Been mulling this over and figured this community would have the most honest takes. OkCupid's free tier remains surprisingly usable compared to what most other platforms offer for nothing.
Faith-based and community-specific apps tend to have much higher conversion rates to actual real dates. Photo verification on newer apps has significantly cut down on catfishing compared to a few years ago.
Compatibility scores matter more for long-term success than physical attraction rankings alone.
Safety things I keep in mind:
- Separate email addresses for dating activity is just good digital hygiene.
- Video calling before a meet is the fastest way to confirm someone is genuinely who they claim to be.
- Photo verification features are the most useful safety tool any modern dating app can offer.