Last Updated on March 7, 2023
The Basics About OK Cupid
Created by four friends attending Harvard in 2003, OkCupid is a site based on algorithms that match users based on similar responses. In 2011, OkCupid became the first major dating website with an app for easier access, paving the way for mobile-based dating. The site advertises 91 million connections made yearly due to its extensive questions about everything from political views to whether or not you like cilantro.
Users start by answering a questionnaire that specifies their gender identity, what gender identity they seek, and whether they want FWB, short-term or long-term relationships, or only hookups.
At first, users are asked 15 basic and broad questions; then, they can answer more questions to help the site match them up with better candidates. Answering more questions is not required; you will see generic options at first. These options are typically users who have paid extra to get a “boost,” where the site recommends these matches over others that didn’t pay.
What About the OK Cupid Dating Community?
OkCupid currently has over 10 million registered users, including 22 genders and 13 different sexual orientations for users to choose from. Recent statistics show that 11% of users identify as male, 6% as female, and 83% as something different, such as agender, androgynous, bigender, non-binary, transgender, two-spirit, or more.
In 2020, most OkCupid users were between the ages of 18 to 29, closely followed by 30- to 44-year-olds. In 2022, more than half of the site’s users were in their 30s to mid-40s, with an even 25% split of users under 29 or 50 and over.
Most users are looking for a hookup or a long-term relationship, so expect to find lasting love or a one-night stand. Unfortunately, for anyone looking for love, many users will draw out the “chatting” stage, and you may end up texting and messaging for more than a month before ever meeting in person.
Is OK Cupid Free?
There are three different levels for OkCupid. The first level is free and allows you to Pass, Like, or Super-like potential matches based on question answers. However, you only receive a certain number of “likes” to hand out and can only view a limited number of candidates simultaneously, and you have to pay extra for super-likes.
OkCupid Basic is the first paid level, and it allows you to send unlimited “likes” to people you’re interested in, filter out “dealbreakers,” undo a previous “pass” on someone, view all the intros you’ve received at one time without waiting, and removes ads.
OkCupid Premium allows you to see who likes you, gives you three free super-likes each week, allows you to see another user’s answers to their questions, and allows you to access all the other features of the Basic package.
If users want more visibility for potential matches, they can pay for a Boost or a Superboost. These options will put the user’s account before other potential matches, so they are seen first. A basic Boost will increase visibility for 30 minutes, while a Superboost goes anywhere from 3 to 12 hours, depending on the purchased selection.
You can register for one, three, or six months at a time, with the monthly price being reduced, depending on your subscription duration. The monthly prices vary depending on your location rather than one price across the board.
Bonus Features of OK Cupid
You can private message other users on OkCupid if they are a potential match who you have “liked” or a full match, but you can’t send pictures without first adding them to your profile. OkCupid’s most positive feature is the number of questions users answer to achieve a more accurate personality match.
Users can also link their Instagram to provide a better glimpse into their daily life but are not required to do so.
Additional Information to Keep in Mind
According to the Better Business Bureau, OkCupid is notorious for bad customer support. For example, users can report accounts that may cause the account to be banned, in which case the user cannot dispute the decision or cancel a subscription. Unfortunately, many users affected by this never receive a reason from the site since the site refuses to provide any information without a court order, and customer service emails asking for an explanation remain forever unanswered.
The Bottom Line About OK Cupid
The more in-depth profile option is nice. However, the fact that users must pay more to know anything about their potential matches is frustrating. Only the highest tier paid subscription can see their match’s answers, so you don’t actually know what you matched on or if their answers match what they’re telling you in conversation.
There’s no way to verify if a user’s photo is a photo of themselves, so the only way to know you’re not being cat-phished is to pay for information. Furthermore, since anyone can create a free profile without background checks, you never know if the user is who they say they are, a convicted felon, or a 50-something-year-old living in their mom’s basement.
OkCupid is a good app or site for someone in their thirties who wants to hook up and is willing to pay to skip the chitchat involved with most first dates. Since it has a free option, expect the weirdos in your DMs, too.