The best gay dating and hookup apps for men in 2024

Navigating the landscape of gay dating apps can be daunting. There are so many taps, swipes and unsolicited you-know-what pics to contend with. We’ve all deleted the apps and vowed never to use them again, only to download them again the following day. 

We’ve also been ghosted, breadcrumbed and orbited. Fake profiles have bombarded us with strange, automated chat while asking us to sign up to some kind of website. That being said, gay hookup and dating apps have turned the gay scene into a global village where you can, at least in theory, chat to any fellow gay man on the planet with a smartphone. This is an improvement on how things were in the past when gay bars and clubs were hidden behind discrete doors in dingy basements. 

It’s important to choose the right gay dating app for you. After all, picking a romantic partner is probably the most important decision you’ll make. It’s also worth keeping your options open if you’re picking a new partner every night.

1. Grindr

Grindr is the definitive gay dating app. Its location-based technology allows users to see potential matches nearby, fostering immediate connections (and creating a global gay village when it launched in 2009). Known for its huge user base, Grindr serves a range of needs from casual encounters to deeper, longer-term relationships. Regular users may conclude that casual encounters are more likely to occur than marriage.

The app has also taken strides in promoting health with features that allow users to disclose their HIV status openly, a step towards destigmatizing HIV and promoting safer dating practices. In the UK alone, almost a million gay men use Grindr. Rather like Pokemon, you gotta catch ‘em all (you don't really!).

When using Grindr travel options, you can move your profile to different locations ahead of visiting so you can check out the local talent. Read more: A guide to using Grindr when you travel.

2. Scruff

Scruff is known for serving a "scruffier" crowd. Beyond its dating features, Scruff includes a suite of travel-oriented services with its Scruff Venture, helping men find travel companions and organize gay group travel. A fine-tuned search function allows users to sift through a global community to find exactly what they’re looking for, whether nearby or in a city they plan to visit. Scruff is popular with more mature guys.

3. Hornet

Hornet merges traditional dating app features with elements of social media platforms, enabling gay men to connect over shared interests and social matters. It is as much a tool for socializing and networking as it is for dating, with features that allow users to engage with community news, events, and stories.

4. Blued

Blued is a major player in the social networking world of gay men. It was launched in China in 2012 and boasts over 40 million users worldwide, making it one of the most extensive gay networking apps. The app isn't as prevalent in the west, but is one of the most popular in Asia.

5. Jack’d

Jack'd is a dating app tailored specifically for people of color. The app stands out for its community focus and inclusivity, encouraging more authentic profiles and discouraging x-rated content. Jack'd offers a premium service, Jack'd Pro, which provides features like unlimited matches and advanced filtering. 

Like Facebook, Jack’d began on an Ivy League campus and expanded to become a worldwide business.

6. Recon

Recon is a niche dating app focused on the gay fetish community, catering to those interested in a more specific subset of gay culture. The app features detailed profile options tailored to various interests and preferences, allowing users to easily find compatible partners who share their specific interests. Some users are very specific in their areas of interest! 

Recon is definitely for the more adventurous. You may not find a husband on this app, but if you’re a pup you may find a litter of like-minded pups to join. You may even find a handler. We could go further but we may get shadow banned by Google so we’ll leave it there.

7. Tinder

Although not exclusive to gay men, Tinder’s simple, intuitive swipe mechanism has made it popular among a broad spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community. It allows users to tailor their gender and sexuality preferences, facilitating a user-friendly experience. Its extensive user base means that the app offers a wide pool of people to meet, accommodating a variety of relationships and interactions. As Tinder uses a stricter verification process, you’ll find fewer fake profiles.