Plenty of Fish (POF) is basically the anti-minimalist dating app. It’s been around since the mid-2000s, now owned by Match Group, and leans into the idea of being a big, messy community where you can “come exactly as you are” instead of curating a hyper-filtered persona. The core pitch: more profiles, more ways to connect, and a free tier that actually lets you view, search, and message people instead of just staring at a paywall.
The trade-off is that it can feel like a lot. Between Meet Me (their swipe-ish feature), DMs, live streaming, and a very busy interface, POF has strong “early-2010s social network” energy more than sleek 2025 app minimalism. Reviews are mixed: some people love that it’s not all vibes and Instagram-level polish; others bounce because of ads, spammy vibes, or profiles that feel hit-or-miss. If you want something free, functional, and not obsessed with aesthetics, POF still has a lane. If you want ultra-curated and privacy-forward, it’s probably not your forever home.
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- One of the more feature-rich free tiers, where you can browse, search, and message without paying, which is rare for a big mainstream app.
- Multiple ways to connect beyond basic swiping, including Meet Me, livestreaming, and more old-school messaging and profiles.
- Big, long-running user base under the Match Group umbrella, so you’re not stuck in ghost town territory.
Cons
- Interface can feel cluttered and ad-heavy compared with newer, sleeker apps.
- The free version is usable, but a lot of quality-of-life stuff (seeing who liked you, read receipts, ad-free) is locked behind paid tiers.
- Has been called out by privacy reviewers for data practices that aren’t exactly best-in-class.
Key Features
- Generous free tier with profile browsing, search filters, and messaging available without paying.
- Meet Me: a swipe-style feature where you scroll through profiles, swipe left/right, and get a chat if you both say yes.
- Multiple connection modes: traditional DMs, “dating games,” and live streaming/social-style features on the app.
- Profile depth with prompts, basic info, interests, and extended profile details are unlockable with an upgraded membership.
- Paid tiers (POF Plus, Premium, Prestige) that add perks like seeing who’s viewed you, read receipts, extended profiles, ad-free experience, and increased visibility.
How to Sign Up
You can join POF through the website or the iOS/Android apps. Sign-up starts with basics: email or phone, a password, your location, age, and whether you’re looking to date men, women, or both.
From there, POF walks you through a multi-part profile process: account details, dating preferences, appearance, lifestyle, and a written “About Me”–style section. You’ll also be asked about what you’re looking for (long-term, short-term, casual, etc.), and you can add photos during or after setup. Newer users are encouraged to verify with a selfie and add a phone number for extra security.
How It Works: Matching & Conversations
Plenty of Fish is a mix of old-school search and modern swipe. You can use Meet Me to quickly swipe through nearby profiles, or dive into more detailed searches by age, distance, intent, and other filters. The app then surfaces potential matches based on your preferences and activity, but it’s not as “guided” or personality-test-heavy as something like eHarmony.
Messaging is pretty straightforward: if someone’s open to receiving messages, you can send one, even on the free tier. Upgraded members get better visibility and extras like seeing whether their messages were read, viewing extended profiles, and showing up first in Meet Me. The flow is great if you like options, but less great if you’re tired of sorting through low-effort messages.
Safety & Security
On the safety side, POF has the usual block and report tools, safety FAQs, and in-app guidance on what to do if someone is harassing you or breaking the rules. Reports are confidential and handled by moderation and safety teams, and the company encourages users to use in-app tools instead of trying to manage bad behavior alone.
The app has added Selfie Verification, optional two-factor authentication via phone number, and gives standard security advice (unique passwords, caution on public Wi-Fi, etc.). On the backend, POF says it enforces security policies, trains staff in privacy/security, and audits third-party vendors.
Privacy-wise, independent orgs like Mozilla’s Privacy Not Included have flagged POF as “not great” on data practices, including broad data collection and retention policies (like keeping data for a “safety retention window” after you close an account). That doesn’t mean don’t use it; it does mean you should assume anything you put there might live on in some form and adjust what you share accordingly.
What It Costs
POF is one of the more functional free dating apps: you can sign up, create a profile, search, and message without paying. That said, a lot of the “who likes me/who viewed me/ad-free” stuff lives behind paid tiers.
As of late 2025, POF is rolling with three main paid tiers—POF Plus, POF Premium, and Prestige—with pricing that varies by region and subscription length. These Premium-style subscriptions are often in the ballpark of:
- 3 months: roughly $25/month (around $75 total)
- 6 months: roughly $20/month
- 12 months: roughly $10–15/month, depending on promotions and whether you’re on Plus vs Premium/Prestige
There are also shorter-term options (weekly or monthly in-app subscriptions) and one-off purchases like tokens or boosts. Prices change frequently and can differ between the App Store, Google Play, and web, so anyone signing up should treat these as rough ranges and double-check the current rates on the payment screen before committing.
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