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Maybe you heard about PerfectMatch through one of it's many media spots on Dr. Phil, the Bonnie Hunt Show or Dancing With the Stars, or perhaps a friend recommended it but you weren't sure if it would suit your needs. Essentially, if you're a single person seeking a serious, marriage-minded partnership, PerfectMatch is a must-see on your dating site shortlist.

Overview from PerfectMatch

"Based on 30 years of research by dating and relationship expert, Dr.

Pepper Schwartz, our Duet® Total Compatibility System matches the "whole" you - your personality, lifestyle, values and preferences - the key elements that create the most successful, lasting relationships."

Who PerfectMatch Caters To

Canadian and U.S. singles (single, widowed or divorced) are welcome at PerfectMatch as long as they are above the age of majority in their area. Heterosexual, gay and lesbian singles looking for a dating or long term relationship are also welcome. There are many different points of entry as well depending on what you're looking for.

What a PerfectMatch Membership Includes

Signing up for a PerfectMatch membership takes a bit of time, so plan on 15-30 minutes depending on whether or not you've already written out your dating profile, plus however long it takes for you to answer the Duet® questions (it took me 13 minutes with a few interruptions). Not as long as eHarmony or Date.com, but I didn't find it overly consuming.

A basic (unpaid) membership offers the standard dating site features (creating a profile, adding photos, searching for other members), with one extra feature not found elsewhere: the Duet Compatibility Test.

As all members have to fill out this test before activating their dating profile, you'll get matched with other users whether or not you pay for the service. As well, users with Platinum status can receive emails from any member, regardless if they've paid or not.

Paying members receive different benefits depending on the program they choose, and not all features are available in all locations. Premium memberships are the standard paid membership, and they offer all of the free membership benefits, plus unlimited searching, higher search rankings, the ability to add eight photos, email with other singles, guaranteed matches and access to Dr. Schwartz's column.

Platinum members receive all the features of Premium members, as well as top rankings in search, a highlighted profile, and the ability to have all users contact them, regardless of the other person's membership status.

I should also note that all paid memberships can search out other users, unlike eHarmony where members must accept or deny matches based on the compatibility scores. Also, there is no chat program available on PerfectMatch.

Unique Features of PerfectMatch.com

A few dating sites now offer some form of guarantee, and PerfectMatch has jumped on this feature bandwagon as well. Paid members that subscribe for two months and who don't receive a minimum of four matches, receive a free membership until they do. Purchase of the three or four month membership offers the same benefit but with six matches, and six months paid membership gets eight matches total, guaranteed.

The Duet Compatibility System definitely stands out at PerfectMatch, and it's what the entire site focuses on. After you finish creating your profile, you'll immediately see what kind of personality category you fit into (there are thirteen options). The personality 'type' is determined by four letters, and you'll learn what percentage of other singles in the database share your typology. Don't think the test nails your needs and wants in a relationship on the head? It's easy to take it over again, but you'll probably have to wait a bit to get new matches if you do. You can also evaluate how accurate you found the test results.

I visit and review dating sites every day, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed PerfectMatch's system, and learning more about my personality type. I immediately received 11 matches, and was able to change my 'dealbreakers' immediately to filter folks out. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how to reduce the space between me and my matches; I could only choose 'In my region (200 miles)' or 'In my state/province', but both mostly gave me matches that were several hours' drive away.

PerfectMatch Costs

Premium membership costs $5.99 for a five day trial, $59.95 for one month, two months for $79.95 ($39.90 a month) or three months for $110.85 ($36.95 a month). Platinum membership costs $139.95 for four months ($34.99 a month) or $199.95 for six months ($33.33 a month). Renewal rates for all memberships are lower than the initial rate, with most at $29.95 a month save the six month subscription, which is billed at $24.95 a month. PerfectMatch accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, checks and money orders for payment.

Note that all PerfectMatch memberships auto-renew, meaning your credit card will get charged again at the end of the term if you don't go in and change it yourself 24hrs beforehand.

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