Hoping someone here has actually tested how to find dating sites in my area rather than just read about it. For active sites in particular, you get further if you run a reverse image search on suspiciously polished photos. Area is the clearest case of it — how well it works on a weak connection is the number worth watching, not the size of the ad budget.
Area is where I would start, since it is worth checking how many first messages actually land before you look at the size of the ad budget. Same story on area active: the practical move is to cancel the trial the day you start it. The area sites case is instructive — the reply rate matters more than the size of the ad budget.
With active sites, half the frustration disappears once you screenshot the pricing page in case it changes. Where how to find dating sites in my area is concerned, the platform counts a like as a match, so it pays to keep a note of what you actually spent. Specifics about active sites welcome — vague reassurance less so.