OkCupid Review: Is This The Best Free Dating App? I Tried It To Find Out

Can a detailed questionnaire really bring people closer to their one true love? I tried OkCupid to find out whether the app’s comprehensive intake and advanced algorithm would result in better matches than other dating apps I’ve tested.

In 2003, OkCupid was created by Harvard graduates as the first free online dating website. Now, OkCupid is the sixth most downloaded dating app in the world, with 70 million users as of 2023. 

While OkCupid is one of the best apps for serious relationships and marriage, it’s actually designed to accommodate any type of relationship. 

OkCupid sets itself apart from other dating apps with a personalized (and robust) questionnaire meant to provide stronger connections, no matter what you’re looking for. 

The app’s algorithm utilizes the data from your answers to suggest matches based on personal details, interests, and what you’re looking for.

Over the years, OkCupid has created an inclusive experience for app users, providing more options than most dating apps for gender, sexuality, and more for users to share their authentic self.

Once you’ve created an account with your email, you’ll be prompted to upload your best photos and provide basic information like name, age, gender, sexuality, location, and the type of relationship you’re looking for on the app. 

Once your profile is complete, you’ll need to answer several questions and indicate the answers that you would accept from a potential partner. 

Some questions are more light-hearted (i.e. if you like horror movies), while others pertain to value-based topics such as politics. 

From there, the algorithm provides potential matches. Each one will include a compatibility percentage. 

Before swiping left and right, you can expand the user’s profile and review which answers matched yours and which didn’t. 

There are plenty of features available in the free OkCupid membership. Everyone still completes the compatibility questionnaire, and you’re able to send and receive (albeit a limited amount of) likes.

Free members can still see other users’ full profiles and can message through the app in the same way.

That said, OkCupid offers a variety of paid options available in one month, three month, and six month increments.

OKCupid’s premium options can be canceled at any time. The cancellation process is accessed through your settings and selecting “Turn off automatic billing.”

I find the free version of OkCupid to be comprehensive enough, but I tested OkCupid Premium, too.

Based on my experience with the free and premium options, I think the premium version of OKCupid is not necessary. The algorithm already provides enough options to funnel down your choices without paying for the additional features.

Of all the dating apps, I’ve had the most success on OkCupid. It’s become one of the main dating apps I use, and I’ve been able to build meaningful connections based on shared beliefs and experiences.

I also like that OkCupid allows me to understand a person before starting a conversation with them, compared to other apps that typically require a ton of small talk before getting to know someone's values and intentions.

That said, high compatibility on paper does not guarantee the person will be your best match. I learned this through trial and error (which, of course, is the best way to learn while dating).

A while back, I matched with a guy that had a 95% compatibility with me and we had an engaging conversation on the app. We had a lot in common and shared similar beliefs so the conversation never felt forced. When we went on our first date in person, I thought it ended up going really well because the conversation felt comfortable and natural. However, he ended up ghosting me after that date.

Reflecting back on that experience, the one thing that was missing between us was the chemistry. While we initially connected over our shared beliefs, the spark just was not there, and that spark is not something that can be determined from a questionnaire.

When testing OkCupid, I could tell its matching process is much more thorough and informed than other dating apps I've tried. If you're looking for something serious and want to be sure you're aligned on values, intentions, and interests, OkCupid is a great app to try.

OkCupid is inclusive to all types of relationships, though. So no matter what you’re looking for, the app will match you with people with similar dating intentions. This (plus its large user base) makes it a great choice for just about anyone on the dating scene.

All that in mind, if you're looking for something casual or just want a hookup, you probably won't want to go through the entire questionnaire just to find that person. You'd be better off using an app like Tinder or Feeld (which, by the way, we've also tried).

On Bumble, a woman can only start a conversation with a match. From there, a match only has 24 hours to respond and start the conversation.

While we do think Bumble is a great choice for women who want to take initiative and are looking to date men, we also appreciate that OkCupid does not put the pressure on one person to start a conversation.

Hinge and OkCupid are pretty similar when providing information on preferences, but Hinge does not have the same detailed questionnaire and you need to pay to set more detailed preferences for your matches.

On Hinge, you’re able to set a specific location to expand the dating pool rather than just using your current location, a feature that's not available on OkCupid.

The main difference is that Hinge gives limited access to its algorithm unless you pay for their premium options. OkCupid has better free options than Hinge.

Tinder is best known for casual dating and hookups. This would be the app better suited for users looking for something less serious than going through OkCupid's questionnaire.

If you thought OkCupid's profile setup was in depth, wait until you see eharmony's. The app has an even more detailed intake process, with the same intention of providing better matches for its users.

The main differentiator is eharmony is basically only worth it if you pay for the membership, while OkCupid's free membership is very robust. We've actually written a detailed comparison on these apps, if you want to decide which is right for you.

According to relationship expert Susan Trotter, Ph.D., the key to being successful on OkCupid is by being transparent about what you are looking for in a partner.

“There is nothing wrong with wanting a casual relationship or hookup," she clarifies. "I just recommend that people be honest and open about it from the beginning and OkCupid does a great job of encouraging that.”

Dating Coach Lisa A. Holden agrees with the transparency aspect, but also recommends not oversharing on your profile. “Give people enough information about you so that people understand your deal breakers, but don't give so much information so they can nitpick before they even meet you," she suggests.