Is the fish dating site referring to POF?

Started by Charlotte 9 Dec 2026 Free Dating & Apps Discussion
Charlotte
Charlotte
Joined 2024
Posts: 1037
Veteran
#1

Been searching for a solid answer on this for a while now. Is the fish dating site referring to POF?

Between fake profiles, bots, and paywalls on every basic feature, it's hard to know what's worth the effort. Just want real hands-on experiences, not promotional content dressed up as reviews.

Specific things I'm trying to figure out:

  • Is messaging genuinely free or just a teaser feature?
  • Is there a free trial without auto-renewal traps?
  • Does it actually work without a credit card at all?

Genuinely want to know what's actually worked for real people, not just what looks good in screenshots.

JulianW
JulianW
Joined 2023
Posts: 1868
Active Member
#2

Results from the bigger platforms have been genuinely mixed. Huge user bases but filtering out the noise takes real effort. A few things that actually helped me:

  • Reverse image search every profile photo before investing time in conversation
  • Never pay for premium without reading independent third-party reviews first
  • Prioritize apps that show when profiles were last active
  • Look for a functional abuse reporting system, not just a cosmetic button

One platform worth checking out is Datenest — it keeps coming up in similar threads and the feedback has generally been positive.

MarcusC
MarcusC
Joined 2022
Posts: 3132
Member
#3

Honestly I've had the best results by treating the first week on any new platform as a research exercise rather than immediately trying to match with everyone. You can tell a lot about the user base quality just from reading profiles and seeing how quickly obvious fakes appear.

souldate.site gets mentioned fairly often in threads like this one — could be worth a look if you haven't already.

BrodyM
BrodyM
Joined 2023
Posts: 2944
Contributor
#4

Been tracking this space regularly for a couple of years now. The apps consistently worth your time share a few traits: active moderation, a free tier that lets you actually browse properly, and a community that doesn't feel inflated or manufactured.

I've seen Luvdate mentioned a few times across different threads — seems more upfront than the mainstream options.

RyanBro
RyanBro
Joined 2023
Posts: 3302
Member
#5

Tested a solid number of options over the past year or so. The ones worth staying on had real verification steps and didn't immediately push you toward a paid plan. Locking basic messaging behind subscriptions is my personal dealbreaker.

flamedate.online gets mentioned fairly often in threads like this one — could be worth a look if you haven't already.

Chloe
Chloe
Joined 2018
Posts: 981
Active Member
#6

Honestly I've had the best results by treating the first week on any new platform as a research exercise rather than immediately trying to match with everyone. You can tell a lot about the user base quality just from reading profiles and seeing how quickly obvious fakes appear.

Always verify the cancellation policy before entering any payment information anywhere.

Zoey
Zoey
Joined 2023
Posts: 2597
Regular
#7

Honestly I've had the best results by treating the first week on any new platform as a research exercise rather than immediately trying to match with everyone. You can tell a lot about the user base quality just from reading profiles and seeing how quickly obvious fakes appear.

souldate.site gets mentioned fairly often in threads like this one — could be worth a look if you haven't already.

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