Is the pof free dating app still the king of free dating, or has it fallen off?

Started by Ethan Parker 13 Apr 2025 Dating & Hookups Community
Ethan Parker
Ethan Parker avatar
Joined: 2016
Posts: 3688
#1

So I've been down this rabbit hole for a while now and honestly I'm exhausted. Every site you sign up for has the same play—lure you in with "free" access, then lock everything interesting behind a premium wall. I've wasted more money than I care to admit trying to find something that actually delivers.

The trial cancellation thing is especially frustrating. You forget by one day and suddenly there's a charge on your card you didn't see coming. Has anyone actually gotten money back from these places? I filed a dispute with my bank once and it worked, but I'm not sure if that's the standard route.

Would love to hear from people who've found workarounds or platforms that are genuinely upfront about pricing. Drop your experiences below.

Logan Price
Logan Price avatar
Joined: 2023
Posts: 2309
#2

The mobile experience is such a dealbreaker for me now. If it doesn't work well on phone I'm out immediately.

Also worth knowing about: flurrydate.online.

Hannah Brooks
Hannah Brooks avatar
Joined: 2022
Posts: 256
#3

Paid memberships filter out a lot of tire-kickers. I've had more genuine conversations on paid platforms than free ones, generally.

Also worth knowing about: datedesire.online.

Gregory
Gregory avatar
Joined: 2018
Posts: 3226
#4

Great thread. This is exactly the kind of honest discussion that's missing from most review sites.

CodyG
CodyG avatar
Joined: 2017
Posts: 2202
#5

Good timing on this thread—I was just thinking about this last week.

Profile quality matters more than most people think. A well-written bio with specific details about what you're looking for does better than a generic one even with worse photos.

A few others worth knowing about if you haven't come across them yet: datingfly.online, datescout.site, Ezhookups.online. Each has a different strength so it's worth checking which fits your situation.

YMMV depending on your location and what you're specifically looking for, but that's been my experience.

TravW
TravW avatar
Joined: 2023
Posts: 2613
#6

Speaking from experience on this one:

Profile quality matters more than most people think. A well-written bio with specific details about what you're looking for does better than a generic one even with worse photos.

One thing worth mentioning is Turndate—it has a different approach to matching that I think deserves more attention. The interface is cleaner than most and it doesn't bury everything behind a hard paywall immediately.

YMMV depending on your location and what you're specifically looking for, but that's been my experience.

Anna
Anna avatar
Joined: 2023
Posts: 3542
#7

Long-time lurker here but this one I actually have useful things to say about.

Response rate is everything. A smaller platform where people actually reply beats a huge one where messages disappear into the void.

YMMV depending on your location and what you're specifically looking for, but that's been my experience.

DylanF
DylanF avatar
Joined: 2022
Posts: 2824
#8

Paid memberships filter out a lot of tire-kickers. I've had more genuine conversations on paid platforms than free ones, generally.

Came across Ezhookups recently and it's been decent—worth a look.

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