When you’re online dating over 50, one question is bound to come to mind: How much does Silver Singles cost?

Don’t worry. If you haven’t heard of Silver Singles yet, you will. A lot of my clients who are looking for long-term relationships have been using Silver Singles — so, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at this site and break it down for you. That way, you can decide whether Silver Singles is worth paying for, and if so, how you can use it to find the woman you’ve been dreaming about.

By the end of this post, you’ll know:

• The Silver Singles cost — and where that applies

• What you can do with a basic membership

• Extras that come with the premium membership (should you bother?)

• Subscription packages

• Special info about age range and distance

• When to respond or ignore a woman’s message

• Free alternatives to Silver Singles

• Pros and cons of Silver Singles 

A Little More About Silver Singles

Silver Singles is a niche dating site that caters to a mature crowd over 50. It’s a small site but they’ve been around forever – 17 years and counting! It’s owned by the same company as Zoosk, JDate, and Elite Singles.

Like a lot of dating sites out there, it uses an algorithm to suggest potential matches based on how you use the site. They also do daily profile checks to make sure the people on there are legit. No catfish here! So you can be confident that your info is with longtime experts in the dating industry who take your safety seriously.

I generally recommend being on no less than five dating sites when you’re actively MegaDating or looking for a long-term relationship. So adding a site like Silver Singles to your dating strategy is a smart move. 

Why? Because small, specialty dating sites like this can help round out your dating pool and get you noticed by the right demographic. After all, research shows that the bigger the age gap between you and your future spouse, the more likely you are to divorce. (Perhaps no surprise there.) So if you’re 50+ and looking to settle down, it makes sense to find someone close to your age. 

Do I Have to Pay to See My Matches? 

Yes, you do have to pay to view matches on Silver Singles. But in my experience working with clients, the cost is reasonable and worthwhile, considering the site’s unique audience.

One thing to watch out for, however: The signup process is rather extensive compared to popular dating apps. You’ll be asked to fill out a profile (no Facebook auto-signup, sorry). You’ll also take a personality test. And let me just be completely honest: You can expect to spend a few hours on questions, assuming you’re putting in the effort that’s needed to get results. 

Even though the fee is fairly reasonable, it still might bother you. If so, they have a free trial option. Just know that if you’re in “free trial” mode, they’re pretty restrictive (in other words, you can’t see photos). 

So with all that said… what is the Silver Singles cost, anyway? I’ve included the details of their membership below.

Silver Singles Cost: Basic vs. Premium Membership

Here’s some good news… on this site, a basic membership is free. This can be a great way to feel out the site without commitment. 

If you get a basic membership, you can set up a profile and take the personality test just like any other member. You can look at profiles and interact with other members on a limited basis (you can send smiles and likes). They’ll also send you five suggested matches per day, based on your personality test answers. 

If you want a premium membership, that’s where the money comes in. The Silver Singles cost is broken down into three subscription package rates as of November 2019:

• $24.95/month (for 12 months)

• $34.95/month (for 6 months)

• $44.95/month (for 3 months)

With a premium membership at any subscription level, you can send and receive messages as well as see who viewed your profile. You can also see all the photos on your matches’ profiles and leave comments. 

Also, whether you have a basic or premium membership, you won’t be able to search on your own. The site uses its algorithm to recommend matches for you, instead of putting you in front of a firehose of profiles.

Finally, you can probably tell the site is designed to be used with a subscription. So while you can get away with paying nothing for a basic membership, you might get frustrated with the basic level restrictions after a while. 

How to Snag a Deal

Like any other site, before you sign up it’s best to look online for any deals. At the date of this post, Silver Singles offers a 6-month subscription at a reduced rate of $27.95/month. That comes to a total of $173.85 (compared to a regular 3-month subscription which would cost you $44.95 for 3 months, or $134.85 total). (If you were working with me, I wouldn’t expect you to need more than three months. That said, it can be helpful to hang on to it longer if you’re not in a rush to find a partner.)

Whenever you read this post, do some research to find any similar offers that are current.

Special Considerations

Age Range

At the date of this post, Silver Singles doesn’t ask for your desired age range. Because of this, my clients tell me that they tend to get a lot of inbound interest from women older than them. I wouldn’t necessarily see this as a negative. 

Remember, as I mentioned before, studies show the closer someone is to your own age, the more stable your relationship will be. So a woman a couple of years older might be a better match than one who’s 10 years younger.

Distance

It also doesn’t let you filter for any distance less than 50 miles, so my clients also say they get lots of messages from women who live far away. This is good for people who live outside of major cities and are used to driving long distances. For others, this can be a burden. 

So when it comes to getting messages from women outside your area, the question often becomes: Do I respond to these women or just ignore them? 

Personally, I’d say just ignore people who are too far away. Again, Silver Singles sends lots of matches… but you can’t see what they look like until you’re a paid subscriber. At the beginning of the dating process, you want to keep your investment in any one person to a minimum. 

Free Alternatives to Silver Singles

If you’re still not sold on the Silver Singles cost, you can always check out other sites first. Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, and Facebook Dating all are free with options to upgrade. Here’s a quick rundown on each.

General free apps

Tinder: Tinder is America’s #1 dating app in most states. You’ll find the most people here, which will give you a good idea of “what’s out there” and how different types of women will respond to you. Keep in mind, the app is very casual. It’s focused on photos more than profiles. It has a reputation for being a “hookup app,” but I think that’s really more the case in large cities. If you’re in a small city or rural area, Tinder might work well for you.

Hinge: Many of my clients have used Hinge with great success. It’s a newer app that has a sophisticated matching algorithm that’s said to be Nobel Prize-winning. People also report high satisfaction after their first dates using Hinge.

Facebook Dating: Before you say no to this one, rest assured that Facebook Dating doesn’t try to match you with your Facebook friends. Instead, it finds matches in your extended circle. (Although, if you are interested in one of your actual Facebook friends, you can use the “Secret Crush” feature to anonymously express interest.) While some also don’t like the idea of Facebook having even more data on them, it’s a convenient way to find singles who could be compatible with you. 

“Ladies’ Choice” apps

Bumble: On this site, women must message first. Expect fewer interactions on this site (women aren’t used to messaging and they’re picky!). But you won’t have the pressure of coming up with icebreakers or getting women to respond to you, so that’s the trade-off. Some people also say Bumble has the most attractive women. I can’t vouch for the science on that, though, so you’ll have to check that out for yourself!

Coffee Meets Bagel: This is another “ladies choice” type of dating app where men are given suggested matches (“bagels”) that they can like or pass on. Then, the app notifies the women who liked them, and they have the option to complete the match or pass. You can only message each other after the woman completes the match, so conversations may be fewer but a bit more meaningful.

Pros and Cons of Silver Singles

To sum everything up, here’s a quick snapshot of the pros and cons of Silver Singles. 

Pros

Desktop interface: You can do everything on your desktop or laptop, instead of having to write out your entire profile on your phone. For a lot of us, this is much more comfortable.

Focus on quality: You’ll receive matches selected just for you. No sifting through tons of search results trying to find that needle in a haystack. Also, they screen every profile daily for authenticity.

Audience: The site targets singles who are 50+, so you only see the most realistic matches for your age. This creates a much better dating experience in a few ways. You won’t be weeding through so many “unattainable” or fake profiles, and you’ll be interacting with women who are probably a lot more serious about dating than say, Tinder or some of the other sites.

Cons

Limited free-trial mode: You can’t see profile photos when you’re using the free trial.

Long sign-up process: Literally, as I mentioned, it could take you upwards of two hours to finish answering the profile and personality test questions. You have to fill out a profile to fully test out the site, so you have to invest a lot upfront.

Distance: The distance setting is set at a 50-mile minimum, which means your suggested matches may live far away. For some of my clients, this has been an issue. I tend to think of this as a negative as well. But as I said before, this might not be a big deal to you if you’re in a rural area and are used to driving.

Want Help Setting Up Your Profile? 

I think Silver Singles is worth the investment, but the choice is yours. If you do decide to give it a shot, make sure to spend your time wisely by enlisting some help. 

As part of my Signature program membership, I’ll help you set up all your dating profiles. I’ll also walk you through the technology if you’re not used to smartphones or just want expert advice and feedback.

Maybe you’re a recent widower who was married for years and never thought he’d need to use a dating site or app. Maybe you’re newly divorced, and last time you were single, dating sites and apps didn’t exist.

Or maybe you’re a longtime bachelor who’s familiar with dating sites but isn’t sure what you’ve been doing wrong. No matter what your situation, I can help you present yourself on any dating site in a way that gets results. You deserve no less — so book a session with me today to get started.