Is POF Still a Good Dating App?
POF is no longer a good way for men to meet women - better alternatives exist. With the rise of new dating apps and the changes in the online dating landscape, men have better choices than POF these days.
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POF (Plenty of Fish) is one of the oldest and most popular dating apps available to meet women, but its time has passed. This blog post shares 7 reasons why POF may not be your best choice.
1. Low-quality matches.
Many guys report the quality of matches on POF is not as good as other dating apps. I agree that the app isn't what it was ten years ago.
The first thing men look at is the physical traits of women using the app. At the very least, you want to find a woman attractive - of course, looks are subjective.
I'm trying to be polite, but the quality of women using POF is lacking compared to other apps. It's no secret you have options these days - Match.com, Hinge, Bumble, and Coffee Meets Bagel, for example.
The women on other apps are of higher quality than those on POF - not only physically, but also seem more educated, balanced, and have a better attitude. The drop-off in the quality of women could result from the lack of quality men using the app.
If guys present themselves poorly, women will leave the app and join a dating app with a reputation for a better male user base, i.e., Hinge. So, the lack of quality women could be the result of the lack of quality men using the app.
The presence of fake profiles and bots (more on that later) can decrease the overall quality of female matches on POF for men. Users may find it challenging to identify genuine profiles, which can make it difficult to establish meaningful connections with other users.
Don't get me started about POF live, a feature that allows users to live-stream on the app. I often see women in my queue who only use the app to get men to watch their live streams.
2. Spam and Scammers.
Another issue with POF is too many spam and scammers on the app. While the app has some security measures to prevent fake profiles and catfishing, I still see spam accounts or people with malicious intentions
I've encountered several fake accounts, women promoting their POF live accounts, Instagram, or Snapchat ids. All this nonsense is very frustrating when looking for a genuine connection.
POF is a free app to join, meaning spammers can create multiple accounts without paying fees. Match.com and Zoosk are examples of apps that require premium memberships to contact members, ensuring less spam.
3. The free version is terrible.
POF is free to join and use its basic features. The app allows you to create a profile, send one first contact message per day (for free), and view women's profiles.
If you don't upgrade your membership on POF, the only way to connect with women is by liking their profile and hoping they like you back. Basically, POF turned itself into a swiping app instead.
You get one free message per day with the free POF membership.
The free version limits your ability to create connections by allowing only one conversation starter. I firmly believe that a great icebreaker opens more doors than liking a woman's profile.
The first contact message limitation is the result of feedback from users who were receiving too many low-quality messages from people they weren't interested in. In the past, you could send as many messages as you wanted, but now you get only one icebreaker.
Besides unlimited messaging, the upgraded membership on POF offers other features. Here are some of the premium features available on POF:
- Ability to see who views your profile - Premium members can see a list of users who have viewed their profile.
- You can send messages to upgraded members - Some women require men to sign up for a premium membership to message them.
- You can send up to 50 first contacts a day (icebreakers).
- Access to username search tool allowing you to find women by username.
- Unlock extended profiles giving access to more information beyond what is available to free users about potential matches.
- Ad free experience - Eliminates the distraction of advertisements and provides a more seamless user experience.
- Read receipts - Premium members can see if their messages are read by the recipients.
- See when someone was last online.
Upgrading your membership opens the app, allowing you to connect with more women. There's one small problem - the cost of the membership.
There are better alternatives for spending money on a dating app.
I don't see the benefit of the premium membership on POF when there are better alternatives, such as Match.com or Hinge. Both of these apps are far better choices for spending your money.
As for free apps, Bumble, Facebook Dating, and Tinder, all blow POF out of the water. The premium membership on POF is not worth the price of admission.
4. Frustrating user experience.
Using POF comes with limitations that can sour your experience. You will be frustrated often using the app.
One of my biggest gripes with Plentyoffish is when it shows potential matches but doesn't let you send a message or a "like." Below is an example of an annoying popup message telling you that you're not a match with a woman.
Showing women you cannot connect with is frustrating on Plentyoffish.
The first time you receive a pop-up message telling you you're not a match is off-putting. The second time it's annoying and the third time is just aggravating.
Why does POF show you women you cannot connect with in search results? Instead of restricting me and showing a popup, exclude them from my search results.
Another problem I encounter is the app showing women who aren't actively using the app. Again, this is aggravating to click on a woman's profile and get a pop-up like the one below.
POF shows profiles that are not active.
There is no reason for a dating app to show women in my search results that have profiles that aren't active. If a woman's profile is unavailable, the app should hide it until the user re-activates it.
Oh, there's more - POF shows ads while your browse profiles. Yes, advertisements that pop up when you browse potential matches completely ruin the app's experience.
Advertisements can ruin your experience using POF.
5. The matching algorithm stinks.
All dating app matching algorithms are designed to connect you with potential matches - good matches. The problem with POF's algorithm is it doesn't work.
I am in San Diego and have created several profiles to test POF. One of my settings is that I only want women within 30 miles of my location.
POF continually ignores my preferences and shows me women far from my location. I see women in Los Angeles and beyond, many of whom write in their profiles that they want local guys only.
I mention above the frustrating user experience of POF - it only worsens as you use the app. For example, the "Recommended for You" feature constantly showcases women that the app restricts me from connecting with. Below is a common occurrence for me when using the app.
POF will show women you can only contact with a premium membership.
POF is recommending a woman that requires a premium membership to contact. I understand they are trying to entice me to upgrade my membership, but this is a frustrating way to do that.
It's frustrating for Plentyoffish to recommend potential matches, but it restricts you from contacting them. This problem happens too much for my taste and sours my opinion of the app.
6. Bad communication features.
POF's communication tools make it harder to connect with women and build a connection. The platform's limitations on messaging features and the absence of real-time interaction options make it challenging to engage with women more dynamically.
For example, on Hinge, you can leave a voice message, Bumble allows a video chat, and Coffee Meets Bagel allows you to share photos. These features open up your ability to connect with women beyond the basic messaging features on POF.
POF only allows you to send a message and nothing more. The fact most apps offer something beyond a message makes using POF less attractive.
7. There are better options for meeting women.
POF was one of the most popular dating apps but has faced increased competition from newer apps like Bumble and Hinge. These apps offer more modern and innovative features, making them more appealing to users, old and young..
Newer apps like Tinder and Hinge are easier to jump into, create profiles, and have a better user experience. Older apps like Match.com and Zoosk evolved and are a better experience than POF.
With the number of dating apps available, women have abandoned POF. Maybe they think they may have better luck on other dating apps with a more significant user base or better features.
Final Thoughts
POF was once a popular choice for meeting women online, but its relevance has diminished in recent years. Factors such as low-quality matches, a frustrating user experience, and better-competing apps contributed to its diminished appeal.
The app is no longer a solid option for meeting women. I recommend exploring alternative dating apps with better features, higher quality matches, and more attractive women.
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