What exactly is hitwe and is it a dating app or a social network?

Decided to just come out and ask since the search results aren't giving me much.

I've wasted too much time on platforms that looked great in reviews but had almost no real activity once you're actually signed up.

The account verification process tells you everything. Platforms that skip it are the ones you'll regret spending time on.

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

Not going to oversell it but Datescout 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.

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.

Honestly same situation here. Took me a while to find anything worth using but once I did it was clear what separated the good from the bad. Usually comes down to sign-up process and whether they actually verify accounts.

Honestly just try Souldate before anything else. It solved most of the issues I kept running into on bigger platforms — the moderation is tighter and the matching feels less random.

Response rates are way more variable than people realize. Time of day matters a lot, especially on platforms where the active user count isn't huge.