Online dating is big business; but it is also successful…. and the stigma attached to meeting that special someone online no longer applies. We shop online, study online; so why not date online?  And who is to say that it is less safe than meeting someone in a dark and spooky nightclub? With online dating both sides are able to control to a much greater extent, who they meet.

There are countless online dating sites ranging from sites for different religions, skin colours and sexes…

So which are the top five?

Match.com is the biggest site with over 20 millions members and another 20,000 joining each day.  They use a proven matching system - you can do a keyword search to find the person as near to your perfect date as possible; they guarantee you’ll someone special within six months.

Chemistry.com has over 14 million  users joining and was created by Match.com to complement their main site. This site relies on extensive user feedback in order to match each member with a potential soul mate and in addition the site offers relationship advice from registered professionals.

PerfectMatch.com has over 11 million registered singles…a smaller database to choose from – but you provide a profile and the system will match you to your perfect partner. The site has an extensive personality-based matching system and offers a free personality assessment.

Yahoo!Personals is one of the most successful dating services online and guarantees that you will find your Mr or Ms Right within six months. Users can keep their profile entirely hidden and it also has an extensive and easy to use photo database.  The majority of users on this site fall in the 20-45 age bracket.

eHarmony has developed their exclusive 29 Dimensions of Compatibility programme which is designed to predict long term relationship success. This site serves over 9 million singles in more than 200 countries worldwide, who are serious about finding a long term partner.

With hundreds of online dating services, narrowing the choice down can be a difficult task. The important thing is to always read the Privacy Policy, About Us and FAQ pages,  so that you feel comfortable that your safety and security is paramount.