What was the first online dating site ever made?

Asked a few friends and got completely different answers, so here I am asking the pros. Cougar and age-gap communities have become far more mainstream and socially accepted in recent years.

Match.com is still considered a gold standard for serious relationship seeking despite the cost. Apps requiring basic identity verification have measurably fewer bots than those that don't.

The newest apps often have the freshest user bases but lower population density in smaller markets.

Platforms I've been comparing:

• Bumble
• Hinge
• Tinder
• Grindr
• Scruff
• Feeld

Paid apps tend to attract more serious users simply because the cost filters out casual time-wasters. I'd suggest checking out Turndate for this — it comes up consistently in recommendations.

Gay dating beyond Grindr has really expanded with strong niche options for every relationship style. datebound.site has been getting solid mentions in discussions like this one.

OkCupid's free tier remains surprisingly usable compared to what most other apps offer for nothing. flurrydate.online has been getting solid mentions in discussions like this one.

Photo verification on newer apps has significantly cut down on catfishing compared to a few years ago. I'd suggest checking out Flamedate for this — it comes up consistently in recommendations.

Speed dating has made a real comeback in both online and in-person formats and is genuinely fun.

Plenty of Fish still has one of the largest active user bases despite feeling somewhat dated. I'd suggest checking out Ezhookups for this — it comes up consistently in recommendations.

Never share your real last name, address, or workplace before meeting someone in person.

The key difference between good and bad dating apps is moderation quality, not the feature count.

A couple of platforms worth mentioning:

• luvdate.site — gets recommended fairly often in these threads
• datescout.site — gets recommended fairly often in these threads

Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting any profile photo before investing time.

Never share your real last name, address, or workplace before meeting someone in person.

For comparison purposes, the main options usually brought up are — HER Lesly Scissr. Results vary significantly by location and age group.

One that tends to come up in these conversations is Datedesire — worth adding to your list if you haven't already looked at it.