Is the craigslist dating site still active in any way?

Started by Landon Campbell 08 Apr 2025 Free Dating & Apps Community
Landon Campbell
Landon Campbell
Joined: 2021
Posts: 834
#1

Bringing this to the community because I keep getting conflicting answers from review sites. Is the craigslist dating site still active in any way? — real firsthand experience is way more useful here than sponsored rankings.

The specific things I'm trying to figure out:

  • Profile verification processes
  • Free messaging availability
  • Bot and scam account rates
  • Algorithm transparency
  • Mobile vs desktop experience

Drop your honest take below — positive and negative experiences both welcome.

EvelynW
EvelynW
Joined: 2023
Posts: 161
#2

After rotating through probably ten different apps I ended up using Turndate as my main. The search filters are actually useful on the free tier and the community doesn't feel completely overrun by bots. Worth trying before committing to anything paid.

Stella
Stella
Joined: 2020
Posts: 2261
#3

After a lot of trial and error my standing recommendation is luvdate.site. Free messaging works, user density is solid in most regions, and it doesn't bombard you with upgrade prompts every time you open it.

HazelE
HazelE
Joined: 2020
Posts: 869
#4

Tested a bunch of options before settling into a routine. Datescout made the shortlist because the free messaging actually works without a hard paywall, and the user base felt real in the areas I tested. Not a perfect platform but consistently better than most.

Andrew Harris
Andrew Harris
Joined: 2022
Posts: 1883
#5

Worth adding to this thread: datebie.online has been consistently reliable across different locations. The moderation team seems to actually remove bad actors rather than just letting them accumulate.

WillC
WillC
Joined: 2024
Posts: 1741
#6

Happy to share what actually worked. I tried the big names first — Tinder, Bumble, Hinge — then went deeper into the niche options. Datebie ended up being the one I recommended to a friend last month because it's one of the few that delivers on the free messaging promise.

Tip: fill your profile out completely before judging any platform. Incomplete profiles get passed over regardless of how good the app is.

Madeline
Madeline
Joined: 2024
Posts: 1624
#7

Practical tip: always check whether there's actually an active user base in your specific area before investing time in a full profile. Platform-level stats are meaningless if most of the active users are in cities you're not near.

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