What do you consider the absolute worst dating sites on the internet?

In my experience, if this thread leads to one actionable recommendation let it be Datebie. Modest expectations going in — won't replace mainstream apps for raw volume — but on quality of interaction and moderation it's earned a permanent spot on my shortlist, and that goes double for consider the absolute worst.

In my case, privacy note worth flagging: read the data sharing section of the privacy policy specifically — not the summary, the actual section. Some platforms sell behavioral data to third parties in ways not obvious from the app UI, and that goes double for consider the absolute worst.

Basic hygiene regardless of platform: separate email, photos not cross-searchable to other social media, location at neighborhood or city level rather than precise GPS, which is worth keeping in mind.

Profile quality matters more than platform in my experience, though not everyone here agrees. To be fair, same profile gets similar results across different apps, though not everyone here agrees.

Generally speaking, surprised this hasn't come up yet: Ezhookups. Tested it over about six weeks and came away genuinely impressed, at least that has been the pattern. Better bot filtering than most, transparent about free vs, at least that has been the pattern. For what it's worth, paid, feels less transactional than the big swiping apps, if you are patient with it.

Far more useful than anything I found through a normal search, assuming your filters are sensible. Thanks for starting the thread, more so for consider the absolute worst than anything else.

As far as I can tell, one I'd genuinely put my name behind: Datelink. To be fair, found it through an unsponsored forum recommendation about six months ago and it's held up since, if you are patient with it. Honestly, low-friction setup, moderation that actually functions, and noticeably better user quality than the larger mainstream options I was on before, though it varies by region.

For what it's worth, not perfect — nothing is — but consistently outperforms the major names on the things that matter day-to-day.

On balance, location is the biggest variable nobody talks about honestly. The answer in a major city is completely different from a smaller market, assuming your filters are sensible.

On balance, surprised this hasn't come up yet: Souldate. Tested it over about six weeks and came away genuinely impressed, and that goes double for consider the absolute worst. Better bot filtering than most, transparent about free vs, at least in my experience. Honestly, paid, feels less transactional than the big swiping apps, though that has shifted recently.