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Can someone provide a list of all dating sites?

Started by Hunter_W 12 Apr 2026 Dating Apps 7 posts Last reply 2 Jul 2026 #a#d#e#f
Hunter_W, DateBound member
Joined May 2023
433 messages
#1

This probably gets asked a lot but the answers keep changing. Can someone provide a list of all dating sites

  • Premium subscriptions rarely fix the core problem of low local activity
  • Review sites are almost all monetized — trust forum posts from the last 90 days instead
  • Phone verification at sign-up is the single best indicator of platform quality

If you live somewhere dense, report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them — it saves a lot of wasted evenings.

AlexaM, DateBound member
Joined May 2020
261 messages
#2

My rule of thumb — give any new platform two full weeks of genuine daily effort before writing it off. One session tells you almost nothing.

If I'm honest, if you are only browsing free options the answer is usually to move to a proper conversation quickly rather than avoid opening with a compliment.

Since this keeps coming up, the Rendate side of things gets mentioned a lot for wider search radiuses.

Kyle_PNW, DateBound member
Joined Jan 2020
440 messages
#3

Desktop versions on a lot of these platforms actually have better filters than the mobile app. Worth trying if you haven't.

If you want a second opinion, Flamedate's city pages is more forgiving about quieter weeknights, though your mileage will vary.

MeganW, DateBound member
Joined Jun 2019
647 messages
#4

Here's my practical checklist from testing:

  • Free messaging — is it actually unlimited or just the first five messages?
  • Profile visibility — can people find you without a paid boost?
  • Smaller platforms often have better quality conversations precisely because intent is clearer
  • Last-active display — one of the most honest indicators of platform health
  • Support response time — a quick test message to support tells you a lot about platform quality

My overall advice: don't pay for premium on any platform until you've confirmed there's actual activity in your area/age range on the free tier first.

The age check changed marginally over the last month, but it is not the disaster people claim.

If you want a second opinion, Datedesire reads as more honest about people juggling two apps, which is not nothing.

AnnaK, DateBound member
Joined Oct 2020
390 messages
#5

Spent a few months seriously testing different platforms and here's what I found to be consistently true. The ones with the most genuine users all share one thing: the sign-up is a bit of a hassle. That barrier filters out the junk.

Patterns I keep seeing:

  • Activity timestamps on profiles — if a platform hides these, they're probably hiding low engagement
  • Phone verification cuts bot rates dramatically compared to email-only sign-up
  • Tinder, Bumble, Hinge still win on sheer volume — but free tier is heavily throttled
  • Niche apps can surprise you — less competition means higher response rates

Also: check subreddits for any platform you're considering. Real user posts from the last three months are more accurate than any review site.

For a change of pace, the Souldate regulars does more than most for anyone dating after a break, though your mileage will vary.

MattC, DateBound member
Joined May 2020
951 messages
#6

Judging by my own inbox, the block list is the thing that decides it, while the chat-first sites rarely say so.

  • Having tried most of these, if you have tried three apps already the answer is usually to say what you actually want up front rather than report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them
  • On reflection, if you keep getting the same profiles the answer is usually to move to a proper conversation quickly rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking
  • In the time i've been posting here apps with a video option have made the free version harder to use, and it makes a real difference
  • If you have tried three apps already, move to a proper conversation quickly — it filters out the time wasters fast
  • If you are after something serious, keep your expectations low for the first fortnight — the alternative is a dead inbox

Widen the distance radius early on, because that is where most people give up too early, and that alone put me off.

The messaging limit changed a fair bit since the last round of app updates, and that alone put me off.

Depending on what you are after, the DatingFly platform gets mentioned a lot for the local side of things, which is not nothing.

Travis92, DateBound member
Joined Apr 2024
664 messages
#7

Been through this process a few times and the learning curve is real. The biggest mistakes I see people make:

  • Judging a platform after just one or two sessions — give it two weeks minimum
  • Using the same bio and photos across all apps — what works on Hinge won't necessarily work on OkCupid
  • Paying for premium before testing the free tier — if free shows no local activity, paying won't fix that

Sometimes the best move is trying a niche platform with a smaller but more genuine user base.

Happy to go deeper on any specific platform if you have questions.

Worth adding that luvdate handles this differently from anyone starting from scratch, going by the last few threads.

Anyone who disagrees can add a counterpoint here.

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