What Is Zoosk?

Zoosk is a dating service that shows you local singles and helps you find your perfect match. It's better for people who are looking for love and long-term relationships than those seeking something casual. Created in the days before all dating apps needed a gimmick to stand out from the crowd, Zoosk does not have all the bells and whistles. However, it is a great option for general dating or for easing into the online dating world if it's new to you.

This Zoosk review will outline the site's pros and cons, the account quality, and standout features. We'll walk you through the login and registration process, as well as how to create a complete profile. Safety measures on the site will be discussed, along with detailed information on Zoosk's pricing. Finally, we'll conclude with some final thoughts and FAQs. If you're considering Zoosk, keep reading to determine if it meets your needs.

Pros

• The matching algorithm shows you some personalized picks each day.

• Premium is reasonably priced.

• Great Zoosk app is available on iOS and Android.

• Incredibly easy to use.

Cons

• You need to pay to view messages.

• Very few photo-verified profiles

• It can be confusing – sometimes you can view people's profiles, sometimes you can't. 

Login Process 

The Zoosk sign-up process takes about 5 minutes and begins on the home page, offering three options. Firstly, you can connect your Google or Facebook Account. Alternatively, you can manually enter your information and sign up without linking to another account. In this case, you'll need to specify your gender, the gender you're interested in, and your birth date.

You'll also need to enter your email address and create a strong password, confirm you're a human, and click Sign Up. You'll then be guided through a 10-step process, which kicks off with your location. After entering your city or postal code, you're asked for your name and prompted to add your first photo. Next, you'll answer some questions to start completing your profile, including whether you have children, your highest level of education, and your ethnicity.

The last few questions are about your height, smoking habits, and the type of relationship you're looking for. The last step is confirming your email address by clicking the link emailed to you. Alternatively, you can confirm by linking your Facebook or Google accounts.

Profile Completion 

On the Zoosk site, the first part of your profile includes your name, birthdate, location, and photo, which you completed while creating your profile. Some tips are available here if you need some advice on the best images. You can upload up to six photos.

The Basic Information section has questions about your physical information, like your height, body type, gender, and ethnicity. There are also questions about your lifestyle information, like if you have kids or not, whether you smoke, your religion, and your education level. It also asks about your relationship status, the gender you're interested in, and what you're seeking on Zoosk.

Finally, there's an About Me section where you can choose up to 10 interests from a list and answer up to 4 Icebreakers to add them to your profile. Icebreakers are becoming increasingly popular on dating sites and consists of prompts that encourage you to write a few words in response. They can be a great way to showcase your personality and provide conversation starters. Some of the prompts include things like:

• Surprising fact about me

• A non-negotiable

• On a deserted island, I would need…

User Account Quality

Zoosk Dating boasts over 47 million members worldwide, although it's unclear how many of these are currently active. Our test profiles revealed that many members appeared to have abandoned their profiles after a few days. Like most dating sites, Zoosk tends to have a higher user population in densely populated areas such as cities. Additionally, most profiles include pictures, which is a good sign.

There are also a few profiles that have done one of the forms of verification, which is comforting and suggests a level of reliability in the profiles. Many profiles have linked their Facebook or Google accounts or verified their phone numbers, while only a few have completed the photo verification process.

Dating Features 

SmartPick

The Zoosk dating site and app have developed (and trademarked) a dating algorithm designed to show you someone they think is a great match for you. This utilizes a "Behavioral Matchmaking engine" that observes your actions on the site and shows you matches based on the sort of people it thinks you like. The more you use the site, the better your matches will be.

So, what is a Smart Pick on Zoosk? Your Smart Picks are the matches that you'll be shown. Once you view a SmartPick, you have 24 hours to react by either liking or passing on it before the time runs out and the match expires. This feature is premium, so you'll need to purchase a subscription to gain full access. With a free profile, you can only view one SmartPick at a time, and you're unable to like them; you can only pass on them.

Super Send

The Zoosk dating app and site offer a Super Send feature, allowing you to send either a like or a message to 'hundreds of recipients at once.' However, you cannot choose the recipients. While this feature is promoted as a means to attract attention, it often prompts users to purchase a subscription because free members cannot read messages without one.

If you're unsure what to say, you can either just send a like or pick from a list of pre-written messages. Some are plain, some are funny, and some are flirty. This is a useful feature for those who aren't naturally charismatic. It can be a little misleading, however, because you may think you've received a message from someone interested in you specifically, just to find out that it was a broadcast that was sent to hundreds of members. 

Carousel

Another way to browse profiles on the site is to play around on the Carousel. But what is Carousel on Zoosk? This feature shows you members' profile pictures and ages, but you cannot view any more of their profiles. You can either like them, pass on them, or select 'Maybe.' If you accidentally passed on someone you wanted to like, you can use the Undo button by purchasing the Instant Crush feature. 

As you swipe through profiles, the Carousel has a counter that approaches 100%. Once you've swiped through enough profiles to reach 100%, Zoosk shows you someone it thinks you'll get along with. This is a way to gather information to enhance your SmartPicks and see personalized matches for free.

Prices & Costs 

Like most other dating sites, Zoosk is monetized through on-site ads and additional purchases. Three products are available: a subscription, coins, or Instant Crush.

Subscription

As it has become a standard in online dating, Zoosk places communication behind a paywall. While sending messages is free, you'll need a subscription to read your messages, communicate with other members and access additional benefits such as:

• Sending unlimited winks and messages.

• Accessing your full list of SmartPicks.

• Viewing the complete profiles of people who have checked you out.

Subscriptions are available for varying lengths, but you'll pay for the entire period upfront. These will auto-renew at the end of the period. So, how much is Zoosk?

• 6 Months: $74.99  ($12.50 per month)

• 3 Months: $59.95 ($19.98 per month)

• 1 Month: $29.95

With your subscription, you can message other members. However, free members cannot view your messages or reply. To address this, you can add Premium Messaging to your monthly subscription for an additional $9.99. This feature allows free members to respond to your messages without purchasing their own subscription. Premium Messaging lasts for the same duration as your subscription.

Coins

On Zoosk, you can use coins to enhance your experience. Coins can be used to Boost your account, get read receipts on your messages, use Invisible mode, or send virtual gifts.

• Boosting your profile costs 150 coins and adds you to a sidebar on the Carousel, giving you much more visibility and exposure.

• Read receipts cost 35 coins per message, and inform you when your message has been received.

• Invisible mode allows you to browse profiles without members being notified. It lasts for 30 minutes and costs 30 coins.

• Virtual gifts range in cost from 10 to 100 coins and include stickers such as a teddy bear, box of chocolates, martini, diamond ring, etc.

Coins cost:

• 180 coins: $19.95

• 480 coins: $39.95

• 1800 coins: $99.95

Instant Crush

You can also purchase an upgrade called Instant Crush, which will be valid for a month. This upgrade gives you 5 Crushes a day and unlimited Undo's to use on the Carousel game. Clicking the like on the Carousel sends the member a like, but you can send a Crush instead if you want to stand out from the crowd. 

Sending a Crush will notify the person differently than sending a normal like. Additionally, you'll be highlighted in the search tab when they browse profiles and in their inbox, potentially prompting them to check out your profile. Instant Crush costs $9.99 per month.

How Safe Is Zoosk.com? 

Profile Verification

The Zoosk website offers various methods to verify your identity, including email, Facebook, Twitter, and photo verification. Email verification is completed during profile creation. These methods confirm that you're a real person and not a bot, although they do not verify that you're using your own photos.

The photo verification option confirms that you're a genuine user using your face and not impersonating someone else. This process is available only on the app and entails uploading a video of yourself. In the video, you're prompted to look straight ahead and turn your head to the left and right. The moderation team reviews this video to ensure that you resemble your photos. The verification process is not visible on your profile. Overall, this feature is an excellent way to prevent catfishing.

Fake/Test Profiles

If you're unsure whether the person you're chatting with is real, you may have reason to be cautious. According to Section 3(d) of the Terms of Use, not all profiles may be available for matching, and test profiles are occasionally created to monitor the services' operation. To avoid catfishing or scams, you should exercise caution and examine their online dating security tips.

The best way to verify the authenticity of the person you're chatting with is to request a photo that a scammer or test profile wouldn't have. Asking for a picture of them holding a piece of paper with your username, a specific household item, or even a view of the weather outside can help you determine if the person is honest with you.

Final Thoughts 

Zoosk is an excellent dating site and app. While it lacks some of the fancier features that other sites have these days, the SmartPicks feature is a great way to get personalized matches and save you from endless searching. It's a basic site, which means it's easy to use, regardless of your technological ability. 

One big downside is that the messaging feature is behind a paywall, so you'll have to pay if you want to chat with and eventually meet people. A subscription is around the average price compared to similar sites on the market. While there are more paid features available, they only exist to enhance the experience but aren't necessary to use the site. 

So, while Zoosk's simplicity may be a slight disadvantage for some, it could be exactly what another person seeks. Ultimately, it depends on your preferences. If you're comfortable with paying to chat, appreciate simplicity, and value personalized matches, Zoosk will be worth a try. However, for those seeking a more feature-rich experience, other platforms may be a better fit.

FAQ

Is Zoosk a good dating site?

That depends on your definition of "good." It has basic features and a reasonably sized user base, so it's perfectly functional. But if you like fancy features, you wouldn't like Zoosk.

Is Zoosk free?

Creating your profile and browsing the site is free, but you'll need a subscription to message other members and access premium features. You can sometimes find a Zoosk free trial available, so keep an eye on their social media accounts for more information. 

How to delete Zoosk account? 

You'll need to click on 'Settings,' then on 'Account,' and 'Account Status' at the bottom. That will give you the option to delete or pause your account. You'll need to provide a reason for deletion, and your account will be disabled. 

How to cancel Zoosk subscription? 

Go to 'Settings' and then 'Subscription'. You can cancel auto-renewal or click 'Unsubscribe' to cancel your whole subscription. Note that you cannot get a refund if you cancel before the end of your subscription period.

How to block someone on Zoosk? 

Click on the three dots button from their profile or within the chat screen and select 'Block User.' You can view your list of blocked accounts from your account settings.