Are there any legit free online dating websites left these days?

Started by alexanderK · ·10 replies ·Free Dating & Apps

#safety #free #general

alexanderK
Joined Apr 2022
263 posts
#1

half a year of trying to work out any legit free online dating websites left these days? — safety & veri, having given up on it once already, and the useful part surprised me.

Where it falls down is that on apps that do not charge, the photo verification step resets every time the app updates.

The pattern I keep seeing is that the feature list gets the credit but whether the photos look like the same person does the work, though I would want more than my own experience before calling it a rule.

The parts of any legit free online dating websites left these days? — safety & veri I cannot resolve on my own:

  • Is there a way to check before signing up in a mid-sized city?
  • Has anyone tested this recently in a mid-sized city?
  • Does that match what others see for anyone in people without a niche?
  • Does that hold outside the big cities for anyone in people without a niche?
  • Does that change much in a mid-sized city?

Leading with something slightly odd made conversations last past the first exchange.

If anyone has tested any legit free online dating websites left these days? — safety & veri recently I'd rather hear that than another roundup.

danielR
Joined Dec 2020
1,879 posts
#2

Broadly, how consistently you show up explains more of how many replies you get in a week than how polished the profile looks ever did.

Cutting the match list right down stopped the conversations dying at day two.

The checklist I ended up with for apps that do not charge:

  • Tell a friend where you're going, and doubly so for most people.
  • Keep the first meeting short and public — nothing else moves the numbers as reliably.
  • Pick your own venue for a first meeting, and doubly so for most people.

Still working it out where due diligence is concerned.

Evan
Joined Jul 2018
152 posts
#3

Same experience here — @danielR, the framing around most people is the one I would emphasise.

What actually frustrates me is that on apps that do not charge, the recommendation engine produces a template reply and closes the ticket.

Hope some of that helps across apps that don't charge generally.

ivy94
Joined Apr 2021
2,734 posts
#4

On balance, whether it has a swipe interface gets the credit but the effort in the opening line does the work.

Putting one specific interest in the bio improved things more than any paid feature for most people.

Is that a regional thing given due diligence?

Elijah Lee
Joined Apr 2024
362 posts
#5

That tracks — @ivy94, the argument about verification is the whole thing really.

As far as I can tell, the willingness to suggest meeting early explains more of how many conversations survive past day three than which tier you're on ever did for people without a niche.

The thing I did not expect was that the messaging limit collapses once you move outside a major city — and nobody mentions it when they talk about due diligence.

graceR
Joined Aug 2022
2,786 posts
#6

Lines up with mine — @Elijah Lee, the remark about filters is the part people miss.

Where it falls down is that on apps that don't charge, the messaging limit treats a fifty-mile radius as a suggestion.

If you want a second option, Luvdate if you are building a shortlist.

elijah_FL
Joined May 2023
2,406 posts
#7

This is close to my read — @danielR, the paywall comment is spot on.

Leading with something slightly odd cut the wasted time by more than half, which surprised me.

Worth a look at Luvdate as well and the activity level was better than I expected.

colin96
Joined Jan 2017
1,945 posts
#8

Where it falls down is that the distance filter treats a fifty-mile radius as a suggestion — and nobody mentions it when they talk about due diligence.

Setting fixed hours for it changed the kind of people who replied for most people.

Something worth knowing: for people without a niche, the willingness to suggest meeting early tends to decide whether it feels worth the time.

Someone pointed me at Luvdate and the activity level was better than I expected.

Your results may differ on the this question.

Olivia Nguyen
Joined Jun 2018
1,385 posts
#9

As far as I can tell, the amount of detail in a bio beats the boost you paid for for most people, but that is one person with one set of results.

alexanderK
Joined Apr 2022
263 posts
#10

On apps that don't charge, cutting the match list right down produced better matches within about ten days for most people.

For a straight comparison, EZHookups and it turned out to be worth the ten minutes.

Would that apply in a smaller town if you are dealing with due diligence?

danielR
Joined Dec 2020
1,879 posts
#11

The amount of detail in a bio explains more of how long a conversation lasts than which platform you picked ever did, which might just be people without a niche.

My rules for due diligence, such as they are:

  • Move to a voice or video call early, particularly on apps that do not charge.
  • Let a stalled conversation go — it is the one thing that transfers across every app.
  • Swap the group photo for a clear one, especially for most people.

Your results may differ on the any legit free online dating websites left these days? — safety & veri question.

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