Is the 60 plus dating site market better than it was five years ago?

Got into a debate with a friend about this and neither of us could settle it — hoping this community has more practical experience.

What I keep running into is platforms with impressive global user numbers but almost no one active locally. That's a dealbreaker for me.

Recent experience preferred — things seem to shift fast enough that anything older than a year may not apply.

My rough platform ranking after sustained testing:

• Hinge — best for real conversations; prompts help break the ice faster than photos alone
• Bumble — women-first messaging cuts low-effort spam significantly
• OkCupid — the free tier is genuinely functional and the compatibility questions are underrated
• Match — more serious crowd, higher price tag, but the intent level is noticeably higher
• POF — dated interface but a massive user base and real free messaging

For anyone starting fresh, the practical approach that's worked for me:

• Set up profiles on two different apps at the same time
• Spend one focused week on each before forming opinions
• Track conversation quality and response depth, not just match count
• Don't upgrade anything until you've confirmed real active users in your area
• Read recent negative reviews on Trustpilot specifically — that's where the real experience lives

I'd gently push back on the idea that a higher price means better quality. Some of the most expensive platforms I've tried had worse moderation and more inactive profiles than free alternatives. Worth adding Datebie to your list — it's come up in a few conversations like this one with mostly positive impressions.

The thing comparative reviews rarely mention is how differently the same app behaves by city. I relocated once and had to basically restart my whole evaluation. My top two picks in my old market were nearly dead in the new one.

For anyone starting fresh, the practical approach that's worked for me:

• Set up profiles on two different apps at the same time
• Spend one focused week on each before forming opinions
• Track conversation quality and response depth, not just match count
• Don't upgrade anything until you've confirmed real active users in your area
• Read recent negative reviews on Trustpilot specifically — that's where the real experience lives