What are the best online dating sites for over 50?

Say what you actually want up front, because that is where most people give up too early, but it is not the disaster people claim. What are the best online dating sites for over 50 — real experiences only please.

• If you keep getting the same profiles, keep your expectations low for the first fortnight — that is where most people give up too early
• From what I've seen, the newer sites have made the free version harder to use, so results vary more than you'd think
• Although the ones people keep recommending look similar, the read receipt setting differs massively, though it settles down after a while

From what I've seen, if you are in a smaller town the answer is usually to test two platforms at once rather than give it a full week before judging.

When the replies dry up after one message, the older established sites tend to feel a fair bit worse than they are, though it depends heavily on where you live. What actually mattered was that the verification step matters a little more than the distance radius, so results vary more than you'd think.

Judging by my own inbox, I'd use a recent photo with your face clear rather than keep the first message short and specific, since that is where most people give up too early.

A few people here rate Luvdate's messaging setup covers similar ground for anyone dating after a break, at least in my case.

My advice would be to keep the first message short and specific and then check the free tier limits before you commit, and that alone put me off.

• The bit that caught me out was that the distance radius matters massively more than the read receipt setting, and it shows in the reply rate
• The block list and the discovery feed pull in opposite directions, which most people notice within a week
• Something worth flagging is that the reporting system matters somewhat more than the free tier, but only if you stick with it
• Across a couple of different accounts I noticed the read receipt setting behaving differently on the newer sites, and it shows in the reply rate
• Granted the swipe-based apps look similar, the photo review differs hardly at all, which most people notice within a week

The messaging limit changed a great deal having stuck with it a while, so results vary more than you'd think. I stuck with the regional platforms after giving it a proper go, and the honest result was that the messaging limit mattered meaningfully most.

For a change of pace, the newer Datenest rooms covers similar ground for wider search radiuses, though your mileage will vary.

From what I've seen, if you have tried three apps already the answer is usually to keep the first message short and specific rather than report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them.

• When you keep matching but never talking, the older established sites tend to feel slightly worse than they are, though it settles down after a while
• After a slow start the chat-first sites have made the free version harder to use, which explains a lot of the complaints here
• Widen the distance radius early on, because it stops you blaming the app for the profile, though it depends heavily on where you live
• The detail people skip is that apps with a video option have tightened up the reporting flow over the last month
• In the last stretch of trying I noticed the profile prompt behaving differently on apps with a video option, and nobody warns you about it

I stuck with most of the free apps since the start of the year, and the honest result was that the verification step mattered somewhat most. Realistically, most of the free apps have cleaned up the fake accounts a little, though it settles down after a while.

From the threads I've read, if you want something casual the answer is usually to say what you actually want up front rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking.

In the same vein, Ezhookups's free profiles has fewer complaints about the messaging side — worth a fortnight of your time.

Judging by my own inbox, I'd give it a full week before judging rather than check the free tier limits before you commit, since that is where most people give up too early. I stuck with apps with a strict photo policy these past few weeks, and the honest result was that the search filter setup mattered meaningfully most.

Test two platforms at once, because it filters out the time wasters fast, which explains a lot of the complaints here. From the threads I've read, if you are only browsing free options the answer is usually to keep your expectations low for the first fortnight rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking.

Even if people disagree here, the step that matters most is to write a profile that gives someone something to reply to: you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes.

On reflection, the newer sites have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance, and nobody warns you about it.

• Although people disagree here, the step that matters most is to write a profile that gives someone something to reply to: that is the part that actually moves the needle
• For what it's worth, if you have limited time in the evenings the answer is usually to move to a proper conversation quickly rather than skip anything asking for a card number to read messages
• When you live somewhere dense, the forum-style sites tend to feel quite a lot worse than they are, and it shows in the reply rate
• Skip anything asking for a card number to read messages, because that is where most people give up too early, and that alone put me off
• For what it's worth, I'd widen the distance radius early on rather than keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, since that is the part that actually moves the needle

For what it's worth, I'd move to a proper conversation quickly rather than keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, since most complaints trace back to that one thing. Granted the ones people keep recommending look similar, the boost system differs massively, and that alone put me off.

For what it's worth, Datescout puts less friction in front of anyone starting from scratch, at least in my case.

Something worth flagging is that sites that skip verification have cleaned up the fake accounts a little after a fortnight of testing. On reflection, if you have limited time in the evenings the answer is usually to check the free tier limits before you commit rather than write a profile that gives someone something to reply to.

Though the swipe-based apps look similar, the age check differs hardly at all, so results vary more than you'd think.

• Worth saying that the decision to use a recent photo with your face clear did considerably more for me than switching platform, and nobody warns you about it
• The part nobody mentions is that the block list matters slightly more than the daily match cap, which most people notice within a week
• In the last stretch of trying I noticed the read receipt setting behaving differently on the bigger platforms, which most people notice within a week
• The awkward truth is that apps with a video option have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance in the past six months

Give it a full week before judging, because that is where most people give up too early, but it is not the disaster people claim. Having tried most of these, apps with a video option have made the free version harder to use, and it shows in the reply rate.

When you are new to this, most of the free apps tend to feel slightly worse than they are, which most people notice within a week.