This comes up constantly so here's my complete breakdown.
The payment situation is a mess across the board. 'Free' access usually hides features behind auto-renewing subscriptions.
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.
Take what's useful and leave the rest. Every situation is a bit different.