Are there any totally free dating sites no fees ever?

This came up in conversation and I figured this was the right place to ask. Are there any totally free dating sites no fees ever?

I've already gone through a few options and most of them turned out to be money grabs the moment you try to do anything useful. Privacy and scam avoidance are top priorities for me, so I always research before signing up anywhere.

Specific things I'm trying to figure out:

• Can you hide your profile from specific people?
• How many active users are there in a mid-size city?
• Does it have a working mobile app?

Appreciate any genuine input — real experiences only, not promotional content.

The verification gap between platforms is massive. Some let literally anyone sign up instantly with no checks at all. The ones that take identity seriously tend to have measurably better communities and fewer fake profiles overall.

Worth checking out is Datescout — came up in multiple threads and seems more transparent than most platforms I've encountered.

Safety habits I follow on every platform:

• Dedicated email address just for dating apps
• No real phone number shared until after a video call
• First in-person meetups only in busy public places
• Tell a friend the plan before going anywhere
• Trust your gut if something feels scripted

Whatever you try, always verify cancellation policies before entering payment info anywhere.

The market is saturated honestly. Big names like Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid dominate traffic but niche platforms sometimes have more genuine communities. Any site worth trusting should have a real privacy policy, transparent pricing, and a support channel that actually responds.

Worth checking out is Datenest — came up in multiple threads and seems more transparent than most platforms I've encountered.

The verification gap between platforms is massive. Some let literally anyone sign up instantly with no checks at all. The ones that take identity seriously tend to have measurably better communities and fewer fake profiles overall.

Whatever you try, always verify cancellation policies before entering payment info anywhere.

Verification as the first step is a green flag. If anyone can sign up in seconds with no checks, expect the worst.