As a rule of thumb, online or offline, you pay for yourself.
That way there's no expectation, no sense that either party 'owes' something.
However, if someone insists on paying, then fair enough; accept the gesture gracefully.
If you really want to pay for them, you just say before or at the start of the date, "I'd like to pay for this one. If we see each other again, you can always return the favour." Or something similar. Don't make a big deal out of it, because it isn't a big deal. In this case, it's just a coffee.
Online dating - who should pay for first date?
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As a rule of thumb, online or offline, you pay for yourself.
That way there's no expectation, no sense that either party 'owes' something.
However, if someone insists on paying, then fair enough; accept the gesture gracefully.
If you really want to pay for them, you just say before or at the start of the date, "I'd like to pay for this one. If we see each other again, you can always return the favour." Or something similar. Don't make a big deal out of it, because it isn't a big deal. In this case, it's just a coffee.