Are you affluent, well-travelled, a lover of the arts? If you are, then you already have something in common with the members on Guardian Soulmates. For the full insight, we recommend you read our Guardian Soulmates review in its entirety. Pushed for time? Then just skip to our conclusion and user reviews.
About Guardian Soulmates
Launched back in 2004, Guardian Soulmates is a dating site run by the Guardian newspaper. Their membership numbers are mostly made up of Guardian readers. So what are the typical characteristics of a Guardian reader? According to the Guardian, their readers are: affluent, well-travelled, finance-savvy, food and drink aficionados and dedicated followers of fashion and the arts.
Dating Site Features
Simplicity appears to have been the number one priority when designing the guardian dating site. There are no cheesy, pre-written ice breakers to be found here. But most Guardian readers are more than capable of stringing together a couple of sentences on their own.
However, they have provided one tool which is designed to save you valuable time. And that’s their compatibility matching system. And that is? It basically does exactly what it says on the tin. It matches you to other Guardian members based on information from your profile. So if you don’t have time to read through hundreds of profiles, just check your matches, you’re almost guaranteed to find someone that tickles your fancy.
Both simple and advanced search options provide a means of narrowing down potential dates. Maybe you prefer athletic bodies to a more rounded shape? Or you don’t want to travel too far from home, and would prefer to date people living within easy reach. These preferences and many more can be chosen.
Found someone you like and don’t want to forget them? Then just add them to your favourites. Or is someone not taking no for an answer? Then you can easily block them from contacting you.
How about support for mobile devices? Yes that’s available too, so you can flirt whilst on the move.
Gender Balance and Numbers
The site has roughly 170,000 active members. A very small number when compared to larger UK dating sites like match.com. However, remember that this is really a niche dating site for those with a little more culture running through their veins. So you can’t expect to find millions of members here. Of these 170,000 members; 51% are male, and 49% are female.
Creating a Profile
You can do a basic search without needing to create a profile, and without entering any other personal information. But if you want to view additional photos, contact members, then you will need to setup your own profile. But fear not, this simple task can be accomplished in just a couple of minutes. But do take your time over the username, finding something catchy will make you much more appealing.
Profile Authenticity
Fake profiles will always be a concern for online daters; nobody wants to pay good money to then be spammed by unscrupulous businesses and escort agencies. Unfortunately this is where Soulmates lets itself down a little. Their spam filters are either broken, or they simply don’t care. Because within hours of creating our profile, we had received over 10 messages. And a large number of these were Nigerian fishing scams. This is really a shame, and hopefully it is something that will be addressed sooner rather than later. That’s not to say you will not find any real members, you will. But you will need to remain very vigilant; certainly more so than on other UK dating sites.
Membership Cost
It’s completely free of charge to create a profile. You are not required to enter any payment details to do this. Searching and viewing profiles of other members is also free. If you find someone you like, and would like to send them a message, you will then need to upgrade to a full membership. And it’s not cheap. Soulmates is one of the most expensive dating sites in the UK. They are really relying on the deep pockets of their readers here. The current membership prices for Guardian Soulmates are:
£32.00 per month with a 1 month subscription
£21.99 per month with a 3 month subscription
£16.99 per month with a 6 month subscription
Pros and Cons
Niche dating site with a very affluent membership base
Anonymous and discreet
More spam and fake members than average
Very expensive
Conclusion
Would you prefer to spend your time being wined and dined, talking about the arts, travel and fine foods? Then Guardian Soulmates could be your best bet.
However, it’s not the only dating site where you will find intellectual types; matchaffinity.com also appeals to those who appreciate culture more than football, and their spam filters are a lot more efficient.
If you do decide to join, please be extra vigilant. Today’s crooks are a lot sneakier than in the old days.
Submit your own review of Guardian Soulmates
Help guide other UK daters by leaving your own thoughts of Guardian Soulmates. We’d like to hear from you, be it a success story or a horror story.
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