Whether you’re a busy professional looking for a no-frills hook-up or a fun-loving singleton looking for something serious, the internet has much to offer in the form of online dating sites. One of the leading online dating sites is Zoosk. The service boasts of up to 35 million “Zooskers” from over 80 countries and supports 25 languages. Here, we will take a detailed look at the service to find out what’s all the fuss about.
Operating from San Francisco, CA, it didn’t take long for Zoosk to garner worldwide attention. All this attention is due to its many features that set this particular dating portal apart from the rest. Zoosk comes across as a fun, colorful and hip dating site that’s become popular with the millennials as well as, to a far lesser extent, the older crowd. The major selling point of Zoosk is its appeal to a diverse clientele and the platform’s ability to introduce interesting features to pique the user’s interest.
According to statistics, Zoosk’s target audience is between the age groups of 20 to 90 with members split between 52% females and 48% males. In reality though the site appeals mainly to a younger 20’s and 30’s user group. The site can also be used for dating by gay and lesbian folks as well as a broad range of people belonging to various religions and ethnicities. However, Zoosk caters exclusively to singles, with no options for ‘open’ or ‘polyamorous’ relationships. So, there is no room for three-ways here. Users spend an average of 7:44 minutes on the platform. The site is most popular in the United States, which generates 64% of its online traffic. The service is also growing in popularity in the UK, Canada, Australia and South Africa. The site averages a massive 26.5m visitors to the site on a monthly basis.
Registration Fees
Before we get into the details on how you can register with the service, here’s a breakdown of the costs, which may vary from region to region.
● Free Account: $0
● 1-Month Membership: $29.95(per month)
● 3-Month Membership: $59.95 (total cost)
● 6-Months Membership: $74.95 (total cost)
Subscribe
Creating a profile on Zoosk is pretty straightforward, especially if you already have a Facebook or Google account. Depending on the subscription plan, your account will either renew automatically or expire after the given time period. To get started, you will have to click “subscribe” on the left-hand corner. You will be led to a page which gives you the available options in your area.
To set up your profile, users have to provide some basic information such as race, education, body type and whether they have kids, and the type of person they are looking for. You will also need to upload a recent photo and verify your email. Users can upload up to six photos. The entire process takes not more than five minutes.
The best part about using the service is that you can get started for free and begin browsing all the eligible singles in your area. That said, it should be mentioned that users are only allowed limited access to Zoosk’s services while using it free. But, it’s a good way for users to get familiar with the service and its features before they commit and become a subscriber. On the other hand, paid subscribers of the service will get access to all the popular features of the Zoosk platform, such as chatting and messaging, connecting with other members and responding to SmartPick introductions.
Payment Options
To make it more convenient for users, Zoosk accepts a number of payment options which include credit/debit card, PayPal/PayPal Express, Amazon Payments, iTunes credits, bank transfer and checks. The service also accepts iDeal, SEPA bank transfer, Giropay, Boleto and Sofort. The many payment options that are available make it more convenient to use the service. It also ensures that the payment process is as painless as possible for users living in various regions.
Activating a Subscription
Depending on the payment option you decide to use, your Zoosk account can be activated either instantly via Credit/Debit card, Amazon or iTunes, or within a few minutes via services such as PayPal. It may take a few days if payment has been made via check or bank transfer.
Zoosk offers some interesting features with its service which enhances the experience of finding a mate online.
Boost
The dating site offers a feature called “Boost” that improves the visibility of your profile for a specific area. This is a nifty feature if you are looking to attract people in your local area.
Carousel
There’s also a “Carousel” feature which provides users a faster way to scroll through members, which lends a Tinder-esque experience to the service. With the Carousel feature, users are given a profile photo with an age that they can simply “like,” “dislike,” or choose “maybe” before moving on to the next profile in the Carousel.
Upload Photos
Paid subscribers of Zoosk have the choice of either chatting with other subscribers or sending messages, and can also connect with them via SmartPick introductions. Another feature that is exclusive to paid subscribers have that is not available in the free service is the ability to see the profiles of all those of have used your profile. It should also be noted that Zoosk reserves the right to modify certain features that are available as part of their free service, which usually occurs during promotional periods. That’s why it’s important to go through the Terms of Use and the FAQs section of the site from time to time. You can also contact Zoosk customer service, if you have any questions or queries relating to the service.
Additionally, both free and paid members of the service are allowed to buy Zoosk coins that are used to unlock certain premium features in their services. The use of these additional features helps users promote their profile and reach out to more people.
Subscribing Vs. Purchasing Zoosk Coins
Unlike other online dating service providers, Zoosk offers two ways of getting the most of out their service. As a paid subscriber to the service, you are going to get access to many of its features, to chat, message and connect with other users. But, Zoosk coins offers both free and paid members access to free features to make your profile stand out and let others know that you are interested.
Zoosk Coins:
● 180 coins: $19.99
● 480 coins: $39.95
● 1800 coins: $99.95
Things to use Zoosk coins for:
The following are some of the features that you can use Zoosk coins for while on the platform.
Promoting Your Profile
If you would like to grow your popularity on Zoosk quickly, then the best way of doing that is by utilizing Zoosk coins to purchase a Boost. The ‘Boost’ feature highlights your profile in the searches, Carousels and message inbox. This makes it possible for users to reach out to a wider audience while on the platform.
Unlocking Matches
If you are a user looking to use Carousel, then you can do so with Zoosk coins to unlock the profiles of certain members that you are interested in. Using this feature is a great way to let other members know that you are already interested in them.
Purchase Virtual Gifts
If you want to make someone on Zoosk feel special, then you can use the coins to purchase them a virtual gift. This is a great way to stand out, show that you’re interested and win major brownie points.
Delivery Confirmations on Messages
The coins can also be used to find out when a specific message in a chat is opened. After you have sent your message, you will receive a notification informing you if the message has been opened by the recipient.
Both paid and free members of the service are able to purchase Zoosk coins to Boost their profiles, buy gifts and unlock Carousel matches. But only paid subscribers are allowed to use Zoosk coins to purchase a delivery confirmation on their messages. Even if you unlock a Carousel match by using Zoosk coins, you will still need to be a paid subscriber to send or receive messages to that profile. Zoosk coins are available to both paid and non-paid members to unlock special features.
When it comes down to it, the appeal of Zoosk is its straightforward design and easy-to-use features. Rather than spend a long time in creating a profile, you can create an outstanding profile in no time with Zoosk. The, you can get started with meeting interesting people in your area. All of the features are easy to find and understand, ensuring users of all ages are able to benefit from using the Zoosk platform. Its simple design and easy-to-use format is one of the reasons why Zoosk appeals to men and women of diverse ages and backgrounds.
The developers of Zoosk have laid emphasis on the privacy and security of their users. The service not only has a well-designed privacy policy in place, but also uses the latest security features and updates to keep their client’s data safe from prying hands. The service is continuously updating its website and mobile application to ensure that the data of their users is kept safe.
The service offers 24/7 customer support to Zooskers who can dial their toll-free number 888-939-6675 for queries and complaints. On the downside, there’s no live chat or email support. Paid members are able to contact the Zoosk customer support team by simply clicking on the contact link that’s given at the bottom to make inquiries regarding the billing or other aspects of the service.
Pros:
● Attractive design
● 30 million users worldwide and growing
● Functional and easy-to-use
● Creative features help engage users
● Emphasis of user safety and data security
Cons::
● No free messaging
● Possibility of some fake profiles
● Possible payment processing issues
When it comes to online dating sites, the big names often heard are eharmony, EliteSingles and Match. These are all great dating platforms for the singles of the world and probably offer a better option for those seeking serious relationships. As a pure dating site, they are our favored sites hence the higher ratings. They don’t, however, offer the many mobile app features that come in an easy-to-use package like Zoosk. This gives the dating platform a clear advantage when it comes to getting the younger generation to subscribe to their service. Undoubtedly, it’s the mobile app that gives Zoosk its appeal.
One thing that can be gathered from using Zoosk the first time is that the service does not take itself too seriously, which is a good thing. This is apparent in its simple and vibrant colorful design. The service is not seedy to say the least, and provides members with suitable matches that fits their profile and match preferences. It is one of the few dating sites where it caters to those simply looking for social connections right the way through to serious relationship seekers. While this can hardly be counted as the newest dating site on the block, it does have many features that are able to keep users engaged along with a site and app that offers the very best in functionality as far as mainstream dating sites go. There’s also a 35 million strong member base which users can tap into to find a suitable match.
