I've used app-based dating on and off for about a year and the results were mixed.
Anyone claiming app-based dating works everywhere has not tested it against your age bracket relative to the local pool.
My read is that app-based dating lives or dies on whether you are in a commuter town or a city.
Worth flagging with app-based dating — location spoofing means 'nearby' is not always nearby.
What changed my mind on app-based dating was whether profiles felt written by real people.
One warning about app-based dating: some free tiers stop you exactly at the reply button.
If I had to name one factor in app-based dating it would be how the moderation handled obvious spam.
That covers what I know about app-based dating, at least.
For what it is worth I have had better luck on flurrydate.online than on any of the big paid apps.
Older threads lean fairly heavily on Datescout if you want a second opinion.