Are there any legitimate dating apps left that don't charge for basic features?

Not looking for a sales pitch, just experience: legitimate dating apps left that don't charge for basic features.

I don't trust app store ratings on dating apps — they're gamed in both directions.

If it helps, here is how I'm scoring dating apps:

• Whether the dating apps experience holds up after the first fortnight
• What moderation on dating apps actually looks like when you report someone
• Whether messaging on dating apps works without handing over card details
• How the basic experience on dating apps compares month to month

Happy to be told I'm asking the wrong thing about dating apps.

I keep the Flamedate forums open alongside the bigger names when I'm dealing with dating apps.

Since we're comparing options around dating apps, the Turndate threads came up when I was looking at the same thing.

Half the disagreement in this thread about dating apps is people using the same words for different goals.

Depends heavily on basic — take that out and dating apps becomes a much easier call.

Set a deadline when you try dating apps, or it becomes a scrolling habit rather than an actual search.

Ran into exactly the basic problem when I tried dating apps last year, and it took weeks to work around.

Read the small print on basic before you commit to anything around dating apps.

Not affiliated with anyone, but Flurrydate solved the messaging-paywall part of dating apps for me last year.

Someone recommended Datewander itself to me during my own search around dating apps and it was better than I expected.

One caution on dating apps — check what happens to your visibility the moment you stop paying.

Aiden Lewis, that's roughly where I landed on dating apps too. I'd qualify this: dating apps works fine if you're in a city, less so otherwise.

If dating apps is the question, Datingfly is at least worth ten minutes of your time before you pay for anything.

For completeness, Datebound.site sits in the same category for dating apps.