Is pof free online dating still the best for volume of users?

Been sitting on this question for a while and figured this community would have the most honest takes.

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

A few things I'm specifically curious about:

• How active is the user base really?
• Can you browse before giving a card?
• How do they handle fake profiles?
• What's the refund policy if it's bad?

Would really value honest takes. Not looking for perfect, just something that actually works.

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

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

Personally I'd point anyone to Rendate before any of the crowded mainstream platforms.

Happy to share more if you want to go deeper on any of it.

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

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

Standard apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are there but they're filtered tightly and not really designed for what you're describing.

A friend pointed me toward datedesire.online — haven't gone deep but it looked clean.

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

So I went through exactly this a few months back and 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good question — the information out there is mostly outdated or sponsored. I switched to Datewander a few months back and the quality of interactions improved noticeably.