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Match vs POF: Dating Apps Unbiased Comparison

Match vs POF: Dating Apps Unbiased Comparison

First Impression About Apps

The first impression has a significant influence, whether we meet a new person or start using a new application. At first glance at Match, it becomes clear that the brand deserves its love and admiration among millions of clients. The layout looks eye-catching, making users continue their acquaintance with the app. Successful love stories say it out loud that the matchmaker is not an amateur in the niche: the brand debuted in 1993.

The second participant of this POF vs Match debate, Plenty of Fish, is younger than its opponent. The brand has started connecting single hearts since 2003. At first glance, POF seems a bit old-schooled compared to Match.com. However, the modest interface doesn’t influence the simplicity of use. An app is a perfect option for not tech-savvy daters who don’t want to bother themselves figuring out how the platform works. You won’t find any explicit images or adult content here because, just as its opponent, Plenty of Fish stands for meaningful relationships.

No doubt, both applications leave a positive first impression. Let’s dig deeper to see what portal has better functionality.

Match vs POF: Apps’ Functionality

Match and POF have a lot of aspects in common, and this fact spices up the debate. Both matchmakers work to help singles find their soulmates. The apps have wide popularity among marriage-oriented people who move to the Internet hoping to start long-standing affairs for life. Solid filters help singles match partners who fit their criteria. Moreover, both brands present members with daily match suggestions based on their potential compatibility.

The primary difference between POF and Match is messaging. Plenty of Fish allows daters to get in touch via DMs at no cost. In contrast, Match offers a paid plan to relish unlimited interaction. It is not a bad thing because free messaging often attracts youngsters on the hunt for hookups. In their turn, singles who pay for these services prove their mature intentions.

What We Like

Match POF

Solid brand (20+ years in the industry)

Vast and active user base (over 20M worldwide)

Diversity of exclusive features

In-depth profiles with up to 50 photos

Proven matching algorithm and extended filters

Very active audience

Tons of ace features outside a paid plan

Free messaging for everyone

Live streaming is available

In-detail and good-looking profiles


What We Don’t Like

Match POF

No option to delete DMs history

Risk to bump into fake profiles

Too many ads

Limited interaction features outside a paid plan

Most members reside in major cities

Gratis messaging attracts fraud

A lack of female profiles

A bit sluggish registration

No option to sign up via FB and other social networks

No ‘message seen’ notifications


POF or Match: Which One Is Easier to Use?

User-friendliness plays an integral role in app choice. If customers have to deal with bugs or sluggish profile creation, these factors may ruin their user experience. Let’s check what brand is more user-friendly in this Match vs POF competition.

It takes around five minutes to install the Match app and pass through a registration procedure. Newbies need to specify personal details and answer two fundamental questions about their potential partners and their preferred location. There is also a short introduction field, where newcomers need to write a few sentences to present themselves to the community. Match has a profile builder to facilitate the sign-up routine for newbies. After completing these straightforward actions, daters may start hunting for matchups immediately, without waiting for tedious email verification.

What’s about Plenty of Fish user-friendliness in this ongoing POF vs Match discussion? The joining process at Plenty of Fish is a bit sluggish compared to its opponent. It doesn’t take ages to sign up, but newcomers should prepare to fill in a comprehensive questionnaire consisting of 20 queries. You can’t skip the questionnaire as filling in all the fields is mandatory. There is no option to connect via your FB account. Understandably, POF wants to know you better to match you with the most suitable partners. Still, the questions parade may annoy most daters who don’t like wasting precious time on routine bureaucracy.

Comparing these pros and cons, we decide that Match.com is more user-friendly.

Design Comparison

Match and POF have many things in common, but the apps’ design is not on this list. Surprisingly, Match.com doesn’t look outmoded despite its more than two-decade existence in the industry. The application is good-looking, without any unnecessary elements. The search process goes light and breezy due to a well-polished filtering system. The inbox section is easy-to-navigate as it shows read/unread messages and the online status of a person who texts you. Moreover, daters receive notifications about new DMs and won’t lose incoming messages in the maze.

POF looks more old-schooled in this regard, especially when using the service in the web version. The application is more simplistic compared to Match. It’s not a crucial drawback, but most customers will probably want to see a more eye-catching interface. Another miss is that daters don’t receive ‘message seen’ notifications and only have to guess whether others haven’t read their letters or decided to ignore them.

It seems like this round is on Match.com too.

Device Compatibility

Compatibility (OS) Match POF
Android Yes Yes
iOS Yes Yes
Web/Desktop version Yes Yes

What Is the Primary Audience at Match?

Comparing Match and POF primary audiences, it is fair to admit that both online cupids have very active communities. Match.com is in demand among singles from the US and Canada, but European members are also present. Though the matchmaker is loyal to representatives of all sexual orientations, straight people make the majority here. The average age of the community is 30-45. These are mature men and ladies, most of whom have diplomas and prestigious jobs. The dominant share of subscribers are marriage-oriented and don’t hunt for one-night hookups.

Males and Females Ratio

The good thing about Match.com is the almost equal ratio of male and female subscribers. Girls make 52% of the community, while guys make 48%. It is a perfect percentage equivalent as neither guys nor ladies will suffer from the lack of attention here.

What Is the Primary Audience at POF?

The POF vs Match battle continues, and it’s the moment to check POF’s primary audience. Plenty of Fish boasts of having one of the largest user bases among online matchmakers (over 70M); most reside in the US. The average age of members varies from 20 to 35 y.o. No doubt, free messaging attracts youngsters who don’t want to pay a hard coin to relish unlimited interaction on alternative portals. The app is LGBT-loyal, but straight members still dominate in the percentage equivalent. Most clients are family-oriented with a mature approach to the partner lookup.

Males and Females Ratio

Talking about the gender proportion, ladies make a minority on the platform (40%). Guys respectively make 60% of their entire community. Though the ratio is not too crucial, males sometimes complain about the lack of female members.

Match vs POF: Profile Quality Comparison

The profile quality is a hallmark of every reputable dating platform. Luckily, POF and Match both have no pitfalls in this regard. Profiles at Match are pretty informative and contain information about a person’s interests, relationship goals, bad habits (if any), religious preferences, and many more. There is a separate block with the appearance description. Newbies also need to specify what they are looking for and add a short “About Me’ introduction. Daters may upload up to fifty photos to boost their profiles’ attractiveness in the gallery.

Profiles at POF are more in-depth compared to its opponent. It is because newcomers have to answer a parade of questions at the sign-up phase. Unlike Match, newbies can’t leave empty blanks and should answer all twenty queries. Most of the questions relate to a person’s hobbies, occupation, and traits he/she wants to see in a potential lovebird. Users also need to add a short introduction to catch the attention of other singles. Though profiles are pretty informative, only paid subscribers may see a description in full.

The decision is challenging as both online cupids can boast a high profile quality. Still, the victory in this particular round of the Match vs POF debate goes to Plenty of Fish.

POF vs Match: Searching and Communication Options

How singles can socialize with each other says a lot about the dating app. Let’s see how members may get in touch at Match. The online cupid offers Likes, massages, phone calls, and even chat rooms to contact a person of your interest. Of course, the best option to break the ice and get rid of shyness is by sending Likes. If singles have mutual attraction, they may move to direct messaging or chat rooms. However, all of these are the privileges solely of premium daters, just like advanced filtering. Only VIPs may search for lovebirds via additional parameters: height/weight, eye color, children, etc.

Opposing to Match, Plenty of Fish has no taboo on unlimited interaction for absolutely all members. Free users don’t have to pay a single dollar to get in touch with VIPs. POF members may also arrange live streams. Streaming gives an excellent opportunity to know another person better when you see him/her firsthand via camera. POF offers broad filters to narrow down a partner lookup. Traditionally, VIPs are the only ones who can adjust a filtering algorithm with extended parameters, such as appearance, religion, and many more.

Which One Is Better for Serious Relationships?

The dating apps’ brilliance is that you don’t have to waste precious time communicating with people who don’t share your relationship goals. Both Match and POF stress that they focus on meaningful relationships but not casual encounters, and multiple love stories of former members prove their efficiency. Still, Match is a better option for building lasting unions as its community consists of mature and marriage-focused men and ladies.

Which One Is Better for Casual Hookups?

Though POF positions itself as a portal for building lasting affairs, many people gunning for hookups also join the app. Most of them are youngsters around twenty, attracted by the possibility to enjoy free interaction. So, if your goal is having fun with hotties nearby, without strings attached, then Plenty of Fish is the better alternative for you.

Apps Credibility: Which One Is More Safe?

The next stage of the Match vs POF tournament is the apps’ credibility. Both matchmakers’ policy pages state that they use SSL encryption as a shield against hackers’ attacks and never pass members’ confidential data to third parties. POF newcomers have to pass email verification; Match allows newbies to skip this step and instead sign up via their FB accounts. None of these brands has signs of unresolved disputes or other claims during their lasting presence in the dating niche. These factors allow us to sum up that both companies are legit and reputable.

Signs of Fake Profiles

When an application has such a vast user base as POF or Match, it’s evident that fake profiles will have a place here. Luckily, strict moderators of both brands ban suspicious accounts. POF temporarily deactivates users’ accounts if they have been inactive on the portal for a long time. Both matchmakers allow clients to report abusive behavior or block annoying members. Of course, the applications have signs of fake accounts, but their number is not too crucial to ruin one’s user experience.

Match vs POF: Price Comparison

The table below indicates how expensive both brands are for regular uses. We need to clarify that each of you can join these apps at no cost, but many additional privileges and bonuses are available solely under the paid plan.

Match POF
3 months – $59 2 months – $38
6 months – $102 4 months – $48
Annual – $192 8 months – $80

Free Version Options

The following options go at no cost at Match and POF. In other words, daters don’t have to spend anything to get them.

POF free features:

  • Account creation;
  • Unlimited interaction via DMs;
  • Standard filters for partner lookup;
  • Daily match suggestions;
  • Access to forums;
  • Members may share voice messages.

Match free features:

  • Profile creation;
  • Sending Likes;
  • Daily match recommendations;
  • Standard filtering;
  • Voice calls;
  • No annoying ads;
  • Members may view other profiles.

Premium clients may relish all the bounties available for free daters, in addition to many other fantastic privileges. The following options at Match and POF require purchasing a paid plan.

POF paid features:

  • Extended filters for partner lookup;
  • Incognito mode;
  • Priority in search gallery;
  • Live streaming;
  • You know when others read your messages.

Match paid features:

  • Unlimited interaction via DMs;
  • Groundbreaking filters;
  • Phone calls;
  • Access to chat rooms;
  • Invisible mode;
  • Absence of ads;
  • ‘Read letters’ notifications;
  • Members receive more daily matches.

Final Verdict: and the Winner Is…

It is the decisive moment of this exciting Match and POF debate as now we need to announce the winner’s name. First, we need to clarify that the competition was tough, and the final decision wasn’t obvious. Both applications are well-crafted and have many aces features, making a lovebird lookup non-tense and enjoyable. Thousands of single hearts managed to find their lovebirds on these portals. Still, despite how great both brands are, there can be only one winner. Drumroll! And the prize in this stirring Match vs POF battle goes to Match! Congratulations to the winner!

Read full Match review

Read full POF review

Pablo
Pablo
Pablo
MS, RD & Writer
Pablo has done various life coaching sources and personal development. He has even worked as a relationship technician and loves empowering other people. Having encountered several hardships in life, he understands what others go through and is willing to help them. His primary focus is on building self-esteem and changing people’s perspectives on their challenges.
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