Couldn't find a clear up-to-date answer anywhere so figured I'd ask directly. Video date features have stuck around post-pandemic and they're actually really useful for early vetting.
Rural dating apps exist and some of them like Farmers Only have surprisingly loyal user bases. Profile quality is everything on dating apps. A well-written bio beats a hundred passive swipes every time.
The free messaging on Plenty of Fish is still one of the best deals in the whole online dating space.
Safety stuff I try to keep in mind:
- Use a Google Voice number instead of your real number when you're still getting to know someone new.
- Payment requests from any match should always be treated as a scam regardless of the story told.
- Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting profile photos before investing time.