Best Dating App if not in a big city?

[runningon]

After a year of being single (apart from a FWB situation) I'm resigned that the only way I'm going to meet anyone is through OLD.
I heard guardian soulmates is closing, tinder seems to be full of married guys too chicken to put a profile picture up, I've never looked at the rest.
A friend in London suggested Hinge, but I'm guessing that's more of a London thing plus I'm middle aged so not sure I'm the target audience .
What apps/websites do people reccommend, or is it a much of a muchness?
I'm looking for a serious relationship rather than hookups.

Interested too...
I am a guy and started looking at old a few weeks ago:

Tried pof.....no response, so deleted

Bumble....I liked a lot (almost everyone to be fair!), and only a couple of responses....along the lines of "Hi", I had a few who had liked me, but I had not seen them so I paid to see them and they were all hundreds of miles away,.....Bumble now canned too!

Hinge....wrote a profile and got a couple of matches
Neither seem bothered to reply to my messages from one day to another...going to delete this too.

All seems a complete demoralising nightmare!

I would recommend paying for match. I've been on pof for a year and deleted it now, match seems to be better quality, and can't receive unwarranted messages.

I know several middle aged people who have met via OLD It can take several years as many people are in some kind of problem when you meet them eg abroad ,still involved with custody battle with ex, insolvent
You need to work out asap what the problem is (they may tell you) and see if you can stomach it out.

I'd suggest one that you pay for. It shows a commitment from the people on there that they want a serious relationship and not just a casual arrangement.

Thanks, I will have a look at the paid sites, I know it's a numbers game, I'm not really bothered if I find someone, I'm very happy single - but I do worry I have the potential to be an animal collector and will die alone (apart from the pets!)

I like Bumble because the woman has to initiate contact. I thought pof was awful!

Met a few nice guys on Bumble but then met really wonderful current partner of 9 months on Guardian Soulmates (get on there - it’s free before it closes at the end of June). I’d probably check out Hinge if I was solo but avoid PoF and Tinder if you’re looking for someone serious. Match is ok too but I didn’t meet anyone on there in the end as it happens. Good luck.

Message from my da who has been married to my mum for forty years...relatively happily xD (well, they tolerate each other) apparently men on match are just looking for a higher quality of woman to screw then dump. He may have put it more politely but that was the general message. I had said that maybe it showed they were looking for something a bit more committed if they were willing to pay for a dating site. Guess I got a resounding no to that theory lol.

I have used match in the past...preferred badoo tbh.

I've used Hinge before as a middle aged person and still found matches
You do seem you get more younger, trendier types on there not sure thats a bad thing though, i'm not in London either.
Match was full of imo quite unattractive men, the kind that stay on there for years sorry it's sounds mean.
Bumble lots of nice looking ones but a lot looking for something casual I found alot were from London on there also and they always ask 'do you ever come to London' er no!

I've posted on here before on similar questions - Hinge worked for me at age 48 and newly divorced (and living in a semi rural location)! I would recommend paying (think it was £35 for 3 months) as it opens you up to seeing more profiles.
I met hopefully Mr Right pre-lockdown, we had 4 dates and all was going well - and we've messaged every day and met for socially distanced walks. So - fingers crossed!