Date4U
Countries: International but all profiles must be in English.
Details:The site is for singles to find friends or partners, for fun, dating or for long term relationships. The emphasis is on fun, with photo ratings, "hot or not" and top 100 photos. To join, all you have to do is enter an email address and choose a password.
Features:
Internal email system, private online chat.
Free Elements: Register for free to add your profile and photo and to search the database. To contact or reply to other members and to read mail you have to subscribe.
Costs: 1 month £9.95; 3 months £19.95, 6 months £39.95. Your card is not automatically re-billed.
DatingDirect
www.datingdirect.com
Countries: International
Details:Huge dating site, in fact one of the biggest international pay sites on the net - for example there are over 2 million members in the UK alone! If you are in the UK, look out for dating events held throughout the country.
Features:
Unlike many sites, you can actually search the database before registering. As a Premier Member you are able to send unlimited messages to as many other members as you wish and have full use of the "Premier Search" function which allows you to narrow down your search.
Free Elements: As a free member you can search the database and add your profile, but that's it! If you decide you want to contact another member or read or reply to another member's message will you need to upgrade to Premier Membership.
Costs: Premier Membership costs 12 Months costs £99.95; 6 Months costs £69.95; 3 Months Special Offer costs £39.95; 1 Month costs £19.95; 7 Days costs £9.95. 3 Day Trial costs £4.95.
eharmony.com
www.eharmony.com
Countries: International
Details:For people looking for a serious long term relationship, with the emphasis on compatibility. Start by filling out a free personality profile devised by Dr Neil Clark Warren. They claim to have more marriages per match than any other online dating service!
Features:
Personality Profile (free)
Patented Compatibility Matching System
Guided Communication Option
Free Elements: 7 day trial. Personality profile is free and you can view compatible matches for free.
Costs: 1 month $59.95, 3 months $119.85, 6 months $179.70, 12 months $239.40
Prices correct October 2008. For current pricing, the easiest way is to click on Gift Subscriptions for plan prices.
Easyflirt
http://comjunuk.free-datings.com
Countries: International. Multilingual.
Details:When you join up you are immediately shown a list of members in your area and invited to send any or all of them a message. You can skip this step and move into the main area where you can search for members in other countries if you prefer.
Features:
Speedflirt
Audio and Video chat
Voice message
Instant messenger
Advanced search
Free Elements: When you join you are given a number of points free and these allow you to use the webstie for free. There are ways you can increase the number of points you have such as inviting friends to join.
Costs: 1 month access £19.95
3 months £54.90
6 months £75.70
Price correct October 2008. To view current prices you will have to join!
FriendFinder
www.friendfinder.com
Countries: International
Details:Very large international dating site - over 3.5 million members. Premium memberships offer far more privileges.
Features:
Video profiles
Chat rooms
Instant messaging
Interactive magazine with lots of advice and information, where you can post or answer advice questions or post poetry and articles
"Cupid Service" - by filling out a form, you can describe the person(s) you want, and FriendFinder will automatically notify you by email when a person matching that description becomes a member.
Gold membership means you will be more visible on searches, you get the ICQ IDs (and other instant messaging systems) of other members, plus other perks.
Free Elements: You can search the database without joining. As a free (standard) member, you can do quite a lot, chat, send instant messages, and browse through their worldwide database of profiles. Also "Cupid Service" (5 matches max) see Features above. Free members can email Premium members who have purchased standard contacts (this costs extra).
Costs: Silver Membership: 12 months $99.94. 3 months $39.94, 1 month $22.94. Renewal costs are discounted.
Gold Membership: 15 months $139.94, 4 months $59.94, 1 month $34.94. Renewal costs are discounted.
Prices correct 2007. To view current prices you need to join.
Friends Reunited Dating
www.friendsreuniteddating.co.uk
Countries: UK website but with international membership
Details:An offshoot of the highly successful UK website Friends Reunited.
Features:
One-to-one private chats with other upgraded members
Hints and tips on dating subjects
Daters’ Diaries where members write about their own dating experiences.
Audio voice profiles
Free Elements: Registration, which includes adding a profile including picture, and search is free. You can also receive emails for free. To contact other members you have to subscribe.
Costs: 1 month £18.50, 3 months £34.50 or 6 months for £49.50.
Prices correct September 2008.
To check current prices click the help button at the bottom of the home page, choose "payments, upgrades & renewals" and the "how do I upgrade".
Lavalife
www.lavalife.com
Countries: Canadian website with an international membership
Details:There are three communities:
Dating
Relationship
Intimate encounters
Search for dates either locally or in any country you choose.
Features:
Unlimited emails
See who has viewed your profile
Photo galleries and videos
Instant messaging
Free Elements: Create a profile and post your picture, "flirt" and reply to emails for free.
Costs: $29 per month or $56.99 for 3 months
Prices checked September 2008
(click Help section, then 10 most common questions and then click on "Is this site free" to find the latest prices)
Love & Friends
www.loveandfriends.com
Countries: International. "Our physical HQ is in London, England - but we're open to members from anywhere (except outer space)"
Details:Nice website with a bright, breezy and humourous approach. Open to members 18 up. Will typically appeal to single successful professionals but all are welcome.
Features:
Full Membership: Unlimited messaging, top of the search lists, contact new members first, linger messages, powerfull searches, "Matchbot", e-cards, compatibility scores, upload more photos, access all photos (ie you don't have to wait a week for approval)
Free Elements: All basic facilities are free. Free search of members before you have to register.
You can you to post your profile, search for other members and send messages, although messaging for free members is restricted.
Costs: Enhanced membership £9.98 per month automatic renewal, £69.99 per year, £24.99 for 3 months, 1 month £12.49.
Make Friends Online
www.makefriendsonline.com
Countries: International
Details:Make Friends Online is a UK based, but International, dating and friendship site with a larget list of features. Claim to have had countless weddings and even MFO babies! Plenty of social events.
Features:
Private chat, Public chat rooms, Message Boards, Events, Agony Aunt to listen to all your problems.
Free Elements: Send and receive Quickmails, Add your profile and photo free, use their search facilities.
Costs: Membership fees start at £14.95 for a month and go up to £49.95 for a year.
Prices correct October 2008.
Megafriends
www.megafriends.com
Countries: International
Details:Online dating for singles and couples, gay or straight. All ages and all countries.
Features:
Video and web chat
Web cam chat
Matchmaking service
Instant Messaging
Photo galleries
Forums
Virtual gifts
Advanced search
Articles and games
Unlimited photos
Free Elements: Post a profile for free
Costs: Auto billing. Gold membership $19.95 per month. Discounts for multi month options.
Prices correct September 2008. To check current prices click on "Help/FAQ" at the bottom of the home page, click "billing related" and then click on "What is the per month cost for Gold Membership? ".
Metrodate.com
www.metrodate.com
Countries: International
Details:International dating site catering for singles of all ages and profiles. Very easy to find your way around this nicely laid out site.
Features:
Voice and Video Profiles
Live Chat
Instant Messaging
Private Messaging
Dating Tips and Articles
Costs: Membership is 100% free
Paltalk
http://register.paltalk.com
Countries: International
Details:Instant Video chat community. Paltalk’s 4 million plus users can see, hear, and talk to one another instantly – anywhere in the world. There are over 4000 different chat rooms or you can set up a private chat room, so whether you are looking friendship, love, or just want conversation there is almost certainly a video chat room for you. Paltalk also supports Yahoo, AIM, and ICQ.
Features:
Subscription membership allows you:
Unlimited Streaming Video Windows
Hundreds of emoticons
Brand new Video Overlays – fun animations that work with your webcam
No Pop-Up ads
Live pictures
Free Elements: 1 week free trial period for Paltalk x-Treme.
Costs: Paltalk Plus: $39.95 per year. Paltalk x-Treme $59.95 per year
PerfectMatch
www.perfectmatch.com
Countries: US based but with International members.
Details:Perfectmatch is for people looking for serious long term relationships only - if you are not ready to commit, this is not the place for you! Over one million members. Age range typically 24-55.
Features:
"Duet" Total Compatibility System
Unlimited safe and anonymous communications
Unlimted searches
Personal ten point Profile review
+ all the features mentioned below.
Free Elements: Free compatibility profile
Online profile with up to 8 photos
Unlimted "icebreakers"
Relationship Advice
Monthly Newsletter
Quizzes and a weekly poll
Costs: 3 months $110.85, 6 months $173.70
Prices correct March 2009. To see current ricing click on "Gift Membership Plans" at the bottom of the main paige. (Auto-billing)
Sexy Singles Date
Countries: International
Details:An international dating site where you can search by any country you like - for people looking for fun or marriage.
Features:
Instant Messaging
Live Web Cam
Audio/Video Profile
Blog
Horoscope/Lovescope
Customizable search
Magazine
Add YouTube Videos to Profile
Personality Matching
Community Groups
Chef Jay Sexy Recipes
Free Elements: Free to join and create a profile
Costs: $34.99 for one month, $69.99 for 3 months, and $89.99 for 6 months.
Prices correct October 2008. For current prices click on FAQs.
WorldFriends
Countries: International
Details:For dating, penpals and language learning partners. Use the advanced search
Features:
Unlimited email communication
Online email system
Free Elements: Personal profile with photos
Search member database
Hotlist - a favourites list
2-way matching system
Send and receive "smiles"
Reply to VIP member mails
Initiate contact with Open Club members
To initiate communication with other members you have to upgrade to paid member unless the person is an Open Club member.
Costs: VIP Membership: 1 month $24.95, 3 months $49.95, 6 months $74.95, 12 months $99.95.
Open Club service: 3 months $46.95
Auto renewal. Note that renewal rates are considerably less in most cases than the initial cost.