Here's What Users Dislike The Most About Match.com

The World Wide Web was still in its infancy in 1995 when Match.com came onto the market. Match changed the dating world for good, becoming the blueprint for modern apps like Tinder and Bumble. Gary Kremen, the founder of the site, sought to pair couples based on a series of questions: Politics? Religion? Age? Education? There were over 75 sorting categories in the early days of Match, according to The Atlantic. The platform quickly grew, gaining 100,000 hopeful romantics within the first six months, per Newsweek. Kremen's own girlfriend found a date on Match and left him, according to Financial Times.

Now, nearly 30 years since its debut, Match has steadily grown to include an average of 15 million monthly users, making it one of the top dating platforms on the market even amidst growing competition, via DatingNews.com. Though the service was initially free and funded by site-wide advertisements, a Match.com subscription now costs $24.99 a month for three months — or with decreased rates the longer you subscribe, according to Healthy Framework. Despite its longevity and years of internet evolution, some subscribers still struggle to find connection Match.com. After all, it can be hard to know what you should and shouldn't do when dating online. 

Match.com may be one of the best dating platforms for finding long-term relationships, but it's also one of the most expensive, via PC Magazine. As compared to Tinder Plus, which can cost as little as $1.67 a month, finding love on Match.com starts at $143.88 a year, according to Healthy Framework. For some, the high cost just isn't worth it — and you might be surprised what dating apps really do to your love life. In 2019, The Federal Trade Commission sued Match.com for fabricating profiles, a serious claim given the high subscription price. As announced by FTC director Andrew Smith, "We believe that Match.com conned people into paying for subscriptions via messages the company knew were from scammers."

As reported by the Financial Times, one woman in her 30s grew fed-up with her older dating pool. "The Match algorithm should have figured out that I don't want a 45-year-old from New Jersey," she said, going on to note, "Every time I log on I feel faintly insulted." Once you do decide to leave the service, it can be difficult to cancel your subscription payment. As one user commented via Consumer Affairs, "It's almost impossible to quit, I had to call my credit card and block it ..." All accounts are automatically renewed, according to Healthy Framework. Though Match advertises an array of "success stories," they do come at a price, up to $24.99 a month to be specific.

As compared to apps like Bumble, which lets users sign-up without answering profile questions or uploading verified photos, Match requires a bit more effort. As reported by Healthy Framework, not only does the site ask for basic profile information like religion, age, and interests, it also requires 100 character minimum written bios. If you're looking to start dating after a couple quick clicks, you may want to swipe left on Match.com. PC Magazine warns that short and simple profiles are often rejected – Match may ask you to "try harder."

Website staff also reviews and rejects user photos. According to Match, pictures that are "low quality" with "unclear" content will not be published. As one customer noted via Consumer Affairs, "You can't even put the picture you want on as your profile." For many, however, the site has resulted in successful romances. One million babies (a generation's worth!) have resulted from Match.com couples, according to DatingAdvice.com. Though profile requirements may be a chore, they can be conducive to long-term relationships, per PC Magazine.