Plenty Of Fish Sold


The year started off with the bang at Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo over the weekend, where the first bluefin tuna of 2020 sold for whopping $1.8 million at auction. Caught off the coast of Aomori. A spot of consolidation in the online dating space today, with Match Group, the subsidiary of Tinder and OkCupid owner IAC, announcing it has agreed to acquire PlentyOfFish (POF) for $575 million. Jul 14, 2015 On Tuesday, the dating website Plenty of Fish got acquired by Match Group, an IAC/InterActive subsidiary that recently announced plans to go public later this year. Plenty of Fish sold to Match. Free online dating and matchmaking service for singles. 3,000,000 Daily Active Online Dating Users.

Are you a single member at Plenty Of Fish (POF.com) dating site? You are probably searching for a new and 100% free alternative dating site due to recent changes at POF. There is some background information you need to know about POF in order to understand their recent changes, and why you will want to join our dating site instead.

Background:Plenty Of Fish is probably the most famous online dating site in the world. It was one of the first and has been around for well over a decade, and has (or had) the most members of any other site. What made this site so popular is that they prided themselves in offering a completely 100% free dating service, which was very attractive. Markus Frind, the founder of Plenty Of Fish, was the owner of the company from when it launched in 2003 up until 2015. Anyone familiar with Plenty of Fish have probably heard of him and his dedication to offering a free dating service for everyone.

Plenty Of Fish Changed: Started Charging Money & No Longer 100% Free

Recently in 2015, POF was acquired by new owners. Markus sold the company to Match Group, which is a massive company that owns a huge number of online dating sites, including OKCupid, Match.com, Tinder, Chemistry, OurTime, Meetic, SinglesNet, DateHookup and many other big name dating brands. Many of these sites charge big monthly payments just to sign up, or they charge money for upgrading accounts so users can use more features.


Markus Frind is the original founder of Plenty Of Fish (POF) dating site. POF began and ran for many years as a completely free online dating site. Markus recently sold the company in 2015 and Plenty Of Fish is now run by completely new management. Many new changes are taking place at POF.

Many POF members do not realize that Plenty Of Fish has new owners, but they do know all about the 'free' model slowly transitioning into a 'paid' model. With all the major dating sites being acquired by a single company, there are fewer and fewer free sites out there. Those free sites that were acquired, are slowly turning into paid sites. Josh, a former POF member says: 'I knew Plenty Of Fish was beginning to charge more money, but now I realize this isn't Markus's fault, the site is now run by a completely different company and this single company has a near-monopoly on almost all popular dating sites today, especially ones that used to be free'.

POF No Longer Able To Search Usernames - Search Without Registration

Recently, members there may have noticed that they can no longer search for specific usernames and rumors are spreading that this will soon become a paid feature for upgraded members only. Even more recently, visitors to the site realized that they could no longer search for members on POF at all, unless they signed up and became a registered member. They could no longer search the site anonymously as a guest - they have to be logged in. Joanne explains: 'More and more, they are moving features that used to be completely free, into the upgraded tier where you have to pay an upgrade fee to use those features that used to be free. Others like me are looking for an [free] alternative to POF, and that's why the membership and activity is slowly dying off, when there used to be well over 100+ million visits per month at POF.'

A New, 100% Free Alternative Dating Site

Our dating site ( LetsHangOut.com ) was designed and launched in late 2016 with the same mindset and inspiration that Markus Frind had: A completely 100% free and fun dating service. Lets Hang Out gives members all the site features with no upgrade costs involved - and it's an easy name remember. This includes the ability to search for members based on usernames, and anyone can search for single men and women without registration and without being required to sign up. Our dating site has a simple, familiar layout like POF, although LetsHangOut also incorporates match making questions, like OkCupid has. It's a combination of both sites, but it's 100% free. So put your credit card away and sign up today. Make Online Dating Fun (and Free) Again!


Click here to sign up!

Plenty Of Fish (POF) is an online dating service that has a fully-fledged free membership. Founded by Markus Frind in 2003, the company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The site is available in nine languages and is extremely popular in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil.

The site has approximately 100 million registered users and 70,000 new singles per day joining the site. In 2015, Plenty Of Fish was sold to the Match Group which also owns other dating sites such as OkCupid, Tinder, and Match.com. In 2011, the site has been ranked as the number one dating site in the U.K and worldwide in terms of monthly unique visitors. It is available on the website and also for download on Google Play and App Store for both Android and iOS.

Creating a profile and sign up process

Plenty of Fish sign up process is simple and does not require you to fill out a long questionnaire. On the landing page of the website, you create a username, password, select your birthday, gender, country, and ethnicity. Then you have to provide your email address. Next, you create a headline for yourself that is creative, interesting and stands out. Also, keep it simple and memorable to make other users take their time in looking at your profile.

Plenty Of Fish Sold

Once you have created your account, the site takes you to a “Chemistry Quiz” section which is ideally supposed to test your compatibility with other users. You can also take a “Relationship Needs Assessment” which analyzes your past relationships and customizes topics for you to discuss so that your next relationships will be successful.

After you fill in all the questions, the next step you write a small brief about yourself which is limited to 100 words. This “About Me” section is one of the most important parts of your profile and you should take this opportunity to highlight your interests. The site also asks if you are looking for something serious or just a casual relationship in an attempt to help match you with the appropriate individuals.

Connect Locally — Click to join the Meetopolis community to make local connections for love and friendship.

Lastly, upload a good photo on your profile. POF allows basic users to upload up to 8 pictures or 16 if you are on an upgraded membership. Select the best photos that will make your profile pop.

How does it work?

The website is divided into six tabs: Inbox, Meet Me, Search, Online, Chemistry and Upgrade sections. It is very easy to navigate once you register and start chatting with other users. Once you have created a new account, you can browse all the members by searching through all the users. You can filter your search by selecting the determinants such as location, new users or even who is online at the moment.

Since the site is free, you can send and receive messages from anyone without spending a dime.If another user views your profile, you will get notifications via the Alert Center and messages in the Message Center.

Profile Features

  • POF allows users with a free membership to search for matches by either checking their location, education level, age or even body type.
  • Due to the many cases of men sending inappropriate photos to ladies, the site changed the rules to only allow women to attach photos when sending messages.
  • With POF, you can only send messages to users that are within 14 years of your own age.
  • The profiles are all very detailed and can also be edited later in case you missed or want to add or change something. However, you cannot edit your birthday to change your age details.
  • Profile pictures of all users are visible to everyone.

Free Account

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With a free account, you can create a POF profile and use all the basic features like search filters and messaging function. Just like apps such as Tinder, you don’t need to upgrade your membership to enjoy the main features and have a unique dating experience. POF does not hide a lot of good features behind a paywall which means you can remain on this platform for a long time until you meet someone without subscribing for an upgrade.

Premium Account

An upgraded membership provides you with some more features such as:
  • You get to see who has “liked” you through the service’s MeetMe feature. This section allows you to choose either “Yes”, “No” or “Maybe” on photos of other users.
  • The subscription allows you to see whether a message has been read and/or deleted.
  • You can see exactly which time and when another user checked out your profile.
  • Your profile will be highlighted in the search results making it easy for you to meet someone new.
  • Enjoy an ad-free experience on a paid subscription.
  • You can also unlock the extended profiles.
  • On this platform, you can upload more profile photos, up to a maximum of 16 compared to a free account where you can only upload 8 photos.

For paid memberships, subscriptions will be automatically renewed at the end of the membership unless you choose to cancel before then.The paid version of the site is also very cheap as compared to some of the other paid dating sites. You can pay via PayPal, credit card or your mobile phone.

Communication

Connecting

Users receive daily suggestions depending on the set preferences. The search tab allows you to freely browse other members who are online but you can only send a message if you are on a paid account. If there is a mutual interest, you can now start chatting.

Communicating

Once you find a member on the site that you like, you can send them a spark or smile to let them know.When you receive new messages, you will receive notifications either by email or phone notifications if you are using the app.

A subscription also lets you use Christian Mingle’s message boards and all matchmaking tools to increase your chances of getting a good match.

Communicating on this app is very easy since it is a niche site and almost all users have one thing in common or are looking for the same thing. This creates icebreakers to start the conversation. You can also select the “Question of the Week” and review other users profile from their answers to this question.

The Chemistry Test

The POF Chemistry Predictor is used to measure and determine your personality and determine how compatible you are with someone else so that they can match you. The site measures your Self-confidence, Self Control, Family Orientation, Easygoingness and Social Dependency or Openness. Based on the results from these test, the POF statistical model will then select matches that are most suitable and will lead to a serious relationship or even marriage.

Ultra Match

This feature gives you a full list of your top 50 best matches. It is a matchmaking feature that the site claims will give you the best choices on who to date. This minimizes your search and gives you the option to choose someone easily from the list provided. Ultra Match is worked out from the data you provided when filling in the questionnaire at the sign-up process and also from the profiles you are interacting with on a daily basis.

Meet Me

Meet Me is a feature that lets you browse through members’ pictures and choose “Yes”, “No” and “Maybe”. It is a swipe function similar to Tinder that lets you select profiles based on their photos. If another user selects “Yes” to your own picture, you will get a notification on your phone. However, in order to see the users and start communicating, you need to be on a paid subscription.

Top Prospects

This feature ranks the people you have been in contact with over a period of 30 days. Based on a survey by the site, users will tend to gravitate more towards the peoplewho are on top of their list. This has led to a number of success stories that started at POF.

Relationship Needs Assessment

This section helps to determine in great detail a person’s hidden needs in a relationship. It contains about 50 multiple choice questions that have been designed for you to try and understand yourself.

Some of the areas include communication in a relationship, conflict resolution, and interdependence. Based on the results, you receive guidance on how to improve and be better in your next relationship. For each user, the site will customize action plans which have topics that you can engage in with your potential matches.

Location-based searches

Similar to other apps, POF also uses your location to find users who are in the vicinity or near you. Matches from this result in high chances of dates and meet-ups.

Advanced Search

Apart from the usual “Search” tab present on all apps, POF has an “advance search” engine that allows you to filter your preferred match based on a lot more traits. These can include, whether you have pets, if you speak a second language or if you own a car. In this section, it is recommended not to narrow down your search too much as it will reduce the pool of users that you can match with.

FAQ

How do I delete or deactivate my account?

You could hide your profile when using the app, but in order to deactivate or delete your account, you have to log on to the desktop. Go to the “Edit Profile” tab to hide your profile which will remove you from all the profile searches or images. You can implement this if you are planning to take a break from dating or maybe you have met someone and do not want to be listed on the website. Deleting your photos ensures that no one else is using your pictures apart from you.

If you want to delete your profile permanently, choose the option to “Remove Profile” under the Help tab on the site. From here, the site requires you to provide your basic information which is to confirm you are the legitimate owner of the account. Once you have answered all the questions correctly, your profile will be deleted completely.
Design and usability of app and website.

POF is smart home-friendly. The constant upgrades to improve user experience means that now you can access the site through Google Home using Google Assistant. You can also download the app for your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

The POF app goes through updates to ensure that it is functional in today’s world. It also has a better interface compared to the PC version. You can easily navigate and send a message to your potential match directly from your phone. Most of the users and traffic come from the app as it is easier to use anywhere and on the go.

As a result, the app was won the 2016 Dating Sites Reviews Single’s Choice Award for Best Free Dating Service.

How safe is Plenty Of Fish?

During the registration of new accounts, POF doesn’t perform any background checks to verify that the members are legitimate. However, they urge members to exercise caution while signing up or chatting with users and make sure not to reveal too much personal information. In the case where you suspect another user or you feel threatened, you can make a report to the site and have them follow up.

The site offers safety tips for you to implement to keep your information safe. You can change your login credentials often to make sure that it is updated. If you suspect that someone is using your account, you can change your password immediately so as not to compromise any of your information.

Are there any success stories?

The fact that the platform has so many users will naturally increase your chances of meeting a match no matter your geographical region. This site bodes very well for those living in smaller communicates as the database is so large, it will render more search results than other sites that are paid.

With features like Ultra Match that hand-picks your best matches, you are able to narrow down the people you can go on dates with or even start a relationship. Plenty of Fish has one of the highest success rates in terms of new relationships, engagements, and even marriages.

Plenty Of Fish Sold Items

How does the site work with social media pages?

Plenty of Fish (POF) does not have an option to log in via Facebook like all the other common dating sites. Therefore, it cannot draw your basic information from your page and you have to fill in all your details personally while signing up. However, when you want to upload photos, you can directly get them from Instagram or Facebook.

Plenty Of Fish Sold Products

Similar Apps

Pros

  • The site is totally free unless you want to pay for premium features. This has made it so popular as anyone can join. Compared to other sites, you don’t need an upgrade to send or receive messages.
  • It is one of the sites with the largest pool of users globally. This means the variety is more and members have a high rate of meeting someone even if you live in a small town or rural area and starting a conversation.
  • The site has an “advanced search” feature helps you filter through users quickly based on your preferences saving you a lot of time
  • The site has more women and only allows women to attach their photos on the messages. This means that men get to meet a variety of people before they can choose the right one.
  • Ease of use and accessibility especially with the app. Since the company constantly updates the features, the functionality of the site improves each time.

Plenty Of Fish Sold

Cons

  • Because its a free dating site, the site will naturally draw more undesirables and scammer because everyone can join easily and register a profile. As a result, you can meet some creepy people or users who are questionable in character. Let the buyer beware when joining. Use caution and wisdom and never reveal too much on your profile.
  • POF has so many ads that can be overwhelming. For you to enjoy an ad-free experience you will have to get an upgrade.
  • Going through a site with so many users is not always a good experience. For you to meet that one person you like, you will have to sift through hundreds if not thousands of profiles.
  • The site has not upgraded enough compared to the other sites as you cannot create an account or log in via your social media accounts. Most apps have the Facebook log in function but this is not the case in POF.
  • There is no tight verification on POF which means that there are a number of fake profiles.

To Sum It Up

Plenty of Fish remains one of the biggest online dating sites globally due to a large number of users. It does not require a lot of time from you to sign-up for its services which makes it easy to join.

The assessment tests are unique as they increase your chances of getting a better match and the site will be able to customize and hand pick profiles based on your answers. The biggest draw on POF is that it is free and you can enjoy so many features even without an upgrade.The site is good for both casual and serious relationships.

However, most of the users on the site are looking to start a serious relationship. If you are looking for a site to start your online dating journey and don’t want to spend any money, Plenty of Fish would be a place to start.

Plenty of Fish Review; Easy to Setup and Free to Chat with Others
  • Usability
  • Community
  • Communication
  • Match Making
  • Safety
  • Value
4.4

Summary

Who Bought Plenty Of Fish

Plenty of Fish is one of the most popular online dating site that offers numerous features, without having to sign up for a paid subscription. While linking to social media platforms remains fairly limited, there is a large number of members, has a user-friendly app and can be a great place to start online dating.