 languages and over 25 countries. It could seem like little, but that’s only because the parent company – IAC – operates the dating site under a different name in most European countries. Launched in 1995, Match is currently the most popular dating site around the world.
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How to Choose a Dating
Site
Contents
From the
outside, all dating sites look the same. You have to sign up, create a profile,
and start hunting the perfect date. That’s it, isn’t it?
Actually,
no. That isn’t it!
The reality
is a bit different.
There are
plenty of types of dating sites out there.
Does it
seem weird?
Well, it’s
not.
Put it this way. You’re a gorgeous single woman (or man – no discrimination here) looking for the love of your life. Found an online dating site that seems right. You decide to join, lose time engaging with people, only to find out that most members on that website want casual dating. Or worse. A hook-up.
How
disappointing would that be?
Then,
you’re gonna walk around saying that online dating sucks.
The truth is, it doesn’t. Online dating can be fun and rewarding.
You just
have to set your priorities right and pick a site that meets your needs.
From all
possible dating sites out there, both Zoosk and Match are ideal for people
looking for everything, from hookups to marriage. Thus, each website can be a
great choice if you’re not completely sure what you’re after or if you want to
keep your options open.
Obviously,
there are some fundamental differences between the two.
That’s why I put together this head-to-head contest. In this article, I’m gonna compare both platforms in various categories and choose a definitive winner.
So, guys
and gals, let’s throw the dice and let the games begin.
Availability
When
picking a dating site, it is essential to pick one that has worldwide coverage
– especially if you’re tackling the idea of international or interracial romance.
Both Zoosk and Match deliver worldwide coverage, but the former is available in more countries under the same brand name; namely, you can access Zoosk from 80 countries and in 25 languages. That’s pretty impressive for a website that’s not really that old after all.
Match has a less impressive coverage at first glance. Under this name, it is available in 25 countries and only 8 languages. Considering that’s been around for twice as long than Zoosk, it would seem that Zoosk is a better choice.
However, there is to say that Match is not a standalone dating site. It is owned by massive internet conglomerate IAC and is present in many countries under the name of Meetic. The peculiar thing between Match and Meetic is that it’s exactly the same platform.
A quick
look at it reveals the same members, and the two have the exactly same features
and perks.
However, Match and Meetic were born as standalone dating sites without much connection to one another, so it’s easy to believe they are different. All it takes, though, is to connect from a country where Match operates under the Meetic name – such as Italy, France, or Spain – to understand the connection between the two.
As such, we
could say both Zoosk and Match have exceptional coverage. I admit, though, that
accessing Match in some countries can be confusing. Not all people know Match
and Meetic are the same, and the owner company didn’t do anything to make it
clear for the users.
With this
in mind, Zoosk claims this round.
Winner: Zoosk
Popularity
While
availability is important when choosing a dating site, what you should care
more is its popularity. There is little fun in signing up to a dating platform
that’s available in your area but that nobody uses.
Luckily,
both Zoosk and Match are highly popular. In fact, they are in close
competition, as both platforms count over 20 million visits each month.
Match is more popular than Zoosk, though, with over 35 million visits a month. Zoosk counts around 10 million visits less than Match, but it’s still a highly acclaimed website.
However,
each platform’s popularity varies widely based on where you get your metrics.
For instance, Zoosk wins 1-0-1 if we were to look at Facebook. Indeed, Zoosk
has a huge fan base on the popular social media platform, with over 12 million
fans.
In
comparison, Match is far behind with under 850,000 fans. Certainly, there is to
say that Zoosk was born as a Facebook app, and this might explain its highest
popularity.
However, the stats speak for themselves. Match is more popular than Zoosk, at least in the United States. The situation changes if you’re from Canada or the UK. Zoosk is more popular in Canada, whereas Match wins in the UK.
Winner: Match
Sign-up Process
Both Zoosk
and Match have intuitive step-by-step signup processes with questions that walk
you through filling the main profile fields. Filling up the profile is easy on
both sites, but Match has more fields to fill in; thus, the sign-up process
will take longer.
If you don’t want to use your email address and choose a password, you can also sign up and log in using social networks. However, you’ll still have to fill in the profile.
An
important difference between the two is what happens after the registration.
Zoosk will get you up and running instantly. Once you’ve filled in the profile, you can start browsing and interacting with the other members.
Match has a short waiting period that serves for keeping the site clean from scammers. While this is a big white point for Match, the verification period can still be a disappointment.
With a
shorter sign-up process and instant site access upon registration, Zoosk is our
clear winner in this category.
Winner: Zoosk
Features
While both
Zoosk and Match have a wealth of helpful features, Match trumps Zoosk in both
feature number and versatility.
That’s not
the only difference. Features also vary in terms of type, so it’s easy to make
a choice between the sites based just on that.
When it comes to matching, Match comes with the Match Me feature that provides you with daily matches, while Zoosk has a SmartPick section where you can see your matches and pick who you want to talk to. You’ll have to be fast about your pick on both sites, as the matches are only available for 24 hours.
A nice thing Match has and Zoosk lacks is the possibility to boost your profile in the search results.
The inbox
is pretty much the same for both sites, but once again, Match comes with a few
hot extra features. In addition to checking who has viewed your profile, you
have a separate section for winks and virtual gifts.
Match also
lets you see who has liked your profile, which is another big plus.
I liked the
hot-or-not swiping feature on both sites, but if you like the old-school search
system, Match has more numerous and advanced options compared to Zoosk.
Luckily, both sites let you save searches, which is quite convenient.
Another
thing Match does better than Zoosk is the homepage, which has an activity feed
section; to counterbalance, Zoosk comes with an incredibly detailed insights
section that provides helpful feedback – a feature that not only lacks on Match
but lacks on most online dating sites.
Whether this section is important to you or not is a matter of preference. If you’d like to understand how you’re performing on the dating site, then Zoosk is definitely the right online dating site for you. On the contrary, if you couldn’t care less about the insights and would rather have the website’s algorithm do all the matching thing in the background, then you should choose Match.
All these
features apart, you’ll find that the profiles are also quite different, and not
only in layout.
Zoosk is
centered on who you are rather than what you’re looking for, and this is
portrayed in the profile.
Match makes
it much more clear how you identify yourself and who you’re looking for.
However,
both profiles give you plenty of room to express yourself. Open-ended
questions, interest sections, photo albums, and a host of other profile
features await you on both sites.
Both sites
require an ID verification either by connecting to your social networks or by
verifying your photo or phone number.
As far as
the dating features are concerned, Match comes with a few more perks. For
instance, the Missed Connection feature lets you browse the recent feed of
members you’ve crossed paths with based on your location and matching criteria.
The same
website also provides more ways to meet with others, such as reverse match,
live events, and community section.
Winner: Match.com
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Quality of Matches
Both Zoosk
and Match are high-quality dating sites, and both are slightly more advantageous
for males than females.
A quick
look at the numbers tells us Zoosk has a male-female ratio of 48% to 52%,
whereas Match has 49% to 51%.
This
doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t join if you’re a woman. With millions of
members from all over the world, you truly have high chances of finding the
right man on one of these platforms.
While the
two platforms are quite similar, the quality of matches tends to be higher on
Match.
There are
several reasons for this.
To begin
with, Match is rather costly compared to Zoosk. Therefore, members who are
willing to pay that much to meet someone are more likely to be interested in a long-term
romance. Zoosk also gives the impression of offering more for free; thus, it
attracts a lot of members who have no intention to ever pay a subscription and
interact for real.
While the
approval time on Match is indeed annoying, it also trims off most of the unserious
members.
The design
of the interface also plays a crucial role in how members interact with it.
This doesn’t have a role to play in the quality of matches, but it can make or
break the deal as far as the quality of communication is concerned.
Because
Match is more website-focused, conversations here tend to be longer and more
intense. Zoosk has an app-like design, promoting shorter conversations.
Neither site
is primarily used as a hookup site, but Match tends to attract a more serious
user pool who prioritize interaction and engagement rather than casual dating.
Overall,
you’ll probably meet more people on Zoosk, but that only because creates the
right platform where you can engage in meaningful conversations with the
others.
Winner: Match
Aesthetics and Interface
While the
design and interface don’t necessarily mean the site is serious or worthy, it’s
useless to deny that there are higher chances to sign up to a site that looks
good.
Zoosk is a stylish and interactive site, with minimal sections that contain a lot of perks and details without being overwhelming. It has a clean, uncluttered look that requires no learning curve. It doesn’t matter if you’re 20 or 80, you’ll know how to use this platform.
This dating
site is also easy on the eyes, lacking word-heavy sections that are boring to
read.
Match used to be much more overwhelming, but recent updates in design and layout brought it back into the trends. Nevertheless, it is a bit trickier to use than Zoosk. The homepage is rather confusing, especially if it’s your first time you’re subscribing to a dating site.
The layout
can be somewhat exhaustive on Match, as features overlap in categories;
however, we can’t ask a clean layout from a site that’s packed with features,
so this is also something you should consider when choosing.
With a
clean design, an easy to navigate layout and a seamless desktop to mobile
experience, Zoosk is hands down the winner in this category.
Winner: Zoosk
Pricing
There are
tough times from a financial standpoint out there, so you’re most likely
looking to save a buck when choosing a service. Even if that service is an
online dating site.
When it
comes to prices, both Zoosk and Match are free to join, but not so free to use.
The free membership will let you scour through profiles and have minimal
interaction, such as sending a wink or a smile.
However,
you won’t be able to read your messages or reply unless you pay.
A difference
between the two is the additional perks free members can access. Zoosk gives
free members the possibility to send auto-replies to winks and smiles. That’s a
nice thing, as the subscription member who smiled at you can understand you
haven’t bought a plan yet.
Match, on
the other hand, gives you the possibility to join live events. If you don’t
want to pay for using the dating site, you can still make the most out of it by
attending events where you can meet singles in person.
Considering
that you might want to interact with other members while you’re browsing
through profiles, though, Zoosk wins this round.
| Zoosk | Subscription length | Price/month | Match | Subscription length | Price/month |
| Read review | Three months | $20.00 | Read review | Three months | $19.99 |
| Six months | $12.50 | Six months | $16.99 | ||
| 12 months | $12.50 | 12 months | $15.99 | ||
| 1 month | $29.99 | 1 month | – |
Winner: Zoosk
Who Is It For?
Both Zoosk and
Match are ideal for people from all walks of life and sexual orientation. The platforms
welcome straight men and women as well as members of the LGBT community.
If you’re looking
for longer-term, more meaningful relationships, Match tends to be a better
choice. If you’re after casual dating or hookups, go for Zoosk.
Winner: Tie
And The Winner Is…
Undeniably, this was a close competition. Both sites are more than worthy and can offer a stellar online dating experience. Based on the results of this head-to-head contest, though, Zoosk is our winner.
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From seamless
mobile and desktop browsing, ease of use, and better price points, it triumphs
over its competitor.
Match could be a better choice if you’re looking for committed romance, but you have high chances of scoring good dates on Zoosk too.
Integrated
with Facebook, Zoosk is also more convenient to use, offering a more familiar user
experience.
Both are great.
Both are worthy. But if you want to know which is best in 2020, then it’s
Zoosk.
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