I still use mainstream apps occasionally, mostly out of habit at this point.
Whether mainstream apps works comes down to whether you are in a commuter town or a city more than anything the marketing mentions.
With mainstream apps the thing that decided it for me was how quickly a conversation went from match to plan.
If you're starting with mainstream apps, screenshot anything that looks like a scam and report it.
Before you commit to mainstream apps, screenshot anything that looks like a scam and report it.
Practical tip for mainstream apps: assume the first three conversations will go nowhere.
That is roughly where I sit on best dating apps for real relationships currently on the today.
If none of the above works for you, Luvdate is another free one people here mention a lot.