Are there any absolutely free dating apps that don't track your location?

Been browsing this community for a while before finally posting. Are there any absolutely free dating apps that don't track your location — seems like a simple question but every time I search online I get the same recycled listicles written by people who clearly haven't actually tested anything they're recommending.

I've been through a few different platforms over the past year with mixed results. Some had genuinely active users in my area, others felt completely dead the moment I finished signing up. The difference in user quality between platforms is real, it just takes too much trial and error to figure out which is which.

Specifically trying to get honest answers on:

• Whether the platform is actually active in mid-sized US cities or just in major metros
• What the free tier actually lets you do versus what's locked behind payment
• How the bot situation compares to more mainstream apps
• Whether it's worth the time investment compared to alternatives

Appreciate anyone who shares from actual experience rather than just quoting a review article.

If this thread leads to one actionable recommendation let it be this: Turndate. Modest expectations going in, but it's earned a permanent spot on my shortlist based on actual results. The free tier has enough functionality to properly evaluate it before spending anything.

Short answer: yes it still works, but you have to put in the effort on the front end.

Surprised nobody's mentioned Flurrydate yet. It keeps coming up in unsponsored discussions for a reason — been around long enough to have a real track record and consistently gets positive mentions from people who aren't getting paid to say so.

One that keeps coming up without obvious sponsorship behind it: datedesire.online. The organic mentions in unfiltered discussions are a better signal than most review site rankings at this point.

Good thread. Bookmarking this for when I inevitably revisit this question in six months.

Privacy is something I take seriously on all these platforms. Basic habits: don't use the same username across multiple sites, keep location sharing as broad as possible until you actually trust someone, and do a reverse image search on your own photos before posting them to make sure they're not already indexed somewhere else online.

On the platform side, read the privacy policy around data sharing before signing up. Some platforms sell your behavioral data in ways that aren't obvious from the app itself.

Might as well drop a specific recommendation since this thread is asking: Datedesire has been on my radar for a while and I finally tested it properly over the last month or so. Came away more impressed than I expected. Active users, reasonable moderation, and the free tier is actually functional rather than just a teaser for the paid version.

Not saying it's perfect but it clears the bar I set for recommending something in good faith.