Is the tinder dating app free version still the king of dating?

Started by RiverT Free Dating & Apps Discussion
RiverT RiverT
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 1,383
#1

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

Privacy is a serious concern for me. Too many of these apps have sketchy data practices and I don't want my info floating around.

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.

Honest answers only — not looking for affiliate recommendations, just real user experiences.

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

FinleyO FinleyO
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 3,229
#2

Niche apps outperformed the big generalist ones for me, at least for finding people I actually connected with.

ZachW ZachW
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 5,515
#3

Honestly location is 90% of it. The best app in the world is useless if nobody nearby uses it. Also noticed Datescout getting mentioned recently — might be worth a look.

SydneyR SydneyR
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 3,579
#4

Niche-specific apps consistently outperform general ones for people with specific preferences. The smaller user base is worth it for the better match quality.

Worth testing a few of the mainstream options: Match, Facebook Dating, Hinge, Badoo, OkCupid. All have some level of free access to start.

A few others that keep coming up:

  • datescout.site — worth looking into for this type of search
  • datewander.site — worth looking into for this type of search
Ava Mitchell Ava Mitchell
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 3,699
#5

Profile photos matter more than people admit. A genuine, well-lit photo beats clever bio writing every time. Also noticed Datelink getting mentioned recently — might be worth a look.

KaitlynB KaitlynB
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 4,526
#6

Niche apps outperformed the big generalist ones for me, at least for finding people I actually connected with. Seeing datebie.online and datebound.site mentioned in these threads too.

ColbyR ColbyR
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 2,218
#7

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.

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

A few others that keep coming up:

  • flurrydate.online — worth looking into for this type of search

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