Some people are trying to marry the next person they date and that’s cool, too. eharmony sees about 5 million of those people each month. In 2013, eharmony ranked first in creating marriages, and is apparently responsible for 4 percent of marriages in the U.S. They’re pretty confident in their matchmaking abilities, too, because they make a guarantee that if you’re not satisfied in three months, they’ll give you another three months for free. If that’s not promising, I don’t know what is.
After their debut in 2000 and 20 years of matchmaking, you can guess that the algorithm really knows what it’s doing. eharmony has an intense 29-dimension compatibility system with a lengthy quiz that focuses on your long-term success as a couple. (People just looking for a hookup probably won’t put themselves through that.) There is an option for local dating; however, many of eharmony’s success stories feature couples who were living states apart before they met (if you want to cry happy tears, read those). Once you’ve completed your questionnaire, eharmony will provide you with matches so you don’t have to browse profiles. For some, this may not be enough freedom, but for those who aren’t great at choosing partners or have no clue what they need, this may be a breath of fresh air.
The questions are pretty standard and are similar to what most other in-depth dating sites will ask. You’ll give yourself a rating on prompts like “I’m an honest partner,” with sliding scale responses. On paper, asking deep questions like these right off the bat makes total sense when pairing two people together — but they’re so basic and annoying. As much as you’d like to lie to feel better about yourself, you know deep down that’s not the way to a healthy relationship. Admitting that you’re not as mature in a certain area is key to eharmony matching you with someone who complements you. SO DON’T LIE.
This all sounds pretty nice, right? You’re just about on track to finding a spouse. Oh, except, we’re sorry to drop this bomb on you, but eharmony does not offer up their romance services for cheap. (We understand why, but still.) Their prices fluctuate regularly, with one month coming in at around $60 — but like with most subscription websites, the longer you stay, the cheaper it gets.
Read our full eharmony review here.