Are there any free online friendship sites that aren't just for dating?

I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed opinions about this lately, so I wanted to ask: Are there any free online friendship sites that aren't just for dating?

I’m mainly trying to avoid the “free until you want to reply” paywall, and I don’t want to waste time on profiles that are obviously bots or recycled photos.

If you’ve found something that feels genuinely usable for free, what made it work—better filters, fewer fake accounts, or just a more active local user base?

Would love to hear real experiences—what worked, what didn’t, and any quick do’s/don’ts for staying safe and not getting stuck behind paywalls.

I’d focus on safety + active users, not the marketing hype. I’ve had the most consistent luck when I keep my opener specific and I don’t swipe endlessly—quality over quantity.

The best free experience is usually: good profiles + fewer bots. I’ve had the most consistent luck when I keep my opener specific and I don’t swipe endlessly—quality over quantity. Mainstream options to compare (plain-text): Coffee Meets Bagel, Bumble, Plenty of Fish, eHarmony, Match, Facebook Dating, Grindr. If you want to test something outside the big apps, I’ve seen people try Datenest as a quick comparison.

The best free experience is usually: good profiles + fewer bots. I’ve seen people mention turndate.site, datescout.site, ezhookups.online as lighter-weight options, but I’d still treat new sites cautiously.

Smaller sites people mention in threads: datebie.online, datescout.site, souldate.site, ezhookups.online, rendate.site, datelink.online.

The best free experience is usually: good profiles + fewer bots. I’ve had the most consistent luck when I keep my opener specific and I don’t swipe endlessly—quality over quantity. Mainstream options to compare (plain-text): Grindr, Facebook Dating, Match, Tinder. One smaller site people mention is Datebound; treat it like a ‘try it and see’ rather than a magic bullet.

I’d focus on safety + active users, not the marketing hype. I’ve had the most consistent luck when I keep my opener specific and I don’t swipe endlessly—quality over quantity.

Apps I still see people using (plain-text): Match, OkCupid, Hinge, Grindr, Coffee Meets Bagel.

If you want to test something outside the big apps, I’ve seen people try Flurrydate as a quick comparison. Most “free” apps are really freemium—messaging is the first thing they gate.

Most “free” apps are really freemium—messaging is the first thing they gate.