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It’s safe to say that cyberspace has become populated by online dating sites now more than ever. There are literally hundreds of them – dating app options and browser sites catering to a variety of tastes and preferences.
From senior dating sites to Christian Mingle, there’s a lot of choice these days.
eHarmony is one such online dating site that’s geared towards serious and long-term relationships. While it’s not exactly unique in that regard these days, it’s definitely one of the most refreshing ones compared to other dating sites and apps prevalent in the world today.
Even more impressive is the fact that this company has remained relevant for more than 2 decades now.
Having been around since ancient times, otherwise known as the year 2000, eHarmony has grown to become one of the most trusted online dating sites today.
In this eHarmony review, we’re going to look at what makes the online dating experience on this platform stand out from the rest.
From determining the potential matches that you can find, right up to how it helps you in making meaningful connections, this eHarmony website review can be all you’re going to need to find some love online.
Pros
- Geared towards serious daters
- Little to no fake profiles
- Compatible matches based on a personal profile
- Easy account signup
- Great male-to-female user ratio
Cons
- Very limited free membership features
- Needs more payment methods
Things To Consider Before Trying eHarmony
eHarmony is the kind of online dating site that primarily focuses on helping you find long-term relationships based on the potential matches that you get.
This, in turn, largely depends on an advanced compatibility matching system that they use.
Keeping up with the times, there’s also an eHarmony dating app available for mobile users, which has all the features of its browser-based dating site counterpart.
Having said all that, you should note that eHarmony might not be the best pick for you if you’re not looking for a serious relationship.
Now that you’ve been duly warned let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the eHarmony platform itself.
eHarmony Top Features
- Superbly detailed compatibility quiz
- Nearly all members have profile photos
- Premium membership is required for communication features
- Compatibility Score is extremely helpful for eHarmony members
eHarmony Features and Benefits
Over the course of my solitary life as a single person– not to mention having a slightly unhealthy interest in dating sites– I’ve had my fair share of platforms that almost always promise an “online dating experience like no other.”
Spoiler alert ahead.
Most dating apps and sites out there don’t offer any singular experiences. At worst, they can even be platforms that mire you in tedium and land a blow to your self-esteem.
Now that I’ve burst your bubble, please stick around for the good news.
Imagine my elation when, for the first time in ages, I found a dating site that has managed to provide me with a smooth experience through and through.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome eHarmony.
Creating Your eHarmony Account
This dating site wants to give you a user-friendly experience right from the get-go, particularly when you’re aiming to join the community for the first time.
Right from their landing page, eHarmony makes it easy for you to become a member of their community.
First off, you’re getting a free membershipwith initial signup to this dating site. Even better, creating your profile is just a matter of ticking a few boxes, keying in your email address, and creating your password.
Hell, if you’re too lazy to do that, you can even just sign up using your Facebook account.
Convenience, thy name is eHarmony, and all that.
Testing for Your eHarmony Profile
Whereas other online dating sites will hardly wait a hot minute to grab your financial details or verify your email address, you’re going to find it pleasantly surprising that the immediate next step on eHarmony is this:
It’s the eHarmony compatibility matching system, which is done via an online quiz. I like how this dating site seems to be more concerned with helping you build your match preferences using a personality profile than just throwing you into the online dating fray.
The quiz itself is quite enjoyable, too.
It asks you a great mix of questions, which range from scenario-style preferences to more complex Pictionary-type questions like the one you see above.
All in all, the entire eHarmony quiz is divided into 5 sections with around 40+ questions you should answer in total.
Now, I’m going to go right ahead and say it, doing this quiz will eat up a bit of your time. It took me around 20 mins to finish it.
However, the questions that eHarmony provides– not to mention the interesting results you’ll find after– made the whole experience a breeze.
Not even for a second did it feel like a chore, which is an impressive feat considering that the online dating process more often than not banks on people’s dwindling attention spans.
The Nitty Gritty of Free Membership
Once you’re done with the test, you’ll then be prompted to finally enter your profile details on the dating site.
This is pretty much boilerplate stuff that you’d find on other dating apps and websites out there.
With the exception of the less mainstream “annual income” category, which is usually reserved for sugar dating websites, you’ll find this part of account creation to be nothing out of the ordinary.
So, all you have to do here is just key in your personal details to further help eHarmony’s compatibility matching system direct you to your new partner.
There’s also this nice little touch that the eHarmony membership process gives you right after. The site immediately prompts you to answer a couple of “intro” questions to your profile to make the ordeal much more streamlined.
(Not-So) Widely Available
Whether you’re looking at the eHarmony dating app or their browser site, it’s important to note that eHarmony isn’t exactly the most widely available platform out there right now.
Although it’s available in numerous countries like Singapore, India, or South Africa, the list of available regions that the eHarmony site caters to is somewhat shorter compared to other dating apps and sites out there.
That is to say, users from places like Malaysia, the Congo, or Kazakhstan can’t enjoy what eHarmony has to offer.
It’s a bit of a bummer, but we believe that it will change down the line as the site gains more ground.
Now, let’s see what eHarmony can do for you if you are searching for romance in one of the supported countries.
Your Active eHarmony Membership
Once you’ve gone through all the fun hoops you jump through on all the best hookup sites, such as the compatibility quiz and setting your profile intro, you’ll then be a proud owner of a free eHarmony member account.
And, I have to say that the eHarmony platform might be the only dating site that didn’t trigger one of my pet peeves: verifying your email address during your signup process.
Creating an eHarmony profile is such a streamlined activity that the site doesn’t ask you to go through the annoying chore of switching browsers or tabs to click on a verification link.
Honestly, nothing ruins momentum worse than that for me. The worst part is most online dating sites choose to do it for an unknown reason.
So, you can appreciate how eHarmony manages to do away with that annoying step without sacrificing your security.
They also allow you to skip having to upload a profile picture right from the start so that you can jump in and see what this dating website has to offer as quickly as possible.
So far, so good.
Keeping You Safe on eHarmony
It might seem that eHarmony is pretty lax with its verification process, but it’s actually the opposite case.
eHarmony offers 2-step verification with your account, even if you’re just using a free trial version of this dating app and site.
Another thing that this site does great security-wise is automatically logging you off your account whenever you close your tab. Sure, it might seem tedious having to sign in every time you visit, but it’s a small price to pay for some peace of mind.
eHarmony Homepage
One of the best things about eHarmony is how it strikes a balance between providing you with the features you need to find a compatible match, all the while striving to be as user-friendly as possible.
Your profile homepage has the right tools, beginning with buttons on the top left banner, including:
- Your Homepage (this is self-explanatory, the one )
- Matches Section – lets you see other eHarmony profiles based on the results of your compatibility test
- Messages Section – a place to check out your eHarmony mail
Below your profile picture, you’ll see a row of other useful buttons, which help get you notified of the same features that I just mentioned.
These buttons are for:
- New messages
- New matches
- New visitors (people who’ve checked you out)
- Your profile completeness
- SMS verification
Personalizing Your Profile on eHarmony
As with other dating platforms out there, you have the ability to edit your own profile before heading out on your big, romantic adventure.
Aside from setting your profile picture, your member page allows you to set various details about yourself, from your relationship status to your preferences in pets.
Yes, cat and dog people can finally filter out spider people if they feel that will help.
Another interesting detail here is how there’s a Q and A section that you can add to your profile, which helps other people get a glimpse of your personality in a nice, casual interview-like format.
Your eHarmony Personality Type
The coolest thing that you’ll discover on your profile is your personality quiz results. It comes in the form of a pie chart.
Even more interesting is that you can hover on each graph within this personality pie chart to check out the specific categories in which you scored on the test.
Not only does the questionnaire from the beginning serve as a compatibility quiz, but it also provides you with a nice picture of your own personality.
In terms of visuals and informative value, it can be both enriching and revelatory for potential daters.
It could help you match with your perfect date.
Matches Right From Your Homepage
The eHarmony app and site both aim to champion convenience from top to bottom. Aside from the dedicated Matches section that they provide, you’ll also find immediate suggestions right on your homepage.
I absolutely love how nicely detailed these profile suggestions are. eHarmony provides you with other members’ names, ages, and locations right from the start.
But what really makes it stand above its competitors are the compatibility scores you’ll see on each of them.
It’s the numbers on the upper left corner of each profile. This determines how good a match you make with another user based on the personality test/compatibility quiz that you answered when you first created your account on eHarmony.
One thing of note is that eHarmony doesn’t use a scale of 1-100 when creating your compatibility score. To give you a general idea, a score of 80-100 is an average score.
You might find a few users who might share compatibility scores in the 110 to 120+ range, which means that you should have better chemistry with them.
All of this points to the conclusion that the in-depth questionnaire can be a huge boon for people looking for like-minded potential partners using this platform.
Meeting New People on eHarmony
You’re welcome to check out other profiles, even with a free trialversion of the eHarmony app and site.
Take note, though, that since this is a free trial version, your access is going to be very limited. For example, you can’t check out other members’ photo galleries at this tier - you’re going to need a premium membership for that.
However, even as a basic user, eHarmony is able to give you lots of information regarding other users, such as their interests, location, and height. Scrolling down another member’s profile will treat you to a treasure trove of personal info about them.
This comes in handy when you’re trying to determine if another user is a great prospect, and you can actually do this without spending anything just yet.
Finding Out If You Jibe Well With Other eHarmony Users
Perhaps the best feature of eHarmony is how detailed it gets when determining if you can vibe well with a potential partner. There’s a Compatibility section on each member’s profile, which you can check out to get some much-needed info.
Here, you’ll see how well your personalities, habits, and interests align. It doesn’t end there, too, because eHarmony provides you with an uber-detailed pie graph based on your compatibility quiz results.
All About You - eHarmony Pie Graph
Each graph within that circle signifies a specific aspect of your personality and how well it matches with the member you’re checking out. Simply put, the higher the graph, the better.
Compatibility Quiz Scores Help You Hit It Off Sooner
Lastly, there’s yet another sub-section that goes even deeper into how well you match with others.
This section shows how your compatibility quiz scores compared to other members’ Personality factors, like how you communicate or what you expect from a relationship.
With all this, eHarmony is able to provide you with much clearer ideas on how you can go about entering committed relationships with other users. The scores offer each and every member a glimpse at how well they might mesh with other users.
Get the Match, Filter Out the Rest
Although finding potential dates right from your homepage is a convenient way to find a partner, the dedicated Matches Section is an even more exhaustive resource that you can use.
At first glance, it might seem no different from the suggestions on your homepage. However, clicking on the Match Preferences section opens up an entirely new way to help you find a partner.
Is eHarmony Worth It? Get Your Preferences Straight
The eHarmony app and site have some of the finest search filters I’ve seen among the top hookup sites. On brand with their “convenience meets detail” aesthetic, the Match Preferences section is no exception:
The only gripe you might have with it is that more than half of the available filters are only available to eHarmony premium members.
Still, even ye olde paywall can’t stop this particular section from being such a banger.
Messaging on eHarmony - Video and DMs
There are two ways you can directly communicate with other eHarmony members. One of them is via DMs, which is purely text-based. The other is a fun, live video chat feature that you can go for:
To opt for some video dating goodness, you’ll have to get acquainted with other users via DMs first. That means you’ll have to send and reply to a few messages before you can properly access this feature.
However, regardless if you want to have a video chat or slide into someone’s DMs, the most important thing you should know is that both are premium features that can only be used with a paid subscription to the site.
Speaking of costs, let’s see how well eHarmony can harmonize with your wallet.
Is eHarmony Worth the Money?
A free account on eHarmony can only get you so far. If you want to actually communicate with other users, you’re going to need to go for a premium membership tier, since this is the only way you can access other users’ photos and send messages to them.
So, how much does eHarmony cost when you want to upgrade your account?
Depending on the length of subscription you want, you might end up spending anywhere between $119.40 (for a 6-month premium subscription) up to $213.60 (for a 2-year premium membership).
On the plus side, you get a one-time 50% discount from your first month should you go for a 12-month subscription. This is an offer available only to new members.
Honestly, it’s not the cheapest subscription rate out there, but a dating platform this thorough and legit is well worth the price of an upgrade. Plus, the discounts provided can easily even out what you get for your money here.
Payment Methods on eHarmony
First, know that eHarmony is slightly lacking in the number of payment channels that they offer to their members.
This is because the site only accepts credit cards. It would have been nice if PayPal was at least an option here as well.
On the bright side, it’s nice that eHarmony offers payment plans for its users. You have the option of paying your premium subscriptions in installments of up to four payments.
Free eHarmony Communication Features
Although direct messaging and viewing other people’s photos can only be accessed when you go premium on eHarmony, there are a couple of ways you can light that proverbial spark even if you’re just using a free account.
Compliment Other Users
There’s a Compliment feature that you can use to notify other users that you’re interested in them.
It’s the thumbs-up button on the lower right corner of each profile picture. Clicking this will let them know you, well, like them. And if they’re a premium member, you even have a chance of receiving messages from them.
You can’t reply unless you go full premium, though.
Alternatively, there’s an icon with a smiley face emoji that you can find below other users’ names, which has basically the same function, but it sends smiles instead of compliments.
Fan the Flames of Love With the Ice Breaker
A fun and free way to find a match on eHarmony is by playing their Ice Breaker game. You can find this by clicking on the popsicle icon beside the one with the smiley emoji on it.
It’s a quick pairing game that determines whether you have the same interests. This ice breaker makes you choose from 5 sets of 2 photos each. Afterwards, the other user gets notified to play the game as well.
If they do and your answers match, it means you and the other user might have a better than average chemistry.
Level up in a Dating Game - eHarmony’s Dating Advice Section
Going beyond simple algorithms and compatibility test results, eHarmony also has a nice online magazine page, called Dating Advice, full of helpful articles about relationships and dating.
You can access this page for free, and new visitors aren’t even required to create an eHarmony account to check out this handy online magazine.
Is eHarmony Good? The Community Speaks.
Over the years, eHarmony has garnered quite a stellar reputation in the online dating industry. Here are a few reviews that I’ve found over the internet, which showcase how effective this site aims to be.
One user expresses his elation about the long-term relationship they’ve found via eHarmony.
Another user, aside from finding success on eHarmony, shares that the site has an effective customer care team that’s able to assist them with follow-ups on what they were looking for.
Then, there’s a mature user who even found a partner using the platform, further proving that eHarmony is a site available to more serious daters from all walks of life.
Top eHarmony Alternatives
eHarmony is a great online platform to find serious partners you can date. However, it’s not the only player in the market. Feel free to check out these other great websites and apps that can help you find romance on the internet!
Match.com
Price: $18.99 to $34.99 per month
Match.com is a fine platform if you’re a single individual looking for other singles online. A versatile site, this one is a great option both for more serious affairs as well as casual dating.
Much like eHarmony, it provides users with highly detailed member profiles and a freemium experience. What makes it distinct from the competition, though, is its heavy focus on its mobile app version.
Silver Singles
Price: $27.95 to $49.95 per month
Silver Singles is a dating platform that’s specifically designed to help mature individuals find love. As such, it’s a perfect option for older ladies and gentlemen to date around their age.
This platform is available both as a browser website as well as a mobile app. However, you need a premium upgrade to download the latter.
Tinder
Price: $4.99 to $119.99 depending on the account upgrade type
One of the most popular hookup apps in the world, Tinder is one of the largest mobile platforms you can find in this category. It’s quite versatile, too, with free versions that actually allow you to communicate with others as well as paid upgrades that remove any limitations on your account.
Tinder is more fast-paced compared to eHarmony, relying on quickfire profile suggestions that you can either accept or reject via swiping your screen.
Bumble
Price: $29.99 to $99.99 per month depending on the plan
Designed as the “dating app for women”, Bumble requires women to make the first move when talking to men. Many women are harassed on dating and hookups apps, and the idea here is the level the playing field.
The good news is that women tend to love Bumble, whereas some male users grow frustrated for obvious reasons.
Check out this Bumble App Review for more information.
eHarmony Review in Conclusion - It’s Time to Find Love
eHarmony is one of the best dating sites you can use if you’re specifically on the lookout for serious relationships.
With an in-depth personality quiz that determines your compatibility with other users and fun communication features like video dating and Ice Breaker games, it’s no wonder that the company is still going strong to this day.
We highly recommend you check out eHarmony if you want to find a long-term partner using a legitimate website that can deliver results conveniently and effectively.
Happy hunting.