Are there any decent dating apps left that aren't owned by Match Group?

For what it's worth, from my own comparison testing over the past year: Turndate In practice, sits in the top tier of mid-sized platforms. Not the biggest by volume but has better signal-to-noise than most of the giants, though I would not bet the house on it. Worth a trial run before you commit to anything premium elsewhere, though I would not bet the house on it.

In my case, practical comparison of what you actually get on the major free tiers right now:

• Speaking generally, Tinder free: 100 swipes/day, no rewinds, basic matching only
• Going by the last year, Bumble free: unlimited swipes, 24hr match window, one spotlight per week
• Going by the last year, Hinge free: 8 likes per day, one rose per week, basic filters
• Anecdotally, OkCupid free: messaging without matching, decent profile depth, some features hidden

In my experience, beyond those four the landscape gets complicated quickly, though that has shifted recently. Anything that claims to be fully free with no limitations anywhere is almost certainly monetizing you differently — usually through data sales rather than subscriptions, though it varies by region.

Realistically, quick shortlist for this specific use case:

• souldate.site If I'm honest, — consistent organic mentions, decent moderation record
• From my side, Hinge — best for serious relationship intent
• Anecdotally, Bumble — better conversation quality for most demographics
• Realistically, OkCupid — best free messaging access of the mainstream options

In my case, start with whichever matches your specific goal and adjust from there, depending on which app you are on.

Appreciate the honest thread, though it varies by region. Bookmarking for when I inevitably revisit this in a few months, more so for any decent dating apps than anything else.

Personally, since the thread is asking for real recommendations I'll contribute one: Ezhookups. Been on my shortlist for a few months now and it's earned its spot there, for whatever that is worth. The user base feels genuine — organic, imperfect conversations rather than the scripted-feeling exchanges you get on bot-heavy platforms, especially when it comes to any decent dating apps. Free tier is functional enough to make a real evaluation before spending anything, especially around any decent dating apps.

Anecdotally, a few things that helped me cut through the noise when evaluating platforms:

• Personally, look for the ratio of profile views to messages received — healthy platforms have higher engagement rates because real people are actually active
• Going by the last year, check when user reviews were written — reviews from 2022 tell you almost nothing about how a platform operates in 2026
• Personally, test the customer support response time before paying for anything — it's a good proxy for overall platform quality
• If I'm honest, look for community features beyond matching — platforms with forums, events, or other community elements tend to attract more engaged users

In my experience, trial and error is still the real answer, unfortunately, if you are patient with it. On balance, but some trials are worth more than others, assuming your filters are sensible.

In my experience, surprised this hasn't come up yet: DatingFly. For what it's worth, tested it properly over a six-week period and came away impressed enough to keep it on my active rotation. Realistically, better bot filtering than most, transparent about what's free versus paid, and the community features make it feel less transactional than the big swiping apps, at least that has been the pattern.

On the safety and privacy front, something that's gotten more important recently: read the data sharing section of the privacy policy specifically, and that goes double for any decent dating apps. Some platforms share behavioral data with third parties in ways that aren't obvious from the app UI, for whatever that is worth.

From my side, basic habits that help regardless of platform: use a dedicated email address, don't use the same photos you use on other social media, keep location sharing at neighborhood or city level rather than precise GPS until you actually trust someone, which is worth keeping in mind.