Elite Singles Online Dating Sites Review

Matching Criteria

EliteSingles is one of several online dating sites and apps owned and operated by Spark Networks Services GmbH. Each site is geared towards a different type of consumer but the sites use similar technology to connect daters with compatible matches. If you've been around the online dating block once or twice, some of the site's features may feel familiar to you. EliteSingles reports that among total users, 51% are women and 49% are men. The makeup of the EliteSingles community differs from many other online dating sites, where men typically outnumber women by several percentage points. Most users are between the ages of 30 to 55 years old. Marketing materials from the company state that EliteSingles members strive to be the best version of themselves and standards are therefore instinctively high when searching for a long-term partner. If finding a like-minded match who appreciates the finer things in life is a priority for you, EliteSingles is an excellent choice.

Anyone interested in EliteSingles' services should be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time completing an initial questionnaire and comprehensive profile. The questionnaire consists of about 100 questions relating to a dater's preferences in a partner, his/her/their values and attitudes, and personality traits. Questions address users' favorite activities, feelings about monogamy, social style, and more. The fact that users invest so much time just to access the site's services demonstrates at least one thing: they're serious about dating. The company reports a high rate of success for people looking for long-term compatibility and prides itself on its intelligent matchmaking process.

Profile Customization

EliteSingles offers users many options for customizing their profiles. Profiles are divided into a variety of interesting sections, which are more specific than many sites offer and, in our reviewer's opinion, more likely to permit users to express their unique personalities. You can be as brief or as detailed as you wish in each section of your profile or skip sections entirely. Amending your profile is simple. You can also update your basic preferences quickly once you've logged into your account. 

Users are welcome to upload multiple photos. It's unclear whether there is a limit on photos. Since many online dating sites place a premium on authenticity and ample information to help them choose potential dates, EliteSingles encourages users to post as many recent photos as possible to make their profiles more attractive to other users. Once you've uploaded a photo, you can crop it within the app. Switching photos is a simple proposition due to the site's intuitive interface.

Interface Features

New users have the opportunity to try out EliteSingles by browsing profiles for free. However, in the free mode, you're restricted to viewing matches and profile views. You can't actually communicate with potential dates. Photos are also obscured in the trial mode Once you select a paid subscription, you can use the site fully.

EliteSingles provides an easy to navigate dashboard. The top bar allows you to see, at a glance, whether you have matches or messages waiting for you and how many profile views you have. The site typically sends between 3 and 7 recommendations a day. Click on the Matches tab and you can see the site's current recommendations for you. New recommendations are added frequently as new users join the site. The Matches section allows you to filter matches by such basic criteria as age, height, and distance. You can also eliminate profiles that don't feature a photo. 

If you're looking for a broader selection of matches, you can use the 'Have We Met' section of the site. You'll be served up a large number of abbreviated profiles and you have the opportunity to accept them as potential dates them or reject them. 

One unique feature that EliteSingles offers is its read/receipt feature. The site tells you whether any messages you've sent have been read. That means no more wondering if someone you've messaged has checked you out. It's a good indication of whether you've been rejected by a potential match and if it's time to move on to other possibilities. We appreciate how that feature takes the guesswork out of communication and choosing new matches.

Security and Privacy Measures

No online dating service can guarantee you an entirely safe experience, either online or in the real world. Ultimately, the responsibility is on you to use your common sense about what information you provide—hint: don't share personally-identifying information in your profile and remain anonymous until you are confident in a match and want to take your relationship offline. Use your intuition, as well. If someone or something doesn't feel right, walk away or even block users you don't trust. EliteSingles states that the site is subject to profile quality checks to ensure a safe, authentic dating experience, but the company doesn't go into detail on what those checks entail and how protective they're likely to be. For further information, you can contact their Customer Support team.

EliteSingles protects users and their data by using SSL encryption. It also employs the above-mentioned profile verification practices and a fraud detection system. 

The company's privacy policy isn't as strict as many users (and our own reviewers) would like it to be. EliteSingles reserves the right to share your contact information, browsing habits, and other details with third-party marketers who may target you with all kinds of advertising via email and social media. To be fair, the company's privacy policy is in line with most of the dating sites we've reviewed. It's hard to avoid, as sharing data is one way dating sites make money.

Inclusivity

We sure wish online dating sites and apps would get with the program when it comes to inclusivity. Gender and sexual preference are not simple issues. Some people don't identify with just one gender and some people's sexual preferences are quite broad or narrow. EliteSingles allows users to make one of two choices: you can get matched with people of the opposite sex or your own sex. If you're bisexual, the way to get around this, we suppose, is to set up two profiles: one for female matches and one for male matches. Users looking for a more gender-neutral and sexually nuanced experience may find the site frustrating to use. But you do have the opportunity, of course, to illuminate your desires in the highly customizable profile options EliteSingles provides.