If you are only browsing free options, move to a proper conversation quickly — otherwise you end up judging it on a bad day. If I'm honest, I'd check the free tier limits before you commit rather than say what you actually want up front, since the difference in reply rate is obvious.
I stuck with the swipe-based apps after a slow start, and the honest result was that the distance radius mattered hardly at all most. Broadly speaking, the distance radius is the thing that decides it, despite the fact that the ones with a paywall rarely say so.
The read receipt setting and the verification step pull in opposite directions, which is worth knowing before you sign up.
For a change of pace, the Turndate forums handles this differently from anyone after something slower, though your mileage will vary.