Plenty Of Fish
Founded in 2003, Plenty of Fish was one of the first online dating platforms. Today the platform can be accessed via both app and website. Founded in Canada by Markus Frind, Plenty of Fish is now available in nine different languages. The most popular countries they operate in include Canada where they originate, Ireland and America. The Plenty of Fish (pof) app and website are both free to use and include a variety of free special features, perfect for those who do not want to spend a fortune on dating apps!
Facts and Statistics
Gender – 60% men and 40% women
Users – over 150 million users have signed up to Plenty of Fish
Matches – 10 million conversations everyday
Activity – 70,0000 new users sign up every day
Users can sign up to Plenty of Fish through the app or the website. The sign-up process can take some time as it includes various different aspects. Plenty of Fish really encourages users to share a lot about themselves to improve their matches – something which makes the app so unique. Users are required to fill out a multi-section question which includes questions surrounding gender, height and smoking and drinking habits. Plenty of Fish also offer a ‘chemistry test’ whereby users answer 73 multiple choice personality questions in an attempt to improve the quality of matches. There are also a variety of optional questions such as the Relationship Needs Assessment, which supposedly determines both the users known and hidden needs in a relationship. As well as the personality profile, users can show off their looks by adding up to 8 pictures with the free version or 16 pictures if they choose to upgrade.
- Unlimited messaging – Plenty of Fish is different in that they allow users unlimited messaging. This is unheard of from free apps as other well-known apps will charge a premium for the privilege. This may allow for better matches but subsequently could lead to a very full inbox from other users on the app!
- Free profile views – Users on the app are able to see who viewed their profile, which is another great special feature that is free! No sneaking is gone unnoticed with POF! This may be a great way to strike up a conversation with a potential match.
- Match Assessments – As mentioned previously, Plenty of Fish improves the quality of matches by using a chemistry test and also a relationship needs assessment. This is a unique feature that sets Plenty of Fish apart from other dating apps where matches tend to be made based on physical attraction.
- Tokens – Plenty of Fish supply Tokens on their app which can be used for a variety of reasons. Tokens can be used to boost your profile, send a ‘Super Yes’ and send a priority message to one of your matches which goes straight to the top of their inbox
Matching is also made easy due to the special features of the automated decision making and profiling. This means decisions are made based on the computer algorithms, resulting in substantial match making. Plenty of Fish also make us of a ‘Ultra Match’ feature which brings together matches based on their compatibility. This is unique to other apps that use a ‘swipe left or right’ format whereby matching decisions tend to be made based on appearance and not compatibility. This is also a great feature for those who may initially struggle to connect with others on dating apps, enabling the user to have a fulfilling dating experience on Plenty of Fish.
With many dating apps on the market these days, security and privacy is always a key concern. As you are initially talking to your matches via the app it can be difficult to tell who is real and who is not. This is one of the areas in which Plenty of Fish lack in as they do not put a high emphasis on verification. This may be off putting to some as there could be a number of fake profiles on the platform. Unlike other dating sites, they do not ask the users to verify on social media such as linking their Facebook account. However, they do ask a lot of very specific and in-depth questions which can take a long time to complete.
Overall Plenty of Fish is a great free dating app with a lot of amazing special features that similar dating apps would charge for. However, the option to pay for an upgrade is still there and this provides you with even more incredible features. One downside to the dating site would be the overload of advertisements which could be extremely off putting to certain users, however this is often the case with free apps! The sign-up process is very in-depth which is great for increasing the success of matches, however some may find the process too long and tedious. The app has a great reputation and was one of the first online dating platforms that took the world by storm. With so many users online there is no doubt you will be making a ton of matches in no time!
Submitted by Dating Apps Free author Taylor
