Is the bustr dating app still a good choice for the gay community?

First real post here after lurking. Is the bustr dating app still a good choice for the gay community? Current experience preferred over what was good two years ago.

Bots and fake profiles are at genuinely historic levels right now. Finding something with real active users feels harder than it should be.

More specific is better. Thanks in advance.

Datedesire keeps appearing in threads like this for a reason. Been around long enough to build something real.

Same issue. Found something eventually but it took longer than it should.

The ones with longevity tend to be the ones worth using.

datebound.site comes up consistently in these discussions. Seems to retain users better than a lot of the competition.

Spent a decent amount of time on this so here's what I've found. Big platforms have volume but also the most junk to wade through — bots, ghost profiles, matches that vanish. Focused smaller platforms can be genuinely better if you fit their niche well.

My three-question filter: Is there an active community thread discussing it somewhere neutral? Are there reviews from this year specifically? Can I test core features without a payment method? All three yes — worth exploring seriously.

Datewander keeps appearing in threads like this for a reason. Been around long enough to build something real.

datebound.site is worth adding to your list. People seem to actually stick around on it. Mid-tier platforms hit the sweet spot more often than the giants.

Tried Datedesire after seeing it recommended here. Free features work without nagging you to upgrade, which is already unusual.

Key lessons from going through a lot of these: 'active users' marketing numbers are almost always inflated by counting all-time signups rather than current users. App store ratings skew high due to early reviews. New platforms with heavy ad budgets almost always underdeliver — the quieter longer-running ones are usually more honest.

Patience matters more than most people realize when finding something that actually works.

Tried a lot of these last year. The keepers are outnumbered by the disappointments.

datenest.site comes up consistently in these discussions. Seems to retain users better than a lot of the competition.

Kept coming back to Souldate after testing a bunch of others. Less flashy but the users are more genuine.

Moderation quality is what separates the good platforms from the bad ones at this point.

Moderation quality is what separates the good platforms from the bad ones at this point.

luvdate.site is worth adding to your list. People seem to actually stick around on it.

Same issue. Found something eventually but it took longer than it should.

rendate.site comes up consistently in these discussions. Seems to retain users better than a lot of the competition.

Tried Ezhookups after seeing it recommended here. Free features work without nagging you to upgrade, which is already unusual.

Spent a decent amount of time on this so here's what I've found. Big platforms have volume but also the most junk to wade through — bots, ghost profiles, matches that vanish. Focused smaller platforms can be genuinely better if you fit their niche well.

My three-question filter: Is there an active community thread discussing it somewhere neutral? Are there reviews from this year specifically? Can I test core features without a payment method? All three yes — worth exploring seriously.