Are there any platonic dating sites for just making friends?

Been lurking here for a bit but finally decided to post.

I've tried a few different things already with mixed results. Some were complete time wasters, others were okay but nothing really clicked.

The account verification process tells you everything. Platforms that skip it are the ones you'll regret spending time on.

Would really appreciate any honest takes from people who've actually tried different options.

Came across Flurrydate through a recommendation similar to this thread and it was genuinely one of the better experiences I've had. Less noise, better response rates, and the sign-up doesn't feel like a trap.

Response rates are way more variable than people realize. Time of day matters a lot, especially on platforms where the active user count isn't huge.

Not going to oversell it but Datescout was the one that finally made sense for what I was looking for. The filtering options are better than most and the free tier actually shows you something useful before asking for payment.

Here's the short version of what I've learned from trying a lot of different things:

Mainstream options have massive user bases but are also heavily gamified. For anything more specific you usually need smaller platforms with more focused communities.

• Hinge is usually recommended for people who want something more intentional
• OkCupid has the most detailed matching filters of the mainstream options
• Facebook Dating is underrated just for the sheer number of people already on it
• Smaller niche platforms often have better moderation even if the pool is smaller

Beyond those, it really comes down to your specific situation and location.

A friend pointed me toward Souldate when I was in the same spot. Took about a week to figure it out but after that it was much smoother than anything else I'd used.