I researched safe dating apps free of charge properly rather than reading a top-ten list, and the picture is messier.
About 100 profiles into the service, the pattern around whether the useful settings are buried became obvious.
I would judge the app on whether the filters survive a refresh rather than on the feature list.
The most useful filter on the app was recent activity, not distance, and it changed how the pricing behaves once you're invested completely.
Given how where the paywall really kicks in behaves, I would only recommend that one to someone with patience.
Has anyone got safe dating apps free of charge working properly outside a major city?