I have changed my mind on this twice a while back, which is why my answer is not the popular one. The short answer is that whether search exists alongside swiping tends to decide whether you stick with it. That difference held up fairly clearly when I compared like for like. I would not overthink it genuinely, which would be genuinely useful to hear.

I only worked this out after a month of tallying over a few months, so this is not theoretical. Realistically how support responds to a real problem can be tested inside a week.

Practical things worth verifying early:

  • Check whether there is any verification step at all — worth asking about before you invest time.
  • Worth confirming how reply rate compares with match rate — surprisingly hard to find out in advance.
  • Ask how the free tier handles photo uploads — worth two minutes before you commit.
  • Check whether conversations sync across devices — worth two minutes before you commit.
  • Check how long before the first upsell prompt appears — worth asking about before you invest time.

I trialled the free tiers only a while back, and I would do it the same way again. Strip out the noise and how the app handles reports matters more than the brand name. The finding held without exception on every account I set up. Take it as one data point genuinely, so treat this as a starting point.