I benchmarked it against what I used before a while back, and the results surprised me. What I found is that the actual reply rate stays invisible until it bites you.

I logged what actually happened while comparing them, and I would do it the same way again. Cutting through it, how new accounts are treated in week one shapes the first fortnight more than anything. The trend was steady again and again even after I changed my photos.

I logged what actually happened here, and a few things became obvious quickly. Once you look closely, whether the app works on a slow connection matters more than the brand name. It stood out more than once regardless of how active I was. Your area may behave differently really, it takes very little effort to check.

The things that actually moved the needle for me:

  • Check whether you can delete your account without contacting support — the answer varies more than you would think.
  • Whether matches expire after a set time — the answer varies more than you would think.
  • Ask how quickly support answers a real problem — it matters more after the first month.

I made a spreadsheet, embarrassingly while comparing them, which is why I am comfortable saying this. The short answer is that the actual reply rate stays invisible until it bites you. The signal was clear to a degree that mattered in a way that was hard to argue with. Reasonable people disagree here ultimately, which would be genuinely useful to hear.