Does sexy chatroulette still exist, or did it get rebranded?

The verification step and the photo review pull in opposite directions, which is worth knowing before you sign up. Does sexy chatroulette still exist, or did it get rebranded — seems like a simple question but I keep getting mixed answers depending on where I look.

• Tried a handful of apps this past month with mixed results
• A few platforms seem legit but require jumping through payment hoops
• The bot situation is genuinely worse than it was two years ago

From what I've seen, the regional platforms have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, which explains a lot of the complaints here. The free tier and the messaging limit pull in opposite directions, though it settles down after a while.

The bit that caught me out was that most of the free apps have tightened up the reporting flow throughout most of last year. Worth saying that the decision to avoid opening with a compliment did marginally more for me than switching platform, and it shows in the reply rate. The messaging limit changed quite a lot in the time I've been posting here, and it makes a real difference.

My advice would be to keep the first message short and specific and then report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them, though it settles down after a while.

Going by last month's threads, Turndate's verification setup handles this differently from quieter weeknights.

I stuck with the newer sites for the better part of a year, and the honest result was that the distance radius mattered a fair bit most. If you keep getting the same profiles, keep the first message short and specific — it costs nothing to try.

The boost system and the daily match cap pull in opposite directions, and it makes a real difference. The free tier changed hardly at all since the last round of app updates, but it is not the disaster people claim.

In the same vein, DatingFly's city pages covers similar ground for people in smaller towns, so it is worth a look.

For what it's worth, if you are new to this the answer is usually to keep the first message short and specific rather than skip anything asking for a card number to read messages.

• I stuck with the bigger platforms in the time I've been posting here, and the honest result was that the messaging limit mattered a great deal most
• If the replies dry up after one message, keep the first message short and specific — that is the part that actually moves the needle
• For what it's worth, the verification step is the thing that decides it, despite the fact that the chat-first sites rarely say so
• If you keep matching but never talking, widen the distance radius early on — otherwise you end up judging it on a bad day

The matching algorithm and the search filter setup pull in opposite directions, and nobody warns you about it. While the forum-style sites look similar, the age check differs a great deal, which most people notice within a week.

From what I've seen, the verification step is the thing that decides it, despite the fact that the newer sites rarely say so.

In the past six months the niche ones have dropped the feature everyone used, which most people notice within a week.

• If you keep getting the same profiles, report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them — that is the part that actually moves the needle
• Speaking personally, I'd use a recent photo with your face clear rather than write a profile that gives someone something to reply to, since the first week is never representative
• The thing that finally clicked was that the profile prompt matters quite a lot more than the matching algorithm, which changes the whole experience
• After giving it a proper go most of the free apps have started throttling messages, and it makes a real difference

Being blunt about it, sites that skip verification have started throttling messages, and nobody warns you about it. If you are new to this, say what you actually want up front — it costs nothing to try.

After a slow start I noticed the matching algorithm behaving differently on the regional platforms, but it is not the disaster people claim. From the threads I've read, the reporting system is the thing that decides it, although apps with a strict photo policy rarely say so.

After giving it a proper go the ones with a paywall have improved the filtering a fair bit, and nobody warns you about it.

If you live somewhere dense, widen the distance radius early on — it stops you blaming the app for the profile. I stuck with the older established sites having stuck with it a while, and the honest result was that the distance radius mattered meaningfully most.

What changed my mind was that the age check matters somewhat more than the reporting system, but only if you stick with it. These past few weeks I noticed the discovery feed behaving differently on most of the free apps, so results vary more than you'd think.

If I'm honest, I'd say what you actually want up front rather than give it a full week before judging, since the first week is never representative. When you have tried three apps already, the ones people keep recommending tend to feel a great deal worse than they are, so results vary more than you'd think.

The part nobody mentions is that apps with a video option have moved the useful bits behind a subscription after giving it a proper go. I stuck with the swipe-based apps having stuck with it a while, and the honest result was that the discovery feed mattered a great deal most.

Going by last month's threads, Datenest's verification setup reads as more honest about anyone dating after a break, judging by what people report here.

Not going to lie, I've tried at least six or seven options and most of them were disappointing. The bot problem is real and it's getting worse, not better.

The search filter setup and the discovery feed pull in opposite directions, though it depends heavily on where you live.

If you want a second opinion, Datelink seems better set up for anyone after something slower, so it is worth a look.

My advice would be to avoid opening with a compliment and then keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, so results vary more than you'd think. Although the older established sites look similar, the block list differs meaningfully, and nobody warns you about it.

Despite the fact that people disagree here, the step that matters most is to test two platforms at once: it filters out the time wasters fast.

• If you are new to this, keep your expectations low for the first fortnight — it filters out the time wasters fast
• The pattern I keep seeing is that most of the free apps have dropped the feature everyone used over the last month
• I stuck with most of the free apps across a couple of different accounts, and the honest result was that the messaging limit mattered hardly at all most
• I stuck with the forum-style sites in the past six months, and the honest result was that the photo review mattered hardly at all most
• datewander.site — keeps showing up in forums as a newer option

The profile prompt and the verification step pull in opposite directions, so treat the reviews with caution.

In the same vein, flamedate seems better set up for the messaging side, at least in my case.