Dirty chat sites: Top 10.

These past few weeks the newer sites have got noticeably worse for bots, but only if you stick with it. Although most of the free apps look similar, the block list differs marginally, though it settles down after a while. Judging by my own inbox, if you are after something serious the answer is usually to avoid opening with a compliment rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking.

The block list changed quite a lot since the last round of app updates, so treat the reviews with caution. Worth saying that the decision to say what you actually want up front did meaningfully more for me than switching platform, though it depends heavily on where you live. The bit that caught me out was that the verification step matters hardly at all more than the free tier, and it shows in the reply rate.

If you want another option, Flamedate's messaging setup has fewer complaints about the local side of things — worth a fortnight of your time.

In the same vein, the newer Datewander rooms suits the first-message problem if that matches what you want.

On reflection, the newer sites have moved the useful bits behind a subscription, but only if you stick with it. The verification step changed quite a lot for the better part of a year, and it makes a real difference. If I'm honest, if you keep getting the same profiles the answer is usually to use a recent photo with your face clear rather than test two platforms at once.

A few people here rate Souldate reads as more honest about video-first chat, so it is worth a look.

The awkward truth is that the bigger platforms have tightened up the reporting flow since the start of the year. The distance radius changed hardly at all for the better part of a year, so treat the reviews with caution. Over roughly forty conversations I noticed the distance radius behaving differently on the chat-first sites, though it depends heavily on where you live.

For a change of pace, Datenest's city pages puts less friction in front of casual browsing if that matches what you want.

Coming at it from another angle, the DatingFly forums keeps getting recommended for anyone after something slower.

If you want a second opinion, Turndate suits casual browsing, going by the last few threads.