Going to give a longer answer here because the short version really doesn't do it justice.
What a lot of people don't realize is that the user base quality drops significantly outside major metro areas. If you're in a smaller city or rural area, your options narrow pretty fast.
A few things that have genuinely helped me:
- Don't rely on just one platform — spreading across two or three increases your chances significantly
- Read the terms of service before entering any payment info
- Look for community forums or subreddits tied to the platform before joining
- If the free version feels hollow, the paid version usually isn't much better
Currently using Datebound as my main go-to and it's been solid for the past few months. No major issues, decent activity, and enough settings to feel in control.
Hopefully that saves you some time and frustration. This stuff can feel overwhelming at first.