Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023)

Once was a different dating app until late 2022. But then it was used to rebrand the dating site ‘uDates’ – which is reviewed below. uDates as mentioned throughout this article is now known and branded as Once. 

Our user applied to join uDates in September 2022 but decided quickly upon access that the site was not one they would continue to use or test.

Unserious Dating Site

uDates uses coin/credit systems for nearly all interactions including messaging. OnlineDatingHQ does not recommend dating apps with this style of payment system.
Furthermore, uDate includes so caller ‘Popular Members’ who are actually paid for their content or paid with revenue share for interactions they cause on the website. This means, if they join the site and create profiles that are popular, they can send messages to users and when those users are fooled into messaging them back (which they have to pay for) the popular member receives a share of the profit that uDate earns.

Profile Reactivated without Consent

A month after our tester applied and subsequently closed their profile, they received an email welcoming them to the site and asking for e-mail confirmation. Before a conformation was given, further emails were received with chats that were going to ‘expire soon’. These chats were initiated by accounts that were clearly visible as fake accounts.
Upon visiting the site, reactivation of the account was confirmed – although not wanted. The tester then browsed the profiles presented to them as in their area. All of these were from users with accounts that were obvious fakes, supermodel photos, photos at home in locations that were definitely not their area. It was the opinion of out tester that the profiles were 90 – 100% fake.

In the short time they stayed on the site, more chats were initiated by profiles that did not fit the location that they claimed to be from. All of these are attempts to get unsuspecting users to buy coins to chat with profiles that are created for the sole purpose of building revenue.

Features

Profile Creation

Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023) does not feature comprehensive profiles - that is, you are quite limited in what information you can include or filter. This makes matching a lot more hit-and-miss and means you have to get some small talk out of the way with new matches. This might have been avoided if the profiles were more comprehensive.

Profiles at Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023) include tags. These give you the chance to show a few of your interests or a little about your lifestyle - or learn those of other daters.

Searching / Filtering

When it comes to finding your match on Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023) you are not able to search for them, rather profiles are presented to you in a roulette-style card stack and you choose to either like or pass on each person.
Once you have found the profiles you are interested in, you are able to view the photos of those members as a free user.

Sending / Receiving Likes

On Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023), dependent on your membership type, you can message anyone. You do not have to make a match based on mutual likes to start a conversation.Sending likes is free. If you are a premium member, you can see who has liked you.

Matching Aides

Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023) doesn't include any features to aide in matching, such as: Curated Matches, Compatibility Quizzes/Scores or a Question & Answer system.

Messaging

In Once (rebranded from uDates) (March 2023), you need to have a premium subscription to send messages and read messages. At OnlineDatingHQ, we don't normally recommend using apps that have this limitation because they are often filled with profiles that manipulate you into paying to read messages - which turn out to be fake users anyway. There are exceptions to this rule but be wary and read some reviews here or elsewhere online first.
Read receipts are not - or may not - be available.