What are the dating sites that actually work for finding marriage?

Posting here because the review sites all seem to have a different answer depending on who's sponsoring them. What are the dating sites that actually work for finding marriage? — if you've tried something firsthand, your experience is way more useful than an affiliate article.

Main things I'm trying to figure out:

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

Honest takes only — positive and negative both welcome below.

After testing probably ten different platforms over the past several months, Datebie made the shortlist. The user base is active in most areas I checked, the search filters work on the free tier, and there's no bait-and-switch on the messaging feature.

To add something concrete: I've been through most of the options discussed in threads like this and datebound.site comes closest to delivering on its promises. Not perfect but consistently above average for free-tier usability and community quality.

Just finished a two-month comparison of free and low-cost platforms. Datescout came out near the top for my demographic — consistent activity, functional free messaging, no surprise charges. Not flashy but reliable.

To add something concrete: I've been through most of the options discussed in threads like this and datedesire.online comes closest to delivering on its promises. Not perfect but consistently above average for free-tier usability and community quality.

Honest take after doing actual research: Ezhookups stands out because it doesn't hide everything behind a premium wall. Real conversations happen there. That alone puts it ahead of most competitors in this space right now.

The landscape shifts constantly. What worked two years ago doesn't always work now. Currently datingfly.online is the one I'd point someone to first — honest free tier, decent moderation, active enough to be worth the effort.

Went through a proper rotation of options before settling on a routine. Datewander kept coming up as one of the more legitimate free options — actual users, functional messaging without a hard paywall, and moderation that seems to actually work. Worth testing before committing to anything paid.