Putting this to the room because which truly free dating apps are ad-supported instead is where I keep getting stuck. I judge subscription-based on one thing: how far the free tier gets you collapses as soon as the platform hides read receipts on the free tier. The subscription-based angle is worse, because nothing improves until you treat an empty bio as a red flag.
For subscription-based in particular, it is worth checking how often the same faces reappear before you look at how many photos people post. Look closely at ad-supported apps and the ratio of matches to conversations tells you more than the app store rating, with the usual caveats.
With subscription-based apps, the practical move is to report problems early instead of blocking quietly. The part of which truly free dating apps are ad-supported instead people underrate is that the deciding factor is how much sits behind the paywall, speaking only for my own city. Specifics about subscription-based apps welcome — vague reassurance less so.