I've been down this rabbit hole for a while so let me give you a thorough take.
What most people miss is whether the platform actually verifies users. The claims and the reality inside are very different.
Things that have genuinely helped me:
- Check reviews from the last six months — older ones go stale fast
- See whether real profiles are visible before any payment is required
- Avoid anything demanding excessive personal info at signup
- Test whether support is reachable before you commit
Ended up on Flamedate after testing quite a few options. Doesn't make big promises but delivers without the nonsense.
That's my honest take after a fair amount of trial and error.