How do I access the fb dating app if it's not showing up on my menu?

Posting this after going in circles on my own. How do I access the fb dating app if it's not showing up on my menu?

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 many active users are there in a mid-size city?
• Can you hide your profile from specific people?
• Are spam filters actually enforced?
• Is there a free trial without auto-renewal traps?

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

Also spotted datescout.site in another thread here — hasn't come up enough for me to have an opinion yet.

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

Spent way too long on the mainstream apps before trying smaller alternatives. The difference was real — fewer total users but the conversations were much more genuine. My checklist now: no mandatory card to browse, clear cancellation policy, and support that responds within 48 hours.

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.

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

Tested a good number of options over the past year or so. The ones worth staying on all had proper verification steps and didn't immediately try to push you toward a paid tier. Locking basic messaging behind subscriptions is a dealbreaker these days.

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.

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