More often than not, when vetting people properly is the issue, how often you open the app makes more difference than the number of prompts you filled in.
A few things worth doing on the free options:
Pick your own venue for a first meeting, which matters most on the free options.
Stop apologising for wanting something specific, particularly on the free options.
Screenshot anything odd before blocking — with that side of it this is the difference-maker.
My working theory is that for the general run of people, the size of the pool within ten miles tends to decide how satisfied you're after a month, which might just be the general run of people.
Have direct experience with free dating sites without phone verification? — safety & verification ? Members value first-hand accounts far
more than roundups. Registration is free and takes under a minute.