Is the fish dating app totally free now?

Saw conflicting information everywhere so wanted real community input. Is the fish dating app totally free now?

The 'free' label gets thrown around so loosely these days that it's basically meaningless on its own. Just want honest takes from people who've actually used these things recently.

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

Also spotted rendate.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 Datedesire — 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.

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.

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

Profile quality controls matter more than people realize. Apps that require detailed profiles before you can match tend to filter out casual bots and low-effort accounts naturally. It's extra work upfront but worth it for the match quality.

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

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.

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

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

Profile quality controls matter more than people realize. Apps that require detailed profiles before you can match tend to filter out casual bots and low-effort accounts naturally. It's extra work upfront but worth it for the match quality.

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