With dating apps targeting dog lovers, young singles, Jewish men and women, farmers, and every other niche found on this green earth, finding the right app can be a bit overwhelming.

OkCupid is just another one of these apps competing to be our digital Cupid.

But with so many apps jockeying for space on our phones, is OkCupid really worth downloading?

It’s this question and much more that we’ll discuss in our in-depth 2024 review of OkCupid.

OkCupid 2024 Review

History

OkCupid is one of the oldest dating apps around.

Founded in 2003 by the same guys that created SparkNotes OkCupid was originally called SparkMatch and gauged users’ compatibility based on self-made quizzes and personality tests. This novel way of meeting people caught on so quickly that SparkMatch launched its own site and went through a makeover that led to renaming it, OkCupid.

OkCupid then became one of the first dating websites/apps to amass a sizeable amount of users. By 2007 Time Magazine named it as one of the best dating platforms.

Since then, it’s had plenty of ups and downs, including controversies involving bots, data scraping, profile censorships, and was purchased by Match Group in 2011. Match Group also owns Tinder, Match.com, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and OurTime.

How It Works

Profile Creation

The profile creation is pretty straightforward however there are some unique things to note.

For one, OkCupid allows you to pursue a variety of relationships ranging from short-term romantic friendships to ethical non-monogamous relationships. No other app that I remember allows users to do this.

Even more unusual (in a good way) is the questionnaire you’re obliged to fill out.

OkCupid makes a genuine attempt at capturing your personality via a questionnaire. It then uses this questionnaire as opposed to more superficial characteristics to then pair you with compatible singles.

Most questions are superficial. They ask about how long you want your next relationship to last, if you’d date a messy person, and if you’d rather kiss someone in Paris or while camping under the stars. Then they through a curveball and asked if I was pro-choice and wanted to display a sticker that indicated as much on my profile.

Once your profile is complete you’re even given the option of searching for people based on how they answered this question.

This question speaks to OkCupid’s progressive leanings. It allows users to choose from 22 genders and 12 sexual orientations. It’s safe to say OkCupid is the most inclusive application on the market.

You also have the option of linking your Instagram to your profile.

The Swiping & Matching Process

After your profile is completed, it’s time to meet singles.

At the top of your dashboard you’ll be presented with a number of ways to meet singles.

Singles are broken down into groups that include Recommended singles, singles based on match %, pro-choice users (if you too are pro-choice), singles that are based abroad, those that have super-liked you, and singles that OkCupid has “hand-picked” for you.

You can also narrow down your choices – and give OkCupid’s algorithm more info – by setting more specific preferences.

OkCupid offers more preferences than your favorite pizza joint has toppings so you’ll want to take a second to digest them all before making your decision.

Here are some of the preferences you may want to alter when searching for your new partner:

• Gender
• Age
• Distance
• Body Type
• Height
• Orientation
• Languages
• Politics
• Employment
• Lifestyle Habits
• Family Specifics

To like a profile, simply swipe right, to pass on their profile, swipe left (same as you would with Tinder and Bumble).

If you two like each other you’ll be notified of a match and will be able to chat. Users also have the option of super-liking users. OkCupid claims that doing so increases the chances of a match by 4x. You can also add a note when super-liking, should you desire.

OkCupid Cost

The free version has everything we just talked about.

The major downside of the free version is that you’re limited to just 10 likes a day. If you live in a tiny town this may not be an issue. But if you’re in a major city with lots of potential matches and competition, you may feel rather limited by 10 measly swipes a day.

If you want to increase the odds of scoring compatible matches you may want to consider paying for OkCupid Basic or Premium.

This is the breakdown of the price and features offered by OkCupid Basic.

I’ll be frank, the only paid feature OkCupid Basic offers is the unlimited swipes. 10 swipes a day is highly limiting and may take forever just to score a single match. This goes for males and females alike.

OkCupid Premium costs the following:

So what exactly do you receive when you pay $44.99 for one month of Premium?

Of all these features, there are three that stand out to me:

• Unlimited likes
• 3 SuperLikes
• See who likes you

Unlimited likes is a massive boon considering the free version only gives you 10-a-day. SuperLikes are a great way to tell someone that you think they’re better than the rest and do in fact increase the odds of matching. Lastly, the “see who likes you” feature is like a match shortcut. Instead of having to swipe indefinitely until you get a match, this feature allows you to see all the singles that have already liked you all in one place.

Who Uses OkCupid?

Every dating app attracts a type of user and number of users. Before downloading any app, you should know how popular that app is and who is using it. 

OkCupid is the sixth most popular dating app on the planet behind apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and even Happn. Despite this OkCupid has around 10 million users in the US (*some sources report OKC having just 2 million US users).This user base is robust enough that if you’re in any major or even medium-sized city, you should have no problem finding users in your area.

The average user is 27 years old. 

As for the sex breakdown, the last reliable stats we found show that nearly 49% of its users are female. 

Again I think we need to take this with a grain of salt. All dating apps are dominated by men. The reason OkCupid might be more balanced than most is because it’s also a favorite app among lesbians.

Speculation aside, a near 50-50 split is something rarely seen and should be celebrated (if you’re a man).

Lastly, let’s talk about the type of users you’ll find on OkCupid.

Seeing as how it’s an inclusive, progressive dating app, you can expect to meet open-minded, liberal users who don’t always feel comfortable identifying as simply straight or gay. OkCupid users are typically on the nerdy side and are arguably more introverted and introspective than, say, Tinder users.

If you’re struggling to find “your people” on other dating apps, you may find a home with OkCupid.

Reviews

So do people actually like OkCupid?

The reviews are mixed, extremely mixed.

Let’s see how OkCupid scored on popular ratings sites:

3.5 – Google Play

4.3 – Apple Store

1.3 – Trustpilot

2.8 – ConsumerAffairs

3.4 – Sitejabber

Considering the bulk of the reviews come from the Google and Apple stores, I’d say the average user score for the app is around 3.7, which in today’s digital romantic landscape is pretty solid.

Controversies

We all know how awkward online dating can be. It gets even more awkward when the dating app you’re using starts doing some pretty sketchy stuff.

Here’s a quick rundown of OKC controversies:

• 2016: Data scraping where Danish researchers were given information about 68,000 users without their consent.
• 2017: Ambushes users by requiring them to use their real names after having encouraged uses to provide intimate information they would not have provided had they been required to provide their real name.
• 2019: AI startup uses OkCupid user photos to build a “face database.”
• 2020: Multiple vulnerabilities found that made the app susceptible to hacking. 

Every app has had its issues. OkCupid is not unique in its sketchy practices. That being said, it’s important to know if you can trust the company you’re giving your information to and that they’ll use it in a manner that you have consented to.

Should I Download OkCupid?

If you identify as liberal, woke, a Bernie-bro, or a flaming progressive and want a long-term relationship, this app is perfect for you. On the flip side, if you want a short-term fling and identify as a conservative, this is definitely not the dating app for you.

While OkCupid has millions of users, but it doesn’t come close to flexing the numbers that Bumble or Tinder has. That means if you’re in a smaller town or city you may struggle to find enough users to make the app your primary way to meet singles.

OkCupid is worth downloading for most users however it shouldn’t be the only app you rely on. You should use it as a supplemental app to more popular dating apps such as Bumble, Tinder, and/or Hinge.

Dating Decoded

Using a dating app to meet singles is the most popular way to meet your next partner. But if you have no idea what you’re doing you won’t get very far. In our program, we teach our students the ins and outs of online dating so that they can MegaDate. 

MegaDating is our dating philosophy and it shapes everything we teach here at emlovz. Simply put MegaDating is dating prolifically with the specific goal of going on 20 dates in 90 days. This will give you ample women or men to compare and contrast so you can refine not only your dating skills but also who your ideal partner is.

To teach you how to quickly find highly compatible prospects in just weeks and become the most eligible single in town you’ll team up with romantic experts, each skilled in their own unique area to support you.

Our Team

• Emyli (me), co-founder, curriculum developer, head coach, and I host two coaching sessions every week
• Thomas, co-founder, and coach. He’ll lead the biweekly Man Cave (for our men’s program) event where men come together to talk dating, bond with one another, and support other single men
• Cat, Brooke, and Audrey, and Darshil are mock date specialists. Go on a practice date with them (and receive feedback) before your next date
• Hailey is your new stylist. She’s worked with celebs from every industry and is now about to raid your closet
• Tilly is our holistic sex & intimacy coach. She’ll help you get the most out of your sex life so you and your partner are happier between the sheets
• Aundrea is an award-winning fitness coach. Are you ready to eat right and build muscle?
• Mia is our social media expert. Revamp your Facebook and Instagram profiles with her help and start meeting singles online

Our Community

And look, we realize that the single life can be difficult. If accepted into our coaching program, Dating Decoded, you’d be joining a community of supportive singles and coaches who are there to listen, support, and encourage you as you navigate the single life.

Our program offers every student a lifetime membership (as if you’ll need it) so the support won’t stop until you’ve found your ideal partner.

If you’re ready to find your forever partner, book a Zoom session with our team today. Together we’ll talk about your dating history, your goals and show you how our program, Dating Decoded, can help you find your ideal partner. For our men’s program go here to book a call. For our women’s program go here to book a call. 

Learn how our students have already improved their dating lives.