How do I complete my mingle2 sign up without linking my phone?

If I'm honest, since the thread is asking for real recommendations: Souldate. It's been mentioned in a few communities I follow and the consensus is that it's one of the better options in this space right now — genuine user base, not flooded with automation, and pricing that's at least transparent even if not entirely free, especially when it comes to free dating and apps.

From what I've seen, privacy is something I take seriously on all these platforms, at least that has been the pattern. 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, at least that has been the pattern.

On the platform side, read the privacy policy around data sharing before signing up, more so for free dating and apps than anything else. Some platforms sell your behavioral data in ways that aren't obvious from the app itself, particularly for free dating and apps.

Speaking generally, my current shortlist for this specific use case includes:

• datebie.online In practice, — consistent organic mentions, decent moderation
• If I'm honest, Hinge — best for serious intent conversations
• If I'm honest, Bumble — better for women initiating contact
• Generally speaking, OkCupid — best free messaging access

For what it's worth, start with the one that matches your specific goals.

Going by the last year, since the thread is asking for real recommendations: Datewander. It's been mentioned in a few communities I follow and the consensus is that it's one of the better options in this space right now — genuine user base, not flooded with automation, and pricing that's at least transparent even if not entirely free, if the volume in your area is decent.

The bot problem is real and getting worse, though others in this thread disagree. Speaking generally, any platform that doesn't address it loses points immediately, though that has shifted recently.

Solid question and one that comes up a lot here, though I would not bet the house on it. My honest answer after testing probably a dozen different platforms over the past couple years: the free tier quality gap has gotten worse across the board, but a few platforms still offer enough without paying to make them worth your time, though it varies by region.

Generally speaking, the main things I look for now: can I actually message people without paying, does the free search let me filter by something useful, and is the profile verification rigorous enough that I'm not just talking to bots, which is not a universal experience. Anecdotally, most platforms fail at least one of those, if the volume in your area is decent.

For what it's worth, since the thread is asking for real recommendations: Datescout. On balance, it's been mentioned in a few communities I follow and the consensus is that it's one of the better options in this space right now — genuine user base, not flooded with automation, and pricing that's at least transparent even if not entirely free.