The free version of Match is honestly just not worth it, in my opinion, but the paid version could be worth trying out for people who are willing to invest. On the free version, my overall experience was very OK. You get very limited features and abilities if you don’t pay, while you can message many more people for free on Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, and other dating apps. With the paid version, I felt like I could use the app more freely and browse many more folks, plus actually be able to message them.
About half of my matches responded to my messages, and all seemed friendly and excited to chat—though notably, there wasn’t a big selection. (For what it’s worth, I was swiping in both Hawaii and Los Angeles.) From my personal experience and from speaking with others, it seems like many matches aren’t that responsive. So, depending on where you live, the process may be slow, but it could definitely be worth it if you’re wanting to invest in your dating journey and try a new pool of people.
A counterpoint to that: “In my experience, the subscription model and the cost of Match does deter people from using it,” says Chloe Ballatore, dating expert and owner of Chloe’s Consciousness Training. “Match is always in the top three, but it is number three. Most of my clients prefer Bumble or Hinge. Match got a little more popular during the pandemic, but now that people can go out and meet in real life, I’m finding that the cost isn’t worth it for many people.”
