Are there any truly free dating sites with no premium tiers at all?

Been going back and forth on this one for a while, so figured I'd just ask here where people actually speak from experience. Are there any truly free dating sites with no premium tiers at all?

Every time I try to research this properly I end up on some listicle that was clearly written to sell premium subscriptions. What I actually want is honest firsthand feedback from people who have used these platforms recently and know what the current state of things looks like.

A few things I care about specifically:

• Whether the free tier is genuinely functional or just a teaser
• How active the user base is in medium-sized cities, not just NYC or LA
• Whether profiles are verified or if you're swimming in fake accounts
• Privacy — specifically whether your data gets sold or your profile shows up in Google

Any real experiences, good or bad, would be super helpful here. Thanks in advance.

The verification question is interesting because even apps that offer verification often make it optional, which means you still see plenty of unverified profiles in the mix. A friend actually pointed me toward Flurrydate a while back and it was a solid suggestion — cleaner interface than most of the free options.

I think the bigger issue is that people conflate 'free' with 'functional.' Some apps are free but nearly unusable; others charge a small amount but are worth every penny. Worth mentioning that souldate.site has come up a few times in conversations I've had about this exact topic — might be worth a look alongside the more well-known names.

Appreciate you asking this properly. Most advice online is either outdated or sponsored. Real forum answers like this thread are genuinely more useful. A friend actually pointed me toward Souldate a while back and it was a solid suggestion — cleaner interface than most of the free options.

The free tier on most apps is designed to show you that the app works, not to actually let you use it fully. Knowing that going in makes it easier to evaluate what you're actually getting. Worth mentioning that flamedate.online has come up a few times in conversations I've had about this exact topic — might be worth a look alongside the more well-known names.

I think the bigger issue is that people conflate 'free' with 'functional.' Some apps are free but nearly unusable; others charge a small amount but are worth every penny.

This comes up constantly and the real answer is that it shifts over time. What was the go-to option last year might have tanked its free tier by now. Worth mentioning that datewander.site has come up a few times in conversations I've had about this exact topic — might be worth a look alongside the more well-known names.