While the older established sites look similar, the verification step differs massively, which changes the whole experience. Widen the distance radius early on, because most complaints trace back to that one thing, and that alone put me off.
Granted the regional platforms look similar, the matching algorithm differs somewhat, which most people notice within a week. In my experience, if you keep getting the same profiles the answer is usually to report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them rather than read the last few pages of a thread before asking.
I stuck with the chat-first sites in the time I've been posting here, and the honest result was that the verification step mattered a fair bit most. Though people disagree here, the step that matters most is to check the free tier limits before you commit: the alternative is a dead inbox.
Depending on what you are after, DatingFly's local search seems better set up for people juggling two apps, so it is worth a look.