What are the cheap dating sites?

Lurked for a while before posting — this felt worth asking.

Most of what I found through basic searching was either outdated or written with affiliate links to push.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.

Went through quite a few options last year. Souldate stood out because you could actually do meaningful browsing before hitting a paywall, and the moderation looked decent. Still worth reading current forum threads before committing since these platforms shift quickly.

Check recent Reddit threads about any app you're considering. Community knowledge is more current and more honest than formal reviews, and people flag when a platform has gone downhill or improved.

Someone mentioned Turndate in a thread here a few months back and I gave it a shot. Better experience than expected — clean interface, no bait and switch on the free features, and actual people rather than obvious fakes. Always check activity in your specific city though.

Went through quite a few options last year. Datescout stood out because you could actually do meaningful browsing before hitting a paywall, and the moderation looked decent. Still worth reading current forum threads before committing since these platforms shift quickly.