Match vs OkCupid: curated picks or compatibility scores

Serious intentions against casual dating

Match opens its App Store description with "The Dating App for Real Relationships and Real People" and adds "Real Singles, Serious Intentions: Our members are here to find something meaningful". One line also mentions people who "just want to meet quality singles near you", but casual dating is not confirmed as a goal anywhere in the listings. Members must also be "single or separated from your spouse", and non-monogamy is not mentioned.

OkCupid's App Store subtitle is "The Best Dating App for Matching on What Matters to YOU". Google Play pairs "casual dating" with hoping "to find a serious relationship", and also calls the app an LGBT dating app that lists lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer and straight singles. Both stores put serious relationships next to casual dating and friendship, so a relationship focus is not confirmed for OkCupid. Match is open to all genders, and its sign-up form includes man seeking man among the options; apps for gay, bi and queer users covers the wider field.

On hookups, Match's wording points toward relationships, and OkCupid's pages are silent on the label. Both stay in the dating column here. Apps sorted for that search are in apps for meeting people casually.

Daily recommendations or a Match % score

Match picks recommendations from compatibility and shared details, and its homepage says they are "curated daily, just for you". A Recommended stack of profiles is rated yes or no. A Dating Intention filter and a Core Values feature show shared goals and values, and Super Likes give priority placement.

OkCupid starts from questions: 500+ in the app, 15 of them required at sign-up. The algorithm combines what each person wants with their answers to shared questions into a Match % score, and Cupid's Picks gives a daily selection. Age, location, gender and orientation can be set as deal breakers.

Match asks you to state an intention in a field; OkCupid computes a number from your answers. Both are company descriptions of their own matching.

Messaging and what stays free

The Match help centre says "All of our free members are now able to chat with every match!" A free account can also create a profile, rate up to 50 recommended profiles a day, explore curated profiles and join virtual or in-person events. Boosts and Super Likes can be bought without a subscription. Paid tiers add unlimited introductions and message read receipts, and the top tier adds Anti-Ghosting.

OkCupid's help centre says "Using OkCupid is completely free." Matched members message each other, and an Intro lets you write to someone who has not liked you yet; they see it in an Intros tab. Paid plans add seeing who has liked you, unlimited Likes and Dealbreakers. How many Likes a free account gets is not stated.

Video chat and voice messages are not confirmed for either app. Match's safety tips suggest a phone or video call before meeting without saying the app provides one; video chat lists those that do.

Search filters and hiding your profile

Match gives free members custom search filters. Advanced filters are a paid tier perk: Platinum lets you apply them for dating preferences, and Diamond lets you filter by dating intent on Discover. The help centre's tier names (Bronze, Silver, Platinum, Diamond) do not match the US App Store row names (Basic, Bundle, Match, Standard), so the two lists cannot be lined up.

OkCupid's Dating Preferences are free, and gender and orientation preferences act as dealbreakers at no cost. The Dealbreakers feature, which shows you only people who meet a preference, is listed under the paid subscription.

Both apps sell a way to hide the profile, with different rules. Match's Private Mode is a paid add-on that shows your profile only to people you have communicated with; it can be bought with the first subscription or later at a prorated price (help article copy dated August 2, 2025). OkCupid's Incognito Mode is a paid upgrade that limits your profile to people you have liked and also removes ads (copy dated September 28, 2026). Incognito mode apps compares the field.

Verification, safety tools and data use

Match's App Store listing names Verified Profiles and says every profile goes through checks to keep the platform authentic. The help centre has articles titled Photo Verification and Self Verify FAQ, but those pages could not be read, so the method is not confirmed. Safe Message Filters combine automated tools with trained reviewers.

OkCupid's Photo Verification is a video selfie with a Liveness Check and 3D Face Authentication that earns verified status. Its help articles also describe a Face Check scan used for age and photo checks. In its terms, OkCupid disclaims criminal background and identity checks on users. Profile verification apps lists the rest.

Both apps list Match Group Americas, LLC as the operator. Match's help centre says members can choose to share sensitive details such as sexual orientation, gender identity, race or ethnicity, political opinions and religion, and that Match Group may use some of it to show offers for its other services unless the member turns that off in Privacy Preferences (article copy dated October 15, 2026). Retention periods and advertising partners are not confirmed for Match.

OkCupid's privacy policy, read from a snapshot dated October 14, 2026, says sexual orientation and sexual life are collected if members provide them, and precise location only with device permission. It describes advertising partners, Facebook Login, Pixel and SDK, and data sharing with other Match Group companies, including information about banned users. Photo Verification involves face geometry data. More is in what dating apps collect.

Match vs OkCupid prices in the US

On the US App Store, Match lists Basic (1 month) at USD 44.99, Standard (1 month) at USD 44.99 and Bundle (6 months) at USD 129.99. A fourth US App Store row, named Match, carries four prices (USD 19.99, USD 42.99, USD 74.99 and USD 129.99) with no period stated. Match has no UK App Store row; the store check did not find the app in that storefront.

The US App Store lists OkCupid Premium at USD 7.99, 15.99, 19.99, 29.99, 44.99 and 59.99, and A-List at USD 9.99. The UK App Store lists OkCupid Premium at GBP 5.99, 11.99, 14.99, 22.99, 38.99 and 44.99, and A-List at GBP 7.99. No OkCupid row states a billing period.

Prices as listed in the store on November 5, 2026. They change by country, platform, account and promotion.

Prices as listed in the store on November 5, 2026. They change by country, platform, account and promotion.

The lowest listed Match price on the US App Store, USD 19.99, is above the lowest listed OkCupid price, USD 7.99. Without a period on either row, that says nothing about cost per month. The only periods stated are on Match's own 1-month rows at USD 44.99 on the US App Store, and no OkCupid row can be set against them. Google Play and web prices are not covered. Full lists are on Match pricing and OkCupid pricing by country.

Where each app is listed, and who can join

Each app has an iPhone app, an Android app and a web version. Google Play lists Match at 10M+ downloads, and OkCupid at 50M+ with an Editors' Choice label.

In the store check of November 5, 2026, Match was found in 15 of 45 App Store storefronts and was not found in 30, among them GB, IE, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, MX and BR. OkCupid was found in 44 and not found in KR only. That is a store lookup and not an official list of countries. No supported-country list was found for Match, and the OkCupid help centre gives only a figure of over 180 countries.

Store ratings match: 18+ in the App Store and Mature 17+ in Google Play for both apps. Match's help centre sets the minimum age at 18, and OkCupid's terms do the same.

Cancelling and deleting

Match says to turn off auto-renewal; Apple subscriptions are cancelled under Subscriptions in the iPhone settings, and add-ons such as Private Mode can be deactivated separately. Match has no subscription pauses, and deleting an account is permanent with no confirmation email. OkCupid says to cancel through the store that billed you, because deleting the account or the app does not stop store billing. Steps are in how to cancel a dating app subscription and how to delete your account.

Which app fits whom

Match fits an adult who wants to state a dating intention and values on the profile, and who wants free chat with every match.

OkCupid fits an adult who wants to match on answers to questions and set Dealbreakers, and whose goal may be casual dating, a relationship or both. It also has the larger Google Play count and a UK App Store listing.

Other pairings are in Tinder vs Match, Bumble vs Match, Match vs eharmony and Hinge vs OkCupid. Full write-ups are the Match review and OkCupid review, with Match alternatives if neither suits.