We review some of the web's most popular dating sites: Date.com, Spark, Yahoo! Personals, Match UK, Lavalife, and FriendFinder.

They say: "Established in 1997, we are a pioneering internet dating site offering free online personals. For over ten years, our website has helped thousands of online singles find their perfect dates."

With over 5 million members, Date.com is one of the most popular dating sites on the web. Basic membership is free and allows you create a profile and search profiles by location, age, interests, and 100 other personal preferences. Use the "Show Interest" feature to send your profile to ther members. If that person has Gold Membership they can send a message back. Subscribers to Date.com tend to be professional, educated, and serious about finding a successful relationship.

Advanced features, such as Email, Instant Messaging, Voice and Video greetings, Chat Room and a useful profile keyword search are available with Gold membership.

In addition, with Date Mobile you can search profiles of other singles and exchange text messages on your mobile phone via SMS (text messaging) or WAP (wireless).

They say: "Dating and finding love shouldn't be difficult. That's why at the NEW Spark.com, we focus on providing the highest quality online dating experience from day one by requiring that all of our members take a short, but detailed personality test called the Color Code. We also require all members to have a photo and allow all of our members to respond to emails."

AmericanSingles.com and Date.ca have combined to become the new dating site on the block, Spark.com. Unlike other dating sites, Spark doesn't charge you to communicate with other members. Everyone (free or paid up members) can respond to emails.

Age groups - 18+
Members - Millions
Cost - from $7.49/month.

They say: "The Yahoo! Personals Internet dating service is for singles who want to add romance to their lives. Join the Yahoo! Personals site, meet local singles, and start having the kind of first dates that lead to second dates... and beyond."

One of the biggest dating sites on the net, with millions of members. Choose between Yahoo! Personals for casual dating, and Personals Premier for serious relationships.

Join for free and post a profile with as many as five photos, search for singles, flirt with a free Icebreaker message, and send Quick Replies as a one-time response to Yahoo! Personals profiles that might interest you. Sign up for Yahoo! Personals to send emails and instant messages.

With Yahoo! Personals safety is a priority. Their approach to safety comprises five key elements: Member-Controlled Privacy, Profile Screening, Mandatory Membership, Community Reporting, and Member Education. For more details visit Yahoo! Personals and click the link "5-Star Safety Program"

All membershp plans include a 7 day FREE trial, billing commences AFTER this trial period.

They say: "Match.com has one simple mission: to take the lottery out of love. It's been the idea that's inspired us since 1995, when we first had the idea of using this new-fangled technology called the Internet as a better way for people to find each other"

With a huge membership database, Match.com is one of the Internet's top dating sites. Full featured and easy to use, beginners and those experienced in online dating will have no trouble using this site.

Signup is free, with limited functionality. Non members can browse profiles and can be contacted by subscribers. Joining is recommended to get the best use from this site.

They say: "Lavalife is a vibrant and interactive community where singles gather. Quickly connect with local, like-minded singles with many ways to interact."

Well designed, full featured and easy to use, Lavalife.com allows you to create three distinct profiles; one for dating, one for relationships and one for intimate contacts all for the price of one membership. With over 8 Million members the cool, funky graphics attracts a hip younger crowd. Free members can view profiles, videos, and send/receive smiles. Full functionality with premium membership. Choose lavalife.com to email, IM, video webcam, or Lavalife by phone to chat, or hook up via Lavalife mobile

Membershp includes a 7 day FREE trial.

2 Million active members and access to the whole FriendFinder network. FriendFinder Magazine is one of the great additions to this dating site, offering advise, articles, poetry as well as a question & answer forum.

Membership comes in three flavours - Standard (non-paying), Silver and Gold. Gold membership includes enhanced search and your profile bubbles to the top of search results.

As a Standard (free) member, you can chat, send instant messages, and browse through the worldwide database of profiles. You also have access to the FriendFinder Magazine, where you can post or answer advice questions or post poetry and articles.

Age groups - 18+
Established - 1998
Male/female ratio - 60% male, 40% female
Members - 2,000,000+
Cost - From 25 cents/day


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