How is online dating over 50 different from younger dating?

Tried a few things already with mixed results and figured I'd crowdsource the next move.

Free tiers have gotten increasingly restrictive. A lot of platforms make you pay just to see who liked you, which feels like a pretty fundamental feature to gate.

Bot-filled platforms have become a real problem. Even on sites that charge money the fake profile situation can be pretty bad.

• Read recent reviews on Reddit before committing to any paid plan
• Reverse image search photos that look too professional
• Don't share your real phone number until you actually trust someone
• Video call before any in-person meeting — always

Thanks in advance — even pointing me toward what to avoid is helpful.

I think the time horizon problem is real. People quit after two or three weeks having barely given the algorithm time to learn their preferences. Give it at least six weeks of real effort.

Mainstream options worth running simultaneously: Tinder, Facebook Dating, eHarmony. All have some free functionality to test before paying.

I had my best results when I focused on just one platform instead of being half-present on five of them. Also been seeing Datebie come up — might be worth checking out.

Longer answer here because this gets oversimplified into a listicle way too often.

The platforms that invest in verification and safety features tend to have better user quality across the board. It's worth paying a small premium if it means fewer fake profiles.

Consistently useful practices regardless of which platform you use:

• First photo should show your face clearly and look approachable, not professional
• First meeting in a public place with people around, no exceptions
• Bio under 150 words — longer bios get read less frequently

Tried it. Activity was fine in my city for the first few weeks then dropped off pretty sharply. Very location-dependent. Also been seeing Datenest come up — might be worth checking out.

If I had to give one piece of advice: video call before agreeing to meet anyone. Weeds out so much wasted time. Noticed flurrydate.online getting mentioned in similar threads recently.