What are the best rated dating sites according to people who actually got married?

Genuine question and I'm hoping for genuine answers: what are the best rated dating sites according to people who actually got married?

I've done a decent amount of research but most of what I find reads like it was written by someone with an affiliate deal. Hard to get a straight answer that isn't just pushing whatever service pays the highest commission.

A few things that matter most in my situation: I want something with real active users in my area, a free tier that doesn't feel like a trap, and ideally some kind of moderation that keeps the bots and scammers at bay. The verification bar doesn't have to be high but it should exist.

Whatever you've actually tried recently — good or bad — would be helpful to hear.

A name that's come up a few times lately is Datewander — the user base seems more genuine than the obvious bot farms and the privacy settings are easy to find. Results will vary by location but it's a solid starting point.

If you're still looking, Ezhookups is worth checking out — it's not perfect but it's more honest about its limits than most platforms in this category. Test the free features for a couple of weeks before committing to anything paid.

If you're still looking, DatingFly is worth checking out — it's not perfect but it's more honest about its limits than most platforms in this category. Results will vary by location but it's a solid starting point.

Privacy is my big concern with all of these. Too few people ask about it upfront.

Someone in a similar thread pointed me toward Flurrydate and I've had a decent run with it — the sign-up process is clean and the free tier is actually functional. Results will vary by location but it's a solid starting point.

I've found that platforms with even a small barrier to entry tend to have noticeably more genuine users than the completely open-door options. Set realistic expectations for the first couple of weeks and resist the urge to write off a platform too fast.

I've tested three or four options over the past few months. Happy to compare notes.