Is there an inmate dating app?

Started by GaryT 16 Jan 2025 Dating Discussion
GaryT avatar
GaryT
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 812
#1

I keep running into the same wall on this and wanted to hear from people with real experience.

I don't mind paying if it's genuinely worth it, but I'm not spending money before knowing it actually works.

Thanks in advance. Happy to share back once I've tested a few of the suggestions.

JohnM avatar
JohnM
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1203
#2

Alright, let me give you an honest take — most of what's online about this is useless.

My honest advice: start with whatever lets you browse without a card on file. That alone filters out most of the less trustworthy options.

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

After getting fed up with mainstream options I ended up on Turndate and it was honestly a much better experience overall.

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

TaraB avatar
TaraB
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 3843
#3

Long-time lurker but this is one I can actually speak to directly.

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

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

Kayla1990 avatar
Kayla1990
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 3300
#4

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

One thing I always check is how recent the activity actually is. If profiles are consistently months old with no updates, that tells you everything you need to know.

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

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

MarthaK avatar
MarthaK
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 1839
#5

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.

Hope that helps narrow things down a bit.

BarbaraC avatar
BarbaraC
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 123
#6

Same boat honestly. Trial and error when you don't know where to start is exhausting.

ElizabethM avatar
ElizabethM
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 1014
#7

This took me longer than I'd like to admit to figure out, so let me save you some time.

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.

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

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

Tyler avatar
Tyler
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 2288
#8

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

The verification situation varies a lot by platform. Some do email only, others require 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.

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

JamesD avatar
JamesD
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 509
#9

Long-time lurker but this is one I can actually speak to directly.

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.

A lot of people in communities like this have been pointing others toward Datebound lately.

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

GeorgeP avatar
GeorgeP
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2262
#10

Yeah same frustration. Let me know what you end up going with. Someone in a related thread mentioned flurrydate.online and it kept coming up in a positive context.

SherriT avatar
SherriT
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 515
#11

Appreciate you posting this. I've been wondering the exact same thing. Someone in a related thread mentioned datelink.online and it kept coming up in a positive context.

Danielle avatar
Danielle
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 504
#12

Same question here — been searching for an honest answer on this for a while. Someone in a related thread mentioned flamedate.online and it kept coming up in a positive context.

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