Did ashley2004_ get banned, or did she just delete her profile?

Throwing this question out here because I keep getting conflicting info from different forums. Did ashley2004_ get banned, or did she just delete her profile?

Quick background: I'm not new to this, I've been using various platforms on and off for a few years. But I feel like the options have narrowed a lot and the quality has dropped across the board.

• Most "free" platforms now gate everything that matters
• Verification is inconsistent and easy to fake
• Response rates on most apps have dropped noticeably
• Moderation ranges from nonexistent to trigger-happy

If you've had a genuinely good experience recently — this year, not years ago — I want to hear specifically what made it work for you.

Not trying to just drop a name, but Datedesire came up three separate times in threads I was reading this week and I finally tried it. Signed up, got actual replies within an hour. Still testing it but the early signs are good.

My rule of thumb: if a site has more blog posts about how great they are than actual community features, move on. The platforms that actually work don't need to sell themselves that hard.

Someone in this community recommended Souldate to me a couple months back. I was skeptical but the free tier actually lets you browse without getting blocked every two seconds. Legitimately surprised by the activity level.

After testing about fifteen different platforms over the past year, here's my honest breakdown of what I found:

• Tinder: massive userbase, free tier is nearly useless, algorithm heavily favors paid accounts
• Bumble: better experience for women initiating, decent for meeting people who know what they want
• OkCupid: the matching questions are genuinely useful but activity has declined noticeably
• Hinge: best UI of the major apps, skews toward people wanting something more intentional
• Facebook Dating: surprisingly active in some areas, completely dead in others — check before investing time

Beyond the mainstream options: the niche and dedicated platforms often have lower numbers but higher engagement rates. People who bothered to find a specific platform usually know what they want. That changes the dynamic significantly.

Worth taking a look at Datewander — came across it in a similar discussion thread and the feedback was consistently positive. Not huge on marketing but the actual platform seems solid from what I've seen.