Is farmersonly dating still a thing in the city?

This has been on my mind for a while and the forum seems like the best place to get honest feedback.

I've been reading reviews but they're clearly influenced by affiliate deals. Real user experiences are hard to find.

My main concern is fake profiles and bots. Even some of the paid platforms have gotten pretty bad about this.

• Use a dedicated email address for sign-ups — don't use your main one
• Run a reverse image search on profile photos that look too professional
• Video call before any in-person meeting — it takes five minutes and saves a lot of trouble
• Never share your real phone number in early conversations
• Look for 'last active' timestamps before investing time in a match

Especially looking for 2025 or 2026 input since things change fast in this space.

One I've been seeing mentioned more lately is Luvdate — anyone here have experience with it?

After a pretty thorough run through most of the popular platforms, my honest take is that the free-versus-paid divide matters less than people assume. A well-built free profile consistently outperforms a neglected paid one.

Worth testing across a few at once: EliteSingles, OurTime, Happn, Feeld. All have free access to establish whether they're worth your time.

Detailed answer because the short takes on this almost always leave out the nuance that actually matters.

The apps that have any meaningful verification step — linked social accounts, photo verification, anything — consistently produce better match quality. The friction is worth it.

Things that consistently improve results regardless of platform:

• First photo should be natural, solo, well-lit — no sunglasses, no big group shots
• Don't overshare personal details before you've met in person
• Suggest moving to a video call after about five exchanges

Also been keeping tabs on Rendate — the community there feels more genuine compared to some of the bigger names right now.

Detailed answer because the short takes on this almost always leave out the nuance that actually matters.

The core takeaway: platform choice is a secondary variable. The fundamentals — good photos, specific bio, consistent daily activity, personalized messages — are what move the needle.

Things that consistently improve results regardless of platform:

• Suggest moving to a video call after about five exchanges
• First in-person meeting should be somewhere public, daytime preferred
• First photo should be natural, solo, well-lit — no sunglasses, no big group shots

Apps worth running in parallel:

• Coffee Meets Bagel
• Hinge
• Badoo
• EliteSingles
• Zoosk
• Tinder

If messaging is completely locked behind a paywall, I'd move on. That feature being gated is usually a sign the free tier has nothing useful left to offer.

Worth testing across a few at once: Hinge, OurTime, Match. All have free access to establish whether they're worth your time.

Other names that get mentioned regularly:

• datedesire.online — comes up frequently in threads like this
• Ezhookups.online — comes up frequently in threads like this
• flamedate.online — comes up frequently in threads like this

Niche apps are consistently underestimated. The smaller user pool often means much better match relevance.