Loads of Fish (POF) was launched in 2003 when most on-line courting websites required a subscription to hitch, so POF stood out by being 100% free.

Now, every day greater than 3 million individuals in 20 nations and in 11 languages use the POF web site and app (in keeping with POF). Whereas the app remained very dated for a very long time, it debuted a brand new design in October, 2022, the brand new look has introduced the app into the twenty first century, together with some edgy new options together with its comapign to advertise “consexting” — discussing boundaries and receiving consent earlier than sexting — and its No Dick Pic badge to reward guys who hold it of their pants (until explicitly requested to not, and the share occurs off the app).

However after signing up for the app and evaluating it to different courting websites, I can say that in a sea (pun meant) of courting apps, Loads of Fish continues to be worthwhile for the next causes:

  • Giant variety of individuals utilizing it (giant courting pool will increase possibilities of success, relying on what you might be in search of)
  • Low costs
  • Strong free model
  • Emphasis on conversations, versus swiping on photographs
  • Straightforward-to-use tech. See the app:
App preferences on Plenty of Fish review.

 Proceed studying our evaluation to study extra:

How does Loads of Fish work?

On Loads of Fish, you possibly can browse person profiles in 3 ways:

  1. View everybody who’s presently on-line on one web page
  2. Swipe by means of instructed matches (like Tinder)
  3. Seek for members utilizing filters like gender, age vary, location, earnings, faith, physique kind/look, want for youngsters, and so on.

Making a profile on Loads of Fish is simple:

  1. Go to Plentyoffish.com, or obtain the app from the App Retailer or Google Play. 
  2. Create a username and password, fill out the place you reside, your date of delivery, gender, and ethnicity. 
  3. Fill out a short questionnaire about your courting preferences, together with the kind of relationship you are in search of, in addition to extra obscure questions, like how bold are you, whether or not or not you personal a automobile, and your longest relationship.
  4. Select one character kind that describes your self — the probabilities are countless with selections together with rockstar, yuppie, and yogi.
  5. Create a bio, providing simply sufficient details about your self with out disclosing private data (POF warns in opposition to this).

Loads of Fish makes use of 2-factor authentication to confirm your account. So, you may want to make use of a cellular system that accepts textual content messages.

As soon as your profile is finished, it’s time to start out mingling with the opposite catches on the location. In the event you’re utilizing POF on a pc, the format is a bit totally different than a courting app.

On the homepage (which resembles a social networking app circa 2005), there’s a web-based tab that exhibits customers who’re actively utilizing POF. You will additionally discover a “Meet Me” web page that’s similar to Tinder, and a search web page that lets you search for profiles.

With a paid membership, you too can see who has appreciated your profile, in addition to who’s new on POF.

Whereas the desktop model places messages entrance and heart, POF’s app is designed to look extra like a typical courting app, prioritizing the Meet Me function.

Need assistance writing your profile? 14 examples of excellent courting profiles and methods to choose profile pics.

Is Loads of Fish a great courting web site?

Usually, Loads of Fish is an efficient courting web site as a result of you possibly can message different members without cost, although this function is proscribed. Nevertheless, POF has its share of issues, together with an abundance of spam profiles, and a smaller courting pool in much less populated areas, in keeping with customers.

Nevertheless, these complaints are largely true for all courting apps.

Is Loads of Fish full of pretend profiles?

Loads of Fish has some complaints about scammers on websites like Trustpilot and Reddit, with some males claiming pretend feminine profiles contacted them asking for cash: 

These are some tricks to ensure you’re speaking to somebody actual on Loads of Fish:

1. Verify for a selfie verification badge on their profile, which implies Loads of Fish has verified by means of a dwell picture that the particular person you are seeing is definitely who they are saying they’re (or at the least, they are not utilizing a pretend image).

Sadly, I did not come throughout any of those verified profiles once I was looking Loads of Fish.

Photo verification process on Plenty of Fish review.

2. Save their profile picture and run it by means of Google’s reverse picture search to verify the particular person did not steal another person’s picture from the web.

How is the match high quality on POF? What are the success charges?

After I checked out my matches on Loads of Fish, sadly solely a handful had been truly positioned inside a 30-minute radius of the place I dwell, and plenty of had been exterior of the age vary of individuals I’d truly date. 

Except you point out in any other case, POF will match you with any person 14 years youthful or older than you, or 9 years older when you’re below 22.

The identical points appear to be true for different customers who weighed in on Reddit: 

Loads of Fish execs and cons

Professionals of utilizing Loads of Fish

  • Messaging accessible on free model
  • A number of methods to attach, by means of swipe-style courting and looking out by means of profiles with filters
  • Potential so as to add “no dick pics” badge to your profile
  • POF’s search performance makes it very easy to filter profiles by age, location, what you’re in search of, life-style, and so on.
  • POF has plenty of customers who’re at numerous levels of life and in search of totally different relationships, so there’s something for everybody

Cons of utilizing Loads of Fish

  • Free model solely permits one first contact message per day
  • Individuals can message you from anyplace — I acquired a message from somebody in Chicago, which is nowhere close to the place I dwell
  • Numerous opinions on-line speak about an abundance of spam profiles
  • Missing some trendy options, comparable to connecting your Spotify or social media accounts

Loads of Fish opinions

Opinions on Loads of Fish are common in comparison with different courting websites. Widespread complaints name out the location’s abundance of spam profiles and incompatible/seemingly random matches.

Some customers felt they had been misled right into a paid membership below the guise that that they had lots of hidden likes/views on their profile, solely to find that wasn’t the case as soon as they really paid.

POF opinions on BBB

Loads of Fish has a B ranking from the Higher Enterprise Bureau, although clients solely give the corporate 1/5 stars. Its father or mother web site, Match Group, LLC, is just not rated by the Higher Enterprise Bureau.

POF opinions on Trustpilot

TrustPilot offers Loads of Fish a good 3.6 out of 5 stars, although the vast majority of opinions within the final six months are just one star.

POF opinions on Reddit

There are lots of people on Reddit asking for actual experiences on Loads of Fish:

Most Loads of Fish opinions on Reddit are unfavorable:

A number of individuals appear to consider the location has gone down in high quality because it was acquired by Match in 2015:

Price of Loads of Fish

POF’s free model has many nice options that make it stand out from different courting apps. Here’s what you get with POF’s Free model:

  • Free messaging (although you are solely allowed one first contact message per day)
  • Add members to favorites record
  • Get matches and think about profiles
  • Ship voice messages
  • Be a part of boards

Must you wish to improve, right here is Loads of Fish’s premium pricing:

  • $10.70/mo for 12 months
  • $16.05/mo for six months 
  • $21.40/mo for 3 months

Along with a premium subscription, Loads of Fish gives Boosts so your profile can be proven to extra individuals for half-hour:

  • 1 Increase: $5.34
  • 5 Boosts: $19.25
  • 10 Boosts: $26.74

What number of free messages can you’ve gotten on POF?

You probably have a free account, you possibly can solely ship one first message per day, although you possibly can ship a limiteless variety of messages to individuals you’re already in touch with. Paid members can ship as much as 50 first messages per day.

Which is healthier: Tinder or Loads of Fish?

Whereas Tinder got here on to the scene virtually a decade later than Loads of Fish, each courting companies cater to anybody in search of a connection (whether or not it’s an off-the-cuff hookup or one thing critical). It’s simply how they method it that’s totally different:

Tinder is strictly swipe left/proper courting, whereas POF gives that choice plus the power to seek for different daters utilizing filters.

POF lets you message any member without cost, as much as one new particular person per day on the free model, whereas Tinder solely lets you chat with individuals you match with.

You could must do some digging to search out high quality matches. Tinder is just not rated on the BBB, whereas Loads of Fish has a B ranking. Each are owned by Match Group, LLC.

Now the variations: POF has a greater Trustpilot ranking at 3.6 out of 5 stars, whereas Tinder’s ranking is 1.2. POF promotes compatibility, urging its customers to debate hobbies and pursuits upon messaging.

Tinder permits its customers to have free reign when making a profile, letting them add as a lot or no data. Additionally, Tinder helps you to add your first and final identify in your profile, whereas POF makes you create a username. 

As for which courting service is healthier? In my expertise, individuals on Tinder are extra lively, and it’s simpler to search out matches in your space.

Nevertheless, Loads of Fish places compatibility on the forefront of their customers’ courting experiences. You probably have the pliability to match with individuals exterior of your city, then POF may be a great choice.

In the event you’re in search of comfort (and have some endurance) then Tinder may be a great go-to.

Loads of Fish vs. Hinge

Maybe the most important distinction between POF and Hinge is that Hinge is geared principally towards critical long-term relationships, whereas Loads of Fish is for every kind of relationships (even hookups).

Like Tinder, Hinge solely helps you to message with individuals you match with, although there is not any restrict to the variety of messages you possibly can ship. Additionally like Tinder, Hinge does not have a BBB ranking, although it does minimally higher on Trustpilot with 1.2/5 stars (nonetheless beneath POF’s 3.6).

Hinge is simply accessible as a cellular app for iOS and Android gadgets (whereas POF additionally has a desktop web site) and shares the identical father or mother firm as POF and Tinder, Match Group, LLC.

Hinge makes use of prompts to assist daters fill out their profiles, which you’ll flip by means of and both “like” or reject. Paid members even have the power to seek for daters with filters on Hinge, which is a free function on Loads of Fish.

The underside line: Is Loads of Fish price it?

Loads of Fish is a legit courting app that places compatibility and dialog on the forefront. Although current opinions say the app has gone downhill, it’s price attempting at the least the free model, which has lots of options and entry in comparison with different courting apps.

Learn: Our courting app opinions

Listed below are our high three courting app suggestions:

eharmony Tinder Hinge
– A- BBB ranking
– Targeted on critical relationships
– 150-point character report
– Apps for iOS and Android
– 100% member verification (no catfishing)
– 25% off with promo code WSM25
– Billions of potential matches worldwide
– For love, informal courting, and hookups
– No lengthy sign-up course of
– Straightforward, swipe-based matching
– Photograph verification
– Targeted on critical relationships
– Numerous free options, together with messaging
– Algorithm designed to match suitable individuals
– Prompts encourage dialog
– Hybrid between eharmony and Tinder
Is Loads of Fish price it?

Loads of Fish is a legit courting app that places compatibility and dialog on the forefront. Whereas all of it relies on location and the hassle to really get to know somebody, it’s price attempting at the least the free model which has lots of options in comparison with different courting apps.

How does Loads of Fish work?

When you create a profile on Loads of Fish profile is finished, it’s time to start out mingling with the opposite catches on the location. On the homepage, there’s a web-based tab that exhibits customers who’re actively utilizing POF. You will additionally discover a “Meet Me” web page that’s similar to Tinder, and a search web page that lets you search for profiles. You can even uncover profiles in your space in addition to who’s new on POF.

Is Loads of Fish a great courting web site?

Sure, Loads of Fish is nearly as good as any courting app or web site on the market. What makes Loads of Fish stand out is that it places dialog on the forefront of constructing a connection. It’s additionally one of many few courting web sites the place you don’t want a premium improve to totally get all the advantages.

Is Loads of Fish full of pretend profiles?

Loads of Fish surprisingly doesn’t get many complaints regarding pretend profiles and cheaters.

Which is healthier: Tinder or Loads of Fish?

Whereas Tinder got here on to the scene virtually a decade later than Loads of Fish, each courting companies cater to anybody in search of a connection (whether or not it’s an off-the-cuff hookup or one thing critical). It’s simply how they method it that’s totally different: Tinder helps you to swipe away without cost, whereas POF lets you message any member without cost.

Our Loads of Fish rankings:

  • Member’s expertise

  • Matches

  • Price

  • Customer support