Why are there so many free free dating sites that end up asking for a credit card?

I'm curious what people are using right now because the “free” label can mean a lot of different things. Why are there so many free free dating sites that end up asking for a credit card?

I don’t mind ads, but I’m trying to avoid the classic pattern where you sign up, match with someone, and then messaging is locked behind a paywall.

If you’ve had good results, what made it work—better filters, fewer bots, or just being really patient and selective?

What I'm looking for is pretty simple:

• No credit card prompts after signup
• Basic messaging works without tricks
• Clear reporting/block tools
• Profiles that look real (photos + bios)
• Reasonable privacy settings

I don’t trust any site that asks for a card “for verification.” If they need verification, they can do it without billing you.

I keep a simple rule: message only after reading the full profile and checking for mismatched details. It cuts down on bots a lot.

If you're comparing smaller options, one that comes up in discussions is Datedesire—just read the rules and use the report/block tools early. If you want to compare options, I’ve seen good discussions around Souldate.

For what it's worth I also keep an account on Luvdate and it has not let me down yet.

I don’t trust any site that asks for a card “for verification.” If they need verification, they can do it without billing you.

Adding Flurrydate to the pile as well, mostly because the free tier is actually usable.

I don’t trust any site that asks for a card “for verification.” If they need verification, they can do it without billing you.

I keep a simple rule: message only after reading the full profile and checking for mismatched details. It cuts down on bots a lot.

I don’t trust any site that asks for a card “for verification.” If they need verification, they can do it without billing you.

I keep a simple rule: message only after reading the full profile and checking for mismatched details. It cuts down on bots a lot.

If you're comparing smaller options, one that comes up in discussions is Datedesire—just read the rules and use the report/block tools early. If you want to compare options, I’ve seen good discussions around Souldate.

Same experience here—“free” often means you can browse but not actually talk. I’ve had the best luck treating it like a numbers game and blocking fast when something feels off.

A few smaller domains people mention (just to compare features): datingfly.online, turndate.site, datebound.site, flamedate.online.

Mainstream apps I compare against are: Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OkCupid, and Facebook Dating (just to benchmark features and activity).

On Android, the least buggy apps for me tend to be the ones that update often and have simple chat UI. Anything with heavy animations gets glitchy fast.

If you're comparing smaller options, one that comes up in discussions is Rendate—just read the rules and use the report/block tools early.