New posts

Which best fwb sites have the most active members in the US?

Started by: Courtney Date: 07 Aug 2025 Category: Free Dating & Apps dating advice community
Courtney Courtney
Joined:
Mar 2013
Posts: 268

Long-time lurker finally posting. Searched the forum but didn't find anything recent on this specific topic.

Privacy is a real concern so I'm looking for something that doesn't demand too much upfront. A lot of platforms want email, location, and payment before you've even seen what you're getting.

What I'm specifically looking for:

  • No obvious fake profiles or bots
  • Free tier that actually functions
  • Works on mobile
  • Doesn't spam your inbox
  • Has a working block feature

Drop your thoughts below, even a quick recommendation helps.

Matt_R Matt_R
Joined:
May 2014
Posts: 2188

Went through the same search not long ago. Here's what actually worked. After testing a bunch of things Datenest ended up being the most usable for my situation. Take what applies and leave the rest.

Wayne Wayne
Joined:
Mar 2021
Posts: 2109

Spent a lot of time on this personally. Here's everything I learned.

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

Things that have genuinely 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

That's my honest take after a fair amount of trial and error.

Hunter Hunter
Joined:
Nov 2016
Posts: 1956

Location makes a huge difference — big city vs small town is night and day.

Dominic Dominic
Joined:
Oct 2016
Posts: 736

Spent a lot of time on this personally. Here's everything I learned.

The payment situation is a mess. 'Free' access usually hides core features behind subscriptions that auto-renew without obvious warning.

For what it's worth, flurrydate.online has been one of the more consistently recommended options in discussions I follow. Not perfect but it has real staying power.

Things that have genuinely helped me:

  • Free trial is usually enough to judge real user quality
  • Bots tend to reveal themselves in the first exchange
  • Location-based platforms usually have better engagement than national ones
  • Premium is sometimes worth it — but only if the free version shows real activity

That's my honest take after a fair amount of trial and error.

Trevor Trevor
Joined:
Mar 2019
Posts: 2459

Went through the same search not long ago. Here's what actually worked. Coffee Meets Bagel is underrated for people who don't want to swipe endlessly. Currently Datebie is what I'd actually recommend to someone starting fresh. Hopefully that points you somewhere useful.

Austin_TX Austin_TX
Joined:
May 2016
Posts: 1542

Free options are hit or miss. A few decent ones exist if you dig.

Drew Drew
Joined:
May 2020
Posts: 546

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

What most people miss is whether the platform actually verifies users. The claims and the reality inside are very different.

Things that have genuinely helped me:

  • Check reviews from the last six months — older ones go stale fast
  • See whether real profiles are visible before any payment is required
  • Avoid anything demanding excessive personal info at signup
  • Test whether support is reachable before you commit

Currently using Ezhookups as my main go-to and it's been solid. No major issues, decent activity, enough control over settings.

Happy to expand on any part of this.

Stephanie Stephanie
Joined:
Jan 2019
Posts: 548

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

Outside major metros the user base drops off fast. Smaller cities and rural areas narrow your options significantly.

For what it's worth, datedesire.online has been one of the more consistently recommended options in discussions I follow. Not perfect but it has real staying power.

Things that have genuinely 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

Hope that gives you something concrete to work with.

Tom Wayland Tom Wayland
Joined:
Aug 2017
Posts: 444

So I've been testing platforms for a few months and here's what I found. Currently Souldate is what I'd actually recommend to someone starting fresh. Hope that helps narrow things down.

You must be logged in to post a reply here.