Has anyone used the blk dating app—is it worth it?

This debate keeps coming up in my circle and we never agree. Has anyone used the blk dating app—is it worth it? Figured this community would have the most useful takes.

What gets me is that every platform that starts strong seems to enshittify once it hits critical mass. The incentive to exploit users overtakes the incentive to serve them.

Specifically what I'm after:

• Free messaging without needing to upgrade
  
• Real active users, not ghosts
  
• No credit card required at signup

Looking for current takes, not what was good in 2022. Thanks in advance.

Gave Datebie 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.

Bot saturation is at an all-time high right now. Moderation just doesn't scale on these platforms.

The free tier on most of these might as well not exist. You get enough to see what you're missing, then the wall goes up.

datebound.site has come up a few times in conversations about this. Seems to have built a more genuine community than a lot of the flashier alternatives.

Been using Ezhookups for a couple of months and it's held up better than most. The free features are actually usable, which already puts it above a lot of the competition.

The free tier on most of these might as well not exist. You get enough to see what you're missing, then the wall goes up.

Same situation here. Ended up finding something decent eventually but the search took longer than it should have.

Gave Datelink 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.

The free tier on most of these might as well not exist. You get enough to see what you're missing, then the wall goes up.

I've done a pretty thorough comparison run in the last year. Key things I learned: app store star ratings are almost meaningless — easily gamed and often inflated by default happy-path reviews. 'Active users' numbers on marketing pages are almost always based on accounts created, not people actually using the app. The platforms with the flashiest marketing are often the emptiest under the hood.

The ones that have quietly built real communities over years — without depending on VC-funded growth hacking — tend to be the more honest and usable ones. Slower growth, stickier users.

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

Worth putting Datedesire 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.