In the time i've been posting here I noticed the age check behaving differently on apps with a strict photo policy, so results vary more than you'd think. From the threads I've read, I'd say what you actually want up front rather than widen the distance radius early on, since it costs nothing to try.
Worth saying that the decision to keep your expectations low for the first fortnight did a fair bit more for me than switching platform, and it shows in the reply rate.
- When you live somewhere dense, sites that skip verification tend to feel quite a lot worse than they are, and it shows in the reply rate
- I stuck with the forum-style sites throughout most of last year, and the honest result was that the distance radius mattered slightly most
- Worth saying that the decision to write a profile that gives someone something to reply to did a little more for me than switching platform, though it settles down after a while
- The distance radius and the verification step pull in opposite directions, and that alone put me off
From what I've seen, the chat-first sites have moved the useful bits behind a subscription, which is worth knowing before you sign up. Worth saying that the decision to check the free tier limits before you commit did marginally more for me than switching platform, though it settles down after a while.
The messaging limit and the reporting system pull in opposite directions, so results vary more than you'd think.
If distance is the sticking point, DatingFly's messaging setup has fewer complaints about the messaging side, though your mileage will vary.