General News

It sounds like you're looking for an online dating site that does some of the matchmaking legwork for you. That's probably why you're looking into eHarmony, Chemistry and Perfect Match! Well, before you delve into any of these sites, we took some time to build a comparison for you. After all, many of the writers on this site are in the online dating world as well. Let us do the digging so you can find someone you dig.

eHarmony.com

Cost: $60/month (estimated)
Accepts non-traditional clients (gay, lesbian, etc.): no
Compatibility test completion time: 1 to 2 hours
Allows users to search profiles: no
Rejects potential members? yes
Accepts "currently separated" members: no

eHarmony is the oldest of the "matchmaker" type online dating sites. They do all of the legwork for you. Once you complete their compatibility test, you wait for them to match you with potential dates. You're only eligible to receive a certain number of matches per week, so if you close-out all of your options early, you'll be waiting another week to see who else is in store for you. They only accept heterosexual couples and do not allow those who are not legally single (i.e. divorced, widowed or single) to become members. They are famous for their guided communication process, designed to let you get to know someone through their internal messaging system with a series of mutually answered questions.

To find out more about this dating site, read our review of eHarmony.

Chemistry.com

Cost: $50/month (estimated)
Accepts non-traditional clients (gay, lesbian, etc.):
Allows users to search profiles: no
Rejects potential members? no
Accepts "currently separated" members: yes

Chemistry.com is owned and operated by Match.com and there are a number of profiles that are on both sites. Touted as "more fun" than eHarmony, the site accepts members of all sexual orientations and also permits those who are "currently separated" to join the site.

To find out more about this dating site, read our review of Chemistry.

PerfectMatch.com

Cost: $60/month (estimated)
Accepts non-traditional clients (gay, lesbian, etc.): yes
Compatibility test completion time: 1 to 2 hours
Allows users to search profiles: yes
Rejects potential members? no
Accepts "currently separated" members: no

PerfectMatch.com has perhaps the greatest functionality of the three matchmaker-type sites that use compatibility profiles. They allow users to search by compatibility features, keywords and many other criteria that can be customized. They also deliver matches to your inbox as well. An ideal balance if you're looking for some help but prefer the functionality of a user-powered site where you call the shots.

To find out more about this dating site, read our review of Perfect Match.

Back in October Match.com UK selected, the ad agency, Mother, to run their new marketing campaign (see Story). This month Mother unveiled their first commercial for Match.com.

The new ad uses the Jack and Jill icons in a fun felt animation with a female narrator telling the viewers why they should use Match.com. At the end of the ad the new tag line is shown, "Start your love story at Match.com". I thought this is an excellent slogan, much better than Match.com's North American one of "Its Okay to Look". The ad also informed the viewer that a member of Match.com finds there match once every 10 minutes on the dating site.

For further details on the story, read Marketing Magazine and to find out more about this dating site, read our review of Match.com UK.

There are plenty of rumors today on the internet about Kate Gosselin possibly starring in her own reality dating show. The show hasn't been given a go ahead yet but, it looks like Kate wants to capitalize on her current popularity and have a show which documents her search for a new love.

Is this a good idea? The success of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" made the family wealthy (as America watched them move into bigger and better homes). If I was Kate, I wouldn't want to put the kids through anymore turmoil after her and Jon's messy and very public separation. Of course she does have to think about the future, and the costs of raising 8 children.

For more on the story, read Pop Eater.

We got word late about a free weekend for eHarmony UK (or we would have blogged about it in our other story). From New Years day, Friday January 1st, 2010 to Monday January 4th, 2010 all members of eHarmony in the United Kingdom can use the dating service for free. This includes a personality profile, reviewing your matches, and communicating with all members. This is a great way to start out the New Year and the dating site should be plenty busy due to the Holidays (so lots of matches!!!).

The last free communication weekend for eHarmony UK was also 4 days long and held in November (see Story).

To find out more about this matchmaking service and why it has become so popular, read our eHarmony review.

The multi-millionaire, Tom Feltenstein, put a billboard up on I-95, one of the busiest highways in the United States to find love. The billboard read:

Have Maid... Have MoneyWould Love a Honey!

This was not the classiest move someone looking for a partner could make, but he did receive 100's of dating requests via his website.

In the end Tom did get married to a woman he met named Cindy. The funny thing is, she never saw the billboard. They met by chance when their dogs started to play together at Palm Beach.

For people interested in finding other single Millionaires, you may want to check out our review of the dating site MillionaireMatch.com.

eHarmony Australia is having a Free Communication Weekend starting this Thursday, December 31st, 2009 to Sunday, January 3rd, 2010. For some reason it is a day shorter than the North American event (see Story) but it still offers the same great value. All eHarmony members can review their matches and communicate with them for free during this 4 day event. No credit card is required.

The last eHarmony Australia free communication weekend was held at the beginning of October (see Story). By our count this is eHarmony Australia's 3rd event.

To find out why Australian singles have made this a popular online dating destination, read our eHarmony review.