If you’re single, looking for love, and like the idea of using dating apps and sites, then Plenty of Fish (POF) could be right up your alley. POF is one of the oldest-running dating platforms, having been founded in 2003 as Plentyoffish and Plenty of Fish. It is more commonly known today as POF.
There are over 90 million registered users, and around 3.6 million people log in every day. On top of that, ten million conversations are held on both desktop computers and the POF mobile app daily.
As they say, there is plenty of fish in the sea, so are you ready to enter the dating scene? Read on to learn if this dating platform could be the one for you.
Signing Up and Creating a Profile
One of the best things that people prefer about POF is its non-invasive sign-up process. While some dating apps encourage you to link your social media platforms, this one doesn’t. You can connect with Instagram and Facebook to upload photos, but that’s all.
Signing up is quick, easy, and, most importantly, free. Although, POF is a business, so you can also upgrade to a paid account.
The entire ‘create an account’ process takes around ten minutes, and there is a very detailed questionnaire. By filling out the many different questions, you increase your chances of matching with someone who shares your views and values.
Once you complete the sign-up process, you are now ready to start looking for the potential new love of your life!
Getting Started
It’s essential to put as much information into your own profile as you would expect to find on someone else’s. Talk about your hobbies, your family, your relationship preferences, anything else that you think might be relevant. When you set up these filters, too, you can have more luck when viewing other people’s profiles.
You can scroll through various platforms, and start messaging and receiving messages for free. You can also check the ‘priority message’ box, which puts your message at the top of the list.
Messaging people on POF works similarly to text messaging. Conversation flows back and forward. You can also record voice messages, and only females can send images to males. This rule was put in place due to nudity. All inappropriate content like abusive language, pornographic imagery, and spam links, are blocked.
Platforms That Work Well with Plenty of Fish
You might think that, given the age of POF, it would not be a user-friendly platform for all devices. However, you would be surprised. Plenty of Fish has apps for Windows, Android, and Apple devices, and all of these apps boast user-friendly interfaces. When you use it on a computer, it’s equally as seamless.
Given that the app can use information from your location, you can turn your phone’s location off you if you don’t want that to happen. However, given the versatility of the app, it’s still more of a preference for many people than the desktop site.
POF Dating Site Features
POF has a lot of competition in the dating app and dating advice world. So, they have to really pull one out of the bag when it comes to their features. Fortunately for the tens of millions of users, they have.
POF has come up with their own exclusive features, but have also drawn inspiration from other sites and apps.
UltraMatch
This feature is where you realize how important filling out your profile completely can be. It’s a matchmaking feature that shows you the most compatible members on the site.
Nearby
If you have your phone’s location services switched on, then you can make use of the ‘nearby’ feature. This one ranks potential matches based on how far away they are from you. This may or may not prove convenient.
Chemistry Predictor
Have you ever wondered how you can find that perfect match? Sometimes it happens at random or by chance. Other times, it’s through careful assessment. It doesn’t sound all that romantic, but the ‘chemistry predictor’ feature offered by POF is more helpful than you might think.
You can take a variety of tests, such as:
- Keeper test
- Sex test
- Psychological assessment
- Needs assessment
- Chemistry assessment
There are between 30 and 100 questions (or thereabouts) in each test. There are no right or wrong answers – purely the best answer to suit your preference or personality type.
With the assessment and test results, POF can find your ‘perfect’ match. Very few other apps and sites offer this level of detail to help you find the potential love of your life. This feature is entirely voluntary, though.
Meet Me
If you are familiar with the swipe left and swipe right functions of Tinder and similar apps, then you will get the hang of the ‘meet me’ function quite quickly. This feature shows you profile pictures of users. You can say yes to meeting them, or no to meeting them. If you both say yes to the option of meeting, then you will be able to talk.
Top Prospects
Are you finding it challenging to keep up to date with everyone you have liked the look of in POF? The ‘top prospects’ feature can certainly help. It allows you to list the prospects that you have contacted in the last 30 days. They are ranked in order of compatibility.
Tokens
POF is a free dating site, but if you spend money, you can also treat yourself to a few helpful features. Tokens are a profile booster that you can use to send priority messages. You can also use them to appear on the “Today’s Catch” list to boost your image on the site.
Super Yes
Are you super keen on another member? Show it with the ‘super yes’ feature. It’s under the ‘meet me’ feature and shows another person just how much you are into them. Based on POF’s data, finding a match increases by over half if you use this feature.
Today’s Catch
In the theme of fish, you can appear on Today’s Catch if you spend tokens. Today’s Catch is a highlighted area that can expose your profile to more people.
Price and Plans
Like most dating apps and sites, Plenty Of Fish is both a free and paid platform. Whether or not you spend money can depend on whether you find it frustrating not to be able to use desirable features that only paid-up members can access.
Free POF Membership
Under a free POF account, you can send messages, receive matches, see online members and add them to your list of favorites. You can also view profiles, send voice messages, participate in forums, and see nearby members.
Paid POF Membership
Under the paid-for membership for Plenty of Fish, you can be the first on the Meet Me feature. You can also view extended profiles, find out who has viewed your profile and send three ‘gifts’ a day. You can also do all this without ads.
Membership Costs
3 months = $38.99 ($13/month)
6 months = $59.00 ($10/month)
12 months = $89.00 ($7.50/month)
Pros and Cons of POF
You will struggle to come across a dating app or site that’s perfect. And while POF is pretty close, it’s not quite there. Let’s dive right in.
When it comes to the positive points of Plenty of Fish, there are many. Both the app and desktop interface are seamless, and you will not have any problems understanding how to sign up and use the platform. There are also a lot of prompts and helpful advice on how to send messages.
Given that messaging is a free feature, there is a lot of room for potential misuse. Spam users could end up wasting a lot of people’s time. It also does seem a little odd that women can send pictures, but men cannot. However, these are minor disadvantages in the grand scheme of things.
Conclusion
POF has been around in various forms for a long time, and it’s not hard to see why. It has built a solid foundation as a trusted and honest dating platform, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. With tens of millions of users, many of which log in every day, they may just be onto a winning recipe.
There are plenty of free features for everyone to enjoy, and even some exclusive ones that make you want to give them money.
Another standout point that might make you want to give POF a go is the extensive assessment process. If you are looking for as near a “sure thing” as possible, then you can spend a bit of time answering dozens of questions related to your personality and preferences. Once POF has this data, it can provide matches that it believes meet your criteria.
Plenty of Fish has a few flaws, and it’s also not as advanced as some other dating apps and sites out there. Still, regarding functionality and the potential to meet the love of your life, it ticks all the boxes.
Remember that we’re always here to help! You can check out more reviews on different online dating sites and apps to know which suits you best. Be in the know – browse and read through more articles here to be on top of your game.
