And yes, the matchmaking that eHarmony does is based on scientific research of what makes a long-term relationship last

Match has a very comprehensive search engine–you can narrow down your results by faith, languages, pets, salary range, amount of exercise, and interests, among other things. In case you’re having a hard time sorting through all of the prospects (even after you narrow it down), Match also offers up potential matches in the form of a “Daily 5.” Match submits five potential matches to you and asks you to say whether or not you’re interested–the site then modifies its matches based on your answers.

Sarah’s take: I hate to say it, but all of the matches that Match sent me as potentials were just so ugly.

Alex’s take: Either I registered too late or I’m just not that compatible, because Match didn’t send me any matches at all. I guess that’s a blessing in disguise? Either way, OKCupid pretty much blows Match out of the water in every meaningful way.

eHarmony

eHarmony is not a dating Website–rather, it’s an online matchmaking service. Unlike other sites, which allow users to browse and search for potential matches, eHarmony does all of the legwork for you. That’s right–there’s no way for you to browse the database of 33 million users, because (let’s be serious), if you knew what you wanted, you wouldn’t be on eHarmony in the first place.

eHarmony is also a little more complicated to sign up for than other dating sites: Instead of answering a few questions and being paired up with potential matches, each user must fill out a comprehensive relationship questionnaire. The questionnaire helps in the matchmaking process and also indicates that a user is serious about finding a serious relationship (in other words, the questionnaire is in-depth enough that you’re not going to just fill it out for fun).

According to a 2008 study conducted by Harris Interactive, an average of 542 people marry every day in the United States as a result of eHarmony’s matchmaking skills. eHarmony doesn’t just sit around and wait for its users to meet up, either–they also offer various matchmaking-related services, such as profile advisement (professional writers who will help your profile shine) and secure calling services so users can safely get in touch with each other.

If you’re looking for a very serious long-term relationship, eHarmony is the place to be

Sarah’s take: Well, eHarmony isn’t a dating Website–it’s a matchmaking Website. This isn’t the place to go if you’re playing around. Seriously, their questionniare is really long and not for the faint of heart .

Alex’s take: So many questions! Online matchmaking is a booming business, and nobody is better at transmuting you into a statistic than the algorithmic alchemists at eHarmony.

So there you have it: no matter what you’re looking for, whether it’s a serious relationship, a Mac-lovin’ honey, or some “OtakuBooty,” there’s a dating Website out there just for you. That means you have no excuses when February 14 rolls around.

As for the types of users you’ll find, well, they’re definitely nerds. And they’re all a little weird. Case in point: Last time we checked, a “featured member” on the front page had three moustaches descending down his face (just sit there for a moment and imagine that).

There are no toggles for some of the basics (such as whether you’re a drinker/smoker or not), just text boxes for you to describe how you feel about the issues. In other words, Sweet on Geek is less of a matchmaking site–it doesn’t give you compatibility scores–and more of a social networking site. Accordingly, profiles can be customized with status updates, blog posts, and friend feeds.

It’s free to sign up for Match, search for matches, and browse other people’s profiles, but any message exchanges require a paid membership. Paid memberships start at $18 per month (for a six-month minimum) and go up to $35 per month (one month minimum). You don’t need to complete your profile right away, but you won’t show up in Match search results until you’ve finished it (complete with photo).