Dating Software Reviews

by David Evans on June 7, 2006   in Software

Online Dating Insider delivers cutting-edge insight and commentary on all aspects of the online dating industry. Topics include industry news, site reviews, emerging trends, analysis of dating site features, discussion about safety, finance and other issues important to the online dating market. Don't miss our Startups directory, useful to anyone running dating or social networking sites. Subscribe to the RSS feed (you can subscribe via email as well). Your comments and suggestions for stories are welcomed.

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Dating Software Reviews is a community of webmasters and dating scripts clients that offer reviews of online dating applications and services provided by dating software development companies. Dating platforms range from php to asp based applications, free, private and hosted solutions.

As with all community forums and review sites, your mileage may, no, will, vary. Some people put more time and effort into reviews, others simply mention the most popular packages or list every software package even remotely related to dating.

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  • { 19 comments… read them below or add one }

    1 absix June 8, 2006 at 1:44 am
    If you’re serious about starting a site the only way to go is with CUSTOM script/software. Nothing against the dating scripts out there, but as a dating site owner I can’t imagine running the site with some piece of code someone, somewhere wrote. It’s just not gonna happen.

    Check the leading sites out there, they all use custom made software, on a different platforms.

    2 Dawn June 8, 2006 at 4:35 am
    BS. It’s a clear farce from one of the vendors… not to mention names – look at the ones praised. the same type of english as in press releases.

    Resources of this kind are in no way trustable. Dave, I suggest you look at modmysite to have a better picture because the final truth is what customers say.

    3 relaxedguy June 8, 2006 at 9:15 am
    Absix, most dating site owners are not coders, for a select few, building from scratch may be a labor of love, for the rest, who needs to reinvent the wheel?

    I’ve heard from several people that Dating software reviews may be run by a dating software site, looking into it.

    4 James J. June 8, 2006 at 10:39 am
    Sometimes you seem to contradict yourself, Dave. You call for innovation, but then say things like this. The industry needs innovation, but doesn’t need more cookie cutter sites.
    5 relaxedguy June 8, 2006 at 10:49 am
    I don’t see it as a contradiction in the least. Writing software from scratch to run a dating site from is absolutely unnecessary and 100% unreasonable for the majority of entrapreneurs wanting to start a dating service. Just because a site is run on an ASP platform or script does not mean it can’t be innovative. Design, layout, UI, branding, feature mix and marketing are all ways one may differentiate their “cookie-cutter” default site. I call that innovation.
    6 Robert Fathers June 23, 2006 at 3:32 am
    What is really important – is finding the solution that you really need that is the best solution for you.

    Dating Scripts – Should have technical skills in order to set these up. Bear in mind that you may or may not have a database with the script, if you are offered one is is one offered on other sites and wont convert well. If you have to build you own database then figure on a year to build critical mass before you have enough to sell from, but you can use the site before then for selling advertising.

    Scripts vary according to their complexity, but not always the case.

    Other things to think of is either the cost of upgrades, usually charged extra, you maybe charged for these so take care in choosing,, if this is you option.

    Comment: Probably not the best solution if you are looking to make revenue quickly.

    As a positive this is an option that can set you on the road to independence, remember though if you come to this point you will have to redevelop your software anyway.

    If your idea is to build a mega site then do this with your own ideas and programmers from the start, a dating script/software provider may help you with this.

    You may or may not have your own merchant account and if you do you may be charged a large percentage, take care some will cost you up to 15% – with your other costs of development and hosting, means that your profit is mostly lost unless you seel traffic to other dating sites.

    Site Providers such as diydating, tangowire etc that provide simple sites ready made with payment provider and hosting is a good start also.

    Things to watch out for is that many of these are quite small and conversion rates are not impressive as their databases maybe extremely small and as they cover global areas can make this very thin to spread over a great area. Other problems that we have come across is that merchant accounts percentages can be quite high. Many of these site pay only on initial payments.

    Tanagowire for example has only one design, so doesn’t convert well, while diydating has a recognizable format that never changes.

    Some good points are they are easy to set up and maintain, diydating has some better designs, but watch out for penalties on chargeback’s which come back to you on all these kinds of sites.

    Some sites charge a setup fee, and some also offer free membership to the site owners which encourages fraudsters to use for scamming.

    Dating Solution providers – This is the top end of the market and usually more exclusive. Relationshipexchange charge $5000 for set up and quite a small revenue share.

    Springstreet is one of the best in the sites, now owned by Friendfinder, I think this is used as part of their own service now, so may be biased, this would need checking http://www.springstreetnetworks.com/settlement.html was all I could find, they don’y give much information away. I believe they charge, but are exclusive to partners that have high traffic, applications that I have tried in the past have brought no response. I think their payment model is per contact, which is not very good as you cannot build a good increasing revenue. You can see how this works on our own calculator http://world-dating-partners.com/index.do

    Embarrassingly in this our own system tops, because we offer any option that a partner wants from branded to templates, everything is free with a quick setup – we process over 14 credit and debit cards on a very low rate and conversion rates are extremely high due to web content and the size of our database is now equal to match.com. Read more or write to me if you want clarification on suystems. We have created sites for over 30 radio stations in the UK, for the British Army air force and Navy, nightclubs, charities and TV. But every partner is more than welcome to join, big or small. We have a substantial backup development and support team of over 50 staff 4 of which dedicated to helping partners with marketing and technical support.

    7 Run Your Own Dating Site January 26, 2007 at 11:31 am
    The link to the review site is down. Was going to add a link back to our own ‘run your dating site’ solution on it, but judging by the comments so far, I’m pleased I didn’t.

    If you want to Run Your Own Dating Site there are numerous options from getting the site custom scripted, using ‘off the shelf’ software, or a ‘white label’ solution, like that offered by ourselves.

    The hardest part of running a dating site is without doubt the building of an initial membership database. Hence why I’d opt for a ‘white label’ solution. Unless you’ve got deep advertising pockets, or an already established portal type sites with a loyal and regular customer database, it’s the most cost effective answer to the problem.

    It’s chicken and egg, people won’t join your dating site because no-one else has – or if they do, there’s no database to interact with. Bottom line being, whatever model of generating an income through the site you have, it just won’t work.

    With our system, you can choose to populate your site with members that are part of a ‘central’ pool initially, plus once you get a big enough database of members joining your individual site, you can choose to switch off the ‘pool’ and have an exclusive site showing just your site’s membership database.

    It works like a co-operative, you get a fully functional admin suite, you can newsletter your members, run your own affiliate program – yep you read that right, the ability to run your site’s own affiliate program is built in… Use the central database of members or choose to opt out. You don’t have the headache of releasing profile and photos – our admin staff do that for you. You just get on with the task in hand of promoting your site.

    Anyway, that’s just my two penneth. Check it out for yourselves if you wish.

    Cheerio

    8 MGHines October 24, 2007 at 6:32 am
    As a recent (October 2007) and unhappy customer of ABK-SOFT, the makers of AbleDating and AbleSpace software, I have documented my technical and customer service experience with them as a warning to other buyers. Unfortunately, it is lengthy so I created a website for the review complete with support documentation:

    icongroupthailand.com/abk-softwarning.php

    Thank you.
    Michael G. Hines
    IconGroupThailand.com

    9 Karyn Armstrong September 3, 2008 at 3:19 am
    Skadate’s software is old and runs on only a limited number of hosting solutions, they offer a 30 day money back guarantee but only for managed solution. I didn’t even get the software downloaded which I paid $795.00 for and they still won’t give me a refund so I had to hire an attorney!!!!

    DON’T USE THEM EVER!!!!

    10 Emil Sarnogoev September 4, 2008 at 2:47 am
    Karyn,

    You are wrong to assume that SkaDate runs with only limited number of hosting companies. It’s a good idea to make sure you meet hosting requirements before you purchase any software. Although we are on the firm ground with EULA and server requirements, we are making refund just because we want to help you.

    11 Karyn Armstrong September 4, 2008 at 3:15 am
    I checked to make sure we met all hosting requirements, I even has an early conversation with someone in tech support about this and he told me it was fine. I operate several websites and the particular software isn’t compatible with my hosing company who I have a long term contract with. I don’t believe I am wrong about the limited number of hosting companies. Most hosting companies have upgraded their systems to a different platform that is not compatible with SKADATE. I research this after discovering SKADATE couldn’t be installed. I never even downloaded the software and went in a differant direction. It is up to the company to ensure all systems are go with what the customer wants to use. I don’t like being dictated to on who I should use as a hosting company, I am the customer so I get to choose.

    If you are with SKADATE and you take pride in your work and your statement about making a re fund is true then I will expect a refund of $795.00 credited back to my account or a check sent to me. Until then I stand by my statements. Once I refund is issued and received I will share a decent review for you.

    12 Emil Sarnogoev September 8, 2008 at 7:15 am
    Karyn,

    I don’t understand how a refund can make a “decent review”. Nonetheless, feel free to write to my email info AT skadate DOT com and send the chat log with the person that supposedly told you your setup was fine.

    If mistake was ours, we will issue full refund. Otherwise, we will deduct processing fee as told you earlier.

    This blog is not a place for arguments. I will respond by email.

    Thank you.

    13 Karyn Armstrong September 8, 2008 at 3:44 pm
    With all due respect my attorney and credit card company are handling this for me.

    The chat log was never sent to me as requested.

    You might be right about the blog not being a place for arguments but I wasn’t getting anywhere with your company until I posted here.

    I respectfully await a full refund, there is no mention of a processing fee with your 30 day money back guarantee.

    Thank you!

    14 David January 13, 2009 at 12:53 am
    ABK-Soft.com is notorious for ripping people off. Check out this post by DatingScripts.

    http://www.datingscripts.biz/2009/01/10/abledating-sucks/

    D

    15 DatingScriptReviews February 4, 2009 at 2:17 am
    Datingsoftwarereviewers.com is a FAKE review website, setup by ABK-soft.

    All facts and prove can be found here: http://www.datingscriptreviews.com/warning-abk-soft where i advocate everything with screenshots and facts.

    Also read the warning from the Better Business Bureau: http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?CompanyID=100058710

    ABK-soft is a Russian scammers company who keep trying to clean their reputation on the internet by spamming (webmaster) forums, websites and setup fake review websites and blogs.

    DONT BE THE NEXT ONE WHO GET SCAMMED AND DO SOME RESEARCH!!!

    16 richard February 20, 2009 at 9:16 am
    Dont use this company, they are scammers, they take your money and give you a poor website, the basic 3d city and cheap looking chat rooms.When you want support they can either ignore you specially if u complain or take weeks to reply.The you tube software they have advertised as free for the last year doesnt even exist yet. The Free upgrades are only Free if you are super website genius, other wise you have to pay $300 for them to do it.
    They NEVER refund, even when i asked the very next day.
    They are russians and use many other names, including skadate and abledating.
    Bewarned, do not waste your money on these scammers
    17 Ssan April 16, 2009 at 7:44 pm
    SKADATE IS SCAM!!! They state to be in the US BUT THIS IS TOTAL LIE. Nothing is easier than to check the whois: http://whois.domaintools.com/skadate.com
    Administrative Contact:
    Sarnogoev, Emil
    Alamedin-1, d.19, kv.84
    Bishkek, 720083
    Kyrgyzstan
    996312584249
    IS THIS SOMEWHERE IN THE USA? :-D
    And if you need his photo, he himself has posted it on YouTube, he is sitting in his Kyrgizstan and laughing at us, taking our money and not fearing anything! And really, it is hard to get him in his Kyrgyzstan, he is right. But what we CAN do is AVOID sponsoring the international terrorism and scammers from SKADATE!
    Here is the video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgmA2mECkGs
    Here is the photo:
    http://datingsoftwarereviewer.com/images/skadate17.jpg
    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! DO NOT SPONSOR INTERNATIOe NAL SCAMMERS AND TERRORISTS SKADATE!!
    18 UstillUp June 17, 2009 at 2:16 pm
    It seems most dating reviews are done or commented on by people who have a grievance. The same few people are posting all kinds of nasty things on every blog and forum they can find. What we also need, however, are people who have had good experiences speak about the software that they are using. Personally, I am now running a site using ABK-Soft software. The site is amazing, and I’m now getting around 50 – 100 new members a day. If you don’t believe me, check out the name link at the top. This software seems to have the most features for the money, and I’ve never had any issues or concerns with their customer service.
    19 Asian Playboy Blog - Dating & Pick-Up Coach June 26, 2009 at 2:48 pm
    A dating coach for minorities and men, sharing successful seduction tips and flirting advice for dating beautiful women.

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