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Dating & Social · head to head

Facebook Dating vs Plenty of Fish

Facebook Dating logo

Facebook Dating

Dating & Social

It's not complicated

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Plenty of Fish logo

Plenty of Fish

Dating & Social

The largest dating site for singles

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Facebook Dating only available in approximately 50 countries, limiting global reach compared to Tinder or Bumble; Plenty of Fish high prevalence of fake profiles and bot accounts despite phone verification
  • They diverge on capability: Facebook Dating covers Secret Crush, Plenty of Fish covers Free Messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Facebook Dating and Plenty of Fish actually diverge.

Attributes where Facebook Dating and Plenty of Fish differ
AttributeFacebook DatingPlenty of Fish
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20182003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Dating & Social).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Facebook Dating

  • Secret Crush
  • Events Integration
  • Groups Integration
  • Stories
  • Instagram Integration
  • Instagram
  • Facebook Events
  • Facebook Groups

Only in Plenty of Fish

  • Free Messaging
  • Chemistry Test
  • Meet Me
  • Ultra Match
  • Live Streaming
  • Web support

Both cover

  • Video Chat
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Facebook Dating

  • Only available in approximately 50 countries, limiting global reach compared to Tinder or Bumble
  • Mobile-only platform with no desktop access, restricting usage to smartphones
  • Limited communication options: text-only messaging with no video chat feature
  • Only 20% year-over-year user growth in US/Canada (280M+ users) versus Tinder's 50M+ active daters
  • Smaller active dating user base makes finding matches difficult outside major metropolitan areas
  • Privacy concerns due to Meta's history of data mishandling and data collection for ad targeting
  • Algorithm matches based on shared interests do not necessarily ensure compatibility, particularly regarding life goals

Plenty of Fish

  • High prevalence of fake profiles and bot accounts despite phone verification
  • Inconsistent moderation allows scammers to evade detection
  • Desktop website features advanced search not available in mobile app
  • No social media integrations for profile enrichment

Pricing, plan by plan

Facebook Dating

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Facebook Dating review.

Plenty of Fish

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Plenty of Fish review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Facebook Dating if

  • You need secret crush.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want events integration.
Facebook Dating review

Choose Plenty of Fish if

  • You need free messaging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want chemistry test.
Plenty of Fish review

Questions people ask

Is Facebook Dating or Plenty of Fish better?
Neither clearly leads. Facebook Dating starts at Free and Plenty of Fish at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Facebook Dating or Plenty of Fish?
Facebook Dating starts at Free and Plenty of Fish at Free.
Does Facebook Dating or Plenty of Fish run on more platforms?
Facebook Dating runs on iOS, Android. Plenty of Fish runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Facebook Dating for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Facebook Dating do that Plenty of Fish cannot?
Facebook Dating covers Secret Crush, Events Integration, Groups Integration, Stories. Plenty of Fish covers Free Messaging, Chemistry Test, Meet Me, Ultra Match. Both handle Video Chat, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Facebook Dating: Is Facebook Dating free to use?

Yes. Facebook Dating is completely free with no subscriptions or premium tiers. All features including unlimited likes and seeing who liked you are free, unlike competitors like Tinder.

Source
Plenty of Fish: Is Plenty of Fish completely free to use?

Yes, Plenty of Fish offers free account creation, profile search, and messaging. Premium subscriptions are optional and add features like ad removal and advanced filters.

Source
Facebook Dating: How does Facebook Dating protect my privacy?

Facebook Dating creates a separate dating profile invisible to friends and family. Matches come from groups, events, and pages you follow. However, Meta collects dating activity data to improve algorithms and target ads, raising concerns given Facebook's history of data mishandling.

Source
Plenty of Fish: What platforms does Plenty of Fish support?

Plenty of Fish is available on Web, iOS (17.0 or later), and Android. There is no native Windows desktop application.

Source
Facebook Dating: What devices can I access Facebook Dating on?

Facebook Dating is only available on mobile via Facebook apps for Android and iPhone. Desktop access is not supported.

Source
Plenty of Fish: Does Plenty of Fish require phone verification?

Yes, Plenty of Fish requires phone number verification during signup to reduce fake profiles and improve security.

Source
Facebook Dating: What countries is Facebook Dating available in?

Facebook Dating is available in approximately 50 countries including the US, Canada, Europe (32 countries), and select other regions. Global availability is more limited compared to competitors like Tinder.

Source
Plenty of Fish: What does the free tier include?

The free tier allows users to create a profile, upload photos, search and browse profiles, send and receive messages, and view who likes them.

Source
Facebook Dating: How does Facebook Dating match users?

Facebook Dating uses an algorithm based on user preferences, activity, mutual connections, and shared interests from groups and events you follow. However, research shows little evidence that similarity algorithms actually predict dating compatibility.

Source
Facebook Dating: Does Facebook Dating have video chat?

No. Facebook Dating only supports text messaging for communication. Video chat is not available, unlike some competitors that offer video call features before meeting.

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