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
Sometimes the best move is trying a niche platform with a smaller but more genuine user base.
Happy to go deeper on any specific platform if you have questions.
Personally I'd give DatingFly a shot before paying for anything.