The Pros and Cons of Doublelist
Hi. I'm Steve. I'm 34, I'm a construction worker, and I've never been in a real relationship. I'm not saying that I don't like the idea of settling down one day, because I do. I just really don't feel ready to do all that yet. I work way too many hours, and quite frankly, I just want to be able to have some fun without all that baggage. I heard about Doublelist from a friend, who informed me that it was kind of like the old Craigslist personals, so I thought, why not give it a shot?
First Impressions:
When I first logged on to Doublelist, I was kinda blown away. The site's structure was simple—no bells, but simple. Registration was pretty straightforward too. You basically just needed an email, and after a quick verification process, I was good to go. I liked that there weren't a million steps I had to jump through just so I could utilize it.
The very first thing I noticed was just how localized it was. I could browse for posts from people just in my immediate vicinity, which was an enormous plus. I don't want to go halfway across the state to get together with a person. I just wanted to keep it easy and local.
Advantages of Doublelist:
Free to Use: Unlike a lot of dating websites or apps that welcome you with a paywall or subscription rate, Doublelist was free to use. You could send messages, respond to messages, and post ads without reaching for the wallet.
Easy Navigation: The layout of the website was plain. You could sort things out through categories, locations, and preferences, which enabled you to swiftly narrow down your choices.
Local Connections: I liked the fact that you could see the posts from women in my local town. It made it more tangible and got me thinking I had a better chance of actually meeting someone.
Anonymity: You did not have to link social media profiles or put in a lot of personal information. It was low-key.
The Downside:
Lots of Bots: I started noticing something within a couple of days. I'd initiate a conversation with a girl and it would start off in a normal way. But then, I'd get weird, robot-like responses or be asked to sign up for shady external sites. That was a warning sign. I'm not saying every profile was fake, but a sufficient number of them were to be frustrating.
Attention Seekers: There were also females who seemed to enjoy chatting and flirting but were not interested in meeting. I'd string them along messaging for days, believing we were getting somewhere, only to discover they just wanted the attention. I get it—everybody needs to feel validated—but I wasn't looking for a pen pal.
Flaky Responses: Even when I was certain I was talking to an actual human being, trying to set up a real date was pulling teeth. Plans would be canceled, or I'd just be ghosted. It started feeling like a waste of time.
Hit-or-Miss Quality: The Doublelist ads ranged from genuine and concise to downright strange. You had to search through tons of trash to get something good.
The Turning Point:
Within a few weeks, I was more frustrated than anything. I'd entered into it expecting some easy, no-drama fun, but what I received was a lot of dead-end conversations and wasted time. Then, another friend told me to try Skip the Games. I'd never heard of it before, but by then, I was desperate to try something different.
Making the Switch:
Skip the Games was a lifesaver. It was more up front. The women on there were not ashamed to say what they desired, and organizing a meet was that much easier. There was less back-and-forth, less games, and a whole lot more follow-up. I don't get too explicit, but let's just say it was exactly what I was looking for.
If you’re looking to chat, maybe flirt a little, and don’t mind if nothing really comes of it, Doublelist might work for you. But if you’re like me—busy, not looking for a relationship, and just wanting to meet real people without the hassle—I’d say save yourself the trouble and check out Skip the Games instead. Doublelist felt like a lot of smoke and mirrors, while Skip the Games was the real deal.
