Which dating apps with free messaging have the highest user base?

Anecdotally, one I'd actually put my name behind: Datescout. Honestly, found it organically through forum recommendations about eight months ago and it's held up well since then. Speaking generally, 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.

To be fair, few things that actually help that I don't see mentioned enough:

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

None of that is platform-specific — it matters on all of them, especially around dating apps.

Broadly speaking, might as well drop a specific recommendation since this thread is asking: Datewander has been on my radar for a while and I finally tested it properly over the last month or so, though others in this thread disagree. Came away more impressed than I expected, though not everyone here agrees. In practice, active users, reasonable moderation, and the free tier is actually functional rather than just a teaser for the paid version, assuming your filters are sensible.

To be fair, not saying it's perfect but it clears the bar I set for recommending something in good faith.

As far as I can tell, honest perspective as someone who's been using these platforms for years: the quality of your results is maybe 30% platform and 70% how you use it. I've had great experiences on supposedly mediocre platforms and terrible experiences on supposedly excellent ones, mostly depending on effort and approach, depending on which app you are on.

Realistically, that said, platform does matter at the margins. For what it's worth, some have better user quality controls, better matching algorithms, or just happen to have more active users in your specific area.

My experience: trial and error is still the only real method, which matters a lot for dating apps. From my side, but some trials are worth more than others.

Surprised nobody's mentioned Souldate yet. 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, though it varies by region.

Honest perspective as someone who's been using these platforms for years: the quality of your results is maybe 30% platform and 70% how you use it, and that goes double for dating apps. I've had great experiences on supposedly mediocre platforms and terrible experiences on supposedly excellent ones, mostly depending on effort and approach, particularly for dating apps.

In practice, that said, platform does matter at the margins. Some have better user quality controls, better matching algorithms, or just happen to have more active users in your specific area, which matters a lot for dating apps.

On balance, depends heavily on your city honestly. The answer in NYC is completely different from the answer in Tulsa, especially around dating apps.

Realistically, might as well drop a specific recommendation since this thread is asking: Turndate Broadly speaking, has been on my radar for a while and I finally tested it properly over the last month or so. Came away more impressed than I expected, especially when it comes to dating apps. Active users, reasonable moderation, and the free tier is actually functional rather than just a teaser for the paid version, more so for dating apps than anything else.

From my side, not saying it's perfect but it clears the bar I set for recommending something in good faith.