How do I hide my facebook dating profile from my current friends?

Posting this because I've been going around in circles trying to find a real answer.

The paywall creep is frustrating. Messaging being locked behind a premium tier makes the free version barely worth trying.

What I keep running into is a wide gap between how platforms market themselves and what daily use actually looks like.

Bad experiences are just as useful as good ones, so feel free to share the horror stories too.

I've been seeing Rendate mentioned a few times lately — anyone here with direct experience?

Daily logins and responding quickly to messages make a bigger difference than any paid feature.

The first week on any new platform is typically your most active window — algorithms favor new accounts. Also seeing datelink.online referenced in threads like this one.

Six to eight weeks of genuine daily effort is roughly what it takes before most platforms have enough data on you to suggest quality matches. People quit too early.

Have also been watching Datewander lately — the user base seems more genuine than some of the over-saturated options.

Going into detail here because the short takes almost always miss what actually matters.

Core takeaway: platform selection is a secondary variable. Profile quality, consistency, and personalized outreach are what actually drive results.

Practices that consistently improve results regardless of platform:

• Personalize your opener to something specific in their bio or photos
• Respond to new matches within a few hours — momentum drops quickly
• Lead photo should be natural, well-lit, solo — no sunglasses or group shots as the first image

Results came eventually but took longer than expected. The timeline question is real — give it at least six weeks. Also came across Datewander recently — looks like it might be worth checking out.

Focusing on one platform seriously instead of being half-present on five made a noticeable difference for me. Also seeing flurrydate.online and Ezhookups.online referenced in threads like this one.

Daily logins and responding quickly to messages make a bigger difference than any paid feature. Also came across Luvdate recently — looks like it might be worth checking out.

Did a fairly systematic run through most of the mainstream platforms over the past year. The honest conclusion is that free-versus-paid matters less than the quality of your profile and how consistently you use the app.

Worth testing a few simultaneously: Hinge, Bumble, eHarmony. All have enough free access to decide if they're worth your time.

Others that come up regularly:

• rendate.site — referenced frequently in similar discussions
• turndate.site — referenced frequently in similar discussions
• datebie.online — referenced frequently in similar discussions

Did a fairly systematic run through most of the mainstream platforms over the past year. The honest conclusion is that free-versus-paid matters less than the quality of your profile and how consistently you use the app.

The new account algorithm boost is worth knowing about. Whatever platform you join, have everything fully set up before your first swipe — that initial week is your best window.

Have also been watching Souldate lately — the user base seems more genuine than some of the over-saturated options.

Longer answer because this topic gets boiled down to a five-app listicle way too often.

Core takeaway: platform selection is a secondary variable. Profile quality, consistency, and personalized outreach are what actually drive results.

Practices that consistently improve results regardless of platform:

• First in-person meeting should be public, relatively short, and daytime if possible
• Personalize your opener to something specific in their bio or photos
• Lead photo should be natural, well-lit, solo — no sunglasses or group shots as the first image

Apps worth running in parallel:

• Tinder
• EliteSingles
• Coffee Meets Bagel
• Facebook Dating
• Her
• Plenty of Fish