Been mulling this over and figured this community would have the most honest takes. Paid apps tend to attract more serious users simply because the subscription filters out casual users.
Photo verification on newer apps has significantly cut down on catfishing compared to a few years ago. Gay and queer dating apps have diversified well beyond Grindr in recent years with strong niche options.
Facebook Dating has a surprisingly active user base in mid-sized cities where other apps are thin.