{"id":9886,"date":"2023-08-22T03:31:45","date_gmt":"2023-08-22T03:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/datingxp.co\/?p=9886"},"modified":"2023-08-22T02:12:26","modified_gmt":"2023-08-22T02:12:26","slug":"pof-vs-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/datingxp.co\/pof-vs-match\/","title":{"rendered":"POF vs Match \u2013 Which One Is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

POF<\/a> and Match.com<\/a> are two of the world\u2019s most popular online dating sites. They both have millions of active users, and they\u2019re both used by people who are looking to date and meet new people – as well as potentially develop a serious relationship with someone (and perhaps even get married).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, POF and Match have their unique differences to stand out from each other. For instance, you can send and receive messages for free on POF, but you need to upgrade your account to do this on Match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So which dating site is right for you? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I signed up to both sites and tested them out. I used both the free and premium versions and wrote this POF vs Match review guide to help you make a better decision about what to do next. I\u2019ll be comparing their features, their pricing plans, and examining who they\u2019re ideal for – and who they\u2019re not ideal for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s POF For? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Those looking for a relationship <\/strong>– POF is used by millions of people who want something serious, and there are many instances of people meeting their life partner on this app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those looking for new friends <\/strong>– If you\u2019re new to a town or city and just want a new friend, POF can provide this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singles who are \u201cjust looking\u201d <\/strong>– Not sure what you want? That\u2019s totally cool. There are so many people who use POF, including people just looking to see what\u2019s out there. Unlike some dating apps, there\u2019s no pressure on anyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People operating on a budget <\/strong>– POF is free to send and receive messages, making it ideal for those who want to date on a budget. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singles who want a hookup <\/strong>– POF is pretty much for anyone and everyone, including those who just want a casual sex encounter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s POF Not For? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Those who want to get married <\/strong>– Yes, you can<\/em> use POF to find your soulmate. But since it isn\u2019t aimed at those who want to get married, you might end up wasting your time wading through millions of profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who hate fake profiles <\/strong>– POF is one of the worst dating sites when it comes to fake profiles. If you hate fake profiles, it might be best to avoid this one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who hasn\u2019t got time to waste <\/strong>– Due to its nature, it can take a while to find success on POF. If you\u2019ve not got time to waste (or time for time wasters), POF might not be for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s Match For?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Singles who want to settle down and get married <\/strong>– If your main plan is to settle down and get married, Match is marketed at your demographic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Divorcees and widows – <\/strong>There\u2019s often a stigma attached to divorcees and widows who use dating apps, but since Match is aimed at mature adults who want to settle down, divorcees and widows have a good success rate here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have room in their budget <\/strong>– To send and receive messages, you must be a premium member on Match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singles who take dating seriously <\/strong>– Online dating isn\u2019t easy, and many apps are full of people who simply don\u2019t take it seriously. Match users, however, do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mature adults <\/strong>– Match is used by younger adults too, but its prime user base is mature adults aged 26+. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s Match Not For?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Those looking for a hookup <\/strong>– Match is strictly for those looking for something serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Singles who want a free dating app <\/strong>– There\u2019s practically nothing you can do on Match as a free member. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who want instant success<\/strong> – Many users lock themselves into a 6 or 12-month contract at Match because they know success at online dating takes time. If you expect instant online dating success, Match might not be the site for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

POF: Everything You Need To Know <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

POF – otherwise known as Plenty of Fish – was launched in 2003. Back then, it was largely a free dating app, and today many of its functions can still be accessed for free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not much has changed over the years in terms of its user base, too. POF was always seen as a dating app for anyone and everyone – those looking for something serious, those looking to meet new people, and those looking for a hookup. Because it\u2019s free, all types of people continue to sign up for the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Free members can send and receive messages while upgrading to a premium account lets you see who\u2019s liked you, as well as whether or not someone has read your message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, being a free app means that POF has attracted a huge number of fake profiles. It continues to attract fakes, although its customer service team works extra hard to delete them as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, this is still a serious dating app that only lets people create an account after completing a personality test. This test – which runs for over 100 questions – is designed to improve the quality of the matches you receive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match: Everything You Need To Know <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Match is one of the oldest online dating sites around. It was established in 1995 and has since grown a reputation for being one of the world's most trustworthy, reliable, and secure dating sites. Today, it has over 8 million paying members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its user base is primarily made up of those who are looking for something serious. Indeed, Match comes with a guarantee whereby users are given an extra six months worth of membership for free if they don\u2019t find a suitable match within the first six months. Moreover, because there isn\u2019t much you can do as a free member, many users have <\/em>to take Match seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Match has always stood out from many competitors is with its matchmaking service. To complete your registration, you need to fill out a personality questionnaire, and Match uses your answers to provide you with suggested profiles for the remainder of your membership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also search through profiles via an advanced search function, but you can\u2019t see who\u2019s viewed or \u201cliked\u201d you or sent you a message unless you upgrade your account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

POF vs Match: The User Base<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

POF has a very large user base, primarily because of POF\u2019s popularity and the fact that it\u2019s free to send and receive messages. There are currently over 150,000,000 singles who have signed up to POF, while the number of active members stands at around 4,000,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age-wise, POF\u2019s users generally fall into the 25-35 bracket, and there are well over 3,000,000 daily logins. The US makes up most of POF\u2019s user base, although the UK and Australia aren\u2019t too far behind. 11 languages are generally spoken daily between members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match, on the other hand, boasts 20,000,000 free members and 8,000,000+ paying members. Over 50% of them are based in the US, with the rest mainly in Europe. The user base is largely made up of singles, and a significant portion is either separate or divorced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Age-wise, Match\u2019s user base is dominated by the 35-45- age groups, which suggests that, indeed, many users are either separated or divorced, while a number of them have children. Males outnumber females slightly by about 55% to 45%, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

POF vs Match: The Profiles <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

POF\u2019s profiles are a bit of a mix \u2019n\u2019 match. Some users take POF very seriously and fill their profiles out so that they\u2019re quite detailed, and some users are just looking to see what\u2019s out there – and who maybe just add a line or two, as well as a few interests to their profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, because POF makes it mandatory for every user to upload some photos and add something<\/em> (including a POF headline<\/a>) to their profile, it\u2019s possible to know a little something about every member you come across on here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match\u2019s users, on the other hand, are divided between free members and paying members. All members must add basic details to their profile – including their age, location and job status – but paying members add more details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are, in fact, 8,000,000 paying members on Match around the world. These are largely aged between 25 and 40, and they can all take advantage of the profile builder to put together a detailed, informative profile. Unlike POF, Match\u2019s paying members are largely all looking for a serious, committed relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The free members, meanwhile, are often just looking to browse and see what\u2019s out there. Some will upgrade their account, but many will simply look for an alternative, more affordable dating site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

POF vs Match: Premium Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both POF and Match have premium features that can make it easier for people to find dates. However, Match has more than POF, which POF instead offers members more free features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a paying member of POF, you get to see who\u2019s viewed your profile, and you also get to see if someone has read your message yet or not. You also get access to the \u201cPriority Message\u201d feature, which automatically puts your messages at the top of someone\u2019s inbox. It\u2019s a useful feature on a site like POF, where users often receive hundreds of messages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also purchase tokens and send virtual gifts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over on Match, even sending and receiving messages is a premium feature. You can only see who\u2019s viewed you when you\u2019re a paying member, too. Other premium features include Real Talk, which provides you with several icebreakers to help you start a conversation with a new match, as well as Boost, a key feature that makes your profile more visible in the search results for 60 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also match with people who Match itself hasn\u2019t recommended and have a voice call with another member. All in all, Match\u2019s premium features are more in-depth than POF\u2019s, but POF lets you do more as a free member. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of the costs, upgrading on POF will cost around $15 per month for the cheapest plan, while Match\u2019s prices start from $15 per month if you lock yourself into a 6-month contract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

POF vs Match: Final Verdict <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

POF and Match are evenly matched when it comes to their user base, which means your decision will likely come down to what you\u2019re looking for and whether you\u2019re prepared to pay extra for a premium account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to find success on POF as a free member, but the trade-off is fake profiles and a variety of people looking for different things. On the other hand, Match is more expensive, but it\u2019s used by serious daters who know exactly what they\u2019re looking for, and it also comes with more high-quality features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, if you know exactly what you\u2019re looking for, Match is the clear winner here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read<\/strong> more similar review comparisons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n