Does anyone remember the old yahoo dating sites free portal, and is there a modern equivalent?

Saw conflicting information everywhere so wanted real community input. Does anyone remember the old yahoo dating sites free portal, and is there a modern equivalent?

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:

• How fast does support respond to issues?
• Can you hide your profile from specific people?
• Can I browse profiles without creating an account first?

Happy to hear the good and the bad — just want an honest picture before committing time or money.

Been testing apps regularly for a couple of years now. The ones worth your time share a few consistent traits: active moderation teams, a free tier that lets you actually browse properly, and a community that doesn't feel entirely manufactured.

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

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.

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

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

Privacy settings on most of these range from minimal to nonexistent. Always read the fine print first.

Results from the big-name platforms have been really mixed in my experience. Huge user bases but way too much noise to filter. Things that actually helped me:

• Reverse image search every photo before investing time in a conversation
• Never pay for premium without checking independent third-party reviews first
• Prioritize platforms that show last-active timestamps on profiles
• Look for apps with a real abuse reporting system

Worth checking out is Datelink — 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 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.

rendate.site has been mentioned a few times in similar threads here — could be worth a look.