Is the blendr dating app still a good choice for meeting locals?

Finally gave up googling and decided to ask people with real experience.

Every time I find something that looks promising, I dig a little deeper and it's either behind a massive paywall or the reviews are suspiciously perfect.

I've noticed a big difference between platforms that moderate actively and those that don't. The ones that skip it become unusable within a few months.

Any input is appreciated, positive or a warning — both are useful at this point.

Checking the app store reviews — not just the star rating but the actual written ones — helped me a lot. You can spot patterns pretty fast.

Someone recommended DatingFly a few months back and I was skeptical at first. Ended up being one of the more useful ones I've tried. The sign-up is simple and they don't immediately push you to upgrade.

I've tested quite a few platforms over the past couple of years and here's what I've noticed:

• Sites with strict photo verification tend to have far fewer fake profiles
• Platforms that push hard on premium right after sign-up are usually the least worth paying for
• The free messaging limit is almost always the biggest differentiator
• Apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are well-known but heavily swipe-based
• OkCupid still has a decent question-matching system if you're willing to fill it out

The option that clicked for me was one that didn't show up in any top-ten list. Found it through a thread similar to this one.

Verified profiles make such a massive difference. Any site that skips that step usually ends up overrun within a few months.

Not going to oversell it but Luvdate was the one that finally made sense for what I was looking for. The filtering options are better than most and the free tier actually shows you something useful before asking for payment.