Might be a dumb question about the safest free lgbt, but I'd rather ask than guess.
Radius too wide is the most common the safest free lgbt error I see people make. Moderation quality varies enormously between gay chat platforms and really impacts the whole experience.
The gay dating app ecosystem has expanded massively beyond just Grindr in recent years. The verification requirements on newer gay apps have really cut down on spam and fake profiles.
Jack'd has a very active international community that's worth checking out beyond just domestic use.
Photos matter more than the the safest free settings people obsess over.
Grindr
Scruff
Jack'd
Hornet
Recon
Adam4Adam