Mark J.

The end goal of Online Dating is to "meet" potential matches. Most online dating platforms fail miserably in this department. In most cases both parties must be paid members to communicate. There is also the issue of fake or abandoned profiles. In most cases online dating platforms don't have your best interests at heart in terms of helping you to "meet" potential matches. You pay for a service but what service do you get for the time, money and effort you commit. What is your ROI.

MeetUp.com is not about Online Dating or dating specifically but this online platform is 100% focused on helping users meet new and real people. There is no charge to communicate with other users while the platform also enables the facilitation of real-life events and group gatherings focused around topics that might interest you. The secret is to join 10 or more groups (they are mostly all free to join) and to participate in group events being planned in your area. MeetUp.com, as an online platform, helps you meet new people whether you are seeking new friendships or new longer-term partners.

The criticism on this review website seems to be primarily from group organizers and not the users. MeetUp.com has to make its money somehow and chooses to bill group organizers instead of users. For users this helps keep everything flowing with few obstacles placed in the way to meeting real people. Group organizers are essentially the founders behind their niche topic of which users flock to join these groups or not. The company provides an online platform to help facilitate the real-world gatherings and events. It's not always easy being a MeetUp.com group organizer and I know from experience. If I plan to step down from paying group maintenance fees then the company alerts participating users within a group such that someone else might be willing to step up and pay the fees instead. This sounds fair and allows the group to continue if interest still exists. If not, then the group ends.

I have participated in Online Dating and experienced many of the online platforms firsthand. MeetUp.com has been my #1 tool, as a user, helping connect me with potential matches in the real world based on shared topics of interest. Successful dating is partly about the experience you share when together and the emotion you each bring to the table. Participating in real world, group events allows for less pressure but also more emotion to be had by all. Potentially a more favorable environment for finding longer term matches. As a group organizer I can sympathize that it's not a perfect world but as a user MeetUp.com is a far better option than the online dating platforms.