Sweet and Casual Review

Overview of Sweet and Casual

SweetandCasual.com is a Casual Dating Site designed around Chat and Video to bring people together to flirt, date, or hook up.

One of my favorite features on this site is the Smart Match. They use your personal info (interests and preferences you provide the site in your profile), search, and dating activity to learn more about what you like. They use this info to show you members you’ll be interested in. This is a new technology some dating sites are using and I think it improves the dating experience. If your searches or interests change, the program changes, too.

My least favorite thing about the site is that it isn’t fully free – even if you buy a membership, you have to upgrade to a VIP membership to get the full benefits and experience. This isn’t a surprise, as dating sites and casual hookup sites are rarely free, but the membership structure is a bit of a headache.

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Features and Activities

SweetandCasual gives members a lot of ways to communicate, search and play on the site. This is a big deal – I don’t see many dating sites getting both the tech and the social aspects right.

  • Home – This is your default landing page. It has the features you’ll use when you’re online. This is where you will see notifications, chat alerts, and access your dash.
    • Inbox – Your inbox will show a notification when you have a new message. It will also store past messages. The better membership packages offer longer storage for your chats, and the ability to interact with more people. The VIP membership lets you chat with everyone. I don’t like the different membership levels for communication and permissions. Some of them are confusing, but ultimately, the best deal with most perks is the VIP Upgrade if you want to message people on the site. You can’t use your Inbox if you can’t message anyone…
    • New Members – Members who are new to the site.
    • Your New Matches – These are matches that SweetandCasual suggests for you based on your preferences, previous searches, and site activity. This is where the Smart Match Tool applies.
  • Browse – Look through members by category or view people you’ve interacted with. Choose to see people who are:
    • New – Shows new site members.
    • Online – Shows members who are Online Now and have not hidden themselves. You can choose to remain Offline if you prefer to browse the site privately.
    • Matches – Shows people the site suggests.
    • VIP – Shows VIP Members. You can view these members, but can only interact with them if you have Upgraded to a VIP Membership, in addition to Paid Membership. Consider this section a preview to try to get you to Upgrade if you haven’t done so already.
    • Admirers – People who have Winked at you or Liked your profile.
    • Favorites – Members you have Liked and who have Liked you in return.
    • Visitors – Users who have visited your full Profile to learn more about you.
    • Blocked – Use the Block feature for any member, for any reason. You may even want to block people you know in real life if you are dating discreetly or already in a relationship. This is a feature I appreciate. While I love online dating, there are definitely people I don’t want to interact with more than once… or ever. If you change your mind, you can Unblock them.
  • Profile – See your profile info and edit it as you see fit. The information you give on your profile helps the site find matches for you. Even if you are just using the site to chat with someone or find a hookup, you should fill out your info so your Matches are relevant.
  • Chat – Voice Chat or Video Chat with other users. You can only do this if you have paid for a membership, and even then, you can only Chat with VIP Members if you are one. This is where they nail you down because not being able to chat makes the site kind of hard to use for actual dating.

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  • Inbox – This is where your messages are stored.
  • Flirt – This is a feature that suggests a potential flirt for you based on your preferences. The site keeps track of the Top Flirts of the Week.

Memberships

The free membership on SweetandCasual.com gives you access to basic features of the website, like search, browsing, and accepting messages. If you want to enjoy the site, date, or hook up, you need to upgrade to paid. The structure for upgrading on this website is more complicated than some others I have used.

If you plan to get a paid membership to the site, it is best to buy the VIP add-on as well. There are so many features on here that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade, so my suggestion is to either stay free and just browse the site or to upgrade to a full VIP Membership. Otherwise, you are paying for a service and still not getting access to all the best parts.

The six-month plan is the best deal. Adding the VIP to the Gold Plan is still cheaper each month than the monthly recurring plan. It saves a substantial amount to pick the longer plans, but they are also billed on sign-up, so it is a higher upfront cost.

Upgrade Options:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

Summary

SweetandCasual.com is a quality dating site – I’d pay for it again (and already have). It isn’t glitchy or full of spam and links out to other sites. It runs like a social media site. They review and validate profiles, have good security, and the site always seems busy.

The winning features of this dating site are the Search Function and the Smart Match. The way they work together makes it easy to find Matches. Casual Dating and Hookup Sites are busy. There are a ton of them online, and it can take forever to sift through profiles on the sites, especially on the sites that are slow, don’t have great features, or take you out to different sites with bait and click or pop-ups every time you try to click on the next page. The Smart Match makes this whole thing easier, which is relieving for someone who spends a lot of time on sites that are a nightmare to navigate, much less enjoy.

My least favorite things about the site are the Membership Structure, as I think it could be simplified, and the lack of a Status Update feature. A lot of the new dating sites have Status Updates, and those lend a community feel to the site. You can get to know other members before sending a private message. I’d love to see them add that in the future.

Dating Buddies Review

Overview of Dating Buddies

Datingbuddies.com is a Casual Dating Site designed to help people meet local singles or date online. You can Flirt, Message, Voice Chat, Video Chat, and Date. I think the site does a good job of catering to a new generation of online daters. People want different things. Not everyone wants a relationship and not everyone wants a hookup. This site lets you find people without the hassle of trying to weed out people who just want a quick hookup and people who want to find someone for a serious relationship. Apart from the good work they’ve done with the advanced search and organising the site, they’ve also managed to make it fun. It’s a very busy dating site with a ton of new members and regulars. I love this site – it’s probably one of the best dating sites I have reviewed in a while.

One of my favorite features is the Smart Match technology DatingBuddies uses to make the search and site relevant for members. They use the personal info you give in your profile, your preferences, searches, and site activity (likes, winks, flirts, chats) to learn about what you like. The Smart Match program uses the info to show search results, flirts, and members you’ll be interested in. If you want a Local Single Blonde, you can find it. If you want a relationship with Black Christian Singles, you can do that, too. This is a newer technology some of the best online dating sites are using and I think it improves the dating experience. If your searches or interests change, the program adjusts, too. You can always still search for people outside your normal preferences by using the Search Bar.

The biggest critique I have for this site is that it is not a fully free dating site. You need a paid membership to use Messaging, Voice Chat, and Video Chat. In order to interact with VIP Members, you need the VIP Upgrade on top of the Silver or Gold Membership.

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Features and Activities

The Dating Buddies Site focuses heavily on direct communication vs social media/public communication. There’s no Status Update or Community Forum. This is designed to help you reach out to people one on one (or two on one if you’re looking for a local threesome or couple). You can use the features to Flirt and reach out, or to Message and Chat directly. It is a big deal for me that they got the communication tools down so well. It isn’t very often that I review or use sites that let you get right to a Fast Online Chat, but also have good tech features and a site that isn’t scammy and glitchy.

  • Home – This is your default landing page. It has all the features you’ll use when you’re online. This is where you will see Alerts, Chat Requests, Messages, and access your Dashboard for activities or to Browse by category. If you want to do a Search or Advanced Search you can do that from here, too.
    • Mail – There is an Envelope or Mail Icon that will alert you when you have a new Request to Chat or Message another member. It will also store your past Messages. The paid membership packages offer longer storage for your Chats, and the permission to see and interact with more people. The VIP membership lets you Message anyone and keep your Chats indefinitely. I don’t like the different levels for communication and permissions. Some of them are confusing, but ultimately, the best deal with most perks is the Paid Plan + VIP if you want to Message people on the site at all.
    • New Members – See who’s new to the site. There are a LOT of new members all the time, so this is a feature I like because I can see new profiles and reach out to them right away. The flip side of a busy site is that there is a bit of fighting for attention.
    • Your New Matches – These are matches that the Smart Match feature comes up with for you based on all the info you give and your site activity.
  • Browse – Look through members by category or view people you’ve interacted with. Choose to see people who are:
    • New – Shows new site members.
    • Online – Shows members who are Online Now and have not hidden themselves. You can choose to remain Offline if you like to play on the the site in private.
    • Matches – Shows people the site suggests as Matches.
    • VIP – Shows VIP Members. You can view these many of these members (not all), but can only interact with them if you have Upgraded to a VIP Membership, in addition to Gold or Silver Subscription. If you aren’t a VIP Member, this section a tease to try to get you to add it.
    • Admirers – Members who’ve Winked at you or Liked your Profile.
    • Favorites – Mutual Likes and Winks.
    • Visitors – Members who have visited your full Profile to learn more about you.
    • Blocked – Use the Block feature for any member who is harassing you or making you uncomfortable (or any other reason, you may want to block people you know if you are dating discreetly). This is a feature I really appreciate, and I like that I don’t have to search for it. While I like chatting and dating online, there are definitely people I don’t want to interact with more than once… or ever. If you ever change your mind, you can Unblock whenever you want.
  • Profile –The information you give on your profile helps the site find matches for you. Fill it out completely so the Smart Match can do what it does so well.
  • Chat – Voice Chat or Video Chat with members. You can only Chat if you have paid for a Gold or Silver Package. You can only Chat with VIPs if you have also added the VIP to your Profile. This is where they nail you down for the Full Membership because not being able to chat takes away all the site’s best features.

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  • Flirt – Shows people to Flirt with, based on the info the Smart Match tool collects. The Top Flirts of the Week are on the Home Page of the website. This is a cool feature because it can be harder to get noticed or have Flirts returned on busy sites like this. The Top Flirts are the members who have interacted and Flirted the most, so if you’re active onsite, you have a chance to get featured on the Home Page.

Memberships

The free membership on DatingBuddies lets you use basic features, like simple Search, limited Browsing, and reading Mail. If you want to use the various Chat features, see all the Members when you Browse, and connect with anyone you want, you need to upgrade. The choices for upgrading on this website are a little more complicated than some others I have used.

If you’re going to get a Silver or Gold Plan, you should really just buy the VIP, too. There are so many features on here that you can’t use if you don’t, so my suggestion is to get a full VIP Membership so that you’re getting the most for your money. If you can’t connect, there’s really no point to using a dating site, especially paying for it!

The six-month plan is the best deal, and even adding the VIP plan makes it less per month than the monthly paid plan. They are also billed when you sign up, so it is a higher cost upfront. If you prefer making payments via phone, you can do that, too.

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Member Upgrades:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

Summary

DatingBuddies.com is one of the Best Free Dating Sites I have reviewed, even if it isn’t really free (spoiler: none of them are). It functions like a social media dating site, centered around Messaging and Chat. They have a good system for reviewing and validating profiles, getting rid of trolls and fake accounts, good site security, and the members are really active.

The winning feature of this site is the Smart Match. It makes it much easier to find people you’re attracted to, members who are looking for the same kind of interaction or relationship you are and weed out the members you have no interest in. This saves a lot of time, chatting with people who want something different and sifting through profiles of people who aren’t your type.

My least favorite things about the site are the Membership Structure, as I think it could be simplified, and the lack of a Status Update feature. A lot of the new dating sites have Status Updates, and they make the dating sites really fun. They become a place to hang out and chat with others, even if you don’t want to date them. It also gives you the advantage of seeing how people interact and talk before you start a one-on-one chat with them. I’d love to see them add that in the future.

Overall, DatingBuddies.com is designed well, runs well, and is worth the money if you are willing to purchase the Membership and VIP. If the VIP add-on is not in your budget, I’d suggest you try a one-month or three-month plan to see if you like the site before making a six-month commitment. I ended up getting the six-month membership because I like this site so much.

Uniform Buddies Review

Overview of Uniform Buddies

Uniformbuddies.net is a dating site for cops and firefighters. Any profession with a uniform is welcome, not just single cops. Many of the members are not LEO at all but are turned on by the badge or tool belt and want to date someone in a uniform. This site centers around chat and video chat, but also has local search features to find local dates or relationships.

One of my favorite features on UniformBuddies is the Smart Match technology used to make the search and site relevant for users. You can look for something as specific as “local single firefighters” or broaden your search to a profession, body type, age range, and more. The Smart Match Tool uses your search history on the site, your site activity, and the personal info you provide in your profile to show matches that are more compatible and in line with your preferences. This means that if you are really only want to date local hot EMTs, and you search versions of that, or click on profiles that match that, the site recognizes the pattern and continues to show you more of the same. You can still search for matches outside what you normally like by using the Search tools rather than the Matching tools. If your preferences change over time, so does what the site shows you. That is why this is my favorite feature – it makes it really easy to find what you want without digging through a ton of profiles that don’t interest you.

The biggest critique I have for this site is that it is not a fully free dating site – even if you buy a membership, you have to upgrade to a VIP membership to get full access to all the features. I also wish they would put up a Status Update feature or some kind of Chat Forum on the site to make the site more social. Some of my favorite dating sites have these kinds of social media integrations and I connect with a lot of people using those kinds of tools.

Features and Activities

UniformBuddies offers it’s members several ways to search, communicate, and play. This is a bigger deal than you might think – I don’t see a lot of sites getting both the tech and the social aspects right. It’s often one or the other, and sometimes neither. This site manages to bring together great tech (Smart Match) and active social features (Flirt and Video Chat) to make it productive and fun.

Memberships

The free police dating site is really a myth. Not just on this site, but all over the web. Most dating sites offer free membership to get you on the site and then ask you to upgrade in order to chat or date. UniformBuddies is no different. The Standard Membership gives you access to the most basic features of the website, like search, browsing, and accepting incoming messages. If you want to use the better features of the site, you have to pay. The structure for upgrading on this website is a little more complicated than some others I have reviewed.

There are 3 Premium Upgrade Options:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

If you plan to get a paid membership to the site, it’s best to just suck it up and buy the VIP add-on with the monthly. There are so many features on here that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade to a full VIP Membership that you’re wasting money by NOT buying it, as backward as that sounds.

The six-month plan is the best deal, and even adding the VIP plan makes it less per month than the monthly recurring plan. The flip side is that while it saves a substantial amount of money to pick the longer plans, they are also billed on sign-up for the whole package, so it is a higher upfront cost.

Summary

UniformBuddies.net is a good uniform dating site, with a high population and some great features. They have a good system for reviewing and validating profiles, good site security, and the members are active.

The winning features of this dating site are the Search Function and the Smart Match, hands down. The way they work together makes it easy to find compatible matches.

My least favorite thing about the site is the Membership Package + VIP Add-on headache. I don’t think the price is unfair – it is similar to what other sites are charging. It’s also not unique in offering the Add-On. I guess I’m just grumpy and prefer to have things as simple as possible, which for me would mean 2-3 straight membership choices, with the highest giving access to everything.

I do also think that adding more social media tools and activities would be great for the site. They give dating sites a community feels. You can get to know other members before checking out the profiles and interact through conversations and replies. I’d love to see them add that in the future. I think it’s especially important on niche dating sites where it’s nice to see if people can interact and chat normally before talking one on one.

Overall, UniformBuddies.net is well put together, isn’t scammy or glitchy, has a lot of members, great tech, and fun features. It is worth the cash for the membership if you purchase the add-on. If the VIP add-on is not in your budget, I’d suggest starting with a one-month membership to see if you like the site, even with the limited benefits.

Lonely Parents Date

Overview of Lonely Parents Date

LonelyParentsDate.com is a Single Parent Dating Site. This site focuses on Chat and Video Chat to date online or long-distance, but also has local search features to find Local Dates with Single Parents.

One of my favorite features on LonelyParentsDate is the Smart Match Tool. You can look for something as specific as “Single Moms Over Thirty” or use the Advanced Filters to include a profession, body type, race, and more. Smart Match uses your search history on the site, your site activity, and the personal info you provide in your profile to show Matches that are compatible. This means that if you only want to date Christian Single Dads, and you search versions of that the site recognizes the pattern and continues to show you more of the same. You can still search for matches outside your normal preferences by using the Search Bar. If your desires change, so do your Matches. That’s why I think it’s the best feature – it makes it easy to find what you want without digging through a ton of profiles you’re not interested in.

The biggest critique I have for this site is that it is not really a free dating website – even if you buy a membership, you still need to upgrade to a VIP membership to get full benefits. I’d also like to see them put up a Status Update area or some kind of Public Chat on the site to make it more social. Some of my favorite dating sites have these kinds of social media tools and I like to see people interacting on them before messaging someone.

Features and Activities

There are a lot of great features on this site, but most of them are benefits for Paid Members. If you want to browse the site before making a commitment, there are lots of ways to do that, too.

Memberships

The “Free Single Parents Dating Site with No Hidden Fees” is, unfortunately, a pipe dream. Most dating sites offer free membership to get you on the site but then ask you to upgrade to Chat or Date. LonelyParents is no different. The Free Join lets you try out the most basic features of the website, like Basic Search and Browsing a limited number of profiles. If you want to use the good features on the site, you have to pay. The structure for upgrading on this website is a bit of a headache, but if you just remember that you can’t do much without paying, and you still can’t do everything without the VIP, you’ll be fine.

Upgrade Options:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

If you plan to get a paid membership to the site, it’s best to just suck it up and buy the VIP add-on, too. There are so many features on this site that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade that you’re wasting money by NOT buying it.

The six-month plan is the best deal and adding the VIP plan still makes it cheaper per month than the monthly membership. The flip side is that while it saves a substantial amount to pick the longer plans, they are also billed on sign-up for the whole package, so it’s a higher price to start.

Summary

LonelyParentsDate.com is a good Single Parents Dating Site. It has a lot of members, it’s busy and it has some fun features. They have a system in place to validate profiles, good site security, and a responsive help desk. This is all important because you can never be too careful as a single parent.

The winning features of this dating site are the Search Function and the Smart Match, hands down. The way they work together makes it easy to find compatible matches without wasting time.

My least favorite thing about the site is the Membership Package + VIP Add-On headache. I don’t think the price is awful – it’s what other sites are charging, too. It’s also not unique in offering the Add-On. I just like things to be streamlined so I don’t have to pore over a chart to see what I get for my money. Just take my cash and let me chat with who I want!

I think that adding more social media tools and activities would be good, too. They give dating sites a community feel. You can get to know other members before checking out the profiles and interact through conversations and replies. I’d love to see them add that at some point. I think it’s important on niche dating sites because you can see how people communicate and behave before talking one on one.

This is a site I would pay for again. It is nice to be on a site that is well-designed and doesn’t have a scammy feel to it.

Late Summer Love Review

Overview of Late Summer Love

LateSummerLove.com is an online dating site for people over 40. This site’s central features are the Chat and Video Chat. One of my favorite features is the Smart Match technology they use to make the search and site relevant. This tech uses your search history, your activity on the site, and the interests and preferences you provide when filling out your profile to learn more about what you like and who you want to see. I think it improves the dating experience, as you don’t have to sift through thousands of profiles to find what you like. If your searches or interests change over time, the program adjusts and shows your newer preferences. You can still search for specific categories if you want to find someone different than your usual type.

LateSummerLove also has a good verification system and bans trolls and fake profiles, which is nice on dating sites because you want to know who you’re really chatting with. This is probably not foolproof, but it’s a good base layer of protection.

My main gripe with this site is that even if you pay to upgrade to a membership, you need the VIP add-on to get full access to all the features that make this site fun.

Features and Activities

LateSummerLove uses Chat and Video Chat as the main ways to communicate. There’s also a Flirt feature that acts as a matching game and lets you Flirt and interact with other members. I do wish they would add a Status Update to the Home Screen as another way to communicate and play on the site, as I think that sites with those tend to have a more active membership and social media feel.

Memberships

The free trial membership on LateSummerLove lets you use a few basic features of the website, like search, browsing, and accepting incoming messages. Using the site as it’s intended, for Chat, Video Chats, and Flirts requires you to upgrade your membership. The structure for upgrading on this website is more complicated than some of the other sites I have reviewed. Rather than a few choices, you have a few choices PLUS the option of an additional layer of benefits that you can only get with the VIP add-on. Even if you buy the membership, the VIP add-on is a must if you want to enjoy the site and interact with members to find a Match or Chat.

The six-month plan is the best deal, as even adding the VIP plan makes it less per month than the Pay by Month Plan. It saves a lot of money to pick the longer plans, but they are also billed upfront so it is a higher initial cost. If you have trouble making payments online or don’t like to have your personal account info on websites, they have a phone number you can call instead.

There are 3 Premium Upgrade Options:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

Help and Support

This website has a good Help and Support feature and team. There are site moderators to deal with issues like harassment, fake profiles, and people who are misusing the features. There is also a FAQ Page that lists the most common questions people have about the site. If you can’t find the answer there, you can contact the Help Desk for support. They can help you with anything from setting up your profile to payment to issues with another user. I contacted them to test the service and was pleased with the response time. They answered all my questions and were easy to understand.

Summary

LateSummerLove.com is one of my preferred Over 50 or Senior Dating Sites. I’ve used and reviewed others that I have found lacking in either technical features or layout or that have just not had a very active site. This site works well on both the desktop and mobile versions. They have a good system for reviewing and validating profiles, good site security, and the site is usually fairly busy.

The best features are the Smart Match and the Search. They work together to make it easier to find a good match. I like that I don’t have to dig through the site to find people that fit my preferences.

My least favorite thing about the site is the way Memberships work. I think it could be combined to make it simpler for users. I’d rather pay a little more than to have to choose from 6 different options and be confused about what’s included in my plan.

Overall, LateSummerDate.com is a good site and is worth the price of membership, provided you buy the VIP add-on. If the VIP Membership isn’t in your budget, I’d suggest starting with a one-month membership to see if you like using the site with the limited features.

Disabled Buddies Review

Overview of Disabled Buddies

Disabledbuddies.com is an online dating site created to bring people with disabilities together to flirt, chat, video chat, and date. I think this site does a good job of catering to a specific population without being ableist or exploitive, which is always something to consider when looking at a targeted site like this. Apart from the decent job they do with things like language, accessibility, and inclusion, they also have a site that looks great, is well organized and easy to use.

One of my favorite features is the Smart Match tech this site uses to make the search and site relevant for its users. They use your personal info (interests and preferences you provide the site in your profile), search history, and activity to learn more about what you like. They use this info to show you members you’ll be interested in. This is a newer technology some dating sites are using and I think it improves the dating experience quite a bit. If your searches or interests change, the program adjusts.

The biggest critique I have for this site is that it is not a fully free site – even if you buy a membership, you have to upgrade to a VIP membership to get full access to all the features. The site can sometimes get slow and show more regular members than new members at times. Offsetting that, there are always members Online Now to chat with.

Features and Activities

Disabledbuddies offers users a lot of ways to communicate, search, and play on the site. This is a bigger deal than it might seem – I don’t see a lot of sites getting both the tech and the social aspects right. It’s often one or the other, and sometimes neither.

Memberships

The free membership on Disabled Buddies gives you access to the most basic features of the website, like search, browsing, and accepting incoming messages. If you want to use the better features of the site, you need to upgrade your membership. The structure for upgrading on this website is a little more complicated than some others I have used or reviewed.

If you plan to get a paid membership to the site, it is best to just suck it up and buy the VIP add-on as well. There are so many features on here that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade, so my suggestion is to either stay free and just browse the site or to upgrade to a full VIP Membership so that you’re getting the most for your money.

The six-month plan is the best deal, and even adding the VIP plan makes it less per month than the monthly recurring plan. It saves a substantial amount to pick the longer plans, but they are also billed on sign-up, so it is a higher upfront cost. If you have trouble making payments online and would like help, they have a phone number you can call.

There are 3 Premium Upgrade Options:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

Summary

DisabledBuddies.com is a high-quality site. I have used and reviewed some websites for disabled dating in the past, and I found some of them to be less thought out, less inclusive, and a tad predatory. This site doesn’t feel like a scam. It isn’t glitchy or full of spam and links out to other sites. It functions more like a social media platform centered around messaging and chat. They have a good system for reviewing and validating profiles, good site security, and the members are active.

The winning features of this dating site are the Search Function and the Smart Match. The way they work together makes it easy to find people you’re interested in, which could be more specific on a site like this where you might be looking for someone with similar strengths or challenges.

My least favorite things about the site are the Membership Structure, as I think it could be simplified, and the lack of a Status Update feature. A lot of the new dating sites have Status Updates, and those lend a community feels to the site. You can get to know other members before checking out the profiles and interact through conversations and replies. I’d love to see them add that in the future.

Overall, DisabledBuddies.com is designed well, runs well, and is worth the money if you purchase the add-on. If the VIP add-on is not in your budget, I would highly suggest starting with a one-month membership to see if you like the site, even with the limited benefits.

Chubby Buddies Review

Overview of Chubby Buddies

Chubbybuddies.net is a dating site designed to bring Big and Beautiful Singles together. This website advertises that they cater to BBW Singles and Curvy Singles and people who might not be Chubby but can appreciate some Fluff. You can choose from preferred body types and lots of specific details, or you can use a broader search. This site relies largely on Chat and Video Chat as the main social features. It’s a global dating site, so it has members all over the world if you want to date online but does have Search Filters to find local BBW dates or long-term relationships.

The best feature on Chubby Buddies is the Smart Match Technology they use to make the site better for members. You can search the site for something as specific as “Local BBW Dates” or use the Advanced Search tool to choose from other categories. Then the Smart Match uses your Search History on this dating site, your activity, and the personal info you put in your profile to show matches that are compatible. For example, if you only want to date Big Black Women, and you search versions of that or view those profiles, the matching feature recognizes the pattern and continues to show you more of the same things you are telling it you like to see.

You can still search for matches outside your normal preferences by using the Search functions. If what you like changes, so does what you see on the site. That’s why this is my favorite feature – it makes it simple to find what you want without going through tons of profiles that aren’t relevant. It can be really frustrating to be on a site and clicking through endless pages of people you have no interest in.

My least favorite thing is that it’s not a fully free dating site – if you buy a three-month or six-month membership you get better access to the site, but you still have to add a VIP upgrade to get full access to all the best features. I’d also like to see them add a Status Update feature or some version of public chat to make the main pages of the site more social. Some of my favorite dating sites have these kinds of social media tools and I’ve found connecting and interacting a lot easier when there’s a way to start a convo without messaging as the first move.

Features and Activities

ChubbyBuddies has a lot of ways to connect and get to know the other members. This is a bigger deal than you might think – I don’t see a lot of sites getting both the tech and the social aspects right. It’s often one or the other, and sometimes neither. This site manages to combine great tech (with the Smart Match) and active social features (like the Flirt and Video Chat) in a way that works really well. You do have to have a paid membership to do all of these things, so keep that in mind.

  • Home – You’ll see this page every time you log in. Your Notifications, Messages, Chats, Activity, Member Pics, Flirts, and Your New Matches are all accessible from here.
    • Inbox – There’s a large envelope icon on the screen that will tell you when you have a new message.
    • New Members – See who’s new. This site is a lot busier than some of the other sites I have been reviewing lately, and it was refreshing to see all the new faces coming up in the New Members feeds.
    • Your New Matches – These are matches ChubbyBuddies suggests for you because of your Likes, Searches, and Activity. This is where the Smart Match Tool I talked about in the Intro comes into play.
  • Browse – Browse members by category or see people you’ve Flirted, Chatted, or Messaged with. Pick from the choices on the dashboard to see people who are:
    • New – Shows new members.
    • Online – Shows people who are Online Now. You can check “Offline” if you want to search the site discreetly.
    • Matches – Shows compatible Members.
    • VIP – Shows VIPs. You can see many of these members, but can only connect with them if you have a VIP Membership.
    • Admirers – People who’ve Liked your profile.
    • Favorites – People you’ve Liked and who have Liked you, too.
    • Visitors – Members who have visited your full Profile to learn more about you.
    • Blocked – Use the Block feature for any reason. You can Unblock at any time, which I really like. Sometimes I need a break from members on dating sites but want to see them again later.
  • Profile – View your profile information to edit and add to it. The more you update your profile, the higher you’ll rank in Search. The details you provide help the site find you compatible Matches. Even if you’re just using the site to Video Chat or talk to BBW singles, you’ll want a full profile so your Searches are more relevant.
  • Chat – Chat and Video Chat are the main ways to connect on the site, but again, only if you’re a Paid Member. This is where they convince you to buy the Gold Membership and VIP Package. This site is fun and busy, but if you can’t chat or interact, it makes the site pointless unless you’re using it to look at pics, which you can do anywhere online.

  • Flirt – This is a social game that shows you members to Flirt with and keeps track of Top Flirts of the Week – the people who’ve Flirted the most. This is something that can get you seen by more members and featured on the Home Page, so if being noticed is one of your goals on the site, this feature might help.

Memberships

The “Free Big and Beautiful Dating Site with No Hidden Fees” is really just a fairytale. Sadly. Not just on this site, and not just with Chubby Singles Sites, but all over the internet. Dating websites usually let you sign up for free, but that is much different than using the site for free. Once you get in, they ask you to upgrade so you can Message and Video Chat. ChubbyBuddies is no exception. The Free Standard Membership gives you enough access to use the most basic tools, like search, browsing, and accepting incoming messages – just enough to get you interested. If you want to use the good features of the site, you need a Membership and the VIP Upgrade.

There are 3 Basic Upgrade Options, Plus the Add-On:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

If you plan to be a Paid Member, it’s best to just suck it up and get the VIP add-on, too. There are some great features on here that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade to a full Membership. Upgrading without also buying the VIP is a waste of money, as backward as that seems (even to me).

The Gold Plan is the best value, and even adding the VIP Plan to it makes it less per month than the monthly recurring plan. The flip side is that while it saves a huge amount of money to buy the longer plans, they are charged at the time of sign-up for the whole package, so it ends up being more upfront.

Summary

ChubbyBuddies.com is one of the best BBW Dating Websites I’ve reviewed, and there are a lot of them because it’s a popular niche. This one is really well populated, with a lot of new members coming in. It has good features for interacting and dating. They have a good system for making sure profiles are real and not trolls, great security, and the members are active (this matters because it’s not fun to try to find a date on a dead site).

The winning features of this dating site are the Search and the Smart Match. The way they work together to show compatible matches and learn your preferences makes it easier and faster to find what you want.

The worst thing about the site is the way they offer Memberships. I don’t have an issue with the price. It’s on par with what others are charging. They’re also not the only ones using the Add-On as a separate option. I just prefer things as easy as possible, and this seems to be the opposite of that.

Overall, I like the layout and theme. It isn’t glitchy, has a lot of members and makes good use of new tech. It’s worth the price for the membership if you purchase the VIP. If the VIP add-on isn’t in your budget, I’d start with one month to see if you like the site with the limited benefits. I would pay for this site again.

Christian Buddies Review

Overview of Christian Buddies

Christianbuddies.net is a Christian dating site designed to bring religious singles together. This website advertises that they understand Christian Dating Principles and can help Christians meet and date in a safe and wholesome environment. You can choose from several denominations and belief groups if you want to find someone who shares your specific religion. This site centers around chat and video chat to get to know people all over the world, but also has local search features to find local dates or long-term relationships.

The best feature on Christian Buddies is the Smart Match Tool they use to make the Matches relevant for users. You can search the site for something as specific as “local single Christians” or broaden your search to a denomination, profession, height, age, and more. Smart Match uses your search history within the dating site, your site activity, and the personal details you add to your profile to show matches that are compatible and fit your needs. This means that if you are really only want to date local Catholic women, and you search versions of that or view those profiles, the matching feature recognizes the pattern and continues to show you more of the same. You can still search for matches outside your normal preferences by using the Search functions. If your wants and needs change, so does what you see on the site. That’s why this is my favorite feature – it makes it simple to find what you want without going through tons of profiles that aren’t relevant.

The biggest critique I have for this site is that it is not a fully free dating site. If you buy a three-month or six-month membership you get better access to the site, but you still have to add a VIP upgrade to get full access to all the best features. I’d also like to see them add a Status Update feature or some version of public chat or profile interaction on the site to make it more social. Some of my favorite dating sites have these kinds of social media tools and I found connecting and interacting a lot easier when there’s a way to break the ice.

Features and Activities

ChristianBuddies offers its members many ways to interact. This is a bigger deal than you might think – I don’t see a lot of sites getting both the tech and the social aspects right. It’s often one or the other, and sometimes neither. This site manages to bring together great tech (Smart Match) and active social features (Flirt and Video Chat) to make it productive and fun.

Memberships

The “Free Christian Dating Site with No Hidden Fees” is sadly a fairytale. Not just on this site, and not just with Christian Singles Sites, but all over the web. Dating sites usually let you join free, which is much different than using the site for free. Once you get to the site and signed up, they ask you to upgrade so you can Message and Chat. ChristianBuddies is no exception. The Free Membership gives you access to the most basic tools, like search, browsing, and accepting incoming messages – just enough to get you interested in the site and the members. If you want to use the best features of the site, you must pay for a Membership and Upgrade. The Membership Options on this site are a little more complicated than some others I have reviewed.

There are 3 Basic Upgrade Options, Plus the Add-On:

1-month membership at $39.99/month

3-month membership at $29.99/month

6-month membership at $24.99/month

If you plan to join the site as a Paid Member, it’s best to just suck it up and buy the VIP add-on with one of the monthly plans. There are some great features on here that you can’t use if you don’t upgrade to a full VIP Membership. Upgrading without also buying the VIP is a waste of money, as odd as that seems (even to me).

The six-month Gold Plan is the best value, and even adding the VIP Plan to it makes it less per month than the monthly recurring plan. The flip side is that while it saves a huge amount of money to buy the longer plans, they are billed at the time of sign-up for the whole term, so it ends up being a higher upfront cost.

Summary

ChristianBuddies.net is one of the best Christian Dating Sites I have reviewed. It’s got a lot of members, a decent price, and some great features. They have a good system for reviewing and validating profiles, great security, and the members are active (this matters because it’s not fun to hang out on a dead site).

The winning features of this particular site are the Search Function and the Smart Match, for sure. The way they work together to show compatible matches and learn your preferences makes it easier and faster to find what you want.

The worst thing about the site is the Membership Package + VIP Add-On. I don’t even think the price is outrageous – it is what other sites are charging. It’s also not alone in using the Add-On as a separate option. I guess I just prefer to make things as easy as possible, and this seems to be opposite of that.

Adding more social media features would also be a positive thing for this site. These kinds of communication tools give dating websites a community feel. You can get to know other members before checking out the profiles and interact through conversations and replies. I’d like to see them add that. I think it’s especially important on niche dating sites where it’s nice to gauge how people behave before interacting.

Overall, ChristianBuddies.net is designed well. I like the layout and theme. It isn’t scammy or glitchy, has a lot of members, makes good use of technology, and has fun social features. It’s worth the price for the membership if you purchase the VIP, too. If the VIP add-on isn’t in your budget, I’d suggest starting with a one-month membership to see if you like the site, even with the limited benefits.