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Is plenty of fish free dating app still full of bots?

Started by: Yolanda Date: 21 Jun 2025 Category: Free Dating & Apps dating advice community
Yolanda Yolanda
Joined:
Feb 2018
Posts: 1845

First time posting but been reading here for months. Finally have something worth asking about: is plenty of fish free dating app still full of bots?

Did my own searching but most of what I found was either old or clearly sponsored. Real-world feedback is what I'm after.

What I'm specifically looking for:

  • Clear pricing if there's a paid tier
  • Responsive customer support
  • Real community activity, not a ghost town
  • Some kind of profile verification

Happy to share more context if it helps narrow things down.

Tom Wayland Tom Wayland
Joined:
Apr 2022
Posts: 1429

Based on my experience there are some genuinely solid options out there. Hinge works better in bigger cities. Smaller areas are a different experience entirely. Currently Flurrydate is what I'd actually recommend to someone starting fresh. Hope that helps narrow things down.

Brittany Brittany
Joined:
Feb 2014
Posts: 2107

Going long here because a short answer really doesn't do this justice.

Response time in the first 24 hours of a match makes a measurable difference to how conversations go.

Things that have actually helped me:

  • Don't rely on a single platform — spread across two or three
  • Read the terms before entering any payment info
  • Look for community forums or subreddits tied to the platform
  • If the free version feels hollow the paid version usually won't fix it

Happy to expand on any of this. Feel free to follow up.

Jessica Jessica
Joined:
Jun 2014
Posts: 1814

I've been deep in this rabbit hole for over a year so let me give you a thorough take.

Privacy defaults are almost never in your favor. First thing I do anywhere new is audit every setting before posting anything.

Things that have actually helped me:

  • Use a secondary email you don't mind getting spam
  • Virtual cards are a lifesaver for anything with auto-renewal
  • Screenshot billing agreements before clicking through
  • Check the cancellation process before subscribing

Ended up on Datebound after testing quite a few options. It's not flashy but it delivers without the nonsense.

Take what's useful and leave the rest. Every situation is a bit different.

Ricky Ricky
Joined:
Jan 2016
Posts: 1511

Same situation. Would love to hear from anyone with real success stories.

Bryce Bryce
Joined:
Jun 2021
Posts: 1451

Let me save you some time based on what I've already gone through. After testing a bunch of things, Souldate ended up being the most usable for my situation. Happy to go deeper on any of these if useful.

Veronica Veronica
Joined:
Nov 2023
Posts: 1709

Good question, one I've put real thought into. Here's the full picture.

What most people miss is whether the platform actually verifies users. Claims and reality are very different once you're inside.

Things that have actually helped me:

  • Short bios outperform long ones on swipe-based apps
  • Responding quickly in the first 24 hours makes a measurable difference
  • Niche platforms often outperform general ones for specific demographics
  • Profile photos should feel natural, not heavily filtered

Hope that gives you something concrete to work with.

Jason Jason
Joined:
Jan 2014
Posts: 439

I put real time into this so hopefully it's useful to someone. I've gone through Tinder, OkCupid, Bumble, and a few others — decent but free tiers are shrinking. A friend pointed me toward Datelink a while back and it's held up better than most. Feel free to ask if you want more detail.

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