Plenty of Fish (POF) was launched in 2003 when most online dating sites required a subscription to join, so POF stood out by being 100% free.
Now, each day more than 3 million people in 20 countries and in 11 languages use the POF site and app (according to POF). While the app remained very dated for a long time, it debuted a new design in October, 2022, the new look has brought the app into the 21st century, along with some edgy new features including its comapign to promote “consexting” — discussing boundaries and receiving consent before sexting — and its No Dick Pic badge to reward guys who keep it in their pants (unless explicitly asked not to, and the share happens off the app).
But after signing up for the app and comparing it to other dating sites, I can say that in a sea (pun intended) of dating apps, Plenty of Fish is still worthwhile for the following reasons:
- Large number of people using it (large dating pool increases chances of success, depending on what you are seeking)
- Low prices
- Robust free version
- Emphasis on conversations, as opposed to swiping on photos
- Easy-to-use tech. See the app:
Continue reading our review to learn more:
How does Plenty of Fish work?
On Plenty of Fish, you can browse user profiles in three ways:
- View everyone who is currently online on one page
- Swipe through suggested matches (like Tinder)
- Search for members using filters like gender, age range, location, income, religion, body type/appearance, desire for children, etc.
Creating a profile on Plenty of Fish is easy:
- Go to Plentyoffish.com, or download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
- Create a username and password, fill out where you live, your date of birth, gender, and ethnicity.
- Fill out a brief questionnaire about your dating preferences, including the type of relationship you're looking for, as well as more obscure questions, like how ambitious are you, whether or not you own a car, and your longest relationship.
- Choose one personality type that describes yourself — the possibilities are endless with choices including rockstar, yuppie, and yogi.
- Create a bio, offering just enough information about yourself without disclosing personal information (POF warns against this).
Plenty of Fish uses 2-factor authentication to verify your account. So, you'll need to use a mobile device that accepts text messages.
Once your profile is done, it’s time to start mingling with the other catches on the site. If you're using POF on a computer, the layout is a bit different than a dating app.
On the homepage (which resembles a social networking app circa 2005), there’s an online tab that shows users who are actively using POF. You'll also find a “Meet Me” page that’s very similar to Tinder, and a search page that allows you to look up profiles.
With a paid membership, you can also see who has liked your profile, as well as who's new on POF.
While the desktop version puts messages front and center, POF’s app is designed to look more like a typical dating app, prioritizing the Meet Me feature.
Need help writing your profile? 14 examples of good dating profiles and how to pick profile pics.
Is Plenty of Fish a good dating site?
In general, Plenty of Fish is a good dating site because you can message other members for free, though this feature is limited. However, POF has its share of problems, including an abundance of spam profiles, and a smaller dating pool in less populated areas, according to users.
However, these complaints are largely true for all dating apps.
Is Plenty of Fish full of fake profiles?
Plenty of Fish has some complaints about scammers on sites like Trustpilot and Reddit, with some men claiming fake female profiles contacted them asking for money:
These are some tips to make sure you're talking to someone real on Plenty of Fish:
1. Check for a selfie verification badge on their profile, which means Plenty of Fish has verified through a live photo that the person you're seeing is actually who they say they are (or at least, they aren't using a fake picture).
Unfortunately, I didn't come across any of these verified profiles when I was browsing Plenty of Fish.
2. Save their profile image and run it through Google's reverse image search to make sure the person didn't steal someone else's photo from the internet.
How is the match quality on POF? What are the success rates?
When I looked at my matches on Plenty of Fish, unfortunately only a handful were actually located within a 30-minute radius of where I live, and many were outside of the age range of people I’d actually date.
Unless you indicate otherwise, POF will match you with any user 14 years younger or older than you, or 9 years older if you're under 22.
The same issues seem to be true for other users who weighed in on Reddit:
Plenty of Fish pros and cons
Pros of using Plenty of Fish
- Messaging available on free version
- Multiple ways to connect, through swipe-style dating and searching through profiles with filters
- Ability to add “no dick pics” badge to your profile
- POF’s search functionality makes it really easy to filter profiles by age, location, what you’re looking for, lifestyle, etc.
- POF has lots of users who are at various stages of life and seeking different relationships, so there is something for everyone
Cons of using Plenty of Fish
- Free version only allows one first contact message per day
- People can message you from anywhere — I got a message from someone in Chicago, which is nowhere near where I live
- Lots of reviews online talk about an abundance of spam profiles
- Lacking some modern features, such as connecting your Spotify or social media accounts
Plenty of Fish reviews
Reviews on Plenty of Fish are average compared to other dating sites. Common complaints call out the site's abundance of spam profiles and incompatible/seemingly random matches.
Some users felt they were misled into a paid membership under the guise that they had a lot of hidden likes/views on their profile, only to discover that wasn't the case once they actually paid.
POF reviews on BBB
Plenty of Fish has a B rating from the Better Business Bureau, though customers only give the company 1/5 stars. Its parent site, Match Group, LLC, is not rated by the Better Business Bureau.
POF reviews on Trustpilot
TrustPilot gives Plenty of Fish a favorable 3.6 out of 5 stars, though the majority of reviews in the last six months are only 1 star.
POF reviews on Reddit
There are a lot of people on Reddit asking for real experiences on Plenty of Fish:
Most Plenty of Fish reviews on Reddit are negative:
Several people seem to believe the site has gone down in quality since it was acquired by Match in 2015:
Cost of Plenty of Fish
POF's free version has many great features that make it stand out from other dating apps. Here is what you get with POF’s Free version:
- Free messaging (though you're only allowed one first contact message per day)
- Add members to favorites list
- Get matches and view profiles
- Send voice messages
- Join forums
Should you want to upgrade, here is Plenty of Fish’s premium pricing:
- $10.70/mo for 12 months
- $16.05/mo for six months
- $21.40/mo for three months
In addition to a premium subscription, Plenty of Fish offers Boosts so your profile will be shown to more people for 30 minutes:
- 1 Boost: $5.34
- 5 Boosts: $19.25
- 10 Boosts: $26.74
How many free messages can you have on POF?
If you have a free account, you can only send one first message per day, though you can send an unlimited number of messages to people you’re already in contact with. Paid members can send up to 50 first messages per day.
Which is better: Tinder or Plenty of Fish?
While Tinder came on to the scene almost a decade later than Plenty of Fish, both dating services cater to anyone looking for a connection (whether it’s a casual hookup or something serious). It’s just how they approach it that’s different:
Tinder is strictly swipe left/right dating, while POF offers that option plus the ability to search for other daters using filters.
POF allows you to message any member for free, up to one new person per day on the free version, while Tinder only allows you to chat with people you match with.
You may need to do some digging to find quality matches. Tinder is not rated on the BBB, while Plenty of Fish has a B rating. Both are owned by Match Group, LLC.
Now the differences: POF has a better Trustpilot rating at 3.6 out of 5 stars, while Tinder’s rating is 1.2. POF promotes compatibility, urging its users to discuss hobbies and interests upon messaging.
Tinder allows its users to have free reign when creating a profile, letting them add as much or no information. Also, Tinder lets you add your first and last name on your profile, while POF makes you create a username.
As for which dating service is better? In my experience, people on Tinder are more active, and it’s easier to find matches in your area.
However, Plenty of Fish puts compatibility at the forefront of their users’ dating experiences. If you have the flexibility to match with people outside of your town, then POF might be a good option.
If you’re looking for convenience (and have some patience) then Tinder might be a good go-to.
Plenty of Fish vs. Hinge
Perhaps the biggest difference between POF and Hinge is that Hinge is geared mostly toward serious long-term relationships, while Plenty of Fish is for all kinds of relationships (even hookups).
Like Tinder, Hinge only lets you message with people you match with, though there's no limit to the number of messages you can send. Unlike Tinder, Hinge has a BBB rating (B), and it does minimally better on Trustpilot with 1.3/5 stars (still below POF's 3.6).
Hinge is only available as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices (while POF also has a desktop site) and shares the same parent company as POF and Tinder, Match Group, LLC.
Hinge uses prompts to help daters fill out their profiles, which you can flip through and either “like” or reject. Paid members also have the ability to search for daters with filters on Hinge, which is a free feature on Plenty of Fish.
The bottom line: Is Plenty of Fish worth it?
Plenty of Fish is a legit dating app that puts compatibility and conversation at the forefront. Though recent reviews say the app has gone downhill, it’s worth trying at least the free version, which has a lot of features and access when compared with other dating apps.
Read: Our dating app reviews
Here are our top three dating app recommendations:
| eharmony | Tinder | Hinge |
| – A- BBB rating – Focused on serious relationships – 150-point personality report – Apps for iOS and Android – 100% member verification (no catfishing) – 25% off with promo code WSM25 | – Billions of potential matches worldwide – For love, casual dating, and hookups – No long sign-up process – Easy, swipe-based matching – Photo verification | – Focused on serious relationships – Lots of free features, including messaging – Algorithm designed to match compatible people – Prompts encourage conversation – Hybrid between eharmony and Tinder |
Plenty of Fish is a legit dating app that puts compatibility and conversation at the forefront. While it all depends on location and the effort to truly get to know someone, it’s worth trying at least the free version which has a lot of features when compared with other dating apps.
Once you create a profile on Plenty of Fish profile is done, it’s time to start mingling with the other catches on the site. On the homepage, there’s an online tab that shows users who are actively using POF. You'll also find a “Meet Me” page that’s very similar to Tinder, and a search page that allows you to look up profiles. You can also discover profiles in your area as well as who's new on POF.
Yes, Plenty of Fish is as good as any dating app or website out there. What makes Plenty of Fish stand out is that it puts conversation at the forefront of making a connection. It’s also one of the few dating websites where you don’t need a premium upgrade to fully get all the benefits.
Plenty of Fish surprisingly doesn’t get many complaints concerning fake profiles and cheaters.
While Tinder came on to the scene almost a decade later than Plenty of Fish, both dating services cater to anyone looking for a connection (whether it’s a casual hookup or something serious). It’s just how they approach it that’s different: Tinder lets you swipe away for free, while POF allows you to message any member for free.
Our Plenty of Fish ratings:
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I have yet to meet anyone that is not a scammer on this site, they all have the same English was not their first language and ask you to download some other app to talk more “privately “ very strange app but bots and scammers are now so over the top it’s sad
TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. They Ignore Your Settings! POF is the Worst Site and App EVER!
ANYONE can CONTACT YOU! Example: if you want “only ages of 70-90 around Miami, you will get guys 40-90 from the ENTIRE USA and CANADA!
DONT BOTHER! Try eHarmony maybe? That is what we are doing next.
Oh and avoid Silver Singles too! They force you to spend 2 hours setting up a profile then you find out that you can’t do anything at all until you pay them $30 a month.
I tried POF 2 days ago, spending time chatting with around 10 other profiles and this morning I was chatting and suddenly got banned
I sent the support team a request to get an appeal bc I didnt share anything that was against tos, if you really want to be yourself then why bother with POF when it encourages communication but cuts you off when you are engaged with people respectfully. If I cant share my hobbies and such how am I supposed to connect with others at all bc when I tried I got cut off.
POF is an awful site filled with fake pics and fake profiles and even fake chatmates.
Since they refuse to remove the fakes I have decided that the employees of POF
must be making the fake profiles to drum up more business. I suspect they even engage
in fake chats to lead people on.
POF is SHIT…..tons of fake pics and scams.
A major waste of time.