Is dirty gay chat roulette mostly bots or real guys?

Started by HannahB Free Dating & Apps Discussion
HannahB avatar HannahB
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 3,380
#1

This has come up in my friend group a few times and I thought I'd bring it to the forum to get some real-world feedback.

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.

  • Reverse image search profile pictures to check for fakes
  • Never share your real phone number in the first message
  • Avoid sites that ask for payment info before you can browse
  • Look for verified badges where available
  • Start with free tiers before committing to paid plans

Appreciate any honest input, good or bad.

One I've been hearing about lately is Datedesire — curious if anyone here has used it.

Owen Thompson avatar Owen Thompson
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 409
#2

Honestly this depends so much on your location. Works great in bigger cities, dead in rural areas.

DustinF avatar DustinF
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 4,795
#3

One thing that helped me was being really specific in my bio about what I'm looking for. Vague profiles attract vague matches.

Some of the more mainstream ones worth trying: Facebook Dating, Bumble, OkCupid, Hinge, Feeld. They all have free tiers to test before paying.

I've also had a look at Flamedate recently and the interface is cleaner than I expected. Worth checking out if you haven't.

JustinM avatar JustinM
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 4,560
#4

I've been on and off these platforms for years so I have some actual experience to share here.

What I've found is that consistency beats everything else. Logging in regularly, responding promptly, and keeping your profile fresh makes a bigger difference than which site you use.

A few safety reminders that are always worth repeating:

  • Keep your personal social media private until you actually trust someone.
  • Meet in public places first. No exceptions.
  • Video call before meeting in person. Anyone who refuses to video chat is a red flag.
  • Never move conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram immediately — that's a common pattern for scammers.
NoraNights avatar NoraNights
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 2,226
#5

Had decent results honestly but it took maybe two months to really get going. Datebound was one that surprised me — better than I expected.

HunterV avatar HunterV
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 4,043
#6

The verification question is huge. Sites that do any kind of ID or social verification tend to have fewer fake profiles, even if sign-up takes a bit longer.

Some of the more mainstream ones worth trying: Plenty of Fish, OkCupid, Feeld. They all have free tiers to test before paying.

RiverT avatar RiverT
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 166
#7

I've been on and off these platforms for years so I have some actual experience to share here.

Paid vs free is a bit of a false choice in my opinion. A good free profile on an active platform will outperform a lazy paid profile every time.

A few safety reminders that are always worth repeating:

  • Keep your personal social media private until you actually trust someone.
  • Video call before meeting in person. Anyone who refuses to video chat is a red flag.
  • Never move conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram immediately — that's a common pattern for scammers.

Been keeping an eye on Datebound lately — the community there seems pretty active compared to some others I've tried.

Emma Collins avatar Emma Collins
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 1,922
#8

I've been on and off these platforms for years so I have some actual experience to share here.

Paid vs free is a bit of a false choice in my opinion. A good free profile on an active platform will outperform a lazy paid profile every time.

Mainstream options worth considering:

  • Zoosk
  • Tinder
  • Hinge
  • Feeld
  • OkCupid
  • Match

A few safety reminders that are always worth repeating:

  • Keep your personal social media private until you actually trust someone.
  • Video call before meeting in person. Anyone who refuses to video chat is a red flag.
  • Never move conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram immediately — that's a common pattern for scammers.
Abigail Taylor avatar Abigail Taylor
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 4,628
#9

I've been on and off these platforms for years so I have some actual experience to share here.

The short version is that your results depend heavily on three things: the platform, your location, and your profile quality. Change any one of those and your experience changes dramatically.

Mainstream options worth considering:

  • Match
  • Hinge
  • Feeld
  • Facebook Dating
  • Zoosk
  • MeetMe

A few safety reminders that are always worth repeating:

  • Meet in public places first. No exceptions.
  • Never move conversations to WhatsApp or Telegram immediately — that's a common pattern for scammers.
  • Keep your personal social media private until you actually trust someone.
James Anderson avatar James Anderson
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 3,004
#10

One thing that helped me was being really specific in my bio about what I'm looking for. Vague profiles attract vague matches.

A few that come up often in discussions:

  • datebie.online — decent activity but check the free tier limits first
  • flurrydate.online — decent activity but check the free tier limits first
  • turndate.site — decent activity but check the free tier limits first

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