On this page15 sections
- Ratings and complaints
- OkCupid vs. competitors
- Pricing
- Step by step
- OkCupid legitimacy and licensing
- The 2026 FTC privacy case
- How much OkCupid costs
- How OkCupid works
- How OkCupid Works
- OkCupid complaints and how to avoid problems
- How to cancel OkCupid and ask for a refund
- Who should skip OkCupid
- What customers say
- Alternatives
- FAQ
OkCupid suits people who want to match on values and answers to questions, and it has one of the broadest sets of gender and orientation options, with messaging between matches free. It is a legitimate dating app run by Humor Rainbow, Inc. and Match Group Americas, part of Match Group. The tradeoffs are a heavy share of complaints about fake profiles, bans with little explanation and slow support, a 1.2 out of 5 Trustpilot score, and a March 2026 FTC order after the agency said OkCupid shared nearly 3 million user photos with an outside company without telling users. Start on the free version and pay only if it is working for you.
Your options
- Owner
- Operated by Humor Rainbow, Inc. (Dallas) with Match Group Americas, LLC; part of Match Group, which also owns Tinder, Hinge, Match and Plenty of Fish1
- Cost
- Free to join and message matches; OkCupid Premium listed at $7.99, $15.99, $19.99, $29.99, $44.99 and $59.99 in the US App Store, plan lengths not shown, October 20262
- Paid features
- See who likes you before you like them, unlimited likes and Dealbreakers filters2
- Identity options
- More than 60 gender identities and sexual orientations, plus pronouns on profiles2
- FTC order
- March 30, 2026 settlement barring OkCupid and Match Group Americas from misrepresenting privacy practices, after the FTC said nearly 3 million user photos plus location and demographic data were shared with an outside company in 20141
- App ratings
- 4.3 out of 5 from about 289,000 App Store ratings; 3.4 out of 5 from about 688,000 Google Play reviews2
- BBB
- B rating, not accredited, 5,288 complaints in the last 3 years4
- Age
- 18+2
Pros
- Messaging matches is free
- Question-based matching lets you screen for values and dealbreakers
- More than 60 gender identity and orientation options plus pronouns
- Lowest App Store Premium price we saw among major apps, from $7.99
- 4.3 out of 5 from about 289,000 App Store ratings
Cons
- Frequent complaints about fake profiles and scam accounts
- Bans with little explanation and support that is hard to reach
- 1.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot and a B from the BBB with 5,288 complaints in 3 years
- March 2026 FTC order over sharing user photos with an outside company
- Paid price list does not show plan lengths
Best for: Daters who want to match on values and answers to questions, including LGBTQ daters who want many identity options, and who are happy to stay on a free plan.
Skip it if: You want a curated, low-spam pool or responsive human support, or you're uneasy about Match Group's privacy record.
OkCupid vs. competitors
| Company | Owner | Free to message | App Store rating | App Store prices seen | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OkCupid | Match Group | Yes, mutual matches | 4.3 (289,000 ratings) | Premium $7.99 to $59.99 | |
| Hinge | Match Group | Yes, matches | 4.4 (1.13 million ratings) | $14.99 to $34.99 | Read review |
| Tinder | Match Group | Yes, matches | 4.2 (1.75 million ratings) | Plus $9.99; Gold $13.99 to $24.99 | Read review |
| Bumble | Bumble Inc. | Yes, matches | 4.3 (1.77 million ratings) | Premium $17.99 to $32.99 | Read review |
Dating apps we reviewed
-
OkCupid This review BestGuide rating: 3.9 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Daters who want to match on values and answers to questions, including LGBTQ daters who want many identity options, and who are happy to stay on a free plan. -
Tawkify BestGuide rating: 4.4 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Busy singles who want a long-term relationship, are open to blind dates, and can spend thousands of dollars to have a matchmaker do the searching. -
Hinge BestGuide rating: 4.3 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Singles who want a relationship, are willing to write a real profile, and live in or near a city with an active Hinge community. -
Christian Mingle BestGuide rating: 4.2 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Christian singles who want a faith-specific dating pool and will commit to a longer plan to keep the monthly cost down. -
eharmony BestGuide rating: 4.0 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Singles, often 40 and older, who want a committed relationship and like quiz-based matching. -
Tinder BestGuide rating: 3.9 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Adults in cities or suburbs who want the widest pool of people nearby and are comfortable screening matches themselves. -
Bumble BestGuide rating: 3.7 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: People who want a second swipe app beside Tinder or Hinge, cheap Boost add-ons, or a way to meet friends through BFF. -
Match.com BestGuide rating: 3.7 out of 5. Set by our editorial team from published factors such as cost, credentials, reputation, customer experience, services and guarantees. Verified partners are scored on our partner verification program and can be listed first; they are always labeled BestGuide Partner. Best for: Daters over 30 who want detailed profiles, search filters and the option of in-person events, and who will manage a paid subscription carefully.
OkCupid pricing at a glance
OkCupid in-app purchases in the US App Store, as listed October 20262
| Item | Listed price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Free account | $0 | Profile, questions, match percentage, likes, intros and messaging with matches |
| OkCupid Premium | $7.99, $15.99, $19.99, $29.99, $44.99 or $59.99 | See who likes you first, unlimited likes, Dealbreakers |
| A-List (older plan) | $9.99 | Legacy membership still sold to some accounts |
| Boost | $0.99, $1.99 or $8.99 | More visibility for a short period |
The App Store does not say which Premium price matches which plan length, and longer plans are charged up front. Your in-app price can differ. Subscriptions bought through Apple or Google must be canceled there; deleting the app does not cancel billing.
OkCupid, step by step
Create a free profile
Add photos, basics and pronouns, and choose from 60+ gender and orientation options.
Answer questions
Answer multiple choice questions, pick the answers you'd accept from a match and how much each matters. These drive a match percentage.
Like profiles and send intros
Browse profiles one at a time. You can attach a message to a like, but the other person sees it in full only once they like you back.
Message matches
Once you both like each other, messaging is free. Paid plans add seeing who liked you first, unlimited likes and Dealbreakers.
Cancel through the store you paid
Turn off auto-renew in Apple or Google subscriptions settings, or in account settings on the web if you paid by card.
OkCupid legitimacy and licensing
Yes. OkCupid is a real dating service that launched in 2004 and was bought by IAC’s Match.com in February 2011 for $50 million in cash. Today it is operated by Dallas-based Humor Rainbow, Inc. together with Match Group Americas, part of Match Group, the public company that also owns Tinder, Hinge, Match and Plenty of Fish. The app is sold in the App Store by Match Group Americas, LLC.
Legit does not mean every profile is real. The most common complaints are about fake and scam accounts, so treat anyone who asks for money, gift cards or crypto, or who pushes you off the app fast, as a scammer.
The 2026 FTC privacy case
On March 30, 2026, the FTC announced a settlement with OkCupid and Match Group Americas. The agency said OkCupid gave an outside company, in which OkCupid’s founders had invested, access to nearly 3 million user photos plus location and demographic data in September 2014, without telling users or letting them opt out and without contract limits on how the data could be used. The FTC also said the companies hid the sharing and obstructed its investigation, and it had to go to federal court to enforce a demand for information.
The order, filed in federal court in Dallas, permanently bars both companies from misrepresenting how they collect, use, share, delete or protect personal information. The FTC’s release does not list a money penalty. Separately, in January 2026 a hacking group claimed it stole Match Group user data; Match Group said it found no sign that logins, financial data or private messages were taken.
How much OkCupid costs
OkCupid is free to join, answer questions, like people and message anyone you match with. In the US App Store in October 2026, OkCupid Premium was listed at $7.99, $15.99, $19.99, $29.99, $44.99 and $59.99, with an older A-List plan at $9.99 and Boosts from $0.99. The store does not say which price goes with which plan length, and multi-month plans are billed up front, so check the total on the purchase screen before you confirm.
The App Store description lists the paid features as seeing who likes you before you like them, unlimited likes and Dealbreakers. Incognito browsing is sold separately from Basic and Premium, according to OkCupid’s help center.
How OkCupid works
You build a profile, then answer multiple choice questions on topics like politics, lifestyle and relationships. For each, you choose the answers you’d accept from a match and how important the question is to you. OkCupid turns these into a match percentage shown on each profile.
You can like a profile and add an intro message, but the person sees it in full only after liking you back. Once you match, messaging is free. The app supports more than 60 gender identities and sexual orientations and lets you show pronouns.
How OkCupid Works
OkCupid’s process centers on a detailed questionnaire to fuel its matching algorithm. The goal is to connect you with people based on shared values, beliefs, and interests, rather than just photos. The entire process, from signup to messaging, can be completed using the free version.
Create Your Profile and Answer Questions
Upon signing up, you will create a profile that includes standard photos and biographical information, plus a series of multiple-choice questions. You can answer as few as 15 to get started, but the platform has thousands of questions available. You also specify the importance of each question to you (e.g., ‘a little important,’ ‘very important’), which weights the algorithm’s output.
Review Your Matches
The platform presents you with a ‘DoubleTake’ feed of potential matches, showing one profile at a time. For each profile, OkCupid displays a compatibility percentage based on how your question answers align. You can review their full profile, including their answers to public questions, before deciding to ‘like’ them. This system is designed to provide more context than competitors like Tinder.
Send Messages to Mutual Likes
With a free OkCupid account, you can send an introductory message to someone when you ‘like’ their profile. However, they will only see that message if they also ‘like’ you back, creating a mutual match. Once you have matched, you can engage in a full conversation. This differs from some platforms where messaging is a premium-only feature.
What customers say about OkCupid
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Detailed profiles and questions that make it easier to screen for dealbreakers
- Match percentage gives a quick read on shared values
- Inclusive gender, orientation and pronoun options
- Messaging matches without paying
Common complaints
- Fake profiles, bots and scam accounts
- Account bans with little or no explanation and no clear appeal
- Automated or slow customer support
- Matches far outside the chosen distance or preferences
- Features pushed behind paid plans
OkCupid complaints and how to avoid problems
On Trustpilot OkCupid scores 1.2 out of 5 from 884 reviews, 87% of them one star, and the BBB lists 5,288 complaints in three years with a B rating. App store scores are higher: 4.3 on iPhone and 3.4 on Google Play. The recurring complaints are fake and scam profiles, bans with no stated reason, automated replies from support, and matches outside the chosen distance or preferences.
- Never send money or gift cards to someone you have not met. The FTC says that request is the clearest sign of a Romance scam. A fraud where someone builds a fake relationship online to get money from you. Compare dating apps.
- Video chat before meeting, and meet first in a public place.
- Report suspicious accounts in the app.
- Follow the community guidelines closely. Match Group apps can share safety data, and a ban on one can affect others.
- Before paying, decide if the free version is already giving you matches.
How to cancel OkCupid and ask for a refund
Cancel where you paid. If you subscribed through the App Store, go to Settings, your name, Subscriptions; on Android, open Google Play, Payments and subscriptions. If you paid by card on the web, turn off auto-renew in your OkCupid account settings. Deleting the app or your account does not stop billing on its own.
Refunds for App Store and Google Play purchases are decided by Apple and Google under their own rules. For web purchases, contact OkCupid support; in a BBB case in 2025, Match Group Americas said it refunded a $19.99 OkCupid purchase the day it was requested, but refunds are not promised. Some state laws give you a short window to cancel a dating subscription.
Who should skip OkCupid
If spam profiles wear you down, a smaller or more verified pool such as Hinge may suit you better. If you were banned from another Match Group app, or want to avoid Match Group’s privacy history, Bumble and eharmony are run by different companies. And if you want slow, compatibility-based matching with a paid plan, eharmony is built around that.
Alternatives to OkCupid
-
Hinge
Better if you want a relationship-focused app with prompts and selfie verification, and don't need OkCupid's question system.
-
Bumble
A large swipe app run by a different company, so a Match Group ban or data policy does not carry over.
-
Plenty of FishAnother strong free tier where you can search and message without paying.
-
Free in-person options
Clubs, classes and local events cost little or nothing and avoid fake profiles entirely.
Next steps
OkCupid reviews
Written by readers, read by our moderators, never edited by the company.
No reader reviews yet. If you have used OkCupid, yours will be the first.
Write a reviewHow do I know I can trust these reviews about OkCupid?
- Every reviewer confirms an email address before a review can publish.
- Our moderators read every review before it publishes.
- Companies can respond publicly but can never edit, hide or remove a review.
- Paying BestGuide never changes the reader rating or which reviews publish.
Frequently asked questions
Is OkCupid free?
Yes. You can make a profile, answer questions, like people and message your matches for free. Paid Premium plans add seeing who liked you first, unlimited likes and Dealbreakers.
How much is OkCupid Premium?
The US App Store listed OkCupid Premium at $7.99, $15.99, $19.99, $29.99, $44.99 and $59.99 in October 2026, without plan lengths. Your price may differ, and longer plans are charged up front.
Who owns OkCupid?
Match Group. OkCupid is operated by Humor Rainbow, Inc. with Match Group Americas, and Match Group also owns Tinder, Hinge, Match and Plenty of Fish. IAC's Match.com bought OkCupid in 2011.
Is OkCupid safe?
It is a real, established app, but scam profiles are a common complaint. Never send money to a match, video chat first and meet in public. In 2026 the FTC also ordered OkCupid to stop misrepresenting its privacy practices.
What did the FTC say OkCupid did?
The FTC said OkCupid shared nearly 3 million user photos plus location and demographic data with an outside company in 2014 without telling users. The March 2026 settlement bars OkCupid and Match Group Americas from misrepresenting how they handle personal data.
Is OkCupid full of bots?
OkCupid does not publish fake account figures, so no one outside the company can say how many there are. Fake and scam profiles are the top complaint on Trustpilot and in app reviews, so report any profile that asks for money or moves too fast.
Can you message on OkCupid without paying?
Yes. You can send an intro with a like, and once you both like each other you can message freely at no cost.
Is OkCupid good for LGBTQ dating?
It offers more than 60 gender identity and orientation options and pronouns on profiles, which is broader than most major apps. Grindr is another choice for gay, bi, trans and queer men.
How do I cancel OkCupid?
Cancel in Apple or Google subscription settings if you paid through the app store, or in OkCupid account settings if you paid by card on the web. Deleting the app doesn't cancel billing.
Why was I banned from OkCupid?
OkCupid does not always explain bans, which is a common complaint. Contact support through the app or help center to ask for a review, and note that Match Group apps may share safety data across brands.
Sources (10)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- FTC: FTC takes action against Match and OkCupid for deceiving users by sharing personal data with third party (March 30, 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Apple App Store: OkCupid Dating (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Trustpilot: OkCupid reviews (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: OKCupid business profile (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Google Play: OkCupid (accessed October 13, 2026)
- TechCrunch: Match.com acquires OkCupid for $50 million in cash (February 2, 2011) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- OkCupid Help: About OkCupid Basic and Incognito (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BleepingComputer: Match Group breach claims involving Hinge, Tinder, OkCupid and Match (January 2026) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- FTC: What to know about romance scams (accessed October 13, 2026)
- CFPB Consumer Complaint Database search: OkCupid (accessed October 13, 2026)
BestGuide is free to use. Some companies we review pay us when you visit their site or contact them through us. Compensation may influence which companies we feature and their order. It doesn't change what our reviews say. Advertising disclosure