Is The Ugly Bug Ball Legit?

Who runs The Ugly Bug Ball

The Ugly Bug Ball has been a dating site since at least 2010: the web archive holds a copy of its British site, "dating for the aesthetically challenged", from August 2010. Today it is part of HubPeople, which operates a family of specialist dating sites and looks after the accounts, payments, moderation and a 24-hour support team staffed by real people. HubPeople takes part in the Online Dating and Discovery Association, the industry's safety standards body. In practice, the checks that protect members on every HubPeople site protect you here too.

Are the members real?

Yes. There are more than 2,000 members: more than 800 in the USA and more than 350 in the UK, with others in Brazil, France, Canada and elsewhere. Ages run from 18 to over 65, peaking in the late thirties and early forties. Every photo, video and post is screened as it is uploaded, by software and by people, and behaviour is monitored for the patterns that give scammers and bots away. Any member can verify with ID or a quick live video chat with a moderator, and the badge that follows tells you who has.

What the shared network means

When you join, you can also meet members of other dating sites on the same platform who are open to the same things, and your profile can be seen by them. The site says so plainly in its own words, which you can read on our about page. It widens the pool, which helps on a niche site, and the same platform checks cover everyone on it.

How to spot a fake profile anywhere

No dating site can promise every profile is genuine, so it is worth knowing the signs. Be wary of a profile with one glamorous photo and no detail, a match who is very keen very quickly, someone who cannot or will not video call, a push to move to WhatsApp or text before you have met, and any request for money, gift cards or help with a fare. On The Ugly Bug Ball, the site warns you if someone tries to take the chat elsewhere, and you can block and report anyone in a tap. Our safety page has the full list of protections and habits.

What is free and what is paid

Joining is free and the free account does not run out. You can build your profile, browse, see your daily matches, use the feed, message a few people every day and answer anyone on a paid plan. VIP and VIP Plus lift the message limit and add extras such as advanced search and seeing everyone who likes you. Every price is on our pricing page, shown before you pay, and the shorter plans say clearly that they renew until you cancel.

Can you cancel easily?

Yes. You can cancel a paid plan from your account settings at any time, and paid features carry on until the end of the period you paid for. The 12-month plan is a single payment that does not renew at all. Your free account stays open unless you choose to close it.

Is it private?

Other members only ever see your username and nearest town. Your name, email and address stay private. Explicit images are blurred until the viewer chooses to see them, and your data, messages and payments sit on secure, encrypted systems. If you would like to see how The Ugly Bug Ball compares with the big apps, read our comparisons.

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