Is Doublelist Legit and Safe to Use? Doublelist emerged as a Craigslist alternative after Craigslist shut down its personals section in 2018. This free classifieds site allows users to post personal ads and browse listings in categories like dating, casual encounters, jobs, housing, and more.
But is Doublelist actually legit and safe to use? This in-depth guide will provide an honest look at Doublelist, including:
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What is Doublelist and How Does it Work?
Doublelist brands itself as a replacement for Craigslist personals. The site allows users to post free personal ads in various categories and browse listings from others.
Some of the main categories on Doublelist include:
- Casual Encounters
- Dating
- strictly Men Seeking Men
- strictly Women Seeking Men
- strictly Men Seeking Women
- strictly Women Seeking Women
- Misc. Community
- Jobs
- Housing
- For Sale
- Services
- Local News
To get started, you simply create a free account with your email address. No phone number is required. Then you can start browsing ads or create your own ad by selecting a category and writing a short description of what you’re looking for.
Other users can then respond to your ad via email. Any responses will go directly to the email you used to sign up. You can message back and forth with potential matches completely anonymously through email.
The site has a very basic, old school Craigslist-style layout with mainly text-based ads. There are no profiles, swiping, or instant messaging features.
Is Doublelist Legit?
So is Doublelist actually a legit site with real users? Or is it overrun by spam, scams, and fake profiles?
Based on research and real user reviews, Doublelist does appear to be a legitimate site overall. However, there are some caveats.
Here are the key things to know about Doublelist’s legitimacy:
- Mostly real ads: The majority of ads do appear to come from actual users looking to connect. However, there are some spam/scam ads mixed in.
- Phone verification: Doublelist now requires new users to verify via phone, which helps reduce spam accounts.
- Active user base: Doublelist has been gaining more users since the closure of Craigslist personals. But the user base is still smaller than major dating apps.
- Some inactive ads: Since email is the main communication method, some old ads may still be online from inactive users.
- Limited moderation: Doublelist does not appear to have robust moderation. Some dodgy/explicit ads may slip through the cracks.
Overall, most signs point to Doublelist being a legitimate site, but users should still exercise some caution when browsing ads or communicating with matches. Verifying phone numbers does help enhance legitimacy considerably.
Is Doublelist Safe to Use?
Is Doublelist Legit? When it comes to safety, no classifieds site is 100% foolproof. However, Doublelist does take measures to improve user safety and privacy.
Here are the key factors related to safety on Doublelist:
- Email-based communication: The use of anonymous email helps protect privacy and safety when getting to know matches. You never have to share personal contact info.
- Community guidelines: Doublelist has clear rules banning unlawful behavior, escorts, prostitution, and exploitation. Breaking the rules can lead to account deletion.
- Phone verification: Requiring new users to verify their phone number helps reduce spam and fraudulent accounts, improving safety.
- User ratings: Doublelist has a user rating system to identify potentially dangerous or fake users. However, this feature is still limited.
- Limited personal info: Since there are no profiles, you reveal very little personal information publicly on the site.
- Meet safely: As with any online dating site, Doublelist users are advised to proceed carefully when agreeing to meet someone in person. Meet in a public place, tell someone where you’ll be, etc.
So is Doublelist completely safe? No classifieds site can provide a 100% guarantee. But Doublelist does have safety measures in place that make it reasonably secure if used carefully. As always, exercising caution is advised.
Pros of Using Doublelist
What are some of the main advantages of Doublelist compared to other Craigslist personals alternatives?
Here are some of the key pros:
- 100% free: It’s free to create an account and post unlimited ads. Most dating sites charge a fee.
- Anonymity: You can browse ads and communicate anonymously through email without handing out your real contact information.
- Variety of categories: Doublelist has categories for dating, casual encounters, community, housing, jobs, etc. Lots of options.
- Email responses: You get notified of responses directly via email instead of having to log into the site constantly to check messages.
- LGBTQ+ friendly: Doublelist is open to all sexual orientations with specific categories for LGBTQ+ connections.
- No profiles: Since it focuses on anonymous text-based ads, you reveal very little personal info publicly.
- Less spam: The phone verification helps reduce spam and scam accounts that flooded Craigslist.
For those seeking casual relationships or anonymity online, Doublelist can be an appealing free option compared to dating apps.
Cons of Using Doublelist
However, Doublelist isn’t perfect. There are some downsides to consider as well:
Here are some potential cons:
- Limited moderation: Questionable/explicit content can slip through the cracks without robust moderation.
- Misleading ads: Users sometimes post misleading ads or use coded language to get around guidelines.
- Smaller user base: Doublelist has fewer active users than major dating apps, so options may be limited.
- Old school interface: The very basic site design feels dated compared to slick dating apps.
- Slow communication: Relying solely on email back and forth can be slower than instant messaging.
- Inactive ads: Since email is the communication method, some old ads may still be up from inactive users.
- Safety concerns: Users should still exercise caution when meeting strangers online. Safety is never guaranteed.
While Doublelist can be useful in many cases, users should be aware of its limitations compared to more robust dating platforms. But for a simple, free Craigslist-style option, it fits the bill.
Doublelist Alternatives to Consider
If Doublelist ultimately doesn’t meet your needs, here are a few other alternative sites that may interest you:
- Craigslist Activities: This section of Craigslist remains active for strictly platonic activities and meetups.
- Reddit R4R: Popular Reddit forums like r/r4r allow users to post personal ads. Subreddits exist for multiple interests and locations.
- FetLife: This free kink/BDSM community has personals ads, local event listings, chat rooms, etc.
- Alt.com: Known as the “alternative dating site,” Alt caters to fetishes, kink, BDSM, and non-mainstream connections. Paid subscription.
- Ashley Madison: Despite past controversies, Ashley Madison remains active as a popular married dating site. Offers anonymity.
- Adult FriendFinder: Long-running hookup site known for steamy encounters, webcams, chat rooms, and more. But paid subscriptions are expensive.
If you still want that old school, anonymized Craigslist personals experience, Doublelist brings that into 2022. But there are also modern dating apps that focus on safety, shared interests, and profile verification over anonymity. It all depends on your personal preferences.
Is Doublelist Legit and Safe to Use?
Doublelist provides a basic platform for posting free personal ads similar to old school Craigslist. It has grown as a popular alternative since the closure of Craigslist personals.
However, Doublelist isn’t perfect. Users should be aware of the potential for spam, misleading ads, safety risks, and limitations compared to more robust dating sites. Proceed with reasonable caution.
That said, if you value anonymity, casual relationships, and simple email-based connections, Doublelist can potentially still meet your needs.
Bottom line: Doublelist is reasonably legit and can be used safely with proper precautions, but it depends if the pros outweigh any cons for your personal preferences. Give it a try and see if the free classifieds site is a good match for you!
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