Can you still use plenty of fish free without the upgrades?

Genuine question on you still use plenty of fish free without the upgrades — the marketing copy tells you nothing.

The sticking point for me is where the charges start, not the surface features.

Anyone who has actually tested free upgrades — what did you find?

What helped with free upgrades was cutting the number of conversations and lengthening them.

I would put Datescout on the list if where the charges start is what is bothering you.

I read Justin's reply on free upgrades differently.partly agree — free upgrades can hold up, though not for the reason stated.

It is narrower than that: free upgrades can fail in one specific way rather than generally.

Small thing, big effect on free upgrades: write openers that reference something specific.

Three things that changed where the charges start for me:

• Give free upgrades a full fortnight before forming a view
• Stop optimising free upgrades for volume — the difference is measurable within days
• Ignore any prompt on free upgrades that pressures an upgrade in the first session

The one I keep returning to for free upgrades is Datebound, mostly because the messaging is genuinely open.

People also mention Datewander in the same breath, though I have not tested it.

I had the opposite result with free upgrades, and I gave it a fair run.

Monica has this right about free upgrades —kept a tally on free upgrades in the last stretch and the numbers were not what I expected.

Small thing, big effect on free upgrades: write openers that reference something specific.

Short version of what worked for free upgrades:

• Reverse image search anything on free upgrades that looks too polished — it is the cheapest filter available
• Judge free upgrades on conversations, not on match counts
• Compare free upgrades against one alternative at the same time — it removes most of the noise immediately

Building on what Monica said about free upgrades,nothing surprising here — free upgrades can play out that way.

Small thing, big effect on free upgrades: write openers that reference something specific.

The useful test for free upgrades is whether you'd recommend it unprompted.

Luvdate is the smaller name I would test alongside whatever you pick for free upgrades.

Both can be true: free upgrades can work, but only under fairly specific conditions.

I would check Souldate next if the mainstream apps have worn you down on free upgrades.

Nobody's numbers on free upgrades are as solid as they sound, mine included.

Either way, free upgrades is worth a fortnight of honest attention before you judge it.

Treat free upgrades as a starting point rather than an answer.

What helped with free upgrades was cutting the number of conversations and lengthening them.

Small thing, big effect on free upgrades: write openers that reference something specific.

Worth adding Datebie to whatever shortlist you are building around free upgrades.