5 Ways to Choose the Best UK Dating Website for You

Type “UK dating” into Google and you’ll be knocked over the head with options. With so many choices, how are you going to make a decision on which UK dating website to use? Well, it’s important to think about what you hope to get from a dating site, your budget and more, so here are 5 of our top tips when it comes to choosing the best UK dating site to suit you…

1: Know who you’re looking for

This isn’t always easy: after all, if you knew who your perfect partner was, you could just find them and be done with the dating game for good, right? What we really mean is that it’s good to know the ‘kind’ of person you’d like to meet (are they someone who’s easy-going or a dedicated worker? Are they outdoorsy or do they prefer a board game and a glass of wine?) and what your end-goal might be (do you just want to date or are you looking for a life partner, for example?). Whilst you don’t need to know every detail, or even to have anything set in stone, this information can be helpful when deciding which UK dating site to use, because some of them will specialise in matching certain kinds of people.

2: Check the costs

Dating sites are rarely vastly expensive, but they can vary quite a lot in terms of membership fees. Some sites are free to use (though they tend to be a little less well organised), whilst others charge high fees to keep membership exclusive. It’s worth looking at the membership fees (both short-term and long-term) and deciding on how much you’re able to spend on online dating. Generally speaking, we think that these sites charge a fair fee for helping you to find love (which is priceless, right?) but it all depends on how much money you have to spend.

3: Perform a search, check matching options

A UK dating site may not be ideal for you if there aren’t many members in your area. We recommend performing a quick search to see how many people live nearby (or within the area you’re willing to travel to) before signing up. You might also want to check any of your member matches, which will be recommended based on your preferences and interests, to see whether there are members you’re interested in communicating with. Generally speaking, most UK dating websites should be suitable for most members in the UK, because… well, the UK isn’t that big. Nobody is going to be incredibly far away. However, some sites may have more members in a particular area (a few dating websites are specifically designed for finding people in London, for example) so check out all your options.

4: Begin with a trial

With grand promises of millions of members, money back guarantees and incredible success rates, it’s easy to jump into the fray of online dating without giving it much thought. But stop, take a breath. Even if everything seems wonderful, it can be worth trying their trial membership before paying full-whack for the services on offer. Seemingly innocuous quirks and details (such as not being able to save your search preferences) can quickly become annoying (imagine having to tick the same boxes over and over, every time you search!). A trial period will allow you to get to grips with the mechanics of a site, for free (or at a reduced rate). You can try a few sites this way, then work out which one you prefer.

5: Read reviews

Reading reviews of dating sites is a quick and simple way of getting a sense of how satisfied other users have been with their experience. Whilst not every experience is the same, and you ought to think of your own requirements and preferences, on the whole we find that sites with plenty of positive reviews will likely be worth your time and money. There’s a caveat to this advice, though: reviewers are often much more likely to moan about a bad experience, than they are to praise a positive experience. As such, you’re likely to see quite a few negative reviews from dissatisfied customers, with the happy ones simply going on with their lives with their new partner or myriad dates.

The lowdown…

Finding a UK dating site can be quite a personal experience. The ideal site depends on who you want to meet, where you live, your budget, and what your expectations are. We think it’s a good idea to try a few trials out before settling on one site, as well as reading a few reviews. If you know what you want, it’s easier to find a site which suits your requirements, particularly if there’s a particular niche or location you’re exploring. All in all, though, it comes down to whether or not the site will help you find a date, and we think there are plenty of options out there which will help you do just that!