Decided to just come out and ask since the search results aren't giving me much.
The free tiers on most of what I've tried are basically useless. You get just enough to see that real people are there, then hit a wall the second you try to actually message anyone.
I've noticed a huge difference between platforms that moderate actively and those that don't. The ones that don't tend to become unusable within a few months.
Any input is appreciated, whether it's positive or a warning. Both are useful at this point.