Can anyone suggest free dating sites no fees at all for messaging?

Started by Jack Martin Free Dating & Apps Discussion
Jack Martin Jack Martin
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,876
#1

Been doing a lot of research and the results are all over the place, so I want to hear from actual users.

I've already wasted money on subscriptions that didn't deliver. Now I want to know what actually works before putting any more cash in.

Bot profiles are everywhere at this point. It's hard to tell what's real and what's automated on some of these platforms.

Thanks in advance — even negative experiences help narrow down what to skip.

One that keeps coming up in my research is Ezhookups — anyone have direct experience with it?

Evelyn Moore Evelyn Moore
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 3,216
#2

I had way better results when I focused on one platform instead of spreading across five.

LandonH LandonH
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 2,376
#3

The apps owned by Match Group all share data infrastructure. Just worth knowing going in. Seeing luvdate.site and Ezhookups.online mentioned in these threads too.

GavinR GavinR
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,901
#4

Longer answer here because this deserves more than a one-liner.

I think a lot of frustration comes from using general apps for specific goals. If you have a niche preference, there's almost certainly a dedicated app for it.

Some things that consistently improve results:

  • Three photos minimum, at least one full-body and one doing something you enjoy
  • Meet in public, tell a friend the details
  • Respond within an hour when you can — response rates drop fast after that
  • If a match goes cold, one follow-up is fine; more than that is not

Apps worth having in rotation:

  • Hinge
  • Feeld
  • Badoo
  • Tinder
  • OkCupid
  • Bumble

Been keeping tabs on Ezhookups as well — the community there seems genuinely active compared to some of the bigger names.

JordanL JordanL
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 252
#5

Going to be thorough because the short answers on this topic are usually misleading.

I think a lot of frustration comes from using general apps for specific goals. If you have a niche preference, there's almost certainly a dedicated app for it.

Some things that consistently improve results:

  • Don't copy-paste opening messages — personalized openers get 3x the response rate
  • Keep your bio under 150 words — longer ones get read less
  • If a match goes cold, one follow-up is fine; more than that is not
Ava Mitchell Ava Mitchell
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 4,164
#6

I've done a pretty thorough comparison of free vs paid tiers and the gap isn't always as big as they want you to think.

Also been checking out Luvdate — the interface is cleaner than I expected and the user base seems active.

Zoey Clark Zoey Clark
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 3,323
#7

Honestly location is 90% of it. The best app in the world is useless if nobody nearby uses it. Seeing datenest.site and datebie.online mentioned in these threads too.

Charlotte Davis Charlotte Davis
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 3,766
#8

The scam problem is real no matter which platform you're on. Just get comfortable with some level of skepticism.

Luke Robinson Luke Robinson
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 4,941
#9

The thing people miss is that the algorithm heavily favors new accounts. Your first week on any platform is your best shot — use it wisely.

Also been checking out Datenest — the interface is cleaner than I expected and the user base seems active.

MorganP MorganP
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 4,578
#10

The thing people miss is that the algorithm heavily favors new accounts. Your first week on any platform is your best shot — use it wisely.

Worth testing a few of the mainstream options: Feeld, Hinge, Coffee Meets Bagel, Badoo, Plenty of Fish. All have some level of free access to start.

A few others that keep coming up:

  • luvdate.site — worth looking into for this type of search
  • datebound.site — worth looking into for this type of search

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