eHarmony

Overview

EHarmony is a dating service that takes a methodological, statistical, and scientific approach to dating. Unlike other online dating services that facilitate casual relationships, the goal of eHarmony is marriage. The service uses a standard questionnaire to generate matches within members.

The questionnaire is so precise that some users will wait weeks or months before they find matches. More than 20 million people have used eHarmony, and many people have used the website to find spouses. In fact, in 2007, a Harris Interactive poll survey reported that eHarmony is responsible for 2 percent of marriages in the United States.

Users can register for free, take a free questionnaire, and then review matches. To contact matches, a paid subscription is required, and a variety of plans are available for different needs. EHarmony only allows users to communicate with matches who are compatible based on answers to the questionnaire.

Reputation

In general, eHarmony has a positive reputation among daters who are looking for serious relationships. EHarmony's studies reveal that many members met their spouses on the website. Many people prefer the unique methodological approach to determining compatibility.

In contrast, the majority of eHarmony's competitors allow users to communicate with one another freely, selecting potential matches based on photos, interests, and profiles. A major complaint that users have with eHarmony's competitors is that people can communicate too freely. Many people want some level of selectivity.

People date online for two reasons: (1) they do not have the time to sift through people to select a mate and (2) they want to find people with potential of becoming a good match. There are too many fake profiles on a majority of online dating sites, and there are too many abandoned profiles. People who are looking to date do not want to meet just anyone and are reaching out to a dating service for assistance.

EHarmony truly differentiates itself as a community of people who are looking for a substantial relationship. If you choose to use eHarmony, you will not need to waste time filtering through fake profiles, abundant messages, junk mail, and people who aren't quite what you want. You will also be able to raise your chances of actually meeting someone. People on eHarmony tend not to flake since they pay to use the website for the sole purpose of dating and finding a relationship.

In any case, eHarmony's services are not without controversy. Unlike other dating sites, the gay community has virtually no presence on eHarmony. The website and questionnaire are designed for heterosexual couples only. The company's stance is that their team developed the matchmaking questionnaire based on research on heterosexual couples. Same-sex couples were not in the equation or methodology. The company has also justified its product decision based on the ambiguous legality of same sex marriages in most states.

In addition, many people find eHarmony's methodological approach restricting. Some people prefer other dating sites that allow members to contact one another for free. Many people don't want to answer the questionnaire and just want to explore possibilities and dating options.

Many people believe that eHarmony's community has limited dating possibilities. Most people are looking for relationships and marriage-nothing more. The casual dating community tends to find success elsewhere with eHarmony's competitors.

The decision to choose eHarmony over another service is a matter of choice. Many people will experiment with different websites before making a final decision.

How It Works

Users sign up for a free profile and answer a series of questions that are related to lifestyles, interests, backgrounds, religious beliefs, and more. The questionnaire is quite extensive and is based on controlled research results. After completing the questionnaire, users can view matches and choose to create a free profile. To start communicating with matches, a subscription is required.

Company Details

EHarmony was established in 2000 by Neil Clark Warren, who wrote multiple relationship books and received doctorate level training in psychology. Warren designed eHarmony based on his research experience that certain traits can indicate relationship compatibility. EHarmony's questionnaire took three years to develop.

In addition to eHarmony's website, the company has a relationship research center called eHarmony labs. EHarmony Advice is the company's relationship advice website.

EHarmony is located in Pasadena, California.

Price

Packages are available for anywhere from $9.95 to $59.95 per month, depending on what promotional deals are available and selected options. Free trials are also available for some users.