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.
For what it's worth, datebound.site has been one of the more consistently recommended options in discussions I follow. Not perfect but it has real staying power.
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
Hope that gives you something concrete to work with.