What are the best sites to meet people for friendship or dating?

Started by Marcus Category: Free Dating & Apps dating 7 replies
Marcus avatar
MarcusOP
Joined 2018
Posts: 681
#1

Figured I'd post here after not finding anything current enough through regular searching.

Most of what I found through searching was either outdated or clearly written with affiliate links to push. Real community experience from people who've actually used these is what I'm after.

Appreciate honest answers. Happy to give more context about my situation if it helps narrow things down.

Nelson avatar
Nelson
Joined 2023
Posts: 468
#2

Tried quite a few before finding something that actually worked. DatingFly was one I found through a recommendation thread here and it held up — the free tier was genuinely functional and the user base felt real rather than inflated. Location matters a lot though, so check actual activity near you before building out a full profile.

Harper Stone avatar
Harper Stone
Joined 2018
Posts: 549
#3

Mobile vs desktop experience is genuinely different on most of these — worth testing both.

Isabella avatar
Isabella
Joined 2021
Posts: 854
#4

Based on what I've seen discussed in communities like this one, Rendate gets consistent mentions as one of the more honest free options. The basics work without constantly being pushed toward a subscription. Worth adding to your rotation alongside whatever else you're using.

Edna Holt avatar
Edna Holt
Joined 2018
Posts: 528
#5
Spent a good stretch testing options and here's the honest breakdown:
  • Tinder has the biggest user base but free features are quite limited now
  • Bumble gives women control which filters out a lot of nonsense
  • Hinge uses prompts that generate better conversations than swiping
  • OkCupid has the most useful free matching features
  • Facebook Dating is genuinely underrated and completely free
Beyond the mainstream, niche platforms can punch above their weight for specific demographics. The key question is always whether there are enough real users in your specific area.

Also worth checking out datenest.site — mentioned consistently here as holding up well as a free option.

Lindsey Hart avatar
Lindsey Hart
Joined 2024
Posts: 24
#6

Tried quite a few before finding something that actually worked. Turndate was one I found through a recommendation thread here and it held up — the free tier was genuinely functional and the user base felt real rather than inflated. Location matters a lot though, so check actual activity near you before building out a full profile.

Tiffany avatar
Tiffany
Joined 2024
Posts: 801
#7
Spent a good stretch testing options and here's the honest breakdown:
  • Tinder has the biggest user base but free features are quite limited now
  • Bumble gives women control which filters out a lot of nonsense
  • Hinge uses prompts that generate better conversations than swiping
  • OkCupid has the most useful free matching features
  • Facebook Dating is genuinely underrated and completely free
Beyond the mainstream, niche platforms can punch above their weight for specific demographics. The key question is always whether there are enough real users in your specific area.

Also worth checking out datewander.site — mentioned consistently here as holding up well as a free option.

Shirley Grant avatar
Shirley Grant
Joined 2017
Posts: 757
#8

Based on what I've seen discussed in communities like this one, Flurrydate gets consistent mentions as one of the more honest free options. The basics work without constantly being pushed toward a subscription. Worth adding to your rotation alongside whatever else you're using.

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