Gay and lesbian dating apps, compared
Twelve LGBTQ+ dating apps ranked by real App Store ratings and review counts, with what each one is actually for. No invented numbers — every figure is dated and sourced.
Every rating and review count below is a real figure from the US App Store, pulled on 31 October 2026.
Where the numbers come from: every rating and review count below was pulled from Apple’s official App Store search API for the US store on 31 October 2026. Nothing is estimated and nothing is copied from another listicle.
On price, this article only says whether the app is free to download. In-app purchase amounts are not published on store pages or in the API, so there is no way to state them accurately. Check each app’s store page for current pricing.
The ranking
Figures as of 31 October 2026 · Source: Apple App Store (US)
- Grindr - 389,403 reviews. The largest gay app anywhere
- Taimi - 216,249 reviews. Covers the whole LGBTQ+ spectrum
- HER - 65,857 reviews. The biggest queer women’s app
- Adam4Adam - 49,125 reviews, 4.7 — the highest rating here
- GROWLR - 49,824 reviews. Bear community
- Zoe - 33,232 reviews, 4.5. Swipe-based, women only
- SCRUFF - 29,579 reviews, 4.4. Travel features
- SURGE - 20,264 reviews, 4.5. Swipe-based, gay only
- Jack’d - 6,604 reviews, 3.8 — lowest rating here
- Daddyhunt - 6,212 reviews. Intergenerational
- PINK - 1,507 reviews, 4.5. Women only
- Tinder · Bumble · Hinge - Millions of reviews each. Not queer-specific
| App | Best for | Who it serves | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Grindr | Finding who is nearby, right now | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Grid |
| 2.Taimi | Anyone who wants one app for the whole spectrum | All LGBTQ+ | LGBTQ+ · Mixed |
| 3.HER | Queer women who want community, not just dating | LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people | Lesbian · Community |
| 4.Adam4Adam | People who want a long-running, no-frills option | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Grid |
| 5.GROWLR | Men looking for the bear community specifically | Bears and their admirers | Gay · Niche community |
| 6.Zoe | Queer women who prefer swipe matching | Lesbian, bi and queer women | Lesbian · Matching |
| 7.SCRUFF | Travellers and the masculine-presenting community | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Grid |
| 8.SURGE | Gay men who dislike the grid format | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Matching |
| 9.Jack’d | People wanting a more diverse user base | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Grid |
| 10.Daddyhunt | Men seeking older or younger partners | Gay, bi and queer men | Gay · Niche community |
| 11.PINK | Queer women wanting a smaller, focused app | Queer women | Lesbian · Matching |
| 12.Tinder · Bumble · Hinge | Anywhere the queer-specific apps are empty | Everyone (orientation filters available) | General · Largest |
1. Grindr
Best for: Finding who is nearby, right now
4.4 (389,403 reviews). The original distance-sorted grid and by far the biggest gay app in the US. You can message anyone without matching first, which makes it fast.
Good:
- By far the largest user base
- Someone is always nearby
- No waiting for a match
Less good:
- Distance is shown — tight enough to identify someone in the same building
- Anyone can message you without matching
- Profile is public by default; hiding is a setting you must find
2. Taimi
Best for: Anyone who wants one app for the whole spectrum
4.4 (216,249 reviews). Positions itself as an app for the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum rather than one segment, combining dating with social feed features.
Good:
- Serves the whole spectrum, not one segment
- Large user base
- Social features alongside dating
Less good:
- Breadth means lower density in any one segment
- Heavier feature set than some want
3. HER
Best for: Queer women who want community, not just dating
4.4 (65,857 reviews). The largest app built specifically for queer women and non-binary people, combining dating with events and a social feed.
Good:
- Largest app for queer women
- Strong community features
- Built for women and non-binary people
Less good:
- Smaller than the general apps
- Density varies a lot by city
4. Adam4Adam
Best for: People who want a long-running, no-frills option
4.7 (49,125 reviews) — the highest-rated app on this list. A long-established US gay app with a loyal base.
Good:
- Highest rating on this list
- Long-established with a loyal user base
- Free to use
Less good:
- Interface feels dated to some
- Smaller than Grindr
- Grid layout means distance exposure
5. GROWLR
Best for: Men looking for the bear community specifically
4.3 (49,824 reviews). Built around the bear community. If that is what you are looking for, density here beats a general app.
Good:
- Clear, well-defined community
- Good size for a niche app
Less good:
- Narrow by design
- Not useful outside that community
6. Zoe
Best for: Queer women who prefer swipe matching
4.5 (33,232 reviews). Swipe-based matching for lesbian, bisexual and queer women. Well rated and the second largest in this segment after HER.
Good:
- Designed for queer women only
- High rating
- Clean swipe flow
Less good:
- Several core features sit behind the paywall
- Smaller than HER
7. SCRUFF
Best for: Travellers and the masculine-presenting community
4.4 (29,579 reviews). Known for its travel features and a community that skews masculine-presenting and bear-adjacent.
Good:
- Travel features are genuinely useful
- Distinct community
- Well rated
Less good:
- Smaller than Grindr
- Grid layout means distance exposure
8. SURGE
Best for: Gay men who dislike the grid format
4.5 (20,264 reviews). Gay-specific but swipe-based, so conversations open only after a mutual like. A common landing spot for people who find the grid format stressful.
Good:
- Mutual match required before messaging
- Far fewer unsolicited messages
- Gay-specific
Less good:
- Much smaller than Grindr
- Slower — you wait for matches
9. Jack’d
Best for: People wanting a more diverse user base
3.8 (6,604 reviews). A grid app with a historically more racially diverse user base than its competitors, though its US rating is the lowest on this list.
Good:
- More diverse user base than most
- Detailed profile fields
Less good:
- Lowest rating on this list at 3.8
- Much smaller than Grindr
- Distance exposure
10. Daddyhunt
Best for: Men seeking older or younger partners
4.3 (6,212 reviews). Built around intergenerational dating within the gay community.
Good:
- Clear niche
- Decent rating
Less good:
- Small
- Narrow by design
11. PINK
Best for: Queer women wanting a smaller, focused app
4.5 (1,507 reviews). A smaller women-only app, well rated but limited in size.
Good:
- Women only
- Well rated
Less good:
- Small user base
- Density varies sharply by city
12. Tinder · Bumble · Hinge
Best for: Anywhere the queer-specific apps are empty
The general apps are vastly bigger — Tinder 4.2 (1,757,585), Bumble 4.3 (1,769,552), Hinge 4.4 (1,136,052). Set your orientation preference and they work, but queer users are a minority of that total. Worth having if you are somewhere the dedicated apps are empty.
Good:
- Enormous user bases
- Work anywhere, including small towns
- Mutual match required
Less good:
- Not queer-specific — the share of queer users is small
- No outing-prevention features designed for this
- Women report orientation filters being bypassed
Change the criterion and the order changes. By star rating alone Adam4Adam leads at 4.7. By queer-women focus HER and Zoe are the only real answers. This list is ordered by how many people actually use each app in the US.
Grid versus matching
The apps above split into two formats, and neither is better — they are for different things.
| Grid | Matching | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Grindr · SCRUFF · Adam4Adam · Jack’d | Tinder · Bumble · Hinge · SURGE · Zoe |
| Starting a chat | Anyone can message you | Only after you both like each other |
| Speed | Fast | Slow |
| Unsolicited messages | Common | Rare |
| Location shown | Often precise distance | Usually area only |
| Suits | Meeting soon | Getting to know someone · relationships |
What matters more than the ranking
Review counts tell you whether people are there. They tell you nothing about whether you can control who sees you. The six-point check is in how to choose an app that won’t out you. If you are dating in Korea specifically, this one covers the local context.
Frequently asked
Where do these ratings come from?
Apple’s official App Store search API for the US store, pulled on 31 October 2026. They are not estimates and not copied from other listicles. Ratings move, so check the store page for current figures.
Why are there no prices?
All of these are free to download, but in-app purchase amounts are not published on App Store pages or in the public API. Rather than guess, this article leaves them out. Check each app’s store page for current subscription pricing.
Which app is best for queer women?
By size, HER (65,857 reviews) then Zoe (33,232). Both are built specifically for queer women, which matters more than raw numbers here — general apps have more users but a much smaller share of queer women, and orientation filters get bypassed.
Should I use more than one?
Usually yes. Density varies enormously by city, and the dedicated apps can be empty outside major metros. Two is a reasonable start. Just set the privacy options separately in each one.
Does deleting my account cancel the subscription?
No. The App Store and Google Play manage in-app subscriptions, so cancel in your store’s subscription settings. Deleting the account alone does not stop billing — true of every app here.