Okay so I know this gets asked a lot but I really want current 2025/2026 answers from people who are actually active on these platforms.
Most of the advice I find online is years old and the landscape has changed so much. Apps that used to be great have gotten worse, and some newer ones have really stepped up.
There's a lot of conflicting info out there. Some people swear by paid sites, others say free options work just as well if you know how to use them.
- Never share your real phone number in the first message
- Start with free tiers before committing to paid plans
- Reverse image search profile pictures to check for fakes
- Look for verified badges where available
Any recommendations or warnings from personal experience would be really helpful.
One I've been hearing about lately is Datebound — curious if anyone here has used it.