I’m not the best when it comes to just approaching a woman I think is attractive and striking up a conversation. I’m a writer, after all. And finding myself single when I moved back from LA, I figured it might be time to look. So, I gave using Zoosk a try.

I can honestly say, the experience was anything but enjoyable. And not simply because I failed at finding Ms. Right. It was more of how the system is developed, to begin with.

In this review, I’ll break down my personal experience. Then, you can make up your own mind if it’s worth the time and money.

Keep in mind, this was back at the end of 2017 and the start of 2018.

How Using Zoosk Was a Waste of $65

Out of all the dating apps I was looking at, Zoosk seemed to be one of the more popular. I figured that if it was popular enough, it might increase my chances of finding someone.

That’s because the smaller, lesser-known platforms were mostly full of, well, questionable people.

The First Few Months as a Free User…

I’m a fan of trying things out first before handing over my money. Dating apps are a lot like casinos…it’s a gamble whether you’re money is well-placed or not.

In reality, there’s no guarantee you’ll meet anyone on these apps. So, I wanted to see how the system worked before rolling the dice.

Over the first few months, it seemed my profile was getting quite a bit of attention. I was getting likes and messages left and right. Unfortunately, you can’t respond to any of these unless you’re a paying member.

I mean, a lot of the women “sending” messages were north of being hot with profiles that piqued my interest. Some were even close to being perfect for what I’m looking for.

I spent a great deal of time flipping through images in the “Carousel” of using Zoosk. This is when you go through a lot of profile pics and choose yes, no, or maybe.

Unfortunately, you can’t chat with or message anyone unless you’re a subscriber.

Then I Decided to Pay for 6 Months…

So, after a bit of deliberation, I decided, “what the hell.” At this point, $65 for six months isn’t going to throw me into hawk. I paid for the membership for using Zoosk.

I had several messages in my inbox waiting for a reply, which I did.

No word from any of the women.

I decided to try chatting with women who were labeled as being “Online Now.”

No replies.

Then, the constant stream of likes and messages stopped. I was no longer getting anyone’s attention. It seemed I was far more popular as a free user.

Over the course of six months, I only had one interaction and it went nowhere in less than 30 seconds. So, I paid $65 for a 30-second-long conversation.

I would have been better off buying coffee with that money. At least I would have been able to enjoy it more.

After I Stopped Paying…

Needless to say, I stopped paying for the service. After six months of trying and getting nowhere, I felt it was time to row my boat to another shoreline for better fishing.

I canceled the subscription.

Suddenly, an influx of messages came, likes galore, and multiple women viewing my profile non-stop.

It didn’t take me long to put two-and-two together. I wonder if all dating apps inflate activity in such a way to entice people to pay for a subscription?

Since I already paid once for a brief interaction, I wasn’t about to do it again.

I lost my money, it was time to move on.

As a whole, I felt the experience of using Zoosk was pretty much a scam. Perhaps it was coincidence that a free user would receive so much attention and then have all opportunities dry up once the debit card was processed.

But then to get another influx the day after I canceled the subscription?

Seems a bit on the shady side for me.

Some Red Flags for Me While Using Zoosk

During the time I’ve had the Zoosk account, there have been all kinds of red flags. Most of which happened after I paid the money.

If you’re thinking about using the dating app yourself, you might want to keep in mind:

Profile Pics with Phone Numbers

One of the things that bothers me about Zoosk is the constant barrage of profile pics with phone numbers written on them. It wouldn’t be so bad if the numbers were in Colorado, which is where the women’s profiles are supposed to be based.

This goes to show me that, no, Zoosk does not pay as close attention to user profiles as they want you to believe.

And no, I didn’t call any of those numbers. I have better things to do than to get roped up in some phone scam. Although I love messing with scammers, I simply don’t have the time nowadays.

Same, Verbatim, Profiles on Other Sites

Although I was paying for Zoosk, I was using other sites at the same time. And wouldn’t you know it, the same profiles from many of the women who “messaged” me are also on other sites.

Now, I understand expanding possibilities…after all, I was on other sites as well. What threw up the red flag for me was these profiles were verbatim of the ones on Zoosk.

Images, information, background story, all of it were nothing more than copy-paste layouts with identical text.

After a bit of digging, it seems like there are several groups out there who sell dating profiles to these apps. So, the next time you see that hotty with the perfect description, it may very well just be a bought profile to make the site look more appealing to subscribers.

Odd Messaging Behavior While Using Zoosk

As I mentioned above, the messaging behavior in Zoosk is a bit on the wonky side. How can a free user get so much attention, then dry up for six months, only to get more attention the day after canceling the subscription?

As I question everything, I decided to chalk it up to inflating interaction to get me to pay. Once they have the money, there’s no need to fake messages or likes.

Like I said, it could be a coincidence. But, I don’t trust coincidences.

Chatted Only Once in 6 Months!

Out of all the attempts I made to at least message or chat with someone, I was able to hold a 30-second conversation. It was with a woman who wanted to know if I’d be interested in a threesome with her girlfriend.

Since she looked like my brother, I passed on the offer.

Besides, I get quite attached to the women with whom I become intimate. This means that when I do decide to become intimate with a woman, it’s because I am interested in being with her for the long-term.

The Two-Party Pay System

The way using Zoosk works is that both parties have to be paying members in order to chat or message one another. That is unless you pay an extra $10 per month to let other people respond who may have free accounts.

In essence, you’re paying for two memberships just for the possibility you might chat with a real person.

I get it, though. Dating apps have to make their money. But when the entire platform is digital with virtually no overhead or products, I can see why they are so profitable.

Perhaps every woman I tried to contact was a free user.

Maybe It’s Me?

Perhaps I don’t have the most attractive profile. I’m often blunt and upfront about everything. So, I suppose that might be a turnoff.

Still, I’m not entirely sure what to put in those things, anyway. Most of my adult life was spent with one woman. So, I really have no idea how to date as a 44-year-old.

I suppose I could Google it…after all, I spend most of my day researching anyway. It’s one of the things I excel at.

But then again, I just don’t really care that much to spruce up my dating profile. I’m successful, am surrounded by awesome friends and family, and am not desperate to find someone.

Still, it would be nice to find that one person who makes me do stupid stuff, recite poetry, or climb up flagpoles naked while drunk on Jack Daniels.

What I Learned from Using Zoosk

In the end, I didn’t have the most stellar experience using Zoosk. And I highly doubt that I would ever pay for the service again. There are just too many odd things surrounding the system for me to take it seriously.

Then again, this could simply be a unique experience. But if you’re thinking about trying it for yourself, keep in mind it’s a gamble.

As is every dating app you come across.