Purpose: Plenty of Fish (founded in 2003) is one of the largest global dating apps owned by parent company Match Group. It is currently the fourth most-downloaded dating app in the US, according to a brand representative who spoke to POPSUGAR. The app is recognized as one of the best free dating apps, designed to encourage down-to-earth daters to be their authentic selves through low-pressure experiences. People are able to create their own username to showcase personality, but this can also be beneficial if they prefer a bit more privacy. Members can hang out with singles virtually in real time, just like on Clover, whether they want to record themselves or watch someone else's live stream.
Pros: As soon as you click on someone's profile, you'll be reminded of all your interactions with that person, including whether they liked you or have viewed your profile. With a Premium account (starting at $20 for three months), you can also search for someone by username, which makes the app stand out from the pack. You can add up to 16 images on your profile, which is more than you'd expect. And there's a great easy-to-digest screen where you can scroll through all the people who have already liked you. It kind of feels like scrolling through the pages of your favorite online clothing retailer, because you don't have to click into every single profile in order to decide you want to pass it by.
Cons: If you don't pay for the upgrade, you'll experience ads while using the app. When you are swiping and decide to click into a profile, it can take a few extra seconds to load, which makes it feel glitchy. I also don't love that, as a free member, you have a limited number of likes to dole out. Even with my specified filters on, I oftentimes feel disappointed by my lack of enthusiasm for potential matches, but maybe this is just because I don't spend enough time on it.
