Let’s start this Compatible Partners review by giving you a little history on how the dating site got started.
Around 2008, eharmony was getting some flack because its dating service wasn’t exactly gay-friendly or lesbian-friendly. Singles creating an eharmony profile could only choose between “man seeking woman” or “woman seeking man.” To better cater to this audience, eharmony launched Compatible Partners in 2009. The team intended this gay dating site to use the same matchmaking formula to help create same-sex relationships, just in a different atmosphere.
For the next 10 years, Compatible Partners took up the rainbow banner as a relationship-driven dating site dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. However, in 2019, Compatible Partners officially merged with eharmony, which now welcomes relationship seekers across the spectrum of sexuality.
Before it closed, we took the Compatible Partners site for a spin and can tell you how it works (the signup, the matching, the features, and the success rate). We’ll also offer some alternative dating sites to consider as a replacement for Compatible Partners and/or eharmony.
Compatible Partners: Accurate Matching But Limited Free Features (4.3/5.0 Rating)
Compatible Partners began as a sister site to eharmony, and it was open to gay men or lesbian women of all ages, races, religions, cultures, and backgrounds. Anyone who looking for a serious relationship could use this dating site as their wingman. As we mentioned earlier, the dating service was created in 2009 to address the specific needs of homosexual singles, particularly those who are Christian.
Compatible Partners had a similar in-depth questionnaire as eharmony (which includes about 80 questions and takes around 25 minutes to to complete) and used the same patented Compatibility Matching System to help you find your ideal partner. However, unlike in the past, new members are no longer required to take the personality test offered by Compatible Partners and now eharmony. So the signup process should take no more than five minutes if you just want to get to it.
Some pieces of information Compatible Partners did require was your first name, gender, the gender you’re looking for, location, email, password, and how you heard about the site. Registration is 100% free as are these features:
- Take the exclusive questionnaire
- Receive your own personality profile
- Get matches who meet your criteria sent to your inbox
- Send virtual winks
If you want access to more features, which you’ll need if you want to actually have a conversation with your matches, you’ll have to upgrade. The pricing for the Basic Plan is $19.95 a month for 12 months, $29.90 a month for six months, $29.95 a month for three months, and $59.95 for one month. The pricing for the TotalConnect Plan is $23.95 a month for 12 months, $33.95 a month for six months, or $44.95 a month for three months. The last option is the Premier Plan, which costs $41.95 a month for 12 months. As you can probably see, the latter is the way to go because you’ll get the most bang for your buck.
Premium features include viewing more photos, getting a deeper look into your personality profile, and using Guided Communication and SecureCall to message and talk with matches. Note: All of these subscriptions require you to pay the total amount upfront or in three increments, so make sure you check the fine print before clicking that upgrade button.
Compatible Partners was successful, and we know that because so many gay men and lesbian women said they met their partner here. One success story we were particularly touched by is that of Don and Keleko. After ending a relationship of 22 years, Don was newly single and doubtful about his chances of finding love again. Keleko, whose partner passed away from a heart attack after 20 years together, was in a similar situation.
They both warily joined Compatible Partners and were matched a few months later. Long messages turned into long email exchanges, and long email exchanges turned into long phone calls. Soon Don was traveling to Maui to meet Keleko in person. The chemistry they felt online intensified offline, and before they knew it, Don was packing up his stuff, moving in with Keleko, and they were getting married in a traditional Hawaiian ceremony. The rest is history thanks to Compatible Partners.
Don credits his success to the site’s highly accurate matching and advanced chatting features, which gave him and Keleko various ways to share their interests, passions, beliefs, and goals with one another.
“The beauty of Compatible Partners is by the time we met, we already knew each other very well,” Don told Compatible Partners. “As I said to Keleko in my wedding vows, ‘I have waited for you for 60 years. I can’t believe God has blessed us with this union. It was every bit worth the wait.’
You can read more stories like this on Compatible Partners Success Stories page.
3 Other Gay Dating Sites to Try
The main thing people disliked about Compatible Partners was that they couldn’t browse profiles on their own — most of the control is in the site’s hands. If you’re the type of person who wants to be in the driver’s seat, especially since it’s your dating life, you’ll definitely be interested in these alternative gay dating sites.
These sites are gay-friendly and offer an array of search and swipe options to spark connections. Plus, they all offer free memberships, so you can test the waters first — no need to jump all the way in if you’re unsure.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has a massive and extremely active gay user base, as over 1 million gay, bisexual, and curious men use the site to find dates and partners. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Match is the most well-known and well-established name in the online dating industry, and it’s a great choice for gay singles. The site has 30 million members and sees 13.5 million visitors every month, so finding that diamond in the rough should take no time at all.
Much like Compatible Partners, Match takes a personality-driven approach to matchmaking, but its algorithm has been around since the 1990s, so it’s a little more effective, in our opinion.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is a fantastic option for gay, bisexual, and curious single men age 50 and up, as the site's user base is very active. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime may be exclusively for mature singles, but other than that, its user base is vast. You’ll have the opportunity to meet people from numerous backgrounds and of varying sexual orientations. Plus, OurTime has one of the easiest interfaces, so if you’re not very confident in your tech skills, you don’t have to worry about it.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: BlackPeopleMeet is a go-to dating site for gay, bisexual, and curios black and biracial men, and it has a free membership option. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
BlackPeopleMeet is a favorite among black or biracial gay singles because the site knows how to cater to this audience. Some of BlackPeopleMeet’s most helpful features include live chat, conversational icebreakers, and handpicked matches based on your individual criteria.
BlackPeopleMeet isn’t a gay dating site specifically, but it is open to people of every sexual orientation, so it’s possible to meet gay black men or lesbian black women here.
Consider Compatible Partners While Keeping Your Options Open
Because eharmony is such a trusted brand in the dating industry, that makes Compatible Partners a reliable choice as well. Thanks to Compatible Partners, gay, lesbian, trans, and queer singles always had an outlet to find love, and now eharmony has taken up the torch again.
The scientific matching system (which was created by clinical psychologist, Christian theologian, and seminary professor Dr. Neil Clark Warren) is unlike any other you’ll find on the web. And with a free membership, you can browse profile for as long as you want until you’re ready to take the plunge into a flirtatious conversation.
While the free features do leave something to be desired (after all, communicating is a pretty important part of online dating), it’s a good way to get a feel for the service to see if you really want to go this route. But remember to take some time to shop around. Gay dating sites abound, and any of the sites listed above could work just as well as Compatible Partners or eharmony. Choose wisely!
