Match.com Singles (#'s)

By the Numbers

Established in 1995, Match.com has long been a leader in the online dating category. According to press releases from Sept. 2003, Match.com's personals businesses (including uDate.com, which operates Kiss.com) claim more than 857,000 paying subscribers and more than 18 million members.

A look at 3rd-party visitor numbers from earlier this year shows Match.com with a solid lead over runner-up Yahoo.

However, Yahoo has since launched a multi-media marketing blitz to turn up the heat on frontrunner Match.com.

Based on test searches, Match.com may still hold a slight edge, especially among thirtysomethings and fortysomethings.