Easy to Use
A basic account on OkCupid is free of charge, and there isn’t any pressure to sign up for a premium membership. However, there are some additional options, such as A-List. This removes ads, gives you unlimited likes, and provides additional search options. Sending and receiving messages is free, and Match Search helps you to find compatible profiles that you would like to start messaging.
Search Functions
Learning how to use OkCupid search is easy, and there are lots of FAQs to help out if you get stuck. The Match Percentage function is great and helps compare your responses to some of the 4,000+ questions on the site that help analyze your compatibility and personality as well as more general information. You can choose to answer questions publically or privately, but they all count towards your match percentage. Messaging is free throughout the website, and there are options to search by filters such as city, user name, height, what type of relationship they are looking for, and many others. If you are trying to learn how to message someone on OkCupid, you need to know that you cannot send open messages – this is only possible if you have matched with that member, i.e., you both like each other.
Safety & Security
OkCupid, as with many online dating sites, does not offer telephone support. There are a great Help and FAQ page, but if you need urgent support, you will have a hard time getting a quick reply from the email help form. There is a two-factor verification service which you can add, which sends a security code to your mobile on login to make sure your data is kept safe, and lots of guidance about dating safety and how to block or report users who you don’t wish to be in contact with. OkCupid does offer an incognito mode, allowing you to browse privately, but one downside is that this is not included in free membership. To use incognito, you need to sign up for a premium A-List account that might be off-putting for some members.
Summary
OkCupid is a modern, bright, and friendly online dating platform. The majority of services and functions are completely free, so if it is used correctly, there doesn’t seem much need to sign up to a paid subscription. However, the incognito mode is only available on a premium subscription, which means that you can’t surreptitiously browse unless you are willing to pay for the privilege!