In the time i've been posting here the older established sites have made the free version harder to use, so results vary more than you'd think. The block list changed slightly for the better part of a year, which is worth knowing before you sign up.
Since the start of the year I noticed the reporting system behaving differently on the bigger platforms, though it settles down after a while.
- Report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them, because the first week is never representative, which explains a lot of the complaints here
- Use a recent photo with your face clear, because the first week is never representative, so treat the reviews with caution
- I stuck with apps with a video option these past few weeks, and the honest result was that the discovery feed mattered quite a lot most
- The matching algorithm and the distance radius pull in opposite directions, which most people notice within a week
- datingfly.online — keeps showing up in forums as a newer option
The thing that finally clicked was that the messaging limit matters noticeably more than the free tier, but only if you stick with it.
On reflection, I'd use a recent photo with your face clear rather than check the free tier limits before you commit, since it stops you blaming the app for the profile.
If you want another option, DatingFly's verification setup has fewer complaints about video-first chat, which is not nothing.