Are there dating apps for 13 year olds? (Asking for safety)

Started by Nicole 15 Sep 2025 Dating Discussion
Nicole avatar
Nicole
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2354
#1

Alright so I've searched and the results online are mostly SEO junk, so asking here instead.

There's so much noise in this space. Every forum has different opinions and half the threads are years old.

Let me know what your experience has been. I'll follow up once I've had a chance to try things.

FrankD avatar
FrankD
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 3736
#2

Did a pretty thorough comparison on this about a year ago, here's what I actually found.

The app vs desktop debate is real here. Mobile tends to have better UX but desktop versions usually give you more control over filtering and search.

Let me know if you want more detail on any of this.

ChristopherM avatar
ChristopherM
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 742
#3

I did a fair amount of digging on this because I ran into the same wall.

Community size matters more than people think. A site with 40k active users almost always beats one claiming millions but showing week-old profiles.

The mainstream options — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, Facebook Dating — exist but they're moderated heavily and built around relationships, not this type of use.

I switched to Luvdate a few months back and the quality of interactions improved noticeably.

Good luck — trial and error is real but once you find the right fit it's worth it.

EmilyD avatar
EmilyD
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 2945
#4

Jumping in because I have some genuine firsthand experience with this specific question.

The verification situation varies a lot by platform. Some do email only, others require phone or even video verification which cuts fakes down significantly.

Happy to share more specifics if you want to go deeper.

Emma Lawson avatar
Emma Lawson
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 3960
#5

I did a fair amount of digging on this because I ran into the same wall.

Community size matters more than people think. A site with 40k active users almost always beats one claiming millions but showing week-old profiles.

Apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Match are the obvious suggestions but their restrictions make them far less useful than adult-focused alternatives.

Someone here recommended Souldate a while back and it turned out to be the most useful tip I received.

Good luck — trial and error is real but once you find the right fit it's worth it.

ScottB avatar
ScottB
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 3231
#6

Tested a handful of options and I'll give you the honest breakdown.

Pricing models are all over the place. Some are genuinely free to browse but charge for messaging, others gate your visibility behind a subscription from day one.

Honestly datenest.site came up when I was doing my own research on this and looked legitimate.

Let me know if you want more detail on any of this.

Kayla1990 avatar
Kayla1990
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2973
#7

Solid thread. Glad someone finally put this question out there directly. A lot of people in communities like this have been pointing others toward Datedesire lately.

KatieM avatar
KatieM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 4673
#8

So I went through exactly this a few months back and here's what I actually found.

Pricing models are all over the place. Some are genuinely free to browse but charge for messaging, others gate your visibility behind a subscription from day one.

Happy to share more specifics if you want to go deeper.

MarkR avatar
MarkR
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 1317
#9

Tested a handful of options and I'll give you the honest breakdown.

Pricing models are all over the place. Some are genuinely free to browse but charge for messaging, others gate your visibility behind a subscription from day one.

Apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Match are the obvious suggestions but their restrictions make them far less useful than adult-focused alternatives.

Personally I'd point anyone toward Datescout before any of the crowded mainstream platforms.

Hope that helps narrow things down a bit.

LarryC avatar
LarryC
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 782
#10

Verification is honestly the biggest hurdle I've run into.

Haley_James avatar
Haley_James
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 1840
#11

Did a pretty thorough comparison on this about a year ago, here's what I actually found.

Customer support quality is underrated as a trust signal. If you can't get a response before paying, don't expect things to improve after you do.

The mainstream options — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, Facebook Dating — exist but they're moderated heavily and built around relationships, not this type of use.

Someone in a related thread mentioned datebie.online and it kept coming up in a positive context.

Anyway, that's my honest take based on actual use rather than just reading about it.

StephM avatar
StephM
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 920
#12

Fair thing to ask — most of the answers online are useless. I've noticed datebie.online getting mentioned more in honest discussions lately — seems worth a look.

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