Are Free Trials Worth Trying on Dating Apps?

eHarmony Free Trial - Yes or No

If you’re ready to dip your feet into the waters of the online dating world, it never hurts to check out a free trial offer from a dating app! These free trials are an excellent way to see what various dating apps have to offer their customers, and you can do this without committing to a paid membership!

A problem that you will run into quickly is that free trials don’t allow you to experience the full range of capabilities that you could enjoy if you were paying for a membership.

So this begs the question, “are free trials worth trying on dating apps?”

We are going to cover the major pros and cons that you’ll find with dating app free trials and see if they are worth your time and energy! There are a few schools of thought out there on the value of free trials, but we will ultimately leave it to you, the reader, to decide for yourself!

Are Dating App Free Trials Really Worth Your Time?

Pros of Free Trials
  • They do not cost money
  • You can find out what the dating app offers before putting money down
  • Many free trials let you see daily matches and send likes to other singles
  • You get to create a profile on the dating app for free
Cons of Free Trials
  • There are not going to be any advanced features with the free trial
  • Most free trials do not allow you to send messages to other singles
  • Free trial users come across as less serious about online dating or relationships
  • Some free trials come with a time limit

Pro #1: They Are Free!

Perhaps the greatest upside of the free trial is the fact that it’s free! You can check out the dating app without any money coming out of the bank. This is perfect if money is tight or you are on a fixed income. And we feel there is absolutely nothing wrong with working on a budget as you search for true love, companionship, or even just someone to go out with on dates. Free trials definitely allow you the time to see what pricing works within your means!

Pro #2: You Can Test Everything Out

Free trials will allow the user to test out some of the features and functions that the dating app offers to its customers. Keep in mind that these features will be limited to an extent, but it nonetheless allows the new user to get a feel for the app to see if it’s a service that is worth their time and money!

As far as we can tell, most dating apps will allow customers to create a profile free of charge, see daily matches, send likes, and some even allow for limited messaging with other singles (although that is pretty uncommon for most apps).

Pro #3: Create a Dating Profile on the House

Part of the process of signing up for a free trial account is putting together a free profile! There is really no way around it in many cases. As you create your free trial, you’re going to be asked plenty of questions about your interests, your personality, your appearance, and many other things. You can be as detailed as you want to be, or you can give minimal answers for a lot of categories.

Being able to make a profile for free is a huge upside to the free trial process. For no charge whatsoever, you can get your face and your information out there and begin attracting other singles. You can begin to put some feelers out there and start establishing your network. All this comes at no charge.

Developing your network is another thing altogether, and you will definitely want a membership to be successful there, but we will get into that later!

Pro #4: See Daily Matches

People Using Dating App

One of the greatest benefits of the free trial offer is that newcomers can see what kind of singles they are matching up with! Once they have completed their complimentary profile, they can view other singles’ profiles and photos, getting a little preview of what awaits them if they sign up for a membership with the app.

And the greatest thing about being able to view profiles and photos is that you will quickly know whether or not the dating app has captured your interest. If you don’t like the look of the dating pool or find that the quality of singles is lacking, you can always move on to another service. And on top of that, you have no money down on a membership. You can simply walk away!

Con #1: No Messaging

Ok, so this is like the elephant in the room when it comes to dating app free trials. This huge drawback gets a lot of people asking, “are free trials worth it?” Not all, but most online dating apps’ free trials do not allow the user to message other singles. And this is a huge deal because you get onto a dating app to chat with other singles, right?

This is the biggest selling point to beginning a dating app membership. Free trials are a great way to initially check out what that app offers, but it’s not viable for actually using the online dating service as it was intended to be used. If you want to message and talk with singles, you need to bite the bullet and pay for a membership!

Con #2: No Advanced Dating App Features

Free trial offers only come equipped with enough features to give newcomers a general impression of the app and what it offers. Users are not going to have access to things like advanced search filters, profile highlights, or site forums. While you don’t necessarily need these things in order to be successful, they are helpful tools that can enhance your online dating experience!

Single ParentMeet Virtual Gifts Screenshot

Free trials are not going to make you stand out in the sea of singles that are on the dating app. Your free trial account will be one of many others, so in order to really set yourself apart and gain more visibility, you will need to pay for a membership.

Con #3: You Come Across as Less Committed

Just imagine how being a free trial member can come across to other singles. You could be perceived as less serious about the online dating process, like you’re ready to jump ship at any minute. That is one of the costs you will pay if you choose not to go with the membership.

If you’re having trouble committing to the cost of a dating app membership, how committed are you going to be in a relationship? That might seem like a bit of a stretch, but the situation could be read that way!

Con #4: Time Limits

There are only a handful of time-limited free trials that we have seen, so we will not dwell on this point for too long. Free trial accounts were never made to be a substitute for a paid membership. At some point, you are forced to either choose a membership plan or simply not use the dating application. While many free trials allow you to use the free service indefinitely, there is a lot that cut you off after a certain period of time.

Wrap Up on Dating App Free Trials

So are free trials worth it?

We definitely have some mixed feelings on free trials because, on the one hand, you are getting to use the site in a limited capacity for free, you can create a profile, and you can view singles that you could potentially meet in real life! On the other side of things, you cannot message anyone, and you miss out on features like advanced search filtering or profile highlights.

Our official thought on free trials is that it doesn’t hurt to give them a shot!

Free trials allow you to shop around and see what you like in a dating app. While it is not going to be a viable method for using a dating app free of charge, it can give you a taste of what to expect and buy you some time as you figure out which membership plan is best for you!

At the end of the day, free trials are free, and you will not be losing out on any money. So, why not give them a shot?

Matt Marino
Matt Marino

Matt Marino is an online content writer for DatingApps.com, specializing in trending blogs and dating app reviews. He is a graduate of Geneva College with a Bachelor of the Arts in Communications.