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Match.com is one of the most recognizable dating websites available today. Users can create a profile and add their personal details and search for others that seem compatible. The user begins by providing their gender and the gender of the mate they are searching for as well as age and location information. The site is the sister site of Chemistry.com, which provides a compatibility test linked to the Match.com homepage. After logging in and searching, the user can see profile highlights that include a thumbnail photo, username, age, location, number of additional photos available and whether the user is online or not. Users can filter results by height, body type, marital status, ethnicity, smoking and drinking preferences and education level.

Match.com was founded in April of 1995 by Gary Kremen. This is part of why the website is so popular. It was among the first to introduce dating to the internet. The site continued to grow in popularity and was purchased by IAC for $50 million cash in June of 1999. Match.com acquired PeopleMedia in 2009, SinglesNet in2010 and OKCupid in 2011. Today the site still reigns as one of the most well-known online dating resources on the web.

It is difficult to name anything completely unique on Match.com that cannot be found on other competing dating websites. The site utilizes a familiar design and format. Users can search for others and contact one another to see if they are compatible. The main draw to the site is its age. Match.com is one of the most seasoned dating sites still available today. Some may also prefer the user community on Match.com to those found on other dating sites.

Match.com has created a modern, clean environment that makes it easy to browse singles. The site favors a blue color scheme that works well and gives it a more mature feel. The menus, buttons and search results are well-organized and make it possible for a user to browse many singles profiles without wading through advertisements or other clutter. Each feature is easily accessible and simple enough for internet users of all skill levels to master quickly.

A new user can join the Match.com community by providing their gender, gender they are seeking, age range and zip code. The next page asks the user for an email address, password and date of birth. The third step asks for a username. The user is automatically logged in and directed to the profile creation form. Here, the user can provide as much or as little personal information as they want and share it with others on Match.com. A Facebook sign in option is also available.

Match.com offers a number of subscription plans to users. The first is a one month plan that costs $35.99 and includes full mobile access, the ability to send and respond to messages and instant messaging features. The Standard three month plan costs $19.99 per month. A Standard six month plan is available for $17.99 per month and includes the Match.com guarantee. Two Best Value plans are available. The first requires a three month duration at $23.99 per month and includes email read notifications, first impressions features and a highlighted profile. The six month version costs $19.99 per month and includes the Match.com guarantee.

Match.com is an appealing option to users who are trying to find love and prefer a general singles community. The site welcomes a wide range of users falling into numerous age groups. The design is clean and mature however the site restricts viewing of its subscription plans until the user signs up. This may be a bit off putting to a user who utilizes multiple dating sites and wants to compare them.

• One of the biggest and most well-known dating communities on the web
• Users can create a profile to share information with other singles
• Winks let users show their interest in others
• Instant messages provide quicker ways to chat online
• Private messages let users converse before meeting in person
• Users can sign in with their Facebook profile

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