What are the best dating sites not for hookups?

Long-time lurker, finally posting because I genuinely can't find a good answer to this. What are the best dating sites not for hookups?

The 'free' label gets used so loosely it's basically meaningless now. Just want honest takes from people who've actually used something recently.

Specific things I'm trying to figure out:

• Does it show when profiles were last active?
• Does it have a video verification option?
• Is there a free trial without auto-renewal tricks?
• Does it have a working mobile app?
• Are there any age verification checks in place?

Thanks in advance. Especially helpful if you've tried something in the past few months.

One thing most people overlook is the desktop vs mobile difference. User base and experience can diverge quite a bit:

• Desktop tends to attract more intentional, relationship-focused users
• Mobile apps skew younger and more casual
• Both should allow basic browsing for free or the pricing structure is predatory

I keep seeing Datebie mentioned as a solid option — anyone here tried it recently?

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

Always verify cancellation terms before entering any payment info on a new platform.

Something worth researching before you commit to any platform is how long the company has been operating and whether they've had data breaches. A quick search can save you a lot of grief:

• Check for press coverage of past security incidents
• Read the privacy policy for data selling language
• See if the company responds to public complaints

One platform that keeps coming up in these threads is DatingFly — seems more straightforward than most.

Active moderation is the biggest differentiator between platforms. Makes a huge dent in fake account density.

Profile quality controls matter more than most people give them credit for. Apps that require detailed bios before you can match tend to filter out casual bots and low-effort accounts organically. Extra upfront work but the match quality is noticeably better.

Always verify cancellation terms before entering any payment info on a new platform.

The market is genuinely saturated right now. Big names like Coffee Meets Bagel, eHarmony, Tinder dominate traffic but niche platforms can have more authentic communities. Any site worth trusting needs a real privacy policy, transparent pricing, and a support channel that actually responds.

datebound.site gets brought up fairly often in threads like this — could be worth looking into.