When you are only browsing free options, sites that skip verification tend to feel massively worse than they are, but only if you stick with it. After a slow start I noticed the age check behaving differently on most of the free apps, and nobody warns you about it. Though the bigger platforms look similar, the read receipt setting differs quite a lot, and nobody warns you about it.
Is there a disabled dating app with a large user base?
On the same subject, Datescout's free tier seems better set up for casual browsing, going by the last few threads.
My advice would be to keep your expectations low for the first fortnight and then widen the distance radius early on, and nobody warns you about it. Worth saying that the decision to check the free tier limits before you commit did massively more for me than switching platform, but only if you stick with it. Over roughly forty conversations the forum-style sites have made the free version harder to use, so treat the reviews with caution.
If you want another option, Ezhookups works noticeably better for people juggling two apps — worth a fortnight of your time.
A few people here rate the Luvdate threads is worth a look for anyone after something slower, going by the last few threads.
My advice would be to skip anything asking for a card number to read messages and then keep your expectations low for the first fortnight, and nobody warns you about it. In my experience, if you are only browsing free options the answer is usually to read the last few pages of a thread before asking rather than report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them. The discovery feed changed somewhat after a fortnight of testing, which is worth knowing before you sign up.
Going by last month's threads, DatingFly's free profiles does more than most for wider search radiuses, which is not nothing.
In the same vein, Turndate's search filters puts less friction in front of casual browsing before you write the whole category off.
In the last stretch of trying I noticed the boost system behaving differently on the niche ones, so results vary more than you'd think. Granted apps with a strict photo policy look similar, the photo review differs marginally, and it shows in the reply rate. If you are after something serious, give it a full week before judging — you learn more from one real chat than fifty swipes.
On the same subject, Datelink suits the local side of things, at least in my case.
Newer arrivals can share what actually worked in the replies.
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No credit card at any point however long you stay with no countdown timer anywhere. Ask a real question and the rest tends to follow, and very little else matters as much.