I used Hinge, Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel, Tinder, and PoF, all without paying. That order reflects how well they worked for me, with Hinge and Bumble being the most successful. I mainly used them between 2021 and 2023. From what I’ve read, the free versions now come with more restrictions than before.
I'd be happy to go into more detail about these apps, but I think they're all pretty straightforward. On Coffee Meets Bagel, I got a lot of likes, but I couldn’t view them without paying. Tinder works well for people who know how to present themselves.
As for PoF, I didn't like it at all. The app was full of low-quality profiles and the interface was clunky, though I did end up meeting a few people on it.