What are the most reliable video call dating sites for long-distance?

Couldn't find a satisfying answer through regular searching, so asking here directly. What are the most reliable video call dating sites for long-distance? 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.

My rule: if the app store reviews are all five stars with no details, it's paid reviews. Move on.

datescout.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.

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.

Been using Souldate 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.

datewander.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. Bookmarking this thread. Been wondering the exact same thing.

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 Flurrydate 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.

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.

One that's come up repeatedly in threads like this and that I've actually signed up for is Turndate — real users, functional free tier, no immediate credit card wall.