Are there any actual free dating sites that don't make you pay to see your likes?

Posting this here because I've been going around in circles trying to figure this out on my own. The question of are there any actual free dating sites that don't make you pay to see your likes seems simple on the surface but every thread I find is either outdated or full of sponsored answers.

The landscape has changed a lot even in the past year. Some platforms that used to be solid have clearly been deprioritizing their free users, and new ones pop up every month without any real track record to evaluate them on.

Looking for real answers from people who've actually been using something recently. Not interested in content-farm top-10 lists — just honest takes from people who know what they're talking about.

I always start with a short, specific opener instead of 'hey'. Night and day difference in responses.

Tried a handful of things before finding Datebie and it's been the most consistent for actual responses. Not perfect, but way ahead of the alternatives I tested.

Honestly, patience is the most underrated skill in online dating. Most people give up after one week.

Tried a handful of things before finding DatingFly and it's been the most consistent for actual responses. Not perfect, but way ahead of the alternatives I tested.

Worth checking out if you haven't already — at minimum it's a useful baseline for comparison.

Local results are always hit or miss depending on where you live. Big metro areas are obviously better.