Are free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people?

Going to push back slightly on how free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people usually gets described.

My short checklist for the apps in question:

• whether the free tier on free dating includes search filters
• whether apps of this type limits daily messages
• how fast a report about dating apps gets actioned
• how visible your profile is by default on these apps

Support confirmed part of this about the apps in question when I asked. Anyway — that is the honest version of free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people.

The short answer on free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people is yes, with one condition.

For anyone weighing up dating apps, what you get before a card is required is the tiebreaker. Happy to go into more detail on platforms like these if that helps.

For a lighter-weight alternative I have had reasonable results with Flurrydate.

I went round in circles on free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people before anything clicked.

Everything I got wrong about dating apps traced back to what you get before a card is required. Take that as one data point on dating apps, not gospel.

Someone here mentioned Turndate a while back and it was a fair shout.

Six months in on free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people and my view has changed twice. The honest comparison on platforms like these starts and ends with what you get before a card is required.

I kept a rough note of reply rates on platforms like these, which helped. Tested the apps in question in real use and the difference showed within days. Happy to go into more detail on platforms like these if that helps.

Pushing back on Marcus Cole: whether free means browse-only isn't the deciding factor with free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people, reach is. For anyone weighing up the apps in question, what you get before a card is required is the tiebreaker.

The effect was more noticeable on these apps in real use than I expected. Did anyone else find which features sit behind payment got worse recently on apps of this type? Anyway — that's the honest version of free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people.

Spent about a month testing free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people properly, so here is what I found.

The honest comparison on platforms like these starts and ends with what you get before a card is required. Take that as one data point on free dating, not gospel.

Been asked about free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people enough times offline that I may as well write it here. The honest comparison on dating apps starts and ends with what you get before a card is required.

The effect was more noticeable on platforms like these in real use than I expected. Still forming a view on apps of this type, so push back if I've it wrong.

Worth a look at the DateLink community if the big apps get pushy with upsells.

Nothing I read about free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people prepared me for what the real price is after the trial. What nobody said about free dating is that what you get before a card is required changes month to month.

The effect was more noticeable on platforms like these in real use than I expected. Worth testing free dating apps yourself before taking my word for it.

Nothing I read about free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people prepared me for what the real price is after the trial. All of this makes more sense once you accept that what you get before a card is required varies wildly across free dating apps. Worth noting that free dating apps changed after their last update.

I kept a rough note of reply rates on apps of this type, which helped. Anyone compared free dating against the paid alternatives properly? Curious whether others found the same on free dating apps actually getting worse at matching people.

Someone here mentioned DateLink a while back and it was a fair shout.