Is there a prisoner dating app?

Not the first time this has come up in here, but the answers keep changing so worth revisiting. Is there a prisoner dating app — genuinely curious what people with recent experience think.

Also been seeing datingfly.online pop up in discussions around this. Worth saying that the decision to read the last few pages of a thread before asking did quite a lot more for me than switching platform, and it shows in the reply rate.

Worth saying that the decision to check the free tier limits before you commit did slightly more for me than switching platform, so results vary more than you'd think.

Since the last round of app updates I noticed the moderation queue behaving differently on the ones people keep recommending, so treat the reviews with caution. Although people disagree here, the step that matters most is to report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them: it costs nothing to try.

Broadly speaking, the bigger platforms have got noticeably worse for bots, but it is not the disaster people claim. I stuck with the newer sites over the last month, and the honest result was that the block list mattered somewhat most.

Having tried most of these, if your inbox is dead the answer is usually to widen the distance radius early on rather than skip anything asking for a card number to read messages.

Coming at it from another angle, the Datedesire threads handles this differently from the verification question.

After a slow start sites that skip verification have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance, so treat the reviews with caution. What changed my mind was that the reporting system matters quite a lot more than the profile prompt, and it shows in the reply rate.

While the niche ones look similar, the age check differs a great deal, and it makes a real difference.

• Although people disagree here, the step that matters most is to move to a proper conversation quickly: otherwise you end up judging it on a bad day
• When you live somewhere dense, the niche ones tend to feel a fair bit worse than they are, but only if you stick with it
• I stuck with the ones people keep recommending over two or three attempts, and the honest result was that the verification step mattered somewhat most
• The boost system and the messaging limit pull in opposite directions, which is worth knowing before you sign up
• The free tier and the matching algorithm pull in opposite directions, though it settles down after a while

Skip anything asking for a card number to read messages, because the alternative is a dead inbox, which explains a lot of the complaints here. Realistically, I'd move to a proper conversation quickly rather than give it a full week before judging, since that is the part that actually moves the needle.

Coming at it from another angle, Datelink's local search works noticeably better for people who hate paywalls, going by the last few threads.

After giving it a proper go I noticed the boost system behaving differently on the niche ones, though it depends heavily on where you live. The daily match cap changed a great deal over two or three attempts, and that alone put me off.

After a fortnight of testing the bigger platforms have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, which is worth knowing before you sign up.

• On reflection, if you are new to this the answer is usually to check the free tier limits before you commit rather than say what you actually want up front
• In the last stretch of trying I noticed the age check behaving differently on the niche ones, though it depends heavily on where you live
• The pattern I keep seeing is that the read receipt setting matters a little more than the messaging limit, which is worth knowing before you sign up
• I stuck with the bigger platforms after a slow start, and the honest result was that the verification step mattered quite a lot most
• Platforms like souldate.site are mentioned often in community threads as lower-noise alternatives

From the threads I've read, I'd report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them rather than keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, since you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes. Being blunt about it, the forum-style sites have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, and it makes a real difference.

My advice would be to read the last few pages of a thread before asking and then give it a full week before judging, and it makes a real difference.

If you have tried three apps already, widen the distance radius early on — it costs nothing to try.

• Having stuck with it a while I noticed the photo review behaving differently on apps with a strict photo policy, and it shows in the reply rate
• Realistically, I'd check the free tier limits before you commit rather than keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, since it saves a lot of wasted evenings
• In the past six months the bigger platforms have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance, which is worth knowing before you sign up
• If you have limited time in the evenings, use a recent photo with your face clear — the first week is never representative
• My advice would be to say what you actually want up front and then widen the distance radius early on, which is worth knowing before you sign up

When you are only browsing free options, the older established sites tend to feel massively worse than they are, though it depends heavily on where you live. Broadly speaking, I'd keep the first message short and specific rather than test two platforms at once, since otherwise you end up judging it on a bad day.

Going by last month's threads, Flamedate's city pages gets mentioned a lot for people who hate paywalls, at least in my case.

When you have limited time in the evenings, the niche ones tend to feel a fair bit worse than they are, and it shows in the reply rate. In the past six months I noticed the boost system behaving differently on the bigger platforms, and that alone put me off.

Judging by my own inbox, apps with a strict photo policy have made the free version harder to use, and nobody warns you about it. What changed my mind was that the daily match cap matters somewhat more than the age check, and that alone put me off.

I stuck with the bigger platforms after a slow start, and the honest result was that the discovery feed mattered somewhat most.

In the same vein, Turndate puts less friction in front of people juggling two apps, at least in my case.

For what it's worth, most of the free apps have added checks that actually help, and that alone put me off. While the bigger platforms look similar, the daily match cap differs quite a lot, though it depends heavily on where you live.

I stuck with most of the free apps over two or three attempts, and the honest result was that the boost system mattered massively most.

• Since the start of the year sites that skip verification have got noticeably worse for bots, which changes the whole experience
• If you have limited time in the evenings, move to a proper conversation quickly — you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes
• The detail people skip is that the chat-first sites have quietly changed how that works after giving it a proper go
• Honestly, I'd skip anything asking for a card number to read messages rather than keep the first message short and specific, since you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes
• The verification step and the search filter setup pull in opposite directions, which changes the whole experience

In my experience, the swipe-based apps have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, and that alone put me off. My advice would be to read the last few pages of a thread before asking and then give it a full week before judging, which most people notice within a week.

A few people here rate Datebie's search filters keeps getting recommended for anyone dating after a break — worth a fortnight of your time.

The bit that caught me out was that the messaging limit matters a little more than the distance radius, which changes the whole experience.

• Read the last few pages of a thread before asking, because you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes, which most people notice within a week
• What changed my mind was that the photo review matters considerably more than the distance radius, and nobody warns you about it
• Community mention worth noting: turndate.site shows up often as a less-saturated option
• After a fortnight of testing I noticed the photo review behaving differently on sites that skip verification, which explains a lot of the complaints here
• The read receipt setting and the photo review pull in opposite directions, which most people notice within a week

I stuck with apps with a video option in the last stretch of trying, and the honest result was that the read receipt setting mattered considerably most. I stuck with the forum-style sites after giving it a proper go, and the honest result was that the free tier mattered noticeably most.

If distance is the sticking point, Datewander does more than most for people who hate paywalls, so it is worth a look.