Match.com is one of the most popular dating sites on the net, with more than twenty million members, half of which are paying customers.
As such, it might be one of the most successful, with the site banking on its outstanding reputation, producing even more members.
It has more than 300 000 visitors daily, which puts it just below those traditional social media platforms and other networking sites.
Considering that you need a paid membership to avail of its excellent features, even a fraction of those visitors, if they become members, means more money for the site.
It is safe to say that the site earns a lot and, with tremendous exposure and popularity, attracts scammers and persons with criminal intent and dubious personalities.
A site with a large membership, be it dating sites or others, must be protective of its members.
But sometimes, according to some members, the site is a bit negligent. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission tried to prosecute the site due to several violations.
Most of the cases were eventually dismissed, and it did not dent the reputation of the famed dating app.
You may wonder, however, if it is worth it to subscribe to a site accused by a Federal Agency no less of having run-ins with the law.
All dating sites, especially those that rely on paying members for income and operations, need a continuing supply of new members.
That, and the fact that it has to remain relevant in the face of challenges from the government and stiff competition from other dating sites, might be the reason for changes in the pricing.
Let us make a Match.com cost review and see what could be the best option for a paid subscriber.
Membership Plans For Match.com
Like other dating sites, Match offers two general types of membership: free and paid membership.
Free membership has limited options, mainly just the basic features for you to go around the site and not much else.
Free membership does not offer you anything substantial and does not allow you to enjoy many of the features the site offers.
Simply put, it cannot give you a great online dating experience, much less connect you with a potential match or possible romantic partner.
Paid membership does that, and you can enjoy a lot from the site if you have that.
There are two types of paid membership, the Standard Membership and the Premium Membership.
The Standard Membership is less expensive, but there is not much difference in terms of prices, though we cannot say it isn’t crucial.
But as such, it offers fewer features than a premium membership.
Premium membership is more expensive and has more features than free membership and Standard Membership.
Both types of paid membership offer another four options, monthly membership, three-month membership, bi-annual membership (six months), and annual membership.
But in addition to a paid membership, there are several options, also what you call credits, and you can buy it separately from the two paid memberships.
Like Standard and Premium memberships, you have three options for buying credits: 1 credit, five credits, and ten credits.
You can use those credits to enhance your online dating experience further.
But if you think that even the best, most expensive type of membership only gives you some things, you are right: there are still features you might need.
And again, more than those credits is needed to have all the features.
There are what they call “add-ons,” features that you can have if you pay some extra dollars.
In short, you need to spend that much if you want to enjoy the Match online dating platform.
You are not the only one wondering why that is the case; most members do.
Recently, Match.com adjusted its prices for all types of paid memberships and credits.
But how much discount do they offer, and does it really make any difference?
Match.com: The Cost Of Credits and Membership Plans
As of now, this is where things stand at Match.com when it comes to pricing:
Standard Membership Plan
Monthly Price Total Price
One month $45 $45
Three-month membership $31.99 $95.97
Six-month membership $22.99 $137.94
Annual membership $18.99 $227.88
Premium Membership Plan
One-month membership $50.71 $50.71
Three-month membership $34.99 $104.97
Six-month membership $24.99 $149.94
Annual membership $19.99 $239.88
There is a significant drop when it comes to membership prices.
There is nearly a 20 percent discount on those who want to avail of three-month membership, less than 10 percent bi-annual, and nearly $40 for those who want a yearly membership.
There is nearly 20 percent off for standard membership annually and less than a ten percent discount for those acquiring six-month and three-month memberships.
It is nearly the same percentage discount when we talk about premium membership. Overall, it is considerable, especially when we compare the discount.
Some apparent things may factor in, and you may consider them. For one, whatever membership you have, the longer your subscription, the lower you pay for the membership.
You pay less for a month; that is true, but if you renew the membership monthly, you have to shell out more money.
You pay nearly less than 60 percent of what you pay if you have an annual subscription instead of renewing them monthly, and a six-month subscription can cost you half the price.
You have to consider whether you will subscribe long-term or short-term.
Since there is an option for a free trial, you can see for yourself if you are going to enjoy the site or are satisfied with all its features.
Even if you successfully get a date in one month, paying fifty dollars might be steep.
At 150 dollars, the site is more expensive, but having the dating site for half a year may be worth it, especially if you enjoy it.
But it will be best to know that some features still need to be available.
The Price of Add-Ons
Here are the prices of several add-ons, those that you can buy separately from the usual features available in standard or premium memberships:
Handpicked Profiles
It is available at $11.96, and this is available only for those who have premium memberships. With this feature, Match will pick a profile that they think is an excellent match for you.
The feature increases your chances of having a date fourfold. That is a quantum leap from your usual chances, even on a premium membership.
But that is only matching; success will ultimately depend on how well you connect with a particular member or profile on this online dating platform.
Being In Private Mode
This one costs less than ten dollars, at $9.96 a month. This feature allows you to use the site incognito and browse other profiles anonymously.
You can fly under the radar with millions of members and avoid unnecessary exposure.
But you have to consider that the cost for a year is almost the same as that of a half-year membership. Would you spend that much to browse incognito?
Replying For Free
This one also costs $9.99 monthly, but you need not buy it separately if you have one of those premium memberships, but you may need it if you have only one of those Standard memberships.
It seems like a ruse to buy a premium plan instead of a standard membership. It does not make sense to have paid membership and yet be unable to reply.
Having this for a year is equivalent to half a year of membership, so adding it to your standard membership means paying a significant amount.
We suggest you take the premium membership instead: you save nearly ten dollars monthly if you have this in your plan.
But obviously, this is an excellent way to have you avail of a Premium Membership instead of a Standard one.
Having Message-Read Alerts
One curious thing about this feature is that most dating sites have it free, but other messaging features are not.
But on Match.com dating website, if you are not on Premium Membership, you need to pay for it.
This feature notifies you if someone sends you a message. Though it may cost only nearly three dollars, that amounts to more than thirty dollars a year, quite a sum.
Is it necessary to pay extra for this feature? You be the judge.
Match Phone
If there is an add-on that we can find reasonable, this must be it. The Match Phone allows you to call and text someone while remaining incognito and anonymous or without sharing any information.
It is the perfect add-on. For one, not all people are into voice calls all the time.
Having this as a monthly option then is ideal. Second, it costs little: at around three dollars, you can have it, then decide not to have it the following month.
Though voice calls are fun and can enhance your online dating experience, it is optional, especially if you only want minimal features that a standard subscription can give.
What is the Best Option?
Nearly half of the 20 million Match subscribers are paying customers, so it is almost ridiculous to ask whether it is worth it; those people put money where their mouths are.
Nevertheless, we can assess the best option for those who want to be paid subscribers to online dating sites.
Will it take a year to find the perfect Match with millions of other users?
You have many potential matches, and depending on how you use the dating app and your personality, you may only need a little time.
But you may also need a few more months to find someone and enjoy all the site’s features.
Remember that only some things are available for a paying subscriber.
Some excellent features vital for establishing connections, like message alerts and free replies, are available for those with a Premium Membership.
A Premium Membership for six months is the best for those who want to pay.
It gives you a lot of time, and you can use many excellent features; plus, it is a bargain at nearly $25 a month.
It is only two dollars more than the Standard subscription and way cheaper than the premium membership for three months.
You pay $45 for additional three months, not much considering you need to pay more than a hundred for a three-month membership,
Final Thoughts
There is considerable debate about whether Match is better than other dating apps like eHarmony. The answer depends on the balance provided by both pricing and services.
They are among the middle-tier ones in terms of prices, but they have a bottomless pool of members with some excellent features.
The Match.com cost may play a significant factor; others may consider the price too steep, while others may consider it just enough.
No wonder the dating service adjusted its prices to make it more competitive.
At least, the site is responsive to market forces and willing to stay competitive in facing challenges from other dating sites.
