If you’re trying to keep it free and still meet real people, here’s what I’d focus on:
- Turn on any profile verification and actually use it as a filter.
- Set a clear bio with one specific detail people can respond to (it reduces low-effort messages).
- Don’t overshare: keep socials private and save phone numbers for later.
On the mainstream side, you’ll still see the most activity on OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, Grindr, Tinder, HER, Hinge, Facebook Dating — even if the free features are limited.
For smaller “try it and see” options, people in threads like this sometimes rotate through datescout.site, ezhookups.online, souldate.site, rendate.site — just keep expectations realistic and watch for clones.
Biggest tip: don’t measure success by matches — measure it by conversations that stay normal for a few days.