Read our full review of Zoosk.
Who it’s for:
Zoosk is a dating site that anyone can use, but it’s last on our list for a reason. Although Zoosk has a large user base, the app is loaded with spammy and fake profiles. We only recommend Zoosk if you’ve tried other dating apps and haven’t had any luck.
Why we picked this:
Originally launched as a Facebook app in 2007, Zoosk has since expanded into a global dating platform with 40 million users across 80 countries. Rather than asking its users for dating questions, Zoosk picks dates for its users based on quick questions about physical appearance and religion, and then keeps tabs on who you talk to the most to get a better idea of what you’re after. There are many flirty little ways to spark a conversation without actually giving an opening line, but you’ll know next to nothing about the person going into it.
When Zoosk switched from a social media app to a legit dating site, it was more or less in a league of its own. Incorporating “liking” photos and having a similar look to a Facebook feed was super attractive to young, single people… in the early 2000s. The problem is that Zoosk hasn’t changed much since then. It’s plain, riddled with dead or fake profiles, and there certainly aren’t any modern tweaks like OkCupid’s politics-related icebreakers or Match’s overhauled questionnaire. The whole “Zoosk coin” thing is old, too.
Zoosk is free to sign up, but you’ll need a paid subscription to do basically anything. Not only is there a fee at the end of every message, but Reddit users complain about random charges to their accounts and ignore requests to cancel their subscriptions. The company also uses its own form of currency, “Zoosk coins,” which are available for purchase. Daters can use these for features like adding a “boost” to their profiles in search or sending another user a virtual gift like roses. The whole coin system feels less like romance and more like you’re playing some pop-up ad game, but they’re there.