Who it’s for:
Grindr isn’t just a popular gay dating app for hookups and casual encounters. It’s the king of gay dating apps, and it’s become a big part of modern gay culture. It’s mostly for gay men who are looking to get laid now, and it has a massive user base.
Although bi, trans, and queer people are welcome on the app, the majority of users are gay men.
Why we picked this:
Grindr is the gay dating app for men, but the company also advocates for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. Grindr has conducted some pretty illuminating research about its international users: Leading to The Grindr for Equality campaign, which advocates for the sexual health and safety of LGBTQ+ people in unsafe countries. Props for that.
That’s not the only thing the app’s doing to help protect its users, though. During the Olympics (both in Beijing in 2022 and this year’s games in Paris), the app turned off certain location-based features to make it a safer space for LGBTQ+ athletes, particularly those who live in countries where their identity could put them at risk.
In terms of usability, Grindr isn’t swipe-based like some other hookup apps. Instead, you’ll see a collage of guys who are close to your location. As soon as you hop on the app, you’ll see tons of men waiting to talk — for starters. But, it’s true, Grindr has been having some issues lately. Users are complaining about bugs (apparently due to some recent updates gone wrong) and new paywalls blocking features like “taps.” It kinda feels like they’re choosing money over keeping users happy, which is a total bummer.
Do note that Grindr lacks the boundaries other apps provide — most users are just looking to hook up, and they will let you know they’re not in it for small talk. (That warning may come in the form of a dick pic and not in as many words.) Some of the app’s users have a reputation of not being so welcoming to bisexual users, and it isn’t exactly known for being free from racism, either.
That’s not to say you can’t find a lasting relationship on Grindr — a lot of men do meet their forever person on Grindr — but on the surface, it’s a tool for a quick, casual hookup. FWIW, men in small towns with a meager queer population are more likely to find a connection here than on Tinder or OkCupid.