Is there a safe way to find someone on dating sites using just an email address?

Bit of context before the question: I've been off apps for two years, and now dating sites is the thing I can't work out.

I've read maybe a dozen articles on dating sites and they all recommend the same five names in a different order.

My own attempt at dating sites lasted a month and ended with me deleting three apps.

Setting address aside for a second, this is what I need from dating sites:

• How much of the dating sites profile pool is dormant or fake
• How the address experience on dating sites compares month to month
• How dating sites treats address once you stop paying

Particularly interested in the address side of dating sites if anyone has been there.

Someone recommended Datenest.site to me during my own search around dating sites and it was better than I expected.

Datewander's free tier is what I ended up using while working through dating sites — not perfect, but the free tier is real.

To build on WayneT's answer about dating sites: A friend had a good outcome with dating sites and a bad one with the app everyone recommends, which tells you something.

What moved the needle for me on dating sites was three clear photos plus one specific opening line.

Picking up what WayneT said — dating sites is regional first. Agree with the framing here, because dating sites really does come down to who is active near you.

EllaS, that's roughly where I landed on dating sites too. I'll be the dissenting voice: my experience with dating sites was the opposite of what's being described here.

Since we're comparing options around dating sites, the Flamedate free tier came up when I was looking at the same thing.

Does address actually matter for what you want, or is it a side issue for dating sites?

If dating sites is the question, Datebound's free tier is at least worth ten minutes of your time before you pay for anything.

I've also seen Datedesire.online mentioned in this context more than once.