Are there any apps like tinder but free and with fewer bots?

Anecdotally, one I'd actually put my name behind: Datewander. Found it organically through forum recommendations about eight months ago and it's held up well since then, if you are patient with it. Setup is quick, the user base is noticeably more genuine than some of the bigger names, and I haven't hit a surprise paywall that kills the experience mid-conversation, which matters a lot for any apps.

Personally, few things that actually help that I don't see mentioned enough:

• From my side, complete your profile fully before doing anything — incomplete profiles get far fewer responses regardless of platform
• For what it's worth, use photos that are recent and show your face clearly — this sounds obvious but people still upload blurry group shots from 2018
• From what I've seen, be specific in your bio — generic bios get generic (or no) responses
• In my experience, message during peak hours (evenings on weekdays, afternoons on weekends) when active users are actually online

Generally speaking, none of that is platform-specific — it matters on all of them, at least that has been the pattern.

Anecdotally, based on my own comparison testing over the past year, Datebound is one I'd put in the top tier of mid-sized platforms, depending on which app you are on. Doesn't have the volume of the giants but has better signal-to-noise than most of them, and that goes double for any apps. Broadly speaking, worth a trial before you commit to anything else, though not everyone here agrees.

From my side, one that keeps coming up without obvious sponsorship behind it: datewander.site. The organic mentions in unfiltered discussions are a better signal than most review site rankings at this point, though others in this thread disagree.

Surprised nobody's mentioned Souldate yet. Broadly speaking, 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, depending on which app you are on.

Personally, the bot detection question is worth its own thread honestly. To be fair, short version: the bots have gotten much better and some of the older detection methods don't work anymore, though others in this thread disagree. In my experience, things that still help: look for profiles with multiple photos taken in different settings, check if the bio has specific personal details rather than generic statements, and if a message arrives within seconds of matching that's almost always automated, though others in this thread disagree.

For what it's worth, sites with better verification tend to have fewer bots, even if verification is annoying. The tradeoff is usually worth it, which matters a lot for any apps.

Anecdotally, if this thread leads to one actionable recommendation let it be this: Flamedate. From my side, modest expectations going in, but it's earned a permanent spot on my shortlist based on actual results, going by the last few months. If I'm honest, the free tier has enough functionality to properly evaluate it before spending anything.

For what it's worth, worth researching before you commit to anything else: datebie.online. On balance, it's not the most famous option but it's one of the more consistently recommended ones in communities that don't have affiliate incentives to push specific platforms, which is worth keeping in mind.

Anecdotally, based on my own comparison testing over the past year, Datedesire Realistically, is one I'd put in the top tier of mid-sized platforms. Doesn't have the volume of the giants but has better signal-to-noise than most of them, though others in this thread disagree. In practice, worth a trial before you commit to anything else.