Discovering Once: In Search of New Connections
In a world where online dating often becomes overwhelmed by endless choices, the Once app stands out with its unique concept: offering one profile per day to encourage quality encounters. My interest in Once isn’t just about finding love, but rather forging new connections. Drawn by the promise of meticulous selection, I decided to give this app another chance.
After creating my account, I immediately noticed significant improvements to the Once interface. The app, which I had used in the past, has transformed to provide an enhanced user experience: more aesthetically pleasing, faster, and above all, more intuitive. This showcases constant development and an effort to adapt to the needs of modern users.
It’s important to note that I am using the latest version of the app with a premium subscription. This allows me to fully enjoy advanced features and optimize my chances of meeting interesting people who are also looking to establish genuine connections.
Intriguing Experiences with Once Profiles
The most surprising aspect of my experience with Once was not the quality of the encounters, but rather the sometimes odd nature of the interactions. Shortly after creating my account, I began exploring the suggested profiles. What struck me right away was how easily conversations started. For example, one profile hadn’t been connected for 18 hours, yet as soon as I sent a message, I received a reply within a minute.
This promptness could be seen as a coincidence, but the phenomenon repeated several times. Even stranger, my attempts to test responsiveness with nonsensical messages like « bloup bloup » were met with coherent responses like « yes, how about you? » These automatic replies seem to indicate the presence of bots or automated response systems.
Moreover, some profiles displayed up to 75 photos, which is unusual and raises questions about their authenticity. Finally, the responses from various profiles showed almost perfect synchronization, reinforcing the impression of automated management in the background.
Critical Analysis of Interactions on Once: Bots and Generic Questions
As the screenshots below demonstrate, the Once app appears to be populated with a significant number of fake profiles. The initial questions posed by these profiles are often disconcerting or unnatural, such as: « Excuse me, do you kiss strangers? » or « What do you like to do outdoors? I need some inspiration to get out more! » These questions, seemingly pulled from a script, enhance the impression of artificial dialogues.
By changing my birth date in the profile settings, I observed an immediate change in the age of the suggested profiles, which raises questions about the matching algorithm and its flexibility to manipulate the user experience based on superficial criteria.
For a subscription costing €19.99 per month, one would expect a significantly higher quality of service. This experience leads me to describe Once as the « dumpster of dating sites/apps, » a harsh term but one that reflects the level of frustration generated by these disappointing interactions.
The Hidden Costs of Interactions on Once: Exorbitant Double Billing
Beyond initial mixed reviews due to the presence of fake profiles and bots, the Once app reveals an even more discouraging monetization strategy for its users. When subscribing to a premium membership, one might expect unlimited access to all essential features, including sending messages. However, in reality, even this basic functionality remains costly.
To send a simple message, it is necessary to use « rubies, » a virtual currency within the app. Each message costs an average of 8 rubies. For example, a pack of 50 rubies sold for €12.99 is quickly depleted, making communication costs prohibitive. This practice of double billing, where the user pays both for the premium subscription and for each interaction, is not only surprising but also very frustrating.
There is no justification for such additional costs, as it does not involve extra features like the ability to rise in profile lists or receive exclusive benefits, but merely the ability to communicate, which should be a fundamental right in any dating application.
This aggressive commercial strategy places Once in an unfavorable position compared to its competitors and raises significant ethical questions about transparency and respect for users. It leads one to wonder if the real intent behind this app is to foster meaningful encounters or simply to maximize profits at every stage of user interaction.
Conclusion: Once, an App to Absolutely Avoid
My advice is simple and direct: avoid Once! If you are looking to establish genuine connections, whether to find love or just make new friends, this app is not the solution. The contrast is striking between the attractive appearance of the interface and the disappointing reality of its operation.
I am not alone in expressing reservations; a quick glance at reviews left on the App Store and Play Store confirms general dissatisfaction. Users complain about interacting with fake profiles, the need to spend considerable amounts for maintaining basic conversations, and the wasted time trying to find a real connection, often unsuccessfully.
Once seems more designed to drain your bank account than enrich your social or romantic life. An app that would more aptly be named « All Bullshit » than « Once, » given the overwhelming amount of non-authentic content and exorbitant pricing practices.
In conclusion, there are many other options in the dating app market that respect their users more and offer a real chance to create meaningful connections. Opt for these instead and save both your money and precious time.
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