What is plenty of fish dating site

Plenty of Fish might be one of the most well-known dating apps out there. This is probably thanks to their “find your other half” commercials that they began running in the early 2000s or their akin to the popular dating phrase “plenty of fish in the sea”. Even those who have been married for decades have likely heard of Plenty of Fish. 

Still, we all know that something being popular doesn’t necessarily make it good. Because of that, we wanted to fish for the truth and see if POF is popular because of a top-notch app or top-notch advertising.

Turns out, Plenty of Fish has gone through quite a few glow-ups over the last 10 years, and there is a lot to discuss. So, if you are interested in figuring out whether POF is the right dating app for you, just take a look through our full Plenty of Fish reviews outlined below.

Is POF Worth It? – The Bottom Line Upfront

POF is an interesting dating site for a few reasons. Years ago, the dating site had a pretty rough reputation mainly surrounding the quality of the members. This was probably due to the fact that the site is largely free to use with minimal barriers to entry. This is a recipe for scammers, spammers, fake accounts, and people looking for something quick.

A few years ago, though POF underwent a complete makeover. They got a brand new site, changed their marketing message, and even upgrade their little fish logo. But did it work?

Well, it depends on how you look at it. Does the site look better? Absolutely. Does the marketing message portray a different type of dating experience? You bet. However, not much at all was done in regards to the barriers to entry. It’s still a completely free dating site that only takes a few minutes to sign up. Yes, they added in some phone number verification steps which have helped some, but it’s still relatively the same process.

Ultimately, we think Plenty of Fish still has some growing to do if it wants to swim in the big leagues. If you have absolutely zero dollars to put towards online dating and are okay swimming in the weeds, it might be worth checking out. But if you’re serious about finding something special (casual or serious), there may be some better options. We’ve included some great alternative dating apps you might want to consider below—with free trials!

Who Plenty of Fish Is Good For

• Old-School dating app users who are looking for a more traditional experience. 
• Those who want to give their dating app a try for free. 

Who Plenty of Fish Might Not Be Best For

• Younger singles might not find what they’re looking for as the average US user skews a little older (35+).
• Singles looking for a more in-depth, personality-based matching system. 
• Those who want to avoid pop-up ads during their free membership. 

Overall POF Rating

6.5/10.0

Pros and Cons of the Plenty of Fish Dating App

Fast Facts About Plenty of Fish

• Site Name: pof.com
• Paid or Free: Paid site with a limited free trial
• Average Sign-Up Time: 2-3 minutes
• Paid Membership Pricing: Plans starting as low as $10.18 per month
• Interesting Facts About the POF App:
  • POF was created in 2003 but got a major rebrand in 2019.
  • Won multiple user-voted awards in early 2021.
  • 4.2 stars and over 1 million reviews on the Apple Store.
  • 3.9 stars and over 1.5 million reviews on Google Play.
  • There are over 100 million registered POF users.

Plenty of Fish Reviews – Table of Contents

What is Plenty of Fish?

Plenty of Fish (POF) is one of the world’s largest online dating services. This Canadian based company was founded in 2003 by CEO Markus Frind 4 years after receiving a degree in computer systems technology from British Colombia Institute of Technology.

Frind ran the site independently until 2008 when the project became more than he could handle alone and he started hiring. This ended up being an excellent decision for Plenty of Fish Media Inc. By 2010, the POF app launched for both iOS and Android pushing the user base to new heights.

Frind was proud of what he had built and the relationships Plenty of fish had created. He once stated that “over one million babies have been born as a result of the website”. A headline sure to grab some attention. And it did…

In fact they caught the attention of the Match Group who bought the POF app in 2015 for a whopping 575 million dollars! With only around 75 employees at the time Frind was said to have personally gained about $525 million.

So what’s changed since Match took over? Honestly, not too much. There were a few matchmaking guidelines changed, but at the end of the day it’s still the same POF app.

Plenty of Fish has continued to grow and now has well over 100 million registered users. They’re also said to have approximately 3 million daily logins and over 2 billion pageviews a week!

POF Features Overview

Live!

Many social platforms have begun implementing a live system thanks to the success and popularity of streaming apps like Twitch and Youtube. Plenty of Fish has jumped on that train as well with their Live! feature. 

POF Live! allows users to live stream themselves for their matches and potential matches to see. It is a fun way to get more info about your personality out there, but is even better as a way to learn more about your matches before wasting too much time. The streams are genuinely fun to participate in and you can pass along virtual gifts to get the attention of the streamer, if you’d like. 

Meet Me

Some dating apps have begun to take inspiration from old-school dating techniques like blind dates and speed dating to come up with exciting ways to implement face-to-face meetups. For Plenty of Fish, that feature is called “Meet Me.”

Using this feature is simple. You are shown a series of photos of singles along with some of their basic info. You swipe right on the photo if you are interested in the person and swipe left if you are not.

When you swipe right on a profile holder who also swiped right on you, a private chat will open to allow you to communicate and decide on meeting up in person. This method of meeting takes away the restriction of personality matching and the like, which some users really enjoy. 

It is like using Tinder, but with the option to switch back to a deeper matching method at any time. 

Priority Messages

If you have done any online dating before, you know that your inbox can get a little wild after some time. Sometimes you can send a message to a match and never hear back. It feels pretty awful, but you might feel better knowing that oftentimes messages are just overlooked and it’s nothing personal. 

Priority messages help you overcome this! Sending a priority message means the message is pushed to the top of that person’s inbox and pinned. It costs 1 token, POF’s in-app currency, which you can get for less than $2 a piece. 

The Quality of Singles at Plenty of Fish

We weren’t overly wowed by the selection and variety of singles on Plenty of Fish, but it wasn’t a bad experience at all. There are plenty of singles to be found in many areas, but the crowd is generally a bit older and a little less tech-savvy. This means that all those high-shooting professionals in fields like tech, engineering, etc, are likely to be found on more modern apps.

Additionally, a review of POF does need to look at the intentions of the singles on the app. We have heard a lot of users report that most of the people they encounter on the app are looking for casual hookups and they’re not that smooth about it. Yes, we’re talking about pictures you may not want to see sent unsolicited and such. It’s certainly not the case for everyone on the app, but we’ve heard the most stories like that coming from this app.

How to Sign Up at POF

You can sign up for POF on their main website or through their app. Both methods are super simple, just take a look through these step-by-step guides:

Signup Up on Desktop:

1. Go to POF’s website and click “Register.”
2. Fill in your email, username choice, and continue through the profile information prompts. 

Signing Up on The App:

1. Download the app from ITunes (Apple Phones) or Google Play (Android Phones).
2. Start the app and fill in your name.
3. Tap on “Sign Up.”
4. Follow the prompts to complete your profile.

Price How Much Does POF Cost?

Customer Support Options

POF has a really great help section on their website and app. It is super easy to find solutions to your problems and search for specific features. They even include video tutorials and interlinking to help you quickly get to all the information you need. 

However, we really dislike when sites don’t have direct contact methods for customer support. You can fill out an email enquiry form through their help page, but that is as far as it goes. No live chat option is available and they specifically state that they have no contact number and if you find one by Googling, “don’t call it because it is a scam.” However, we found a contact phone number listed deep in their terms of service. 

If the company wants to see improvement in its Plenty of Fish reviews, it may really want to improve upon the customer experience starting with better access to customer service.

Get Started Now!

Plenty of Fish FAQ – Answering Questions About POF

Do I Have to Pay for a POF Subscription?

No! You can use POF for free, but your access to features will be limited. Paid members receive access to extended profile viewing, can upload more images, get read receipts, experience no ads, and much more. 

What Can I Use Tokens On?

You can spend your POF Tokens on:

• Boosts
• Super Yes
• Priority Messages

How Much Do Tokens Cost?

Tokens can be purchased for $1.99 a piece. However, you can save money by buying them in bulk. They come in bundles of 10 for $17 ($1.70 a piece) or 5 for $9 (1.80 a piece). 

Are There Young Singles on Plenty of Fish?

About 11% of POF’s users are under 30. So, there are a few younger singles, but not nearly as many as with other dating apps. 

Can You Use the POF App Without Connecting a Phone Number?

No. As a way to keep accounts secure and limit the number of fake profiles you need to connect a mobile number to verify your account when signing up for the POF app. You will not be able to sign in or browse singles until you’ve done this.

Is POF Good for Long-Term Romance?

POF is pretty versatile in their dating approach. It can be a great way to meet new friends, short term romances, steamy hookups, and long-term partners. The only problem is that you might have to weed through a lot of people interested in things you are not. To improve your experience, try to mention your dating goals in your profile information so it is upfront knowledge for your matches.