Gay dating sites have long been an issue for the LGBTQ community. There are so many apps out there for all different kinds of dating. Want to hook up? There are apps for that. Want a long term relationship? There are apps for that. Want to date non-monogamously? There are apps for that too. It’s little surprise you might be wondering where to begin…
You’re probably not too surprised to hear that in 2022, there’s far more going on app-wise than your usual suspects. But that still begs the question, what’s out there beyond the Grindrs of the gay dating cosmos?
We’ve put together an in-depth top three of the best gay dating apps on the market right now. All that’s left for you to do is to decide which one you should be checking out!
The Best Gay Dating Sites for 2022
Scruff
Don’t overlook this app just because of its name. Although it’s called Scruff, all those who identify as male are welcome. The website boasts over 15 million gay, bi, trans, and queer male users.
In fact, the site works hard to make sure this is always true. Recognizing that racism in gay dating apps is an unfortunate reality, Scruff opted to have users no longer have to list their race or ethnicity, in the hopes that it may prevent racism on their platform. Additionally, the app began to remove programmed advertising, which targets specific demographics based on data from the app .
Now, they focus on partnerships with LGBTQ nonprofits, health and advocacy groups, and lifestyle and travel companies.
That last part is a particularly interesting part of the app. There’s a large international community on Scruff and the app encourages you to get to know people who are located in places you’re planning to visit.
This can help travelers to meet new people around the world, but it also helps users to travel with more knowledge of the area and may result in you having your own travel guide, as well as a hot date. Particularly if you’re traveling to a place that might not be incredibly LGBTQ friendly, it can be especially helpful to have someone to help you navigate it.
Hornet
Hornet’s goal is to be more of a community platform than strictly a dating app. The site hosts community events but it also boasts a community feed, that’s a bit similar to Facebook or Instagram’s feed.
They even have Stories on the platform, like the popular social media apps. Additionally, there are moderators on duty to be sure that all content posted is LGBTQ friendly and acceptable for their user base.
Hornet has grown rather quickly, with an international audience of over 25 million users. A big part of this is because Hornet doesn’t just focus on finding you dates near you. It also focuses on fostering a supportive, gay online community.
The app even shares relevant articles with users. Essentially, it’s kind of like a social media dating site, but perhaps with a bit more positivity and support than you’d find on a typical gay dating app.
LGBTQutie
A relative newcomer to the gay dating sites scene, LGBTQutie has a goal of connecting people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. However, it’s also pretty thorough in helping you find exactly what you’re looking for. We mean that in terms of helping you find someone you’re attracted to and interested in to date, but we also mean that it’ll help you find other things that you’re looking for outside of dating.
Similarly to Hornet, this app wants to create a community feel beyond just being a dating app. There are several quizzes on the site to help you figure out what you’re looking for and if you’re ready for a long-term relationship.
But if you’re not ready for a relationship, the site also fosters friendship connections and hosts events. Like Hornet as well, they also share relevant content with their users, via the QutieBlog and QutieNews sections of the app.
To help prevent catfishing, LGBTQutie also has an option to send video clips, so that you know that the person you think you’re talking to is actually the person you’re talking to.
In 2022, the only gay dating site isn’t Grindr. There’s a lot more out there to explore and you may just find a whole community out there online that you want to be a part of. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exploring!