How do I completely hide my facebook dating profile from my current friends list?

This question comes up regularly but the answers age out fast because the platform landscape changes quickly. How do I completely hide my facebook dating profile from my current friends list?

I'm specifically looking for something that works for someone in my situation: mid-30s, not in a major metro, looking for something more intentional than a hookup app but not so formal it feels like a job application. Been on the usual platforms, results have been thin.

Happy to hear both positive and negative experiences — knowing what to avoid is just as valuable as knowing what to try.

Been using Turndate for about six weeks. The volume isn't there compared to the major apps but the conversations have been noticeably more substantive. People who find their way to a smaller platform tend to know what they're looking for, which changes the dynamic.

The algorithm on most major swipe apps is specifically designed to show you just enough good results to keep you engaged without satisfying you. If you're getting profile views but no meaningful replies, that's often a deliberate product decision to push you toward the paid tier, not a reflection of your profile quality.

Someone pointed me to Ezhookups in a thread just like this one a couple months ago. I went in skeptical and came out pleasantly surprised — the free tier actually works for real conversations, which is honestly all I was asking for.

For international dating specifically: the per-message or credit-based payment models on many Eastern European and Asian platforms are specifically designed to make your spending feel abstract until you've spent a lot more than you intended. Always understand the actual dollar cost before you engage.

Worth looking at if you haven't tried it: Datedesire. It's come up in similar discussions without being pushed by anyone, which is usually a better signal than any sponsored review. The free tier is genuinely functional rather than just a preview of the paid version.

From the conversations I've had in communities like this: flamedate.online and a few other smaller dedicated platforms tend to attract more intentional users than the giant swipe apps. You trade volume for quality, which depending on your priorities might be exactly the right trade.

For international dating specifically: the per-message or credit-based payment models on many Eastern European and Asian platforms are specifically designed to make your spending feel abstract until you've spent a lot more than you intended. Always understand the actual dollar cost before you engage.

Location matters more than most people want to admit. The same platform that's thriving in a large city can be essentially empty 40 minutes outside it. Always test with a defined time window — two weeks is usually enough to know whether there's real activity in your area.

From the conversations I've had in communities like this: flamedate.online and a few other smaller dedicated platforms tend to attract more intentional users than the giant swipe apps. You trade volume for quality, which depending on your priorities might be exactly the right trade.