💡 Key Takeaways: * Expensive with limited free features - paid subscription required ($13.95-29.95/month) to see photos or send messages, with full payment due upfront * Best for 30+ educated professionals - 85% of users have "above average" education, but age demographic skews older than apps like Bumble or Hinge * Match system has major limitations - can't browse profiles freely, must rely on algorithm's 3-7 daily matches based on 200+ personality test questions * Mixed user satisfaction - 4+ stars on app stores but only 1 star on TrustPilot/SiteJabber, with frequent complaints about matches outside distance preferences and limited local options Since you’re looking for Elite Singles reviews, chances are you’re having trouble finding high-quality matches on apps like Bumble [/bumble-guide/] and Hinge [/hinge-guide/]. EliteSingles [https://www.elitesingles.com/] markets itself as a dating site for serious relationship seekers only. Promising to make finding a needle in a haystack easier, it removes incompatible singles from your list and relies on an extensive personality test to find users compatible matches quickly. But does EliteSingles work - and is it worth the money? ELITESINGLES COST & FEATURES Elite Singles is a lot like Match.com [http://www.vidaselect.com/matchcom] - you can look around for free, but if you want to actually meet anyone, you need a premium membership: Joining Elite Singles [https://www.vidaselect.com/elitesingles] costs: * $39.95 per month for a 6-month membership ($239.70 total) * $52.95 per month for a 3-month membership ($158.85 total) * $99.95 for a 1-month membership Pricing may vary depending on your specific market. This dating site also frequently runs membership specials, which are worth waiting for. If you’re looking for a serious relationship on a dating site or app [/best-dating-apps/], choose one that costs money to send messages. This is actually a good idea. The subscription fee helps weed out bots, scammers, and people who aren’t really interested in moving things off the site. The more months you commit to, the less you pay - but note the full subscription fee is charged up front. Elite Singles payment options include PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Diner’s Club. You can cancel your paid subscription within the first 3 days and receive a full refund, as outlined in the Terms & Conditions [https://www.elitesingles.com/terms]. Your subscription will automatically renew unless you go to “Account” → “My membership” and disable the auto-renewal. You must do this at the latest 24 hours before the renewal occurs. ELITE SINGLES PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP FEATURES This is not a dating site you can use effectively for free, since you need a membership to view photos and respond to messages. A Premium Elite Singles membership come with these benefits: * Unlimited messaging * Algorithm-assisted matching * View all member photos * See who has visited your profile * Message read-receipts * Access your personality profile * Access to the mobile app * Up to 20 extra "Wildcard" matches per day Wild Card matches are people who don't meet some or all of your preferred preferences. Have You Met This feature shows up to 20 extra "Wild Card" matches each day. Like Tinder, you "like" or "pass" on each one. These Wild Card matches consist of profiles the algorithm deems potentially compatible but may be outside of your stated preferences. Commenting As a premium member, you can comment on a specific photo or profile section of a potential match as a way to spark a conversation. This makes figuring out how to break the ice a lot easier! Viewing Photos & Unlimited Messaging This is why using Elite Singles for free isn't really feasible. You need the premium upgrade to see what your matches look like, and communicate with them beyond just sending a "wink". PROS & CONS: IS ELITE SINGLES LEGIT? Elite Singles is a legit dating site, but it's not the same as more popular platforms like Match. If you don't understand how it works before investing in a membership, you're risking an expensive disappointment. Using Elite Singles has some advantages: * This elite dating site claims 85% of users have an “above average” education. So if you’re looking at EliteSingles vs Match, it has a slight edge over Match in the education department. Match claims 74% of its users [http://match.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=30442] have either some college or a college degree. * EliteSingles attracts singles who are actively seeking a long-term relationship. As with most paid dating sites, the matches you’ll receive are typically serious about finding someone and less likely to flake on a real-life date or video call [/video-chat-tips-for-dating/]. * You’ll probably encounter fewer fake profiles. Sites requiring a paid subscription to send messages generally have less of a problem with scammers and bots. Elite Singles also has some potentially big disadvantages: * Users must upgrade to see pictures and match with premium members. That means you’ll have to invest in a premium membership before you know if there are any people in your area who intrigue you. * You can’t freely browse the database. You’re totally reliant on the site’s matching algorithm, which relies heavily on answers to their 5-Factor Personality Questionnaire. It scores users on a bell curve for traits like easygoingness and emotional stability - which are difficult to quantify on a dating site. That’s one reason researchers claim matching algorithms don’t work [http://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/eli-finkel/documents/2012_FinkelEastwickKarneyReisSprecher_PSPI.pdf]. * The majority of users are 30+. If you’re looking for younger matches you probably won’t find them here. * Elite Singles doesn't have any requirements to join. Unlike exclusive dating apps such as The League [/the-league-dating-app-review/] where profiles have to pass through a screening process, anyone can create a profile. * One of the most common complaints [http://www.datingsitesreviews.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=10124] about Elite Singles is matches who don’t fit your specified criteria. For example, they are far outside the set distance range, often by 100+ miles. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT ELITE SINGLES WHAT ARE USERS SAYING ABOUT ELITE SINGLES? Elite Singles reviews are a mixed bag. Both SiteJabber [https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/elitesingles.com] and TrustPilot [https://www.trustpilot.com/review/elitesingles.com] rate it between 1 and 2 stars based on user reviews. A complaint common to both reviews sites is a lack of quality matches. The app store's rating [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/elitesingles-serious-dating/id6444870384] is a little better, clocking in at a little over 4 stars. Many of the less than happy reviewers mentioned the cost of joining versus the experience and lack of matches. Elite Singles has a 2.5 star rating [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.spark.elitesingles.android.app.m1&hl=en_US] on Google Play. Many of those who had concerns with Elite Singles shared problems with the apps functionality. Customer experience can be subjective, but there is one fact you’ll definitely want to consider before paying for Elite Singles: While this dating site does have attractive, intelligent singles in its membership pool, you can't search for Elite Singles members on your own. That alone is reason to consider skipping EliteSingles in lieu of a dating site that does allow you to freely browse the user pool. You’ll likely get more high-quality matches in a shorter amount of time on a more popular site like Match [https://www.vidaselect.com/match-freetrial] or MillionaireMatch. [http://www.vidaselect.com/millionaire-match] SETTING UP YOUR ELITE SINGLES PROFILE You can create a profile via the dating website, or by downloading the EliteSingles app for Android [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.affinitas.za.co.elitesingles.and&hl=en_US&gl=US] or iOS [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/elitesingles-serious-dating/id990571557]. The first step is specifying gender for you and your matches, then providing an email address and password. You’re then prompted to answer a series of 200+ questions to identify 29 “unique personality traits” that will help EliteSingles find your ideal matches. TAKING THE PERSONALITY TEST The personality test is based on the “Five-Factor Model of Personality [http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&context=orpc]”, which was developed in the 90s and identifies five personality dimensions: Questions include your age, the importance of your match’s age, your education level, etc. According to the site, this initial questionnaire only takes 20 minutes to get through. Prepare to dedicate some time to the questions, as your answers directly affect which matches are deemed suitable for you. Grab a cup of coffee (or a cocktail) and get ready for some self-reflection as you answer questions like this one: After filling out multiple screen’s worth of dots, you get a slight break by answering a fill in the blank question regarding the 3 things you’re most thankful for in life. Then back to the dots. So many dots, interspersed with more fill in the blank questions. You can view some of the results of your personality test in the “Personality Profile” section. For instance, you can see where you score along a spectrum for Elite Singles' "Big 5" personality factors like "Extraversion." It will also compare how your rating compares to other users. While the results are interesting, researchers [http://faculty.wcas.northwestern.edu/eli-finkel/documents/2012_FinkelEastwickKarneyReisSprecher_PSPI.pdf] have cast doubts on how effective online dating algorithms truly are at predicting real-world, long-term compatibility. As noted psychologist and researcher Dr. Eli Finkel put it: > “It is virtually impossible to succeed at the task many matching sites have set for themselves… Despite grand claims to the contrary, it is unlikely that any matching algorithm based upon data collected before people have encountered each other can be effective at identifying partners who are compatible for a long-term relationship.” Unlocking the full results of the personality tests requires a paid membership. ELITE SINGLES PROFILE QUESTIONS When you complete the free form questions, put some thought into the answers. Highlight your most attractive qualities, and keep your answers short and packed with specific, eye-catching details that will make people curious to know more about you. Think about what your answers communicate between the lines. For instance, take this answer to the question asking what 2 or 3 activities you enjoy doing in your leisure time: In four short sentences, you’ve let her know you’re physically and financially fit enough to go scuba diving, you travel, you enjoy cooking, and you have a social life. All attractive qualities, and because you went the “show, don’t tell” route it’s interesting to read. You’ll also be presented with 7 profile questions that will be included in your 'About Me' section. This is where you describe things like “If I had one wish, I'd wish for” and “This makes me laugh.” Remember, she’s looking for husband material. Women are attracted [http://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2015/02/09/ebmed-2014-110101.full.pdf+html] to traits like bravery, courage, and a willingness to take risks, so tell stories that show how you embody those traits. Throw in an example or two of your DIY skills, love for travel, and ability to fit in at a social event, and you’re golden. CHOOSING THE BEST PROFILE PICS Elite Singles allows you to use up to 4 photos. One poor photo in a lineup can have disastrous consequences, so aim for quality over quantity. This dating photo advice [/online-dating-photo-tips-for-guys/] will help you double your attractiveness! Your matches pay for the privilege of seeing your photos, so you need to make them worth it. Blurry, dark, grainy or otherwise low-quality pics won’t impress anyone, and your response rate will likely suffer for it. Your primary pic [/profile-pic/] requires careful consideration, as it pops up in her daily recommendations and in the Tinder-esque “Have You Met” feature. For maximum impact, your Elite Singles primary photo should: * Be a closeup, rather than a full-length body photo. “Headshots” outperformed other types of photos in terms of attractiveness in a Tinder study [https://imotions.com/blog/science-tinder-case-study/]. Including a full-length photo is important, but save it for later in your lineup. * Have enough contrast to make your image “pop”. Online dating photos need to be eye-catching. A bright color immediately commands attention and helps you stand out from the background. * Provide an unobstructed view of your face - especially your eyes. Sunglasses and anything else that impedes eye contact or hides your face make it more difficult to feel connected to the photo. Your photo lineup is the most important aspect of any dating profile, so why not benefit from a few scientific insights into the art of attraction? Check out these dating photo tips based on research [/profile-picture/]! MEET INCREDIBLE SINGLES (WITHOUT ALL THE WORK) Most researchers can agree [https://www.vidaselect.com] that you can’t truly know how you feel about someone until you’re face to face on a date. No matter what dating sites you want to use, VIDA [https://www.vidaselect.com] will get you dates with the high-quality, intelligent women you want to meet. From start to finish, we’ll handle everything for you. All you have to do is show up and let the chemistry kick in! Click here to find out more. [https://www.vidaselect.com]
