I think we can all agree that no business is out there to lose money. Dating app is just another business so they'll surely find ways to earn. That said, one of their success factors is that people actually meet their success eventually, and then recommend others by word of mouth.

I found my success (touch wood so far so good) from FB dating without paying a cent. Sure, you can say "girl ma ofc easier".... But my bf said the same and I'm obviously not the only one pair out there, I've heard many success stories.

That being said, I also believe that dating apps are fixating user's mindset and that's a not entirely a good thing for the dating scene. To start, it guides you through profile creation and you literally fill up a form -- there is a preset of questions to answer. It also gives you all kinds of preferences to filter out people. Now you already have a set of criteria in your head and if someone doesn't meet it, you swipe left. Sounds easy, and I think to a certain extent, it helps. E.g. I hate smoking so a smoker is a deal-breaker to me. Anyone who smokes, we don't have to waste time on each other, cool. Add in 10 more "deal-breakers", you suddenly end up with a very small pool of candidates. Look at couples around you and better yet, talk to them. Or at least, let me just say this: he has qualities I never thought I needed until I got to know him, some of which was quite opposite of what I thought I wanted. It takes knowing others to know yourself more.

Well, it tells you to write whatever you want in a free field description so you're not bound to set rules, doesn't that solve the problem? But that exactly is the problem too!
A) You write a full essay about yourself, people lose interest in interacting with you anymore - and you also tell them what to think of you without a two-way exchange to share the details. People read something they don't like and they just proceed to swipe left.

B) You write a list of criteria you're looking for - well that practically goes back to the previous problem: you're limiting your pool. Moreover, someone who reads, "I'm looking for a mature adult", ironically indicates that you're on the immature side that you cannot deal with it.

C) You don't write ANYTHING. Well then you're not giving people a reason to know you; a mystery to solve.

IMO, dating apps, paid or not, is just a tool for you to achieve your goal of finding a partner. It may not work for you but doesn't mean it's faulty; someone else may find use for it.

Ironically, as people become more connected on the internet, we become more disconnected in reality. We see more ugly than beauty of life in the virtual world, and it's because they're all real, that we fear so much more against the unknown.
"Strangers talking to you out of the blue? RUN." Statistically speaking, not every stranger is out there to bite you. Interestingly, I just went for a buffet lunch at one world hotel recently where you walk to booths for your food... An elderly stranger randomly exclaimed to me that the food I'm about to take is very good. Perhaps it's the older generation that is more open to strike a random conversation to a stranger. Was it loneliness at old age? Maybe, but I guess the older generation is less guarded (also sadly why they're also the most vulnerable group to fall into scams).

Dating app is a relatively safer platform for like minded people (like minded being, most people in there are looking for a partner) to find each other. Sure, there are scammers, but people are likely to be confident that "I won't be that dumbass falling for Nigerian prince trick!" At the very least, and awkward guy on the app is much less likely to be called a creep for talking to a girl he matches with.

Oh there's no way that's you, it was an elderly lady Not something to be embarrassed I'd say, even if you fumble in words. That's just being human... Honestly, I felt odd at that time, but in hindsight now that I'm not eaten alive by a scammer, I'm glad a stranger found me safe looking to have a small talk with.

I used to hate small talks, but now I try to appreciate people's effort in trying to connect to others, even if meaninglessly.