Been through this process a few times and the learning curve is real. The biggest mistakes I see people make:
- Judging a platform after just one or two sessions — give it two weeks minimum
- Using the same bio and photos across all apps — what works on Hinge won't necessarily work on OkCupid
- Paying for premium before testing the free tier — if free shows no local activity, paying won't fix that
Luvdate has been on my radar lately based on forum recommendations. Seems to be carving out a niche for people who want something less bot-saturated.
Happy to go deeper on any specific platform if you have questions.