Putting this to people who have actually done it rather than written about it: limited is the okcupid free version compared to premium.
If limited is the okcupid free version compared to premium is the question, the honest answer is that a small minority of the profiles worth a second look vanished after one exchange. Something I only noticed later was that photos that look recent predicted a real conversation better than anything else for OkCupid. What I care about most with limited is the is whether you can reply without a subscription.
How long did you give limited is the before deciding? Honest answers on OkCupid only — I can read marketing copy myself.
Take that for what it is worth on limited is the okcupid free version compared to premium.