The concept of online dating has existed for more than a decade, and over the years, as Internet technology has gotten more capable, dating website have become more advanced and useful. When people did not have high speed Internet, using graphic intensive websites was slow and frustrating, and online dating relies heavily on the use of pictures. Also, there were not as many Internet users ten years ago as there are now, so the crop of who to choose from was limited. Now nearly every person in developed countries has a computer or uses the Internet regularly, meaning you can essentially connect with anyone.

Besides the technical aspects of online dating, the acceptance of it has grown exponentially larger. Only a short time ago, it was thought that people who resorted to using the Internet to find a date were losers and could not get a woman in the real world. Now, online dating is seen as a way to avoid common date finding scenes, such as bars and clubs, and alleviate some of the awkwardness and pressure of asking someone out.

Online dating sites are also popular due to their matchmaking capabilities. By inputting basic and advanced data about yourself, the website automatically pairs you up with people who it deems would be compatible with you. Sites that utilize matchmaking have closely related algorithms, although each company is unique in their approach. Some dating services choose to not participate in matching, and instead operate only as a medium for singles to meet other singles.

In any online dating service, one is required to make a profile that lists their physical characteristics, hobbies, activities, likes, dislikes, beliefs, and other describing attributes. A basic matchmaking system puts people together who just have the most similarities, while more advanced algorithms bring people together using more criteria. You are given a dedicated page for your profile, which may or may not be available for viewing by non-members. Some dating sites limit the profiles you see, and make you pay for deeper access.

Paid online dating sites have tons of options and features. They are notorious for advanced matchmaking, and are confident enough to allow free trials of their service to entice people in to joining. The general, overall design and feel of paid websites is better than free ones, and the interface is often easier to use. Paid sites have many more members than their free counterparts, as by charging money to join, they have larger advertising budgets and thus have more resources to attract members. Many online daters prefer to pay money for the service, as they see free alternatives as inferior and more likely to have low-brow, unsuccessful members.

Free sites generate the majority of their revenue from advertising. Marketing is done primarily by word of mouth, and it is rare that you will find any formal advertisements promoting the company. This is not to say that free dating services cannot result in a good match, but statistically you are better off taking the paid route. Several websites allow you to search and read profiles for free, but charge for the right to communication. Depending on the website, communication between two people may be done through email or a custom messaging system designed specifically for the dating website. Neither option is better than the other, although the use of email may allow more freedom.