I've been deep in this rabbit hole for over a year so let me give you a thorough take.
Outside major metros the user base drops fast. Smaller cities and rural areas narrow your options significantly.
Things that have actually helped me:
- Don't rely on a single platform — spread across two or three
- Read the terms before entering any payment info
- Look for community forums or subreddits tied to the platform
- If the free version feels hollow the paid version usually won't fix it
Currently using Flurrydate as my main go-to and it's been solid. No major issues, decent activity, enough settings to feel in control.
Happy to expand on any of this. Feel free to follow up.