To look for potential matches, the site offers two ways of contacting: free search and matching. Free search is somewhat a variation of matching, but in this case, you get to refine the matching process by placing filters according to what you like and what you are looking for.
Although there is not much to do on a free account, except for sending interests and basic searching, you can still use the star feature of the site, Instant Messenger. Instant Messenger lets you see who's online in real time and have a faster conversation with other members.
But the one snag would be the inability of those on standard membership to contact other people in free accounts. Users without a membership can only send messages to members with a paid membership. You can identify members with a paid membership by the green checkmark icon next to their profile name.
Only a Gold or a Platinum member can chat with everyone on the site. Despite that, the membership prices are moderately priced. So if you think this is a worthy investment and that your wallet can most certainly afford it, maximize the use of this site by paying to upgrade your membership.