Topics discussed in Chapter 2:
- What sites are actually Christian-owned?
- Does it matter if a site is Christian-owned?
- How do I know which dating site is best for me?
- Are there promotional codes or free trials I could use?
- Skip to Chapter 3 :: Ok, I’ve Signed Up: Where Do I Go from Here?
1. What sites are actually Christian-owned?
Just because a site has the word “Christian” in the title does not mean it is owned by a Christian company.
As of right now, the Christian-owned online dating sites that we are aware of are Christian Crush, Christian Cafe, and Marry Well. Sovereign Grace Singles is another niche Christian dating site, and it is also owned by a Christian.
Marry Well is owned by Focus on the Family and Christian Cafe has a partnership with them, while Christian Crush is owned by Wyatt Fisher, who is a Christian.
The big 3–eharmony, Match.com, and Christian Mingle–are not owned by companies that are Christian.
Many people often believe that eharmony is a Christian-owned company, but that is not the case. It was founded by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, who used to be a dean at a California seminary, and he originally was connected to Focus on the Family. The two have since parted ways. eharmony began by marketing to Christians, but over the years that has changed. Presently, eharmony also has a site targeting gay and lesbian daters.
Christian Mingle.com is owned by Spark Networks which targets various niches of dating, including Jewish, Mormon, and seniors, among others.
Match.com is owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, a media company with over 150 brands including well-known sites like Vimeo, About.com, and Dictionary.com.
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2. Does it matter if a site is Christian-owned?
Whether or not you do business with an online dating site that is owned by a specifically-Christian company is a matter of personal conviction. We advise our readers to do research on each company before committing to a membership.
We try to help you be as informed as possible. It’s because of our research that we do not recommend online dating sites such as PerfectMatch.com and BigChurch.com. Both of those sites are run through FriendFinder Networks, which is owned by the Penthouse Media Group. (Yep. THE Penthouse.) They have several other partner sites that are sexual, too. It’s because of this that we, in good conscience, cannot recommend either Perfect Match or Big Church. If we hadn’t conducted research, though, we wouldn’t have known this information.
Again, this area is a personal conviction. We tend to be of the opinion that we shop in many businesses that are not specifically-Christian, so using an online dating site that is marketed toward Christians, but not owned by Christians is acceptable. However, if the parent company is one that we cannot in good conscience agree with, then another site is a better choice.
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3. How do I know which dating site is best for me?
There are so many variables when choosing the best online dating site. Do you want personal control over which matches you get, or are you more concerned with the volume of profiles that are available to you? Are you convicted that you need to go through a site that is owned by Christians, or are you trying to spend as little money as possible?
See? So many variables. Check out our chart of the Best Christian Dating sites to find a quick run-down of what each site is good at and what it’s lacking. Or, click on the review beneath the logos for a more detailed explanation of the pros and cons of each site.
| Monthly Price Range | Number of Members | Ease of Use | Christian Filters | Best Deal Link | |
| $19.95 to $59.95 Tip: How to Get an eharmony Free Trial | High | Simple | Excellent | 30% Off 6-Month Membership! Use this link with this code at checkout: SINGLEROOTS60 | |
| $16.99 to $36.99 | High | Quite a Few Details | Fair | 25% off discount link for Match.com | |
| $16.99 to $32.99 | High | Option-Overload | Good | Review your Christian Mingle matches for free! | |
| $8.99 to $34.97 | Medium | Option-Overload | Excellent | EXCLUSIVE 17-Day Free Trial! Use this link with this code at checkout: SINGLEROOTS17 | |
| $12.99 | Low | Simple | Excellent | 2-Week Free Trial |
4. Are there promotional codes or free trials I could use?
When it comes to free trials, it’s important to remember that on all of the sites, it’s free to create a profile and look around. Most of them won’t let you fully communicate with other matches, though, unless you’re a paying member. We can’t help you with promotional codes for all sites, but here’s what we’ve got:
Christian Cafe gives you a free 7-day trial when you sign up, and if you add a picture to your profile, they’ll tack on an additional 3 days for a total of 10. However, if you do that and use the code: EMAILFREE7, then you can upgrade your 10 free days to 12. But that only works if you’re a first-time subscriber. If you’ve been around the Christian Cafe block a time or two, that promo code won’t work for you. Sorry, Charlie.
As for eharmony: Save 20% on a 6 month eharmony Subscription (Promo Code: EHCODE) or save 17% on a 12 month eharmony Subscription (Promo Code: EHCOUPON)
We do know that eharmony offers a free trial period of 3 days, if you read the fine print on their site–which we have. Basically, you sign up for an account, create a profile, pay for whichever membership level you choose. If you don’t like eharmony, you have 3 days to cancel your membership and receive the full amount back. But be sure to keep an eye on those 3 days because if you go over, then they won’t refund it.
Occasionally, free eharmony offers a free communication weekend, too. It usually takes place around holidays and a few other times during the year. Anyone who sets up an account or who already has one can communicate with anyone on the site during the weekend. While this feature is nice, if you’re communicating with someone who isn’t a paying member, they can’t see your photographs. Likewise, if you aren’t a paying member, you won’t be able to see photos.
As of the present, those are the only promo codes and free trials we know of, but we’ll update them as we learn of more.
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>> Next: Chapter 3 :: Ok, I’ve Signed Up: Where Do I Go from Here?
<< Back: Chapter 1 :: To Date Online or Not Date Online? That Is the Question.