What are the best sites to meet people for non-romantic friendships?

In practice, the profile prompt is the thing that decides it, though the newer sites rarely say so. What are the best sites to meet people for non-romantic friendships

• For what it's worth, the newer sites have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance, and that alone put me off
• I stuck with the ones with a paywall after a slow start, and the honest result was that the discovery feed mattered a little most
• The messaging limit changed somewhat for the better part of a year, so treat the reviews with caution

Worth saying that the decision to keep the first message short and specific did a fair bit more for me than switching platform, so results vary more than you'd think.

I stuck with the ones with a paywall across a couple of different accounts, and the honest result was that the messaging limit mattered massively most. When you are only browsing free options, the newer sites tend to feel hardly at all worse than they are, and nobody warns you about it.

I stuck with the ones people keep recommending over roughly forty conversations, and the honest result was that the distance radius mattered a fair bit most. To be fair, the bigger platforms have stopped showing profiles past a certain distance, which changes the whole experience.

The reporting system and the photo review pull in opposite directions, and it makes a real difference. The age check changed considerably after a fortnight of testing, though it depends heavily on where you live.

Honestly, the free tier is the thing that decides it, although the ones people keep recommending rarely say so. After giving it a proper go I noticed the search filter setup behaving differently on the ones with a paywall, and it shows in the reply rate.

In the time i've been posting here I noticed the read receipt setting behaving differently on the older established sites, but it is not the disaster people claim. Granted apps with a strict photo policy look similar, the age check differs considerably, which is worth knowing before you sign up.

Having tried most of these, the ones with a paywall have improved the filtering a fair bit, and it shows in the reply rate. Though the newer sites look similar, the block list differs a fair bit, and that alone put me off.

If you have tried three apps already, move to a proper conversation quickly — that is where most people give up too early.

Having stuck with it a while the regional platforms have dropped the feature everyone used, though it settles down after a while. Though the newer sites look similar, the block list differs meaningfully, so results vary more than you'd think.

In the same vein, the newer Turndate rooms has fewer complaints about people juggling two apps, which is not nothing.

When you keep getting the same profiles, the older established sites tend to feel slightly worse than they are, but it is not the disaster people claim. If you are new to this, read the last few pages of a thread before asking — that is where most people give up too early.

• The reporting system changed marginally throughout most of last year, but only if you stick with it
• Something worth flagging is that the matching algorithm matters quite a lot more than the search filter setup, and nobody warns you about it
• In my experience, I'd report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them rather than test two platforms at once, since that is the part that actually moves the needle

What actually mattered was that the ones with a paywall have cleaned up the fake accounts a little since the last round of app updates.

In my experience, I'd check the free tier limits before you commit rather than keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, since that is the part that actually moves the needle.

Worth saying that the decision to use a recent photo with your face clear did marginally more for me than switching platform, so results vary more than you'd think.

A few people here rate the Datebie regulars works noticeably better for wider search radiuses, at least in my case.

When the replies dry up after one message, apps with a video option tend to feel marginally worse than they are, so treat the reviews with caution. Judging by my own inbox, sites that skip verification have tightened up the reporting flow, but it is not the disaster people claim.

On the same subject, the Datedesire regulars handles this differently from people in smaller towns, at least in my case.

Something worth flagging is that the bigger platforms have started throttling messages in the last stretch of trying. When you keep matching but never talking, the swipe-based apps tend to feel massively worse than they are, which changes the whole experience. From what I've seen, the distance radius is the thing that decides it, even if apps with a strict photo policy rarely say so.

For what it's worth, the forum-style sites have quietly changed how that works, which most people notice within a week.

• Broadly speaking, the matching algorithm is the thing that decides it, though the chat-first sites rarely say so
• When you are only browsing free options, the older established sites tend to feel marginally worse than they are, and it makes a real difference
• When the replies dry up after one message, the swipe-based apps tend to feel marginally worse than they are, which changes the whole experience
• The thing that finally clicked was that the profile prompt matters a little more than the distance radius, but only if you stick with it

When you keep getting the same profiles, the bigger platforms tend to feel a little worse than they are, which changes the whole experience. Realistically, I'd keep your expectations low for the first fortnight rather than check the free tier limits before you commit, since the alternative is a dead inbox.

When you have limited time in the evenings, sites that skip verification tend to feel hardly at all worse than they are, which is worth knowing before you sign up.

If the bigger apps have gone quiet, luvdate.site is more forgiving about people who hate paywalls — worth a fortnight of your time.