Zoosk tested: Real dates through intelligent matching or a pure waste of time?

The providers of Zoosk wanted to develop a more intelligent matching system which can be seen as better than other dating apps. For this reason, Zoosk relied on so-called "behavioural matching". It automatically learns from the user's actions.

But does this really guarantee success for more dates?

Let's take a closer look at this question in our NZ Zoosk test.

Here's what we noticed about dating on Zoosk

Two of our testers are from a big city and are interested in meeting people. We noticed pretty quickly that these two found quite few users with a premium membership on Zoosk.

Where is the problem?

If you message Zoosk members who only have a basic membership, they will not be able to retrieve the message. Therefore, successfully flirting on Zoosk depends largely on how many users have registered as premium customers.

But what can you do?

Basically, a premium membership wouldn't do you any good if the person you're talking to doesn't have a paid subscription. However, you can activate the "guaranteed response" option for an additional fee. Then users with a basic Zoosk subscription will also have the opportunity to reply to your messages.

Shortly, we will go into more detail about the costs charged by Zoosk.

Zoosk App vs. Zoosk Browser Version

If you compare the Zoosk app with the browser version, you will quickly notice that it is more fun to use the app.

But what exactly are the differences?

• In the browser version, not everything is visible straight away. You really have to search for some features. On the other hand, the app is better organized. This makes it much easier to find your way around.
• The user profiles in the app are presented better.

For newcomers: Users can register both on the website and on the app and use both the same log-in details. We recommend that you test both versions and then decide which version suits you best.

One thing right away: If you want to use the Zoosk app for free, you will have to live with numerous restrictions.

In order to benefit from the full range of features, it is best to opt for a premium subscription. The premium plan is available with different terms:

• 6 Months: 26 NZD / Month
• 3 Months: 36 NZD / Month
• 1 Month: 52 NZD / Month

Things you can do as a free Zoosk member

We have summarised the features you can use for free below to give you a first impression of what you can do as a free Zoosk member:

• create and complete a profile
• view the profiles of other members, including all pictures and profile texts
• see who has visited your profile
• give likes to other users (just press the heart button)
• see who has liked your profile

What not to expect from a free account on Zoosk?

• You have no access to your messages
• You will not be able to chat or communicate with other users
• You won't be able to see profiles of other members who have clicked on your profile.

The situation is different, if a member has selected the option "guaranteed response". In this case, members who only have a basic subscription can also communicate with him or her.

Only the premium membership guarantees that you can view all profiles and chat with other users on the platform without restrictions.

So, is that all for now?

Unfortunately, we have to answer this question with a "yes".

Premium memberships alone is not enough on Zoosk.

Zoosk experts know that there are much more features.

For example, features such as:

• See who has read your messages
• Surf through the community in anonymous mode
• Undo likes you have already given
• Allow members with a free subscription to read and reply to messages

Unfortunately, these "extra features" are not automatically included in the premium membership either. Zoosk actually charges additional fees for them. Therefore, budget about 10 New Zealand Dollars more per month.

Buying Zoosk coins

There are also some features on the platform that can't be paid with NZD and for which no premium subscription will help. Even various upgrades are of no use in this case. If you are interested in them, you have to buy extra Zoosk coins.

Do you really need Zoosk coins?

If you want to use these special features, then unfortunately you can't avoid buying coins. Personally, we wonder (as well) why they have such a confusing cost structure.

For which features do I need coins?

• If you want to send gifts to other users
• If you want to attract more attention with your profile

Here are the costs for Zoosk coins:

• 180 coins for 32 NZD
• 480 coins for 66 NZD
• 1800 coins for 166 NZD

How many coins should you buy?

This always depends on what your actual goal is. For a gift, you will have to pay between 10 to 100 coins. Increasing the visibility of your profile will cost you 150 coins.

Pro tip: How you can meet other members with a free Zoosk subscription.

One thing quickly became clear to our sampling pool when they used the app. A whole range of members could be seen as coming up with all kinds of things to be able to flirt on Zoosk without having a premium membership.

And that's not even that difficult…

During our tests, we found many profiles of basic members who had the option of contacting others within the text of their profile.

Of course, this was very well hidden and not immediately visible to everyone.

You have to take a closer look if you want to understand the hints on alternative contact possibilities. It could look like this:

"You can find me in the big blue book* under (first and last name)". Or the mail address is displayed letter by letter with the initial characters: "Papa Alpha Uniform Lima Dot Sierra Tango Alpha Romeo Sierra Kilo You AT Golf Mike Anton Iris Laura dotcom“.

* Facebook is referred to as the big book, of course.

But does that work out?

We can't answer that for you. The operators of Zoosk will install text filters in the future so that these scam attempts are no longer possible.

This scam is not safe.....

....because anyone can find out your email address from your profile, you can't control who can contact you. Therefore, be careful. We recommend that you create an extra e-mail address for this purpose. You should never give your private e-mail address to anyone.

Bottom line Zoosk costs

Unfortunately, the purchase of a premium subscription on Zoosk is not cheap. On top of that, there are the additional costs if you want to unlock more features. This could possibly be the reason why only a few users choose a premium membership on Zoosk.

Well, that's our impression at least. Nevertheless, the community has a considerable number of members.

What consequences could this have for you?

• You take out a premium subscription and additionally book the option "guaranteed response" in order to maximise the number of contacts
• You can try out our top tip with hidden email addresses and perhaps arrange free dates.

Every dating portal uses different methods to make partner suggestions to their members. Zoosk has developed its own special matching system.

With Zoosk's matching algorithm, the company is going in new directions. The so-called "behavioural matchmaking" is supposed to be more intelligent than many other dating apps.

Is that really the case and what does it mean for you?

To help you understand what Zoosk is all about, let's start by comparing Zoosk's behavioural matchmaking with the methods of other providers.

Matching methods of Zoosk, Tinder and eHarmony in comparisom

Tinder is all about looks

When you're on Tinder, the main thing you should look for is good, meaningful profile pictures, because these are pretty essential for making contact here. Tinder also doesn't give you access to all the members registered on the app. Instead, the algorithm shows you members selected according to your filter settings and you have to swipe left or right to decide whether you want to get in touch with the person or not.

Personality test ensures matches on eHarmony

Unlike Tinder, on eHarmony you can see all members and view selected profiles in detail. When you register with eHarmony, you first have to fill out a detailed personality questionnaire. Matching points are calculated on the basis of your information and suitable members will be suggested accordingly.

Smart behavioural Matchmaking on Zoosk

Zoosk has developed a special software called behavioural Matchmaking. Based on the behaviour of the users within the app (who do they like and who do they write to, etc.), the software constantly suggests better matching contacts. That's Zoosk's theory and marketing slogan.

How can you profit from this?

Simply use the SmartDate function of Zoosk, and the algorithm will provide you with suitable partner suggestions immediately.

We will now explain in more detail what this option is all about and how it works.

Zoosk and the innovative SmartDate functionality

With the SmartDate function, you receive partner suggestions that Zoosk thinks are a good match for you. By looking at and rating all the suggestions, the software gets smarter and learns to understand what you like and what you don't like.  Over time, the software develops a better knowledge of your preferences. As a result, the partner suggestions should fit your personality much more.

Our experience with Zoosk behavioural Matchmaking™.

We hired a tester to look at members from a specific big city over a three-day period. The lady was specifically looking for men between the ages of 38 and 45. She wanted them to be non-smokers and enjoy sports. They also had to live no further than 30 kilometres from their place of residence. To find suitable matches, she set the search filters accordingly.

The Zoosk software is supposed to adapt, and hence it seemed to take some time. Three days are not enough. So when did the software stop changing? Unfortunately, we don't know yet. But as it seems, it takes quite a long time.

Our tester was quite disappointed after three days, because trying the SmartDate function many times did not bring the promised effect of learning.

Instead, smokers who were significantly older or younger were also presented. In addition, some contacts also lived up to 200 kilometres away from the desired location. Of course, such suggestions did not match the search criteria at all and were nevertheless presented over and over.

Did she possibly miss something?

We still don't know. Zoosk has only given very scarce instructions and hints on how the learning skills of the application can be supported.

So what does that mean?

Unfortunately, we can't tell you how much time Zoosk's behavioural matchmaking takes to show a learning effect. For this reason, we would recommend that you use the advanced search filter instead, because it works without a hitch.

Reach your goal faster with the classic "search filter“

Innovations are nice and can make things easier under certain circumstances. In the case of Zoosk, however, we would rather recommend the well-tried search filter, because this will probably bring you to your dream date faster.

When you go to "Search" on the Zoosk platform, the following discreet bar is always displayed above the profiles.

Unfortunately, it is quite easy to overlook. Just as discreet is the link that can be used to edit the search. Maybe it sounds a bit awkward, but we only noticed it on the second day.

As soon as you click on the link, a search menu opens with all kinds of information.

There you go!

Here you can highlight everything that you really value in your counterpart. However, one wish remains open:

Zoosk does not ask what a user's intentions are when dating. So you don't know whether someone wants a committed relationship, an affair, a one-night stand or friends with benefits. Sadly, you can't filter this information either.

However, this is very practical:

You can create different search filters in the Zoosk community and save them under different names.

No matter on which online dating site you sign up, you will always come across fake profiles and they will annoy you from time to time.

Most of the time, you can recognise such profiles by the fact that the person who created them has made very little effort. Blurry profile photos, wordless profile texts and almost nothing about their interests. Unfortunately, we noticed many of these profiles on Zoosk in New Zealand during our test.

What could be the reason for this?

The high costs are probably partly to blame. Take a look at the reviews of the Zoosk app to get an idea. Many members are upset about the costs. Another complaint is the severely limited options for contacting other users.

Could it therefore be that some members simply fill out their profiles so poorly because they don't expect much from dating on Zoosk anyway?

That could indeed be possible, but we can't tell for sure.

When talking about fake profiles, however, you always have to know what exactly is being spoken about.

So what can be called a fake profile?

When creating a fake profile, various tricks are usually used with the aim of gaining the trust of another user. Often stories are told that are supposed to generate sympathy and are meant to open your wallet.

To make sure you don't fall for it, we would now like to explain to you which indicators point towards a fake profile.

This is how you identify fake profiles and scammers

• Under certain conditions, a person may have created several profiles, e.g. hoping to increase their chances of finding a date. This is not desired on Zoosk, and is even forbidden by some providers.
• Definitely prohibited are profiles that serve to distribute harmful software.
• Creating profiles to advertise sexual services (forbidden).
• Profiles with photos of children (forbidden).
• Some profiles are only created to obtain personal data from other users.  This includes not only the email address but also the telephone number, the personal home address or even photos. Please be very careful in this regard.
• Scammer profiles, these are user profiles that are basically intended to scam you.
• You may also come across profiles without any information or pictures. This is not wanted on Zoosk either.

However, it is not so easy for the providers of online dating sites to identify and ban such fake profiles and scammers. Most platforms have automatic mechanisms and algorithms that detect fakes. But none of the dating platforms are completely free from fakes. Unfortunately, this can't be avoided.

How does the authenticity check on a Zoosk profile work?

To get to the bottom of this question, we have analyzed the whole thing in detail.

How to distinguish fake profiles from real members

In order to reduce the risk of fake profiles to a minimum, Zoosk offers you four options to perform an identification check.

Option 1: Use your Facebook profile to sign up

If you log in to Zoosk with your Facebook profile during the registration process, it is in fact confirmed that you exist as a person. Of course, anyone can also create a new profile on Facebook within a few minutes. Normally, such efforts are not to be expected from fraudsters.

You also don't have to fear that any posts from Zoosk will appear on your Facebook page, at least the operators of the platform guarantee that.

Option 2: Log in with your Twitter account

What works with Facebook, you can also do with Twitter. So you can also sign up with your Twitter account and don't have to worry about the Twitter community finding out about your Zoosk activities.

Option 3: Get your phone number verified

If you enter your phone number when you sign up on Zoosk, a code will be sent to you via SMS. When you enter that code, it will confirm your identity.

Option 4: Confirm your photos via your smartphone

If you have the Zoosk app installed on your smartphone, you can get a confirmation of your photos.

The verification of other users is well hidden in the profile

Surely you want to know whether the member really exists or not? The question is, where can you find it out? We can tell you one thing, it is extremely well hidden. You first have to go to the extended profile of a user and then click on the tab "Confirmations" at the very bottom.

For safety's sake, texts and photos are checked before release

Not everything is allowed on Zoosk and the operators check everything before posting. In order to convince ourselves of this, we tried to upload a rather revealing picture in the test. In fact, Zoosk reacted immediately and did not approve the photo.

If you want to change your profile text at some point, you will have to be patient until it has been checked and approved.

So can Zoosk score with high quality?

Unfortunately, the checks can't completely prevent all breaking of the rules. When we put Zoosk to the test, we stumbled across three profiles where, for example, only children could be seen in the photos. However, after we reported these to the operator, the profiles were deleted immediately.

Blocking pushy members can be a bit tricky

If you have already had some experience with dating sites, then the following situation will certainly not be unfamiliar to you:

Someone makes contact with you, but you quickly realize nothing is going to come of it. Of course, you have told the user this in a friendly tone, but a no simply can't be accepted.

Often excuses are given that you have to get to know each other better before you can judge. You are told that the age difference doesn't matter or that you are really quite different. Unfortunately, this can be problematic on Zoosk. Even if you end a conversation with a member, the other person can still chat with you. This means he or she is not blocked and can write to you again at any time.

But what options do you have in this case?

During our test run, our tester was harassed so badly that we only got out of the act by reporting the user as a spammer. We can only hope that the operator will make improvements here in the future.

So you have decided to give Zoosk a chance and are now hoping for exciting dates with other members? In this case, you should read the following lines very carefully. We are now going to look at how you can have the most success on Zoosk.

So let's not waste any time and get started right away!

You should have checked the following points already:

• Your Zoosk account is already created
• You already have at least one picture on your profile
• You have already filled out the three text fields and provided information about yourself, your desired partner and your dream date.

There we go, perfect!

If you have not yet entered anything about your interests, please do it quickly.

Stating interests is of huge importance

Put yourself in the shoes of other members on Zoosk. You come across a profile, want to find out more about a person and are delighted to discover that your interests and hobbies are a perfect match.

Those would actually be perfect conditions, wouldn't they?

That's why you should put extra effort into filling in your interests. Often people don't give it a second thought and are surprised by the lack of responses.

On Zoosk, you can do this by:

Firstly, go to your profile and scroll down to the "Interests" tab. There you can add different interests. The best way to do this is to use the search field to search for sports, musicians or films.

Can everything be retrieved from the database?

Unfortunately, you can't find everything with the help of the search field, as the database is not extensive enough. However, the most important hits from all areas are already listed. The best thing is to take some time and try out a few things.

Two ways to get a date

When you sign up for an online dating site, you naturally want to make good use of your time and arrange real dates. Due to the fact that the number of members with a premium subscription is very limited, this wish can't necessarily always be fulfilled.

Nevertheless, Zoosk has an impressive community. We found that there are many users are very curious about new experiences.

However, the whole thing is not too easy!

You can't expect countless messages to arrive in your inbox just like that. You have to become active yourself and work out a certain tactic to achieve the desired success. In order to do this as smoothly as possible, you can take our advice as a guideline.

Basically, you should choose one of these two ways:

Option 1: You decide on a free membership and simply give out lots of likes. As soon as a like is returned, the matching profile appears among your contacts. Unfortunately, it is not possible to return a like with a basic subscription. That's why you should be the first to give likes.

Option 2: You opt for a premium membership and invest an additional 15-18 NZD for the "guaranteed response" function. In this case, users with a free subscription can also read your messages and give you feedback.

If Zoosk is only one of several options for you to get involved in online dating, then choose option 1. If, on the other hand, you have come across several profiles that have awakened your interest, then the second option could also be worthwhile.

This is how you can discover interesting profiles on Zoosk

There are several ways to discover new profiles on Zoosk, each with its own pros and cons.

The search function

We have already discussed the search function at Zoosk. From experience, this is also very good and helps you find suitable profiles.

Hmm, but where are the profile texts hidden?

A small tip from us: A relatively discreet link leads you to the profile texts of the users.

It is always located on the right-hand side below the profile photo and is labelled "complete profile". If you click on it, the profile text including personal interests will be displayed. Then you also get an insight into the verifications that have already been carried out.

What may seem a little complicated on the website is much easier on the Zoosk app.

The carousel

To discover profiles, you can also use the carousel. Then you will always be presented with profile pictures, just like on Tinder. Further information about interests and profile texts are not visible.

However, there is one difference to Tinder...

With Tinder you always have to decide between "yes" and "no", with Zoosk you can also say "maybe". This is something that we noticed in a very positive way on Zoosk.

Where do the rated profiles end up afterwards?

On the website you have to click on the tab "Carousel", then you can see which sympathies are mutual.

Does the carousel search have a disadvantage?

You must not rely on your search settings in this case, they are often not taken into account. Our test showed that users who live far away are also shown. This is not exactly satisfying and can lead to further disappointment.

Now Online

In this section you can see who is currently hanging out in the Zoosk community. Unfortunately, the search criteria can' t be applied here either. Hopefully Zoosk will make some improvements regarding this issue.

SmartDates

We mentioned earlier that Zoosk's behavioural matchmaking software gradually adjusts to your preferences and needs and should then give you perfect results. However, in reality it looks a little different. In this case, too, the selected search criteria is not taken into account.

Zoosk - Sex meetings, friendships or relationships - who's looking for what on Zoosk?

Whether you are looking for the love of your life, an exciting adventure or nothing in particular, you will meet people with different intentions on Zoosk.

Our experiences on Zoosk NZ have shown that the variety of different profiles is huge and that the diversity ratio is well-balanced. However, since there are a lot of members with a free basic subscription, we can't really estimate the numbers.

Can you define what you are looking for?

We already discussed this before. Unfortunately, filtering according to intentions and needs is not possible on Zoosk.

What options do you have instead?

Perhaps you want to just go with the flow and don't have any specific expectations? Or maybe you just want to meet people who have similar intentions to you? You should definitely name your wishes in your profile text.

Our test showed: NZ Zoosk members really like to chat

If you like chatting, getting close to other members in the community and enjoying the excitement, then we have great news for you. Chatting is a big thing on Zoosk and most users like to spend time talking. In our experience, the members on Zoosk in New Zealand are not only very chat-friendly, but also easy going.

Are there any limitations?

You have to remember that many Zoosk members only have a free basic subscription. Therefore, the option "guaranteed response" is highly recommended. This is the only way to ensure that you can also make contact with singles with a basic membership.

How can you attract more visitors to your profile?

Surely your chances of getting a date increase with the number of visitors to your profile. We can all agree on that, can't we? That's why all dating portals focus on getting as many members as possible to visit your profile.

But what is the best way to do that on Zoosk? We know of three different methods, which we would like to introduce to you.

Option 1: Zoosk promotes profiles in a passive way

Basically, you don't really have to become active yourself. On Zoosk you will find enough advertising for the profiles of the users, for example in the form of functions such as "Carousel", "SmartDates" or "Online now". Here, members' profiles are put on display for a short time and are presented to others. Your profile will certainly appear here from time to time if you remain active.

Option 2: Stretch your online times

If members are frequently online, it shows that they are indeed interested in getting to know other people. But there is much more to it than that.

Your profile is presented much more often when you are online. Zoosk rewards you for your presence.  After all,  Zoosk wants members to get in touch with each other.

Of course, this means that your chances increase greatly if you are often online. You don't have to be permanently on your smartphone or computer during this time. You can also log in and watch TV or do laundry on the side.

We guarantee that you will quickly notice an impact  and get more messages. This is something we are absolutely convinced of!

Actually, we'll give you another good tip:

If you look at the community again and a member has written to you within the last hour, then be honest. Say you're sorry that you didn't reply right away because you were busy cooking, for example.

This has two advantages:

In this way, you provide your counterpart with a plausible explanation for the late reply and he or she understands that it was not a bad intention or lack of interest.

It also makes it easier for you to start a conversation. After all, it might be that the person would like to know what you have prepared.

Option 3: The "Super Send" and "Boost" options

But that's not all you can do to increase your popularity on Zoosk. We can also introduce you to two extra features.

But where can you find them?

In the browser version of Zoosk, they are located below the heart symbol and in the Zoosk app, you have to look under the lightning symbol.

You can put your profile in the focus by buying Zoosk coins. You will discover a small rocket on your profile and your profile picture will also have an orange frame.

What can you expect from the "Super Send" feature?

If you have a premium subscription, Super Send is already included in your package. Zoosk has a catalogue with many templates. You can choose a pre-written message and it will be automatically send to different members in your area and age group.

Is this a promising option?

You have to find out for yourself whether you can benefit from this. Unfortunately, you only have a small range of ready-made messages to choose from. You can't write these messages yourself. This is quite unfortunate, because personal messages are always better. Let's hope that Zoosk will improve this in the future.