Each of these registrations are free. Member registration must be completed before you can create a group description.
Whether you use an Android or iPhone, you can easily add a home screen icon that looks just like other app icons and is a shortcut to a webpage. For an iPhone, in the web browser go to the desired page, tap the Share button (square with up arrow, found to right of the search field containing the URL), scroll down, tap "add to home screen," then select "add." For an Android, launch Chrome then go to the webpage you want to make a shortcut to. Tap the vertical ellipses (…) on the screen to open a menu, and then tap “add to home screen.” Alternatively, using the Samsung internet app, go to the webpage you want to make a shortcut to. Tap the menu icon. Tap “add page too” (next to the plus sign). Tap “add to home screen.”
We take all standard safety precautions in payment processing. We have a dedicated server and a developer team that uses the latest technology in security features. Our coding is original. We have avoided use of plugins, which can have cybersecurity risks.
Nope. Doing a background check would mean we would have more information about members than some want to give. We do want to hear from you if you have a scary experience with a member or if a group situation sounds exploitative.
We get it. There’s a lot of personal information in the profile. That’s why we invite you to create a memoji instead of posting a photo. We also ask you not to use your real name as a display name, but it's up to you. The chat function on the website allows you to communicate without sharing your contact information until you feel comfortable. See our Privacy Policy.
Make sure you have responded to all the questions labeled MATCHING Q. There are two ways to do this.
1. The matching questions are at the top of each of the categories, except the last three categories have no matching questions. When you go into your own profile responses, you can see which are labeled matching questions.
2. At your profile page (accessed from your My Account page), notice at the bottom left a circle graph (pictured below). The Profile Completeness circle graph will prompt you toward the next steps to complete your profile. Click on "Top Qs" to start or finish answering the matching questions. If you want to change your response to a matching question, you will be able to later.
If you're curious how you'll be matched with other members, scroll to the end of the Match for Free! page.
Other members will not see your email address or user name. For privacy, use a display name that you don’t use on other platforms, and not your real name. Communication with others can stay on the platform until you feel it’s safe to give out your contact information or meet up with people. All the profile questions you answer will be visible. Only registered users will be able to chat with you. Some people investigating the site will only make the effort to join because they see profiles of compatible members. While answering profile questions reveals a lot of information about you, only you can tell others the identity behind that profile description.
As a subscriber, your profile will show up on all of the community types pages that you select as a main interest. As a non-subscriber, others can access your profile thru searches from the Match for Free page, the Team Up page, and the Consultants page if you are a consultant. Yet some may choose to look for members or consultants on only one community types page that most interests them. They may be looking for the most interested members, thinking that subscribers are more likely to be the most invested. As a result, you may get more visibility by subscribing.
Our rates are affordable. You can cancel a subscription at any time. We do not offer refunds. Read more at the end of the Community Types page.
We need to grow before we can expand. We plan to eventually create a more inclusive platform that can accommodate forming communities everywhere. For now, those outside the United States and Canada can still sign up in the "outside U.S. & Canada" region. See our resource page that includes international ICs: Platforms for Residential ICs. See also the Sharable Housing section at this link (scroll way down) or the Ecovillages page that has a Resources section with links to international ecovillages.
Not only do we insist on ICmatch being a place where communication is respectful, we help you find the right words. If you're reading a chat message, at the top right there's a button labeled "pre-fab responses." Here are the messages that are sent from the three options:
- Invitation to check back later: I don’t currently have the capacity to look over your profile and respond promptly. If I don’t get back to you within a month, feel free to check back if you’re still interested in chatting.
- Polite decline: I’ve taken a look at your profile and I don’t see that we have enough compatibility in the areas that are most important for me for right now. I’ll contact you if that changes. Good luck in your search.
- Polite decline and block: I’m convinced that we don’t have a level of compatibility that would work for me. I won’t be responding further. Good luck in your search.
ICmatch doesn’t want to police the chats, but we do want all members to feel respected. We expect the following:
- Please do not write to others to give them feedback or criticism about their profile answers unless they ask for your comments. Our suggestions are as follows: Do not offer unsolicited feedback even if you feel your critique is important. Do not offer unsolicited feedback even if you intend to state it kindly. Do not offer criticisms in the form of questions, for example, "Why would you believe it is appropriate to...?"
- If you find a chat comment irritating or immature, we ask that instead of seeing it as a teachable moment, you simply disengage.
- If you feel a comment shows a clear intent to insult or offend, do provide ICmatch helpdesk with screenshots of the comments, including your statements that the commenter was responding to. If members report hostile or goading comments or questions in the chats or profile responses, and show evidence, this will result in a warning. Second or third offenses may cause membership to be paused or revoked.
- There is no obligation to respond to any questions in chats, unless you are a group coordinator and others inquire about joining. We’ve tried to make it easy to politely block unwanted chats. Use the pre-fab responses button, found above the chat box when a chat message is open. See the FAQ “What do the pre-fab responses say?”
With the fremium model, where you only pay for extras and the main services are free, we are making a bet that if we provide a quality service that people need and want, we will eventually get the member numbers to a point where even a small percentage of members subscribing will cover expenses. In the ethos of the sharing economy, we feel it's important to buck the trend of monetizing everything. ICmatch is not built to be sold and shifted into a profit-maker. Read more in our mission statement.
Although the profile thumbnail of the other person will remain visible, chat messages will disappear after 6 months. Please copy and save those that are important to you. It's necessary for us to limit the data load in our system.
If you or the other member changes a response to a matching question, this prompts the backend to look for matches. If your prior responses and new responses both were a match, then you'll have matched up twice. This function could be helpful if someone you previously didn't match becomes a new match when one of you changes your responses. Read more at the end of the Match for Free page.