If you're turning to internet dating sites to help you to connect with new people, you might be wondering which sites you should register with.
There are a lot of sites available online, from the heavily-advertised subscription sites to more specialist free dating sites.
If you're not sure about taking this step and you don't want to commit to paying for services, it might be best to try out a free dating site to test the water.
You might take a look at several different sites before you decide which one to try first, so how do you work out which site is going to be best for you? Here are some key things to think about when you evaluate a dating site: Cost - each site follows a different pricing strategy, with some offering a free first month followed by subscriptions and others charging from the outset.
You can also upgrade your package to get additional services on several sites, and you need to think about what you can afford and whether a paid or free dating site is best for you.
Members - whether you're looking at general dating sites or specialist services, you want to know that there are enough members already to give you a chance to find someone that matches your criteria.
If a site is free to join, it's easy to register and see how many people are using the site.
If you decide not to keep up your membership, at least you haven't lost any money.
Authenticity - you need to be sure that you're dealing with a genuine business before you sign up.
Check the website for contact details so that you can get in touch with the company if you have any questions or complaints.
The more authentic the site, the better chance you have of success.