Mingle2 Dating Site Review

"Yes, the site really is 100% free! You can use all the services on JustSayHi and never pay a dime. Just put away your credit card and start finding your match!" ~from Mingle2 FAQ

Q: Why does the Mingle2 FAQ mention JustSayHi? A: JustSayHi and Mingle2 merged in 2008 using the name JustSayHi, but later that year the two sites took on Mingle2 as their final name. Now both sites point to Mingle2, with all the features (and more) of each individual site.

Mingle2 offers the same standard features as most free dating sites: free winks, chats, forums, messaging, and a comprehensive searching system.

There are a few interesting tidbits to mention with Mingle2. First off, the ads at the top of the page in 'My Account' look like they're a part of the site. I caught myself more than once trying to click on "Your Perfect Match" or "Live Chat" -- both ads, and not part of the Mingle2 system.

Next, the searching mechanism. It's well rounded and easy to use, allowing folks to search by number of miles from their zip or postal code, and within any age range and gender (although bisexuals won't find what they need here, as a 'Both' genders search option isn't available). The one thing I question with Mingle2 is the amount of profiles in the system in my area. Even the largest dating sites give me around 100 profiles to choose from in a 15 year age span and a 25 mile radius. Mingle2 offered up almost 250, many of which I'd never encountered before. A quick review showed the closest to me listed first, and then outlying areas (read: more populated) after. You'll even see how long it's been since a member visited the site, although the longest time frame I found was "over a month ago".

I haven't come across a free dating site that lays out all of your matches, friends and whose viewed you in a straightforward, easy-to-read main page format like Mingle2 does. In a matter of seconds you can easily see whose interested, who you might match up with (although mutual matches are a premium feature -- see below for details).

Mingle2 also offers a 'stealth mode' where you can peruse the site but not have your profile viewable to others via search, and you can also turn off instant messaging should it bother or annoy you. Members also get automatically subscribed to the Community areas that line up with their profile information; so for instance I was placed in the "30 and 40 somethings" age group forum, but not the under 30s or over 50s. If I wanted to I could change this however with just one click under Settings --> Forum Settings.

Mingle2 costs nothing to sign up, and you can contact any other Mingle2 user via wink, chat, messaging or search at any time. Mingle2 has a tiered payment system however, so that users who want features beyond the norm can pay a monthly fee to:

• See who mutually matched with you;
• Feature your profile at the top of search results, homepage and the who's online list;
• Highlight your emails to other users in their mailbox.

The premium or 'upgrade' costs $9.95/month USD for three months ($29.85 total), $7.95/month USD for six months ($47.70 total), or $5.95/month USD for one year ($71.40 total). Mingle2 accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX and Paypal. Memberships automatically renew and are non-refundable, so make sure to put your renewal date on your calendar so you can cancel your subscription at the end so you don't get dinged another term.

Mingle2 Bottom Line

For singles wanting strong search options and a free dating service, you can't go wrong with Mingle2. Just avoid the ads that look like navigation and don't pay for the 'upgrade'; other pay-per-use sites offer more for a lot less.

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