Active Audience | 53% |
Quality Matches | 68% |
Popular Age | 26-35 |
Profiles | 9 285 000 |
Reply Rate | 84% |
Ease of Use | 9.2 |
Popularity | 9.4 |
Fraud | Very Rarely |
Rating |
8.5
|
Registration | Free |
Take a quiz and find the perfect one!
Those visiting the LavaLife official website and reading the offer on the home page, notice the frequently used word “fun” on the web page. Indeed, the well-known portal sees its mission in entertaining dating where people savor both process of searching and its outcome. The service covers all types of dating and relationships regardless of people’s tastes, preferences, sexual orientation, etc. It leaves room for maneuvers and experiments since men and women may not always know what they want for their body and heart.
Many other similar platforms cater to the LGBT community’s requirements and needs, for example, or those seeking marriage, etc. LavaLife lives up to its name when it makes dating unpredictable, surprising, and promising. Two folks can start with friendship and finish at the altar, as well as one-stand night can turn into a torrid affair.
LavaLife is not fully international, as it welcomes the audience from the USA and Canada only. Such narrow demographics determine a choice of communication means that might seem unusual to many avid daters.
LavaLife (Interactive Media Group) started its path of glory in 1987. Four digital-focused friends founded it in Canada when the Internet was still a part of science fiction for thousands of people. It started operating as not a partner website but an independent resource full of unique features and tools. Today, the service features 320 employees and makes $90 million annually.
It used a credit system until 2007, and then the portal changed it for the subscription-based model. Some years later, the website dove into the redesign to attract a younger audience. Besides, the founders decided to shift away from matchmaking and develop social features to remove pressure and let people enjoy any type of interaction.
Now, LavaLife has approximately 1.7 million profiles worldwide, with the majority (over a million) of members from Canada and many people from the USA. The male/female ratio on the website is 55:45, respectively.
The LavaLife website looks respectable and, at the same time, friendly. It is bright, but the color scheme is harmonic and balanced. Stock images and even a video presentation on the home page don’t clutter the layout. The mobile version is onboard, but it’s also possible to download the free app with a clear and straightforward interface.
The registration process is a 10-minute task that people of all ages can handle. LavaLife offers more than an average number of fields, as the application form is the starting point of your profile’s creation.
The LavaLife signup is a breeze, as an applicant sees clear captions above each of the form’s fields and helpful drop-down menus. You should provide the following data:
Click the red “Join now” button to start the second phase of registration:
Proceed with clicking the relevant button:
Once you’ve confirmed the registration on LavaLife and add the primary photo, it becomes possible to browse profiles. Note that the signup with Facebook is also possible. One thing seems pretty weird: a password can include only up to 8 characters, the less-than-usual number.
The LavaLife website uses email verification to solve the problem of bots. However, it’s still possible to meet trolls. They can be recognized by trite and illogical replies. So, quality control exists, but it is not perfect. Unfortunately, this is the issue of the most reputable portals, and it needs advanced solutions as soon as possible. Perhaps after several attempts, you’ll be able to select several folks for initial communication and potential dating.
The desktop version looks outstanding, but it lacks some “must” usability features. For example, the LavaLife logo is not clickable, and the widgets of social media platforms replaced the signup and login buttons in the upper right corner of the home page.
By the way, the last two elements are getting lost against the background of the enormous red-colored banner. Besides, a 7-day free trial offer is not visible when you enter the website. You should scroll a little to find it.
The footer of the website is decent. It makes useful links available to go to any section you want, including safe dating tips, a blog, privacy policy, etc.
LavaLife comes with a mobile app that can boast up to snuff functionality and convenient interface. The fonts and buttons have the optimal size to tap them “bullseye.” However, we can hardly state its full functionality since there is no access to forums and discussions within the app. The lack of the link to the LavaLife blog is also rather palpable.
The mobile app has everybody’s favorite swiping option. It’s accessible in the “LavaLounge” section, where you can find possible matches nearby. If you are not in the mood to swipe photos, just use a standard search, like on the main website.
The customization of your LavaLife profile might cover several types of dating you’d like to try. For example, it’s possible to specify data relevant to sugar dating, one-stand night, and long-lasting relationships simultaneously. Generally, the system will provide you with three sections to fill them out – Relationships, Casual, and Intimate Encounter.
The user can create a photo gallery visible to a particular audience. This feature adds intimacy to interaction and protects you from unwanted comments.
This option provides you with the opportunity to look through those profiles’ previews appearing in your list of suggestions. The owners of these pages won’t see your activity.
The blog is from the first person, and the posts deal with various types of relationships and sex. You can find tips, news, and funny stories to top up your wealth of knowledge and just have a good time.
Over 20,000 new users join the website daily, which extends your choice wider but, at the same time, complicates your profile’s visibility. To put it simply, the more members are on LavaLife, the greater competition is.
The LavaLife community is impressive, allowing you to choose a partner for games in the bedroom, flirty parties, traveling, or even life together and marriage. For this purpose, you should add an attractive photo where your face and upper part are visible. Note that it’s possible to upload 16 public photos maximum.
Besides, don’t neglect to fill out the “About me” section to put your best foot forward. You can then view an unlimited number of other members’ profiles and get in touch with those you like. Averagely, 100 contact requests turn into four productive conversations.
The registered users should create profiles and then start their manual search. Besides, you can look through the LavaLife suggestions in your account. When you view another user’s profile, you can click the “heart” icon on his/her photo to show your sympathy. The system will notify the member about your interest, and the latter might respond to you by checking out your page in return. If you click the “star” symbol, that person will appear in your list of favorites. The website displays your new favorites, likes, and other information at the top right corner of the main page.
The primary filters include age, location, and last activity. The advanced algorithm works based on your religion, ethnicity, appearance, personality, tastes, and habits. The search bar at LavaLife essentially facilitates the process, allowing you to customize your search and find the exact kind of partner you’re looking for. So, you’ll meet someone special and start the conversation pretty fast. Then all you need is to arrange a date.
People contact each other via phone calls, which is very convenient for the residents of the same country. Messaging is straightforward on LavaLife. You should just click the “envelope” symbol on the addressee’s photo. Then, type a welcome post or something like this to send the message. You can see the correspondence in real-time, keeping the window open.
There is a “Discussion” section on LavaLife, where plenty of users discuss a wide range of news, questions, issues, and topics of interest. It works a forum where like-minded people hang out and psych each other up. Public chats are also possible in the format of comments on the blog.
The lack of video and live chats is quite annoying. However, you have the IM option instead. It’s possible to switch it off if you want to have little contact with other community members.
Here are the top 10 LavaLife alternatives that have distinctive features and might be interesting for you to try.
The desktop and mobile application help find friends and partners around the globe. The portal is popular among those interested in not more than a conversation to pass some time.
The platform works on both an old-school desktop website and a modern mobile app. It is not geared too much toward the hookup scene but prioritizes chatting. The portal features a massive user pool since it’s completely free.
It works as a social media platform but has the features of a dating website, too. MeetMe is remarkable for the low age requirements that make it potentially dangerous for teens. It has a chatroom and a fascinating “Secret Admirer” game.
The website offers matches based on your activities on the platform. It considers your likes, contacts, interaction with other users, posts, etc.
It caters to the needs of sugar daddies and babies, focusing on beneficial relationships. It fits those looking for sponsors and people who want to share their money in exchange for special favors.
The online club welcomes people over 50 years. Besides, many younger members are looking for older males and females.
The app takes over your current dating profiles and sends introduction messages to women on your behalf. Besides, the managers can build a profile for you and offer first-class coaching.
This service focuses on the youngest audience, starting from 18 years old. It connects people in a chat room anonymously, having the slogan “Talk to strangers!”
It invites users for webcam-based conversations. You can reach a man or a woman from any location around the globe and discuss adult topics with hem/her.
The video messaging service allows people to communicate via video calls. It’s available only to Apple (iOS and macOS) users and features a superior picture and audio quality.
The 7-day free trial of LavaLife doesn’t give access to 100% of the functionality. For example, you’ll be able to start only up to 50 conversations. At the same time, it is still a generous offer since there are no limits to responding to others initiating an interaction with you. If you decided to opt for a premium subscription, you should use only a credit card to pay for LavaLife’s services.
Free users are entitled to enjoy several features and opportunities:
If you want to access unlimited messaging with any of the community members and see those visiting your profile page, a paid subscription is critical. Besides, you’ll create a different page in three available sections and initiate contact with either premium or free users.
LavaLife does not see a need to pumper its audience with outstanding functionality. Still, the cost of the membership is below average.
LavaLife has a publicly available Code of Ethics that is a “must” for all users. So, the service is completely safe in terms of the proper behavior on the website. The moderators have no right to screen private messages. However, it’s not a big deal. Since you remain anonymous while chatting, scammers might only reach out to you if you share personal information with them. Regarding offline dates after a series of talks, try to meet with your partner in public places and choose a hotel rather than your house/apartments for love. You can find more tips and recommendations on the website.
The platform comes with typical means of protection against hacks. The financial transactions pass through the LavaLife payment system that keeps them secure and in private. SSL encryption protects server-client communication and provides authentication. It is one of the 12 factors necessary to accept credit cards as a payment method. Nevertheless, not all web pages of the site have an SSL certificate.
The support is available 24/7, but it doesn’t mean getting an immediate response from the managers in the dead of night. You can just fill in the form on the “Contact us” web page to send a report or a question. Besides, you can call 1.866.371.8906 to access someone to help you. There is also a “FAQ” block on LavaLife. However, it’s rather shallow and misses lots of crucial questions.
If you want to upload a photo, attach it to your profile, and just wait for the approval. The system will notify you about the results. It takes some time, but you don’t have to make efforts to pass verification.
The LavaLife website decided to ignore such an important matter as the account cancellation. It doesn’t disclose the relevant data in the “FAQ” section but just offers to click the link “Apply for the Instructions.” Then, it redirects you to another page, where you have to log in with the email and password.
On the next stage, you hover over the username and enter “My Account.” Choose the “Deactivate My Account” option and click another link (“clicking here”) again. Moreover, you should point out the reason for your leaving, and then the system will finally delete your page.
This option is available only to premium users. Free members can send smiles only and see the number of likes on his/her profile. However, people giving the “likes” will still stay invisible.
You can block other members and restrict them from viewing your profile or contacting you directly from your message inbox. The option is available on both the desktop website and mobile app.
LavaLife comes with the auto-renewal option by default. You should enter the settings of your account and manually turn the feature off. Note that subscriptions are non-refundable.
This dating platform can hardly be called a classic website, despite its long history. It has some technical issues and loose ends, but the owners’ marketing strategy does its job. LavaLife is a superior resource for online adventurers, one-night love-seekers, and just those who adore communication on the Web. It allows you to be various and delve into experiences that seem contradictory at first glance. You can contact people that dream about marriage and flirt with attractive folks at the same time.