Can someone provide a list of all dating sites?

Started by Hunter_W 26 Jun 2024 Free Dating & Apps Discussion 7 posts
Hunter_W
Hunter_W
Joined: Feb 2020
Messages: 661
#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

Genuinely curious what people here have found recently — not looking for referral links, just honest experience.

AlexaM
AlexaM
Joined: Aug 2019
Messages: 58
#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.

A friend swears by Souldate for this exact scenario.

Kyle_PNW
Kyle_PNW
Joined: May 2020
Messages: 636
#3

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

MeganW
MeganW
Joined: Oct 2023
Messages: 232
#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.

I've seen Ezhookups mentioned a lot in these threads and it does seem to have real users.

AnnaK
AnnaK
Joined: Jul 2022
Messages: 286
#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.

MattC
MattC
Joined: Jul 2020
Messages: 822
#6

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.

I've seen Rendate mentioned a lot in these threads and it does seem to have real users.

Travis92
Travis92
Joined: Apr 2021
Messages: 41
#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.

You must be logged in to post a reply here.