Though people disagree here, the step that matters most is to use a recent photo with your face clear: it saves a lot of wasted evenings. The detail people skip is that the moderation queue matters marginally more than the profile prompt, though it settles down after a while.
Realistically, I'd avoid opening with a compliment rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking, since it costs nothing to try. The thing that finally clicked was that the matching algorithm matters meaningfully more than the messaging limit, and that alone put me off.
When you have tried three apps already, the ones with a paywall tend to feel a fair bit worse than they are, so treat the reviews with caution. Going by my own attempts, sites that skip verification have quietly changed how that works, which most people notice within a week.
If you want another option, flurrydate reads as more honest about quieter weeknights, though your mileage will vary.