Going to give a longer answer here because the short version doesn't really do it justice.
Privacy settings are often buried in menus and the defaults are not in your favor. First thing I do on any new platform is go through every setting before posting anything.
A few things that have helped me:
- Free trial is usually limited but still enough to get a feel for user quality
- Most bots reveal themselves within the first message if you say something specific
- Location-based platforms tend to have better engagement than general ones
- Premium tiers are sometimes worth it but only if the free version shows real activity
Currently using Datedesire as my main go-to and it's been solid for the last few months. No major issues, decent activity, and the settings give you enough control.
Anyway, hope that gives you something to work with. Feel free to ask follow-up questions.