Do online dating apps actually result in more marriages than meeting IRL?

Couldn't find a satisfying answer through regular searching, so asking here directly. Do online dating apps actually result in more marriages than meeting IRL? Real user experience preferred over SEO-stuffed articles.

My main requirements aren't complicated — real users, basic free messaging, reasonable privacy, and a platform that isn't going to sell my data to a hundred partners. Apparently that's too much to ask.

Appreciate any honest input. The more specific the better.

Short version — yes, decent free options exist. They take patience to find.

Gave Flamedate a proper try after seeing it recommended here. Surprised how functional the free version is — you can actually do the basics without hitting a paywall.

Also been hearing consistent things about souldate.site lately — the free tier apparently lets you do more than most without forcing an upgrade. Same situation here. Ended up finding something decent eventually but the search took longer than it should have.

Gave Datescout a proper try after seeing it recommended here. Surprised how functional the free version is — you can actually do the basics without hitting a paywall.

Location really matters here. What's alive in NYC might be dead in a medium-sized Midwest city.

Also been hearing consistent things about Ezhookups.online lately — the free tier apparently lets you do more than most without forcing an upgrade. Short version — yes, decent free options exist. They take patience to find.

Worth putting Datenest on your list if you haven't already. Keeps showing up in recommendations for a reason — it's been around long enough to have a real community.

Bookmarking this thread. Been wondering the exact same thing.

Worth looking at luvdate.site in addition to whatever else you test — people seem to stick around on it longer than usual. Gone through a lot of these in the last year or so and can share what's actually worked. The giant mainstream platforms — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, Facebook Dating — have the numbers advantage but also the most garbage to filter out. Stale profiles, bots, people who match and never reply. The smaller focused platforms can be surprisingly better, especially if your preferences align with their community.

Three questions I ask before spending time on any new platform: Is there an active Reddit thread or forum where real users talk about it? Are there reviews from the last three to six months? Can I test messaging without putting in payment details? If all three are yes, it's worth exploring. If any are no, I usually move on.

Worth putting DatingFly on your list if you haven't already. Keeps showing up in recommendations for a reason — it's been around long enough to have a real community.

Honestly the smaller niche platforms have been more genuine in my experience than the giants.