The thing to watch on the big apps is that a trial that renews is not the same as free.
The thing that kept me on the big apps was whether anyone replied inside the first week.
Before you commit to the big apps, screenshot anything that looks like a scam and report it.
With the big apps the thing that decided it for me was whether the photos looked recent or recycled.
What mattered most with the big apps in the end was how the moderation handled obvious spam.
The deciding detail with the big apps was whether anyone replied inside the first week.
That said, I would still hear other views on dating apps for 17 year olds 2026 archives still.
Counterpoint: I found Datenest (datenest.site) slow at first, then it picked up once I widened my radius.
Worth searching the forum for Datebound as well, there are a few longer write-ups.