OkCupid Review April 2019: Will Cupid Be On Your Side?

Last updated: April 2019

Our Review

OkCupid was launched in the year 2004. In just over three years, it was listed in Time Magazine’s Top 10 dating websites. The growth of the dating site’s member base is consistent over the years, so there is no lack of profiles to look through in.

Even today, there is a good percentage of active members in the dating site. These members are actively swiping left or right in Double Take, hoping to find a match. With OkCupid’s contacting features, it is quick and easy to find exciting members to talk with, flirt with, and meet up with.

OkCupid has undergone many updates and upgrades for their dating site and mobile app. One biggest change they had was their messaging rules. Anyone can send a message, but only when both users like one other will the receiver be able to read the message sent to him or her.

Read our full review to find out more about OkCupid's features and if it is suitable for finding a life partner or if it’s better for casual encounters.

Member Structure

Members

500,000 from Australia

Members activity

250,000 active weekly

Gender Proportion

35 %

65 %

Over 50 million users worldwide
Majority of users come from the United States
Member activity is high
There are more male members than female
Most members fall between the age range of 25-34
Members look for a variety of relationship types

The member base of OkCupid come from different walks of life. There is a good percentage of members in every age range, but the majority lies in the 25 to 34 range. Most are young professionals who are looking to pass the time or explore if the app can get them a suitable date. OkCupid requires its users to disclose what exactly it is they are looking for on the dating site. The choices are 'short-term dating', 'long-term dating', 'hookups', and 'new friends'.

Before, OkCupid was known for finding casual dates or hookups. Today, most members are looking for long-term dating and lifetime partners. We also observed that male members are more active in messaging the female users. But, a lot of male members encourage the users who like them to send them a message. They indicate this on their profile summary.

18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+

Signing Up

New members take a personality test and fill out personal information
Account registration process takes 5-10 minutes
Users can import photos straight from Facebook or Instagram
Users get immediate match suggestions after registering

Signing up for an account in OkCupid is simple. You just need to indicate some basic information about yourself such as your name, location, email address, and birthday. If you wish to skip all of these, you could simply register via Facebook.

But registration does not end there. You also need to answer OkCupid's questionnaire that asks about your likes, dislikes, religion, personality, habits, hobbies, sexual orientation, and relationship desires. This will help OkCupid adjust your matching algorithm to connect you better with more compatible members.

The test allows the dating app to measure the percentage of your compatibility with the suggested match. This percentage is shown with the match suggestion on OkCupid's roulette-type dating feature.

Making Contact

Users get featured matches and a search tool
The search tool can be filtered to display only online users
Your last search options will be saved the next time you use the function
The site's matching system uses an algorithm based on the answers you give to their match questions and personality test

OkCupid's score on contacting and messaging used to be higher, but they changed their policy on messages. Before, you can freely message any user you like on the website; nowadays, you can still send messages to other users freely, but they will only see your message if they liked you back.

According to the site, they changed the way their messaging system works to cut down the frequency of unwanted and inappropriate messages. While it dissuades creeps from mass messaging users with inappropriate proposals, it also discourages decent users who just want to reach out and start a conversation with a potential match.

Profile Quality

It is possible to see the profiles of other users without paying for anything
All pictures uploaded on a user's profile are public
Users can keep answering match questions to get more accurate matches
After answering several match questions, you can unlock personality traits, which can make your profile even more unique

The profiles are very detailed

Profiles of OkCupid members feature the user's photo gallery at the topmost of the page. This is followed by a profile summary that is written by the members themselves. Most members do not write lengthy 'about me' paragraphs, but since it cannot be left blank, members just write brief sentences or keywords to describe themselves.

Most profiles also feature some of the member's answers on his or her match questions. Depending on which questions he or she willingly answers, his or her views about personal preference, religion, and relationships are shared on the profile. All of the profile fields are required to be filled out.

The initial personality test determines the percentage of compatibility between you and the other user. This percentage is shown on each profile you browse through the search filter and Double Take feature. You are also able to see which questions you both agree and disagree on. On the bottom part of every profile, you can find other similar users suggestions.

App

Mobile app has an excellent user interface
Mobile app offers the same features as its website counterpart
Matchmaking is roulette-type
Great for mobile users on-the-go
Some pages take a while to load
You can see which users sent you a message easily
App's features are greatly organised in tabs
You need to scroll down to see other member's complete profile

OkCupid's mobile app is best for people who want to access their accounts and see their matches on-the-go. The app does not offer any additional feature but makes the user experience better. All features of the dating site are accessible using one-hand. All the app's features can be found as tabs at the bottom of the screen.

What's great about OkCupid's mobile app is that using Double Take is actually better on it compared to the website. You just have to swipe left if you're not interested, or right if you are. Then when you swipe right and your compatibility percentage with that user is relatively high, there will be a pop-up window encouraging you to send a message to that user. Of course, you can choose not to send any messages.

Also, you can be more quickly updated about new matches and new messages by setting mobile notifications.

Real Life Review

"I've been on OkCupid for the past 6 months and let me tell you, the site is very nice. I love answering the questions because I'm a trivia kind of guy. There are a lot of female fake profiles that will try to get you to give them money, but they're pretty easy to spot. I've had a couple of solid connections with 2 real females so far. Since I'm older, I'm sad to see that there aren't a lot of people my age range it seems. The site is full of kids looking for fun, but that's not me. I just wish there were more people in their 30s and 40s, but it's not like I'm running out of matches, so everything's okay." - Male businessman from Melbourne (34)

Design and Usability

The design of OkCupid's website is simple, neat, and pleasing to the eyes. It is straightforward, making all the features easy to access. You can find all the functions and features of the dating site from the tabs found at the top menu.

On Double Take, you can see the next match suggestions lined up on top of the feature. This is a nice additional design feature that OkCupid offers, especially for free members who have limited likes. At least free users can save their likes for better-looking matches.

Appearance-wise, OkCupid utilises different shades of blue and white to, even more, solidify simplicity. They use the pink colour for emphasis such as in notifications.

OkCupid Costs and Prices

Account registration
Messaging other users
Keeping track of who you like
Match searching
Use of basic search filters
Browse member profiles
Participate in Double Take

See who likes you
Message read receipts
No ads
Use of advanced search filters
Daily auto boost
Message priority
See public question answers

Duration / Credits / Coins	Costs per month	Total
A-List Basic Subscription ? Prices are in USD
1 Month	7.95 $ / Month	7.95 $
3 Months	6.35 $ / Month	19.05 $
6 Months	3.95 $ / Month	23.70 $
A-List Premium Subscription ? Prices are in USD
1 Month	24.90 $ / Month	24.90 $
3 Months	22.90 $ / Month	68.70 $
6 Months	19.90 $ / Month	119.40 $
Boost ? Prices are in USD
1 Credit	1.99 $ / Credit	1.99 $
5 Credits	1.89 $ / Credit	9.45 $
10 Credits	1.69 $ / Credit	16.90 $

Is OkCupid expensive or cheap?

In comparison to other providers OkCupid is average.

Credit Card
PayPal
Via Mobile Phone

OkCupid offers two kinds of premium membership. The first kind is called A-List basic, which has additional features that can make a more productive user experience. The other is the A-List premium, which comes with even more features that are not really needed to have fruitful outcomes from the website.

The site offers an additional purchase called "Boost" which highlights your profile and shows it to more users in 30 minutes.

Subscriptions are renewed automatically. You can cancel this auto-renewal through your account settings.

Special Features

OkCupid has several special features that aim to give users a full dating experience and find someone that they are compatible with in terms of views, hobbies and interests.

Double Take

Double Take is OkCupid's matching feature. It's a roulette-type matching where you need to either swipe left if you're not interested or swipe right if you are.

See Who You Like

You can keep track of the members you like by going to the list of 'Who You Like' found on the 'Likes' tab. You can freely message these users, and they will see on Double Take that you messaged them.

See Who Likes You

You can view who likes you on the 'Likes' tab. However, this feature is only for OkCupid premium members.

Boost

Boost is an add-on feature where your profile gets highlighted. Boosted profiles are shown more frequently on other members' Double Take suggestions.

OkCupid Blog

OkCupid has a blog that publishes tips on how you can maximise the dating platform. They also have articles about helpful dating tips and advice.

Our rating

Signing Up:	3.5 / 5
Making Contact:	3.5 / 5
Profile Quality:	4.5 / 5
App:	3.0 / 5
Real Life Review:	3.5 / 5

Editors Conclusion

Since its launch, OkCupid has undergone significant updates that improved the quality of user experience. It has become one of the dating sites that has a large member base wherein a good percentage is still engagingly active. Also, with the rise of other casual dating apps, OkCupid’s past reputation of being a site where most members are only looking for hookups, have completely turned over. Today, most OkCupid users are looking into serious, short and long-term dating. If you think, however, that OkCupid doesn’t suit your needs or is still lacking, you should check out ourMatchmaker category for other reliable websites.

FAQ

Facts

Who owns OkCupid?

When OkCupid started, it was owned by Humor Rainbow Inc., a company based in New York. New York. However, the site changed hands and is now owned by InterActiveCorp.

So where is OkCupid based now?

Although Humor Rainbow is now a subsidiary of IAC, the company's headquarters is located in Dallas, Texas.

When was OkCupid founded?

OkCupid was founded on January 19, 2004.

Membership

How do I join OkCupid?

You can join OkCupid by filling out a personal information form or by connecting your Facebook account to the dating site.

Does OkCupid offer premium membership?

Yes, the site offers two kinds of premium membership: the A-List Basic and the A-List Premium.

How do I cancel my OkCupid membership?

You can cancel your membership through your Account Settings. You can then use your premium membership until the next day of your billing cycle.

Is OkCupid membership auto-renewed?

Yes, OkCupid membership is auto-renewed. You can cancel this, however, through your Account Settings.

Can I get a refund for unused time?

OkCupid does not give out refunds under any circumstance.

Usability

How does OkCupid work?

OkCupid suggests users on Double Take who have high percentage compatibility with you. This compatibility score is based on you and the other member's answers in the personality quiz.

What is Double Take?

Double Take is OkCupid's matching feature that shows possible matches in a roulette style.

What is Boost?

Boost is an add-on feature which highlights your profile on OkCupid for a specified time frame.

Where do I see my matches?

You can see your matches on the Likes and Messages tab.

How do I see who messaged me on OkCupid?

You can see who messaged you on OkCupid's Double Take. OkCupid puts the sign "They messaged you" on the match suggestion's entry.

Is it possible to see the OkCupid members who I liked?

Yes, you can view the users you liked on the 'Likes' tab.

Can I unmatch an OkCupid member?

Yes, you can do this by clicking the three dots found at the top of the user's profile.

Security

Is using OkCupid safe?

As with other dating sites, users are expected to use the site with their own discretion. Users should remain observant with regard to possible scammers.

What security features does OkCupid have?

OkCupid has published privacy policies and terms of usage on their website. Block and report buttons are also easily accessible on every member profile.