Trying to get a straight answer on free international dating apps without the marketing spin. The work apps angle is worse, because most of the disappointment traces back to how far the free tier gets you. The reply rate is a better predictor than the size of the ad budget, from what I've seen, which is the whole problem with international.
Look closely at international and the deciding factor is the quality of the filters, based on a fairly small sample. Applied to work apps, the platform locks messaging behind a subscription, which is easy to mistake for bad luck. If international is your priority, how often the same faces reappear outweighs the size of the database.
Nothing about international apps changes the fact that the platform throttles your visibility unless you pay, and the proportion of dormant accounts suffers for it. On free international dating apps specifically, it is worth checking how often the same faces reappear before you look at the badge on the download page. Specifics about international welcome — vague reassurance less so.