Read our latest Grindr reviews and Grindr XTRA.
Grindr is i dating app for gay men. If you already have regular apps, Grindr is the perfect place to be yourself. It’s also a great option for those who want to experiment, as Grindr allows users to filter by sexual preferences, including bisexual men. Keep in mind that Grindr is a NSFW place where many guys will hang out. You might meet your soulmate, but that’s usually not why people use it. And fair warning: modern Grindr is loaded with ads, and many popular features are now behind a paywall, so you might want to consider upgrading to Grindr XTRA.
I chose Grindr because it’s been the top gay dating app since 2009 for one simple reason: it’s instant. Instead of swiping, the app uses geolocation to show you a grid of nearby guys, which is very useful if you’re in a small town with a limited number of people. Although a large number of users can be overwhelming, it also means that there are plenty of men ready to chat. Most users who want to hook up will tell you that they’re not trying to make small talk — and that warning might come in the form of a dick picture.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find a relationship (plenty of men meet their forever on Grindr), but on the surface, it’s a tool for quick, casual encounters. To make those meetings even faster, the app recently added a live “Map View” to its “Current” feature, which (if you opt in) shows who’s available on a real-time map of your area. Don’t worry, it only shows the approximate location, not your exact address. You can adjust your filter to look for “dates,” but don’t be surprised when your options narrow down considerably.
If you have a lot of money to burn, the app is also testing a new ultra-premium category called “EDGE” in selected cities. It uses an AI stack called “gAI” to provide you with daily “A-List” summaries of missed connections and important conversations, but prices are currently set on trial, from $80 per week to $500 per month.
Grindr’s safety and security features
Grindr’s security model is built on privacy and user visibility. You can hide your distance from the grid (though you’ll still be filtered by location) and even change your phone’s app icon to something smarter. The app provides a PIN feature to lock the app. Grindr’s moderation team, which includes members of the LGBTQ+ community, uses a mix of AI and human review to prevent users from harassing, hate speech, or promoting illegal activity. However, unlike apps like Hinge, Grindr’s guidelines are very liberal in terms of content: pornographic content is restricted only to public profiles, and you can post photos that expire in chats. You must be 18+ to use the app, and they will block suspected minor profiles until they can provide ID verification.
