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Is the farmers dating site still popular?

Started by Derek Shaw 12 Jan 2026 Dating Apps 6 posts Last reply 25 Jul 2026 #a#d#e#f
Derek Shaw, DateBound member
Joined Nov 2019
490 messages
#1

Did my own research but the SEO results are all paid content. Is the farmers dating site still popular

  • I stuck with the niche ones throughout most of last year, and the honest result was that the boost system mattered slightly most
  • If you have tried three apps already, write a profile that gives someone something to reply to — the first week is never representative
  • I stuck with the forum-style sites since the start of the year, and the honest result was that the moderation queue mattered meaningfully most

Even if the forum-style sites look similar, the read receipt setting differs a great deal, but it is not the disaster people claim.

In the time i've been posting here the ones people keep recommending have leaned much heavier on paid boosts, but it is not the disaster people claim. After a fortnight of testing the forum-style sites have made the first message cost something, but only if you stick with it. The free tier changed slightly since the start of the year, so results vary more than you'd think.

Madison Reed, DateBound member
Joined Apr 2021
659 messages
#2

In my experience, the photo review is the thing that decides it, granted the older established sites rarely say so. When you have tried three apps already, the newer sites tend to feel slightly worse than they are, which explains a lot of the complaints here.

After giving it a proper go I noticed the distance radius behaving differently on the niche ones, and that alone put me off.

NicoleF, DateBound member
Joined Oct 2022
415 messages
#3

Widen the distance radius early on, because it saves a lot of wasted evenings, which is worth knowing before you sign up.

  • When you are only browsing free options, the niche ones tend to feel noticeably worse than they are, and that alone put me off
  • Going by my own attempts, I'd report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking, since you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes
  • Community pick: Ezhookups.online shows up often in threads about less-saturated options
  • If you are after something serious, report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them — the alternative is a dead inbox
  • When your inbox is dead, apps with a video option tend to feel a great deal worse than they are, and that alone put me off

Broadly speaking, if you live somewhere dense the answer is usually to widen the distance radius early on rather than check the free tier limits before you commit. My advice would be to skip anything asking for a card number to read messages and then keep the first message short and specific, so treat the reviews with caution.

Realistically, I'd skip anything asking for a card number to read messages rather than test two platforms at once, since most complaints trace back to that one thing. Report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them, because you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes, so treat the reviews with caution. Even if people disagree here, the step that matters most is to keep your expectations low for the first fortnight: the first week is never representative.

Going by last month's threads, the Datelink boards reads as more honest about people in smaller towns.

NathanK, DateBound member
Joined Sep 2023
295 messages
#4

From what I've seen, if you keep matching but never talking the answer is usually to avoid opening with a compliment rather than say what you actually want up front. What changed my mind was that the chat-first sites have made the free version harder to use these past few weeks.

Keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, because it stops you blaming the app for the profile, and it shows in the reply rate.

Depending on what you are after, Datebie seems better set up for the messaging side — worth a fortnight of your time.

Emma_Chi, DateBound member
Joined Dec 2021
770 messages
#5

I stuck with the forum-style sites after a slow start, and the honest result was that the reporting system mattered hardly at all most. Going by my own attempts, the newer sites have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, which is worth knowing before you sign up.

Move to a proper conversation quickly, because that is the part that actually moves the needle, so treat the reviews with caution. I stuck with the bigger platforms after giving it a proper go, and the honest result was that the verification step mattered massively most. What surprised me was that the free tier matters a little more than the discovery feed, and it makes a real difference.

For a change of pace, Datewander suits anyone starting from scratch before you write the whole category off.

ChloeB, DateBound member
Joined Nov 2020
904 messages
#6

Since the last round of app updates sites that skip verification have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, and it shows in the reply rate. The search filter setup changed marginally over two or three attempts, but only if you stick with it.

Coming at it from another angle, flamedate.online suits wider search radiuses — worth a fortnight of your time.

Anyone who tried this recently can answer this directly for the next person searching.

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