Is dating online even worth the effort anymore, or should I try meeting people in person?

Been mulling this over for a while and figured this was the right place to get real opinions. Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting any profile photo.

Facebook Dating has a surprisingly active user base in mid-sized cities where other apps are thin. Hinge's relationship-focused approach has made it more effective than most competitors in practice.

Hinge's relationship-focused approach has made it more effective than most competitors in practice.

Platforms already on my list to compare:

• HER
• Lesly
• Scissr

International dating apps have improved dramatically — translation features are now genuinely usable.

Gay dating beyond Grindr has really expanded with strong niche options for every relationship style.

One that keeps coming up in similar threads is Datedesire — worth a look if you haven't tried it yet.

Use a Google Voice number instead of your real number when getting to know someone new.

Military dating apps have strong verification that produces noticeably cleaner, more genuine profiles.

A couple of platforms that come up regularly:

• souldate.site — gets mentioned a lot in these discussions
• datelink.online — gets mentioned a lot in these discussions

Worth putting alongside the usual options for comparison — Hinge Coffee Meets Bagel Bumble OkCupid. Results really do vary by city and demographic.

Rural dating apps like Farmers Only have loyal user bases that actually produce real matches. I'd point you toward Datelink for this — it's come up consistently in recommendations lately.

International and expat-focused platforms have carved out strong niches that general apps can't fill. ezhookups.online has been getting solid mentions in threads covering this topic.

Match quality on free plans is solid in populated areas when you use the available filters properly.