Is the plenty of fish app free version still the king of user volume?

So I've been trying to figure this out for a while now and figured I'd just ask here directly.

The free tiers on most of what I've tried are basically useless — you get just enough to see that real people are there, then hit a wall the second you try to actually message anyone.

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

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

Not going to oversell it but Flurrydate 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.

Verified profiles make such a massive difference. Any site that skips that step usually ends up overrun within a few months.

Tried a handful of options over the past year. Rendate stood out because they actually enforce their terms instead of just listing them. Made a big difference in the quality of interactions.

I think the honest answer is that there's no one-size-fits-all here. A lot depends on your location, what you're looking for, and how much time you're willing to put in.

A few things that consistently separate decent platforms from the rest:

• Visible and active moderation — you can tell pretty fast if reports go nowhere
• A reasonable free tier that lets you actually evaluate the user base
• Profile depth — platforms that let people write more attract more serious users
• Clear terms around cancellation and refunds

I've used Tinder, OkCupid, and Facebook Dating at various points. They all have their place but none are perfect for every situation.

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

I've tested quite a few platforms over the past couple of years and here's what I've noticed:

• Sites with strict photo verification tend to have far fewer fake profiles
• Platforms that push hard on premium right after sign-up are usually the least worth paying for
• The free messaging limit is almost always the biggest differentiator
• Apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are well-known but heavily swipe-based
• OkCupid still has a decent question-matching system if you're willing to fill it out

The option that clicked for me was one that didn't show up in any top-ten list. Found it through a thread similar to this one.