Free online dating sites are not a big deal on the web. Once you start browsing the Internet, you can see many offers of free dating. The choice seems to be overwhelming but what’s the trick? So many free dating websites offer their membership and the highest chances to meet your love. Why should you pay then?

There is no trick but there are things to keep in mind though. When you join dating sites for free and get no membership, you should realize that it has its pros and cons and sometimes, its pitfalls. In the post below, we will try to determine all the benefits and drawbacks of free dating and the ways to stay safe.

Free online dating: worthy or not 

Free online dating sites are a great chance to communicate, chat, and meet people for no cost at all or at some nominal charge. First, let’s get this over — free dating sites are not totally free. As a rule, they are free to sign up and access basic features.

If you want to enjoy all the features necessary for full-fledged search and communication to the fullest, you should pay some monthly, 6-months, or yearly fee. The cost is significantly low, as a rule, and anyone can afford it.

There are some peculiarities of using free dating sites though and before you start, you should be aware of them all. Below, you will find some good tips, red flags, and things to pay attention to on a free dating site.

Free dating sites may turn out to be more expensive than paid ones

This is a paradox but true. The reason is quite simple — there are too many malicious people enjoying the perks of such sites and they never have rest but chase naïve users. Proficient cybercriminals are waiting for their victims on various social media and free dating websites where they do not have to invest anything.

Why do they need it? They get in touch with you, gain your trust, and start doing their dirty business. If a person you met on one of the free dating websites is insisting on exchanging direct contacts too soon, starts telling you various sad stories (lost wallet, broken car, ill grandma, etc.), and bothers playing the pity angle, this might be a red flag, do not neglect it.

Fraudsters try to get your money in all the ways possible and quite often, they become very tricky. Even the most skeptical people believe them, so do not get blinded and don’t get into their traps. Their sob stories can reach the hearts of everyone, so you should never lose your common sense.

Compare all the facts, think of them, and see what’s wrong. Everything cannot be perfect and such things must concern you. Avoid trusting people too much on such dating sites and, especially, when using free dating apps. Verify each their word not to get robbed and disappointed.

You never know who is behind the pictures

The statistics say that nine of ten profiles on Tinder and similar dating apps are fake. The situation on free online dating services isn’t better. No one goes through a thorough verification and anyone can sign up for free without providing their IDs, passports, driving licenses, etc.

It means that you cannot be sure the person in the pictures and in the description of a profile is who you think. Quite often, people join free dating sites just for fun. They want to see how the app or site works, who is using it, and how serious it is.

One of the most disappointing things is that many married people or those having boyfriends and girlfriends also join such sites and use the most popular apps. You may get along very well with someone who is already married or not single. This is not what you are looking for, is it?

Here are a couple of tips to avoid being trapped by a ghost or fake profile:

• Always ask for more pictures. People hiding behind the stolen or photoshopped pictures always create tons of excuses for not sending their everyday pictures. Ask for them, insist, everyone has casual pictures. Only those who look different, post fake or stolen pictures cannot have more photos of them taken in their everyday life.
• Insist on a video call. One of the best ways to verify whether your potential date is real is to video-talk. It’s not difficult to see each other on cam for at least five minutes even if you both are extremely busy. If someone refuses and reschedules all the time, this person is not the one you believe them to be. Such people can be married or have their matches living with them and are afraid to get caught.
• Ask for pictures with their friends/families. When a person is single, he/she has many pictures with friends and family members. Married people mostly have pictures with their spouses and children unless they are too sociable and gregarious. This is a good way to see whether this person is hiding something. If someone tells you she/he doesn’t have any friends, this should concern you also.

Not everyone uses free dating sites for dating

It is sad but true — as mentioned above, not everyone uses a free dating option for finding their life partner. Lots of people are looking for hookups, flirt, and just for fun. Someone is just curious or is looking for a chat mate.

Thus, if you are ready to meet non serious people and you are not very serious yourself, then we do not see any problem for you. If you are looking for fun, go ahead and have fun. However, when looking for a serious and relationship-oriented person, such a site may not be appropriate for you.

The statistic is sobering — 20% of current couples have met online. That number includes both free and paid dating sites. We do not know how many of them have met each other on free dating sites and we can suppose this number won’t be high.

Social networks are good for free dating

Social media platforms should not be underestimated. They do not charge any fee for a membership and give a whole range of perks for communication and dating. You can get in touch not only with your friends but also with unknown girls and guys.

Exchanging media files, chatting, having video calls — all that is available for free when using social networks. However, you should not forget all the above-mentioned rules applying to free dating sites.

All the same problems can be faced when using social media — dishonest members, hookup seekers, married people, etc. Whenever you are dating for free, you should be always cautious and do not forget to recognize red flags.

The benefits of free dating sites

One of the best perks of dating sites with a free membership is their price. As mentioned above, they are almost never totally free but their cost is very low compared to paid dating sites. Social media are fully free to use for dating.

Another benefit of free dating sites or apps is easy access. You shouldn’t pass long verification procedures to sign up for them. Just a couple of clicks and you are a member who is free to browse the profiles of your potential matches.

These are probably all the perks of free dating. People looking for their matches seriously should be cautious while no one passes verification and anyone, including married people, predators, etc., can use the same online dating service for free.

It is impossible to speak of security on such dating sites and your safety is in your hands only. Not to get trapped, you should always be on the lookout.

Free dating vs paid dating

1. Free dating

• Costs nothing or relatively low if you need to use a full range of services
• Members do not pass any verification procedure and that causes many cases of deception
• Not everyone is looking for serious relationships, lots of married people and those looking for having fun
• You cannot claim or apply to customer support and are left with your problems face-to-face

2. Paid dating

• The prices vary from one site to another but are quite significant
• You should verify your identity by providing your ID card or driving license, this prevents fraudsters from penetrating such sites
• When people get an expensive membership, they are not likely to play around
• Usually, there is very professional and responsive customer support on paid dating sites ready to solve all your issues and answer your questions

Do not expect too much

Free dating websites are a great start. If you have no experience in online dating, then testing the waters on such services would be perfect. Chatting, exchanging some messages and pictures, and maybe even meeting for a cup of coffee would be possible.

However, if you plan to meet someone for long-term and serious relationships, be very careful using free dating sites. In that case, looking for a reputable paid dating site would be probably more appropriate.