The Good: Quick and easy sign-up; simple interface designed for seniors; safe anonymous browsing; large,serious userbase; good profiles on average with plenty of pictures
The Bad:
Approval of new pictures can be a bit slow (24+ hours)
The Bottom Line:
We recommend SeniorPeopleMeet as a solid, friendly and safe option for seniors to try their hand at online dating.
Reviewed on: February 24, 2012
Last updated:
March 02, 2012
Detailed Review
A Nice Website Built for Seniors
As online dating has become mainstream, more and more seniors now have a go at it, but in the past they often had to use sites that were not built around their needs. Some sites offer too many options which can get confusing; on most “general” sites, your profile can also “get lost” in the mass of younger people, which is annoying.
For these reasons, the idea of a specialized, niche website is appealing to many seniors, and this is what SeniorPeopleMeet tries to build since 2002.
SeniorPeopleMeet is now the leading website that is specifically designed for seniors. It welcomes anyone 50 years old and above, whether married, divorced, with or without kids, etc. It promises the young at heart a chance to fall in love again (the slogan is ““it’s never too late to fall in love.”) But does it deliver? Our unbiased reviewers set to find out.
Easy Interface and Navigation
We found the registration process to be quick and painless. There is no big questionnaire here, just a few basic questions about yourself and the kind of relationship you are looking for. We liked that you can upload up to 30 photos, and you are encouraged to post as many as you can. You can also skip the photos if you’d prefer. All in all, the registration is easy and will take 5 to 10 minutes at most.
The interface is very user-friendly, and seems designed with simplicity in mind. The idea is probably to be welcoming to all members, including those who are not the most computer-savvy. Having said that, the website offers all the functionalities you expect from a dating site: browse profile, search for members with different criteria, private messaging, etc etc.
You can join and browse profiles for free with no limits, however, only paid members can message other members.
A Safe Environment
Members use nicknames (that you can choose on your own, so something like “NiceLadyChicago”) and real names are not displayed, which protects your anonymity. Pictures are also checked by staff and approved before being displayed, which keeps the site free of any “dirty” imagery. (However, our reviewers would like to remind you that the site cannot and does not check the background of each member. So of course, like on all online dating sites or really like anywhere in real life, always use your common sense when communicating with someone you don't know.)
While browsing profiles, we found that many feature multiple photos, which is a good thing. On SeniorPeopleMeet, you have the option to browse profile based on photos first, and click on a “yes” or “no” if you like the picture to start a “flirt” with the person or move on to the next picture. While this may seem a bit shallow to some, it’s only a game and it allows you to see a lot of profile very quickly, and contact only those who interest you.
You’ll find a help section that has good tips on how to use the site, as well as general good advice on dating and online dating, all geared towards a mature audience of course. In the SeniorPeopleMeet online magazine, you’ll find articles such as “5 Profile Faux Pas Single Fathers Should Avoid“ as well as success stories from members who found a soulmate (see pic)
As you browse the site, there is a “slideshow” constantly on the right side of your screen, with photos of different members, always updating and displaying new people (see pic).
You have the option to specify who can see your profile, and who can’t. This allows you for example to restrict your profile to a specific area or age group, so you’ll not get messages from people who are not a good fit for you.
A Solid Option for Seniors
Although most people are these to look for relationships, some look for friends or penpals. There is a million members on SeniorPeopleMeet, and several hundred thousands check the site every month.
To conclude, we recommend SeniorPeopleMeet as a solid, friendly and safe option for seniors to try their hand at online dating.
SeniorPeopleMeet.com is partnered with another mature & senior dating site OurTime.com. This is important because a profile created on any of these two sites appears on both of them, although SeniorPeopleMeet.com has nearly three times as many members as OurTime.com.
SeniorPeopleMeet.com is partnered with another mature & senior dating site OurTime.com. This is important because a profile created on any of these two sites appears on both of them, although SeniorPeopleMeet.com has nearly three times as many members as OurTime.com.
The site was launched in 2000 and is part of the People Media group (today owned by InterActive Corporation). It targets mature men and women over 50 years old.
Note: SeniorPeopleMeet.com also brands itself as SeniorMeet.com - both sites are in fact the same site and service.« Hide Summary
"some younger members, and easy to search by age range"
Reviewed by Roger on February 25, 2012
I'm "only" 54 so while i prefer to go on a specialized site, I was a little worried that most members would be too old for me. But it's easy to search by age range, so I'm searching for 40-60 and that's working well. It's real people, and mostly nice people, on this site.
I started to do online dating in 2010. After a few weeks, I figured out that it's not much fun to be on a big site full of younger people. You waste too much time browsing profiles that are irrelevant. I narrowed down my focus to specialized sites for seniors, and out of the 5 I've sampled, this was the best.
I've only been online for 3 months, after my grandchildren bought me an Apple Mac personal computer for Christmas. It was quite a learning curve at first but I'm getting comfortable now.
Now about the website. I found Seniorpeoplemeet simple to use and effective. My husband passed away in 2006 and I was getting lonely, especially in winter months. I have used the site to meet people for friendships and who knows what it will lead to next. I want to take this slow at my age. I also have used the site to meet other ladies in my area. Not all are receptive to being contacted by another woman (I assumed they only want to meet men). But others are and I have met some for afternoon tea and to play cards. Why not, after all we are in the same area, same age and same situation.
Anyway, sorry for the long message. And good luck.
