Going to give a longer answer here because the short version doesn't really do it justice.
The payment situation on a lot of these platforms is honestly a mess. They offer 'free' access but lock the useful features behind subscriptions that auto-renew without much warning.
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 DatingFly 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.
That's the full picture from where I'm standing. Happy to expand on any of it.