The fact is that like almost everything else in the world, there is a move to the internet for dating. There are literally hundreds of online dating services, and sometimes choosing the right site for you can be very difficult. Where do you start? What do you do to decide which online site is best? Narrowing the choice down can be a difficult task. However, other people can help you to do that. You can learn what sites are the best dating sites by seeing what their customers have to say about them, and what reviews claim.

The most comprehensive reviews of dating websites are found in a variety of places. For example, sites like DatingDame.com, review and rate sites in a number of categories, and supplement those with interviews of users. You can use their service to compare sites, to see which have the services that fit your needs best, and more. Other places to find great dating site reviews is on About.com, they give you their take on the best dating sites, and they provide you with a lot of information as to why they gave them the rating they did. Another good place, although sometimes their reviews are a little outdated is PC Magazine.

You can find more information about the best dating sites in magazines, even business related magazines like Business Week and Newsweek. However, you want to remember that sometimes the best reviews come from users. So, read reviews that have user comments, and that don't just tell you the good, but also the bad.

There seems to be growing controversy over many online dating websites. So, it is important to read up to date reviews so that you do not end up paying for a dating service at a site that many people are not happy with.

All online dating sites work basically the same way, so when you are choosing the best dating site, you do not have to worry too much about how they work. Most sites allow you to create a profile, browse and search the site for free, but will charge you to talk to other members, or will match you with others. Some let you indicated interest to someone for free, but that is about it. Then, you have to pay. However, some dating sites, like eHarmony.com, PerfectMatch.com and AmericanSingles.com, require you to register before you can view profiles. Most sites require that you pay for a paid subscription or membership. The problem with this is that many of these sites have profiles on them, but with people that are not paid members, so you can't talk to them, or they won't be able to respond. This means that there's a big possibility that you may not be able to contact those who interest you.

When you sign up for a dating site, you usually subscribe for a certain amount of time, this might be one month, or it could be a whole year. The charge is monthly, and usually the longer you commit the less it will be.

Even with reading reviews, you can't always be guaranteed that it is the best site for you. Every person has different goals and different reasons for using dating sites. So, to help you find the best dating sites for you, be sure to do the following:

First, always read the Privacy Policy. One of the biggest problems with dating sites is the lack of privacy some of them have. Your personal information might be out there for everyone to see. Some sell your contact information, etc. So, to make sure you have the amount of privacy you are looking for, read the privacy policy for each dating site you are considering.

Second, read the About Us page for the dating website. Every site has a different philosophy and method for helping you find that right person. You can learn how they work by reading their About Us page. Some sites use science to match you with the people you are the most compatible with, based on your profile. Other sites allow you to talk and visit to anyone you want on their whole site. So, if the best site for you is one that matches you to people you should be compatible to, then you would not want one that just makes others available to you at your discretion. If you want more control, look for the site that offers that. The fact is that many people are too busy to sift through the hundreds, thousands, and sometimes millions of people on dating websites, so it is nice to have someone else match you with the people you are most compatible to. It is also very convenient for those who want to skip through the stages of trying to figure out if someone is compatible with them, and go straight to people who are scientifically matches to be compatible with them. Read the about us page, it is one of the best ways to find out if a dating site is going to be the "best" for you.

Third, read the FAQ page. A lot of times other people have asked questions that will help you better understand how this dating service, over another one is going to be the best. Reading the FAQ's can really help you to learn more about the various dating sites, such as what they cost, how they help you match up with others.

Each of these will give you a good look into the philosophy of that service, helping make the decision easier, and helping you to find the dating site that is going to fit your life the best.

The top dating site consensus on most reviews include:

PerfectMatch

This is a site that gives a scientific approach to online dating. There are many sites that take a scientific approach, and this is considered the best.

eHarmony

You have probably seen their commercials because they do spend a lot on advertising. Most reviews say that it is an excellent site with a focus on personality matching. So, the people you get matched with should have a personality that matches yours well. They do this through a unique compatibility matching system that takes twenty-nine different personality variables and determines who you are most suitable to date. The benefit and drawback is that you can only contact people who the system has determined to be highly compatible. This means that if the system does not find a match, you are out of luck, and it also means that it can take weeks to months to get real results, meaning overall you may pay more. If you hold out, you will be offered better deals.

Match.com

This site gets great reviews and is one of the most widely used personals site. The simple fact that they are the most popular should indicate they are a good choice. Match.com consistently ranks as one of the largest dating sites in the world, but in addition to that, they also match people up. They claim to help over 250,000 people a year find a partnet.

JDate

This site gets great reviews and is the largest Jewish Dating site and responsible for thousands of marriages. While a very specific dating site, it is the best for people who want these specifics. Chemistry One of the great things about this site is that not only does it offer personality matching but it also offers a 7 day free trial. This means you can see if you like it before spending any money on it.

Christian Café

This is a great site because it is a site just for Christians. Religious similarity is an important part of a relationship, so this eliminates that difference right away.

LavaLife

This site has a high user base, and is considered one of the world's top dating sites. It is a great way to meet other singles with similar interests. Out of the top online dating sites, Lavalife is the most versatile because it is not just for dating, but also for relationships and intimate encounters, so whether you are looking to date and have fun, find a marriage mate, or just have sex, this is a great site for finding connections.

MatchMaker

This site has great functionality, and is a good way to meet singles.

Yahoo! Personals

Yahoo! currently has more registered users around the globe as well as the highest number of user visits among all of the top dating sites. They are known, reliable, and not too expensive, but some complain that you get spam in your mailbox if you use this service for dating.

The above sites are sites that charge for their dating services. The following is the best free dating sites, and in some cases are rated the highest overall when it comes to dating sites, not just for free sites:

OkCupid

This site is not just a dating site, it is actually a mix of social networking, compatibility-testing and online dating, OkCupid is a free dating site that allows its members to create the matching questions already pre-determined at many of the sites you have to pay for, such as eHarmony or Chemistry. One of the other benefits of this free dating site is that unlike some of the systems that match you up with people, and tell you who you can and can not contact, on this system you can contact any of the users. Also, because they are free, they have a lot of users.

Plenty of Fish

This is considered to be the first of the successful free dating sites. The user base is large, and allows you to connect with users all over the world whether you are looking for love, friendship, or something in between.