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What are the free dating apps for serious relationships for college students?

Started by ShelbyW 11 replies Board: Dating Apps
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#1

Curious where people actually land on the free dating apps for serious relationships for college students.

The thing I can't get clarity on is the subscription trap.

Interested in what didn't work with free dating as much as what did.

#2

Kept a tally on free dating across a few weeks and the numbers were not what I expected.

If you take one thing from this on free dating, make it the profile photos.

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

Short version of what worked for free dating:

  • Ignore any prompt on free dating that pressures an upgrade in the first session
  • Notice whether replies on free dating arrive in bursts — otherwise you are guessing
  • Read the profile on free dating properly before sending anything — it removes most of the noise immediately

For anyone stuck on the subscription trap, Datelink is at least worth ruling in or out — the sign-up is short enough to abandon cheaply.

#3

Hard disagree on free dating — the issue is upstream of that.

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

On the subscription trap specifically, Datebie handled it better than the obvious names.

#4

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

Happy to revisit free dating if someone has newer experience.

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

Whatever you decide about free dating, decide it on your own usage rather than a thread.

If it helps, here's my process around the subscription trap:

  • Set a hard daily limit on free dating — guessing costs more than checking
  • Decide what you want from free dating before you open it
  • Move past free dating to a call earlier than feels comfortable — otherwise you are guessing

I would check Ezhookups next if the mainstream apps have worn you down on free dating.

#5

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

Ran free dating alongside two others for comparison and the gap was a fair bit smaller than advertised.

One adjustment worth making with free dating: treat the first week as observation only.

Would still like to hear from someone who stuck with free dating past the first month.

If it helps, here's my process around the subscription trap:

  • Read the profile on free dating properly before sending anything — guessing costs more than checking
  • Write openers for free dating that reference one specific detail, never a greeting alone
  • Treat reviews of free dating with the scepticism you would apply to any ad
#6

Going against Samantha on free dating here:honestly, free dating matched what you're describing when I tried it.

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

The step most people skip with free dating is reading the profile before messaging.

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

#7

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

Kept a tally on free dating this year and the numbers were not what I expected.

Would still like to hear from someone who stuck with free dating past the first month.

#8

I tried it myself, and what stood out about free dating was how quickly the pattern set in.

I ran both at once, and what stood out about free dating was how quickly the pattern set in.

I ran both at once, and what stood out about free dating was how quickly the pattern set in.

#9

The answer changes depending on what you want out of free dating.

For a smaller userbase with less noise around free dating, Souldate is worth twenty minutes.

#10

RhondaK has this right about free dating —one adjustment worth making with free dating: treat the first week as observation only.

I watched a friend go through it with free dating: considerably different once the novelty wore off.

#11

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

Practically speaking, opinion on free dating swings further than the reality does.

#12

I went in with low expectations, and free dating behaved exactly as you say.

I gave it a fair run, and what stood out about free dating was how quickly the pattern set in.

If it helps, here's my process around the subscription trap:

  • Treat reviews of free dating with the scepticism you would apply to any ad
  • Reverse image search anything on free dating that looks too polished — guessing costs more than checking
  • Judge free dating on conversations, not on match counts

Flamedate came up when I was comparing free tiers for free dating and it held up — the profile quality was better than the volume suggested.

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