WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free trial membership includes posting your profile, adding pictures and sending “I’m Interested” notes. Great online games to play. Paid members can contact other paid members. Straight and same sex personals available.

WHAT WE FOUND: Free to join, free for women to send messages to men. There is a free trial period that is point based, you use up points as you chat to others, use the webcam chat and view member profiles. Searching for other members is free and easy, with simple and advanced search options available. There is a three page registration, easily enough filled out starting with which type of dating activity you want to join, Love or Adult. You can’t switch later so choose carefully. Of course you could join again using a different member name and profile if you want. Be sure to add a picture on this step, minimum size to picture so be sure to have one that is at least a 2x2 inch size or 150x150 pixels or larger on your computer. Not sure about a maximum size, but there could be one. Save yourself a step and edit a nice headshot of yourself to add to your profile. You have a webcam, use it to take a nice picture! On the third registration page “The last step before happiness” watch how you select the country region and state/provinces. Once the area is selected you need to click the “validate” button before continuing filling out your registration. You’ll be choosing the most likely type of person you’d like to chat with and meet and I suggest selecting all the options, even if it includes a 300lb woman that is a Capricorn, has green eyes and is balding. To confirm your registration the next step is a trip to your inbox for your validation code. You will still enter Easy Flirt as a member if you don’t validate so take your time, but you will need to click on the code link eventually. And as a bonus for becoming a free validated member you’ll be able to download the “Easy Flirt” calendar” which features pictures of attractive women or men, depending on your first profile selection, in a screensaver. Your profile will be approved before it shows up in the “newest member” section, so you may have to wait a while before people can find you to chat with, but that won’t stop you from going forward with all the features that are available here. First step, on your member page select under “parameters” the webcam option and be sure to select yes to telling people you have a webcam. Other features include adding a voice message to your profile and a lot more pictures. There is a cost to the voice message feature so be sure you know what you want to say before you call the number provided. The price will be plainly indicated so feel free to investigate this option. You’ll have a lot more messages if you download and install the “dating messenger” a type of Instant Messenger that notifies you when your Easy Flirt friends are online as well as if you have any messages. It’s easier than it sounds so I recommend you download and use this feature. Watch the top of page links on your home page. They become active when you have visits to your profile, messages, kisses sent to you, Easy Flirt friends online and chat options available. Membership costs are determined by the country you are in and are available as subscription, full access that is monthly or longer, or point based, purchase points and use them as you use certain features but it is always free to search for members, you’ll use your points as you mostly as you contact other members. Paid members have unlimited support, so if you get tied up with using a feature, you’ll have speedy help.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free to join, instant free trial period allows you to use all features. Select Love or Adult section when you join, Love for dating and relationships, Adult for racier connections. Instant messenger chat, webcam chat and local phone chat options to get you connected to other singles. Free for women to contact men, men must have a subscription or points to contact women. Membership pricing in the local currencies that are in the Easy Flirt system, America, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania.

WHAT WE FOUND: Joining eharmony will help you discover more about yourself and your goals for dating and finding a compatible match as you complete the questionnaire that leads to your detailed personality profile, which you get to keep for free. This is the first of five steps as a match is found for you and communication is guided through the first awkward introductions. You are able to exchange photos and emails with your match anonymously through the eharmony system once you become a paid member. We recommend that you take the web site tour before you complete the questionnaire, so you have a greater understanding about how eharmony works and why, if you've grown tired of dull people and false personal ads, you'll know how you are matched with 10 to 25 personality compatible singles. You receive information about your matches before you have to become a paid member to make contact and your identity is confidential until you decide to reveal yourself to your match.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free to join and have your personality profile completed. Become a member to make contact with your matches. Straight personals only.

WHAT WE FOUND: ePersonals is one of the better of the online services. You’ll have to join to be able to search or browse the current personals, but that only takes a second or two to fill out the first form and it’s free. Watch as you do though, because you’ll be led to the payment form and encouraged to at least purchase the 7 day trial membership that gives you complete access for about a dollar a day. To avoid immediately deciding whether to pay or leave, just click on the “My Profile” link at the top of the page and complete your profile. From there you will be able to search the other members. This is a fast search based on the zip/postal code that you entered when you first joined. We really like having local searches appearing first in the results, it makes you feel that much closer to meeting someone. If you select to “clip” any members as you browse the results, they’ll be saved in your favorites area for later viewing and contacting. It’s free to send messages but to view any replies to your profile or to messages you’ve sent you must become a paid member. You also need to be a premium member to chat with others. Sent messages are also saved in your “outbox” so you can refer back to them at a later date. A unique feature is the “Profile Meter” which will tell you how much of your profile still needs to be completed. There are points for every part including uploading your photo with your profile, when you get to 100, you’re done. Another great feature is the “Last Login” date that is with every profile. If you’re interested in someone, but it’s been 2 months since they’ve logged in, don’t expect a reply. So, be sure to check in every week or so, at a minimum. The Connect “Who’s Online” features let’s you see who’s visiting right now and where they are located. A new PrivateCall features that allows for telephone contact between members is available. A great way to phone other members while keeping your phone number secret since the call is made through the ePersonals system. Check out the site for details. A great way to make quick friends through messages and the phone.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free to join, become a paid member to chat and to reply to messages. Include up to 4 pictures with your profile. Cheap 7 day full access trial period. Safe, secure telephone calls available between members using the PrivateCall feature that don't reveal your true identity. Straight and same sex personals.

WHAT WE FOUND: Featuring a very large photo gallery of Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and other Eastern European women to meet, you’ll find Eastern Dream an easy to use service. Begin your visit by browsing the gallery. There are plenty of one-click categories to make browsing easy. You can also search by a compatibility list and narrow your search for the lady of your dreams quickly. We did find some older profiles (circa 1998), but the agency assures us that all profiles are verified several times a year that the ladies are still looking for the right man to marry. Here’s an inside tip: do a search for profiles that are older. The ladies photos may not be as good quality and they may have been overlooked for that reason, but you’ll find some very interesting ladies this way. We like that they show how many times the ladies address has been requested too, this helps to find ladies that haven’t had a lot of correspondence. Services include an annual membership which includes unlimited access to addresses and fast email delivery and language translations of your letter, and individual address purchases if you want to start slowly by sending just one or two letters. Additional services include tours, gift delivery, translators and phone calls.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Purchase addresses to contact Russian and Ukrainian ladies. Large photo gallery, letter translations, phone help and tours available.

WHAT WE FOUND: 18-60s.com really does offer a fully free membership that, with a little work from you, will allow you to send and reply to messages, use the Instant Messenger service, upload pictures and a short video along with having a very complete profile that will help others find you. There is a price to pay, however: you must respond to the verification email you are sent, you must complete your profile (an incomplete profile will not allow your membership to be approved) and have it approved, this should be quite quick, and take no longer than 10 hours depending on when you joined. Your membership is a month-to-month membership, you need to renew every month to keep current, optionally, make a small donation to 18-60s.com for a longer term. The five minutes or so that it will take you to complete your profile and reply to the confirmation email is worth the price of the service. For your effort not only do you have unlimited access to all features you are assured that the profiles you search/browse through are just as complete. What a great way to ensure that serious singles are the entire membership. Use the quick search feature to browse member profiles before you join. We found the service’s website easy to get around, fast replies to customer service messages and plenty of members in the areas that we searched. 18-60s.com is one of the online services you ‘must’ join.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Totally free membership includes photos, video, instant messaging, forums, sending and replying to messages. Straight and same sex personals available.

CHANGES WE'D LIKE TO SEE: (Suggested February 2004) Faster profile approval, a feature tour.

WHAT WE FOUND: A Russian Introduction Service with an impressive album of women waiting to correspond with you. Many additional features that are available at An Exotic Lady will make your continuing relationship a successful one. The Exotic Lady site moves quickly and provides the right atmosphere to bring the right woman to your attention. You'll like the possibility of placing your own personal ad in Russia's leading newspapers for a small fee and getting the attention you are looking for. Read out interview with Chris of Exotic Lady here.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Message and e-mail forwarding, gift shop and delivery, help to place your own personal ad in Russian newspapers, placing and translation phone call help, immediate message service and many more features that will make your communication with your chosen women friends a success.

WHAT WE FOUND: This is a real world singles club that has an important difference: you get to do interesting things with thousands of other singles. Events & Adventures (in business since 1997) really cares about their members and screens everyone, accepting only those suitable for the events (hiking, rafting, skiing and camping to dinners, dances, parties and theater) and ready to share real life experiences. Once you have joined you’ll be screened in a face-to-face meeting, and once you’re accepted you’ll receive a monthly magazine detailing the up to 50 events you can participate in and meet, mingle and get to know others that share your same interests. Currently members are in Seattle, Denver and Portland and surrounding areas. The monthly membership fees are very reasonable and vary according to the type of membership you take.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Participate in real life adventures and meet other members that are in Seattle, Denver and Portland. Monthly membership fees (similar to a spa membership) to join.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free 3 day free trial lets you use all features. Live phone sex, photo galleries, chat rooms, streaming adult videos. Straight, same sex and same sex members personals.

WHAT WE FOUND: A nice service bringing you closer to the Ukrainian women of Kyiv. The catalogue of women waiting for your correspondence is large and updated regularly. The Edem Club offers many additional services other than addresses of women. They will help you travel to Kyiv and meet your new women friends face to face and will make all arrangements for your travel and accommodations. You can become a member and receive additional benefits, such as, 120 addresses and 1 month free email forwarding.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Addresses of Ukrainian women for correspondence and romance. Travel and accommodations can be arranged. Purchase addresses individually or become a member and save on your fees.

WHAT WE FOUND: A great PenPals service that is accessible in French and English. Learn a new language by becoming a PenPal with someone that wants to share new learning experiences with you. Members of E-meeting who want to share their culture, language and friendship with you speak more than 20 different languages. With an easy sign-up, you will soon have new friends from all corners of the globe and learn about the world we live in as well as something of yourself. I like the audio chat and the chat room reservations so you can invite your friends and meet regularly. Chat searches have many different categories, so you’ll know what the other person is ready to talk about. Personal details can be as long or as short as you like and will give you the information you want to start meeting someone now that shares your interests.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND: Free service featuring audio chat and easy member searches. Include your picture with your profile too!