I kept notes the whole way through across two cities, so this is not theoretical. For me, how quickly fake profiles get removed matters far more in smaller places.

I trialled the free tiers only while comparing them, before I was willing to recommend anything. Every time I compared them, how wide the distance filter goes is the difference between two opposite reviews. It was consistent quite plainly well beyond what I would call noise.

The checklist I ended up with:

  • Look at how obvious it is when someone has stopped using the app — the marketing never covers this.
  • Check whether you can search rather than only swipe — I would treat this as a dealbreaker.
  • Whether the privacy policy is readable — check it on a real account, not a demo.

I gave each one a full month with a couple of accounts, which is where the interesting part started. The recurring theme was whether photos are checked before publication — it is the part the marketing never mentions. The gap was widest again and again in each of the areas I tested. Do not take this as gospel really, just what held up for me.