Since the mid-90s, the online dating industry has grown exponentially with reports estimating that in the United States alone over $500 million dollars is spent by members of the public annually on online dating services. This is due to a number of reasons, and developing a romantic relationship is one of the basic human impulses. However, due to several factors, many people find it hard to find the man or woman of their dreams.

Having a demanding and time consuming job or perhaps having a dislike for bars and other social venues can stop many people from socialising as much they'd perhaps like to. With the growth of online dating websites, however, these problems can be overcome. There exists an abundance of online dating websites throughout the world, each offering unique features to entice users to register. Many online dating service users have trouble in deciding whether they should join a free site or subscribe to another. Free sites offer the obvious advantage of not costing anything and they also attract more users than subscription sites.

However, since the site is free, it doesn't require any real commitment from the user to join. This leads to some ads being placed as jokes and others that are really advertisements for other websites. While the cost of subscription sites can be a disadvantage, it does mean only people who are serious about finding a date will join. These sites also have the added advantage of various identity verification measures, due to the fact credit card details are required from users to join.

Paying a subscription fee also often grants users access to the advanced features of the dating website, such as better profile searches or a higher ranking on the site for your own profile. Recently, as the online dating population becomes larger, sites with specific demographics are becoming more popular as a way to narrow the pool of potential matches. Furthermore, recent times have seen the advent of virtual dating, where singles interact in a virtual venue that resembles a real life environment. For example, instead of having to second guess the unpredictable spring weather this season, users can escape to a virtual world and perhaps enjoy a leisurely, sunlit stroll through a park in Paris or meet up at a Caribbean resort. The predicted popularity of virtual dating has led the magazine Scientific American to dub it "the next step in online dating". So, if you're struggling to find free time or if you simply like the idea of finding your significant other from the comfort of your own home, then online dating could be for you.

Find the dating site that appeals to you most and who knows? .

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.