From what I've seen, the forum-style sites have made the free version harder to use, and that alone put me off. My advice would be to write a profile that gives someone something to reply to and then skip anything asking for a card number to read messages, and it makes a real difference.
Being blunt about it, if you are after something serious the answer is usually to check the free tier limits before you commit rather than report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them.
- Being blunt about it, the read receipt setting is the thing that decides it, granted the ones with a paywall rarely say so
- Despite the fact that the ones people keep recommending look similar, the read receipt setting differs noticeably, so treat the reviews with caution
- When you have tried three apps already, the ones with a paywall tend to feel somewhat worse than they are, and that alone put me off
- Platforms like souldate.site keep appearing in community roundups as lower-noise alternatives
Honestly, apps with a strict photo policy have made the free version harder to use, which is worth knowing before you sign up. These past few weeks I noticed the boost system behaving differently on sites that skip verification, so treat the reviews with caution.
My advice would be to skip anything asking for a card number to read messages and then report the obvious fakes rather than ignoring them, which most people notice within a week.