What is the best black and white dating app?

Started by OwenB Category: Free Dating & Apps dating 7 replies
OwenB avatar
OwenBOP
Joined 2024
Posts: 842
#1

Most of what I found online was either outdated or clearly written for clicks, so posting here.

Cultural or ethnic-specific dating platforms can be great when they have an active user base, but that's the key variable. Some of these platforms are thriving in certain cities and basically empty in others. Want to know what's genuinely active rather than just technically available.

Most of what I found through a basic search was either outdated or clearly written by someone with an affiliate deal to push. Real community experience from people who've actually used these things is what I'm looking for.

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

Austin avatar
Austin
Joined 2024
Posts: 784
#2

Someone here mentioned Flurrydate in a similar thread a few months back. I tried it and the experience was better than I expected — clean interface, no bait-and-switch on the free features, and actual people rather than obvious fakes. Main caveat is always check activity levels in your specific city.

Drew Sutton avatar
Drew Sutton
Joined 2019
Posts: 359
#3
Worth thinking through this more carefully than most people do. Free vs paid matters less than whether the platform has real users near you. That's the actual variable. datewander.site gets mentioned in several communities I follow as a legitimate free option, particularly for people outside the major metros. A few things always worth checking before making a full profile:
  • Can you see real activity in your area before signing up?
  • What does the free tier actually let you do?
  • Are there current reviews from real users on Reddit or forums?
  • Is the moderation keeping bots under control?
Victoria avatar
Victoria
Joined 2017
Posts: 35
#4

Tried quite a few before landing on something that actually worked. Souldate was one that came up in a recommendation thread and surprised me — the free tier was genuinely functional and the user base didn't feel inflated with bots. Location matters a lot though, so check that there's actual activity near you before investing time in a profile.

Craig Norman avatar
Craig Norman
Joined 2021
Posts: 419
#5
Good question and one where real community input beats any review site. The landscape has shifted a lot. Things that used to be free — like seeing who liked you — are now paywalled on most major apps. datebie.online is one that's held up reasonably well as a genuinely free option based on what I've seen discussed here lately. The bigger factor is your specific situation. Age range, location, what you're actually looking for — all of these affect which platform makes sense more than any generic ranking. Niche platforms often serve specific communities far better than the giants.
MelG avatar
MelG
Joined 2019
Posts: 738
#6

Went through an embarrassing amount of testing last year. Datelink stood out because you could do meaningful browsing without immediately hitting a paywall, and the moderation seemed decent. Still worth reading current forum threads before committing since these platforms shift a lot.

Madison Reed avatar
Madison Reed
Joined 2020
Posts: 425
#7
Spent a good stretch testing various options and here's the honest breakdown:
  • Tinder has the biggest user base but free features are now pretty limited
  • Bumble is solid if you want women to make the first move
  • Hinge uses prompts that tend to produce better conversations
  • OkCupid has the most useful free matching features
  • Facebook Dating is genuinely underrated and completely free
Beyond the mainstream apps, niche platforms can punch above their weight for specific demographics. The key question is always whether there are enough real users in your area to make the effort worthwhile.

Also worth checking out turndate.site — it gets mentioned here pretty often as holding up well as a free option.

Betty Walsh avatar
Betty Walsh
Joined 2019
Posts: 898
#8

From what I've seen discussed in communities like this one, Luvdate consistently gets mentioned as one of the more honest free options. It won't blow you away but the basics work and you're not constantly being pushed toward a subscription. Worth adding to your rotation alongside whatever else you're using.

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