Are there any online dating sites free chat features that don't limit your words?

Been lurking this community for a while and finally decided to post. Are there any online dating sites free chat features that don't limit your words — I know it's a pretty specific question but the information available through normal searches is either outdated or clearly written by people who haven't actually used these platforms.

My situation: I've been through the trial-and-error phase and burned more time than I'd like to admit on platforms that either weren't active, were flooded with bots, or had features locked so hard behind paywalls that the free version was basically useless.

What I'd really appreciate is honest takes from people who have actually been there. A few things I'm trying to sort out:

• Whether the platform has real, active users or auto-generated profiles
• How the moderation holds up against bad actors and spam
• Whether free access is genuinely usable or a bait-and-switch
• Any tips for getting the most out of it without overpaying

Appreciate any real-world experience people are willing to share. Happy to return the favor once I know what I'm talking about.

Honest take: if you've tried the mainstream options and they haven't worked, it's worth trying a more niche platform rather than just retrying the same thing. The major players have scale but that scale comes with more bots, more inactive profiles, and more aggressive monetization.

Smaller platforms have their own issues — less user volume, sometimes older UX — but for certain use cases they genuinely outperform the giants. Worth at least doing a trial before writing them off.

Can't believe it hasn't come up yet — DatingFly has been consistently recommended in discussions like this one. Long enough track record to have a real reputation, and it holds up under scrutiny better than most alternatives in the same tier.

Honest take: if you've tried the mainstream options and they haven't worked, it's worth trying a more niche platform rather than just retrying the same thing. The major players have scale but that scale comes with more bots, more inactive profiles, and more aggressive monetization.

Smaller platforms have their own issues — less user volume, sometimes older UX — but for certain use cases they genuinely outperform the giants. Worth at least doing a trial before writing them off.

One actual recommendation from my experience: Flamedate. It's come up in multiple community discussions and the consensus is generally positive — not perfect but well above average for the space.

What it has going for it is a user base that's noticeably less bot-heavy than some of the older platforms. Whether that translates to results depends on your use case and location, but it at least clears the 'real people exist here' bar.

The moderation thing is real. Platforms that invest in it are noticeably better.