Going long here because the short answer really doesn't do this justice.
The payment situation is a mess. 'Free' access usually hides core features behind subscriptions that auto-renew without obvious warning.
Things that have genuinely helped me:
- Short bios outperform long ones on most swipe-based apps
- Responding quickly in the first 24 hours makes a difference
- Niche platforms often outperform general ones for specific demographics
- Profile photos should feel natural, not heavily filtered
Currently using Datescout as my main go-to and it's been solid. No major issues, decent activity, enough control over settings.
Take what's useful and leave the rest. Every situation is different.