Best Gay Dating Apps

Gay Dating

12 Best Gay & LBGTQ+ Dating Apps (2024)

Hayley Matthews

Written by: Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews

Hayley has over 10 years of experience overseeing content strategy, social media engagement, and article opportunities. She has also written hundreds of informational and entertaining blog posts. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Bustle, Cosmo, the Huffington Post, AskMen, and Entrepreneur. When she's not writing about dating news, relationship advice, or her fantasy love affair with Leonardo DiCaprio, she enjoys listening to The Beatles, watching Harry Potter reruns, and drinking IPAs.

See full bio »

Edited by: Lillian Castro

Lillian Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of journalism experience to ensure DatingAdvice articles have been edited for overall clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, The Gwinnett Daily News, and The Gainesville Sun covering lifestyle topics.

Reviewed by: Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks

Amber Brooks is the Editor-in-Chief at DatingAdvice.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being "boy crazy," but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. As an English major at the University of Florida, Amber honed her communication skills to write clearly, knowledgeably, and passionately about a variety of subjects. Now with over 1,800 lifestyle articles to her name, Amber brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to DatingAdvice.com.

See full bio »
Discuss This! Discuss This!
Advertiser Disclosure

Surveys of single people indicate that about 70% of gay men and 47% of lesbians have dated someone they met online, and dating apps are easily the most popular way for same-sex couples to get together.

If you’re wondering which app to download to find LGBTQ+ love, look no further because we’ve picked the 25 best dating apps for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender singles. Click the links below to read the section that best meets your needs!

Best Overall Dating Apps

Let’s start with the best of the best. The 5 apps below are some of the most popular dating apps for straight, bisexual, and gay singles.

1. Match

Match sees more than 13.5 million visits a month and has more than 1.7 million paid members, but the best part is the most popular dating site ever welcomes straight and gay singles alike.

Match.com

★★★★★
4.9/5.0
Match.com

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
  • Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
  • About the App: With millions of gay singles, Match is a great choice whether you're looking for a date or commitment. Once you download Match either from iTunes or Google Play, you can fill out your information, view profiles and photos, get daily match suggestions, and show interest in several ways, including sending free messages to anyone in your Top Picks list.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

Match has been around since 1995, and it has kept up with the trends in the dating scene by consistently putting its members first.

Free members can chat with Top Picks on the Match site or app, and they can use search filters to identify their perfect match in the database.

2. Zoosk

If you’re a tech-savvy gay or lesbian dater, you’ll love Zoosk, the socially savvy dating site and app. Since 2007, Zoosk has built a massive membership base of over 40 million singles.

Zoosk

★★★★★
4.9/5.0
Zoosk

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Casual Dates, Relationships
  • Match System: Search for and receive matches
  • About the App: Meeting gay singles on your phone (whether it's iOS or Android) doesn't get any better than on Zoosk, particularly because it's integrated with Facebook and Google+. When you want to be in control, go to the Search page and view guys based on sexual orientation and other characteristics. When you want Zoosk to do the work, go to the Carousel and SmartPick™ pages.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

Thanks to social network integration, the Zoosk app makes it easy to meet new people when you’re sitting at home, commuting to work, on the treadmill, or anywhere else.

Zoosk uses behavioral matchmaking to make smart match suggestions that are similar to those users have liked or messaged in the past. That means the more you swipe, the more precise your potential match list will become.

3. Elite Singles

Not only does Elite Singles have an intuitive app that’s great for gay singles who are on the go a lot, but it also has a high-quality user base — thanks to its focus on education.

EliteSingles

★★★★★
4.9/5.0
EliteSingles

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Deep Relationships
  • Match System: Search by education, lifestyle habits, age
  • About the App: While a significant number of EliteSingles' users are college-educated, they vary greatly in age, appearance, location, and (most importantly for gay singles) sexual orientation. The app looks and performs great on iOS and Android, and free features include download, profile creation, browsing, match recommendations, a customized personality assessment, and certain forms of communication.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

Over 85% of EliteSingles members have completed college (and some have gone on to get their masters, doctorates, or other post-grad degrees), and over 90% say they’re interested in getting in a genuine relationship.

4. OurTime

OurTime is the largest subscription dating site for singles over 50, not to mention it’s also the #1 dating app in that demographic.

OurTime.com

★★★★
4.4/5.0
OurTime.com

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Dating and Relationships
  • Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
  • About the App: OurTime may be for mature men and women, but its user base is still very diverse. Over 1.4 million singles of various locations, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations flock to the app every month because of its price (or lack thereof), clean interface, and success rate. For iPhone and Android users alike, OurTime will make sure you find someone who's at the same stage in life as you.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

If you’re a mature gay single looking for another mature gay single, OurTime is an excellent choice. OurTime currently allows same-sex matching, and users can change their dating gender preference by going into their settings.

5. BlackPeopleMeet

BlackPeopleMeet is the go-to app if you’re looking for the largest online community of black and interracial singles, including gay men and lesbian women.

BlackPeopleMeet

★★★★
4.0/5.0
BlackPeopleMeet

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Dates, Relationships
  • Match System: Browse by city, hobbies, age, etc.
  • About the App: BlackPeopleMeet welcomes black and biracial daters of all orientations, including gay singles. After downloading the app for free, simply select "man seeking man" when creating your profile to join a lively community of available gay men. A location-based search on the app can help you narrow down your dating options and connect with attractive black men in your area.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

BlackPeopleMeet has straightforward search and matching tools that lead singles to their perfect date with no muss and no fuss.

6. AdultFriendFinder

In terms of hookup sites, AdultFriendFinder has so many things going for it, especially for gay singles and couples. For one thing, it supports the world’s largest sex and swinger community.

AFF.com

★★★★
3.8/5.0
AFF.com

Available on: iOS, Android

  • Relationships: Hookups Only
  • Match System: Filter by distance, gender, encounter
  • About the App: If you have hookups on your mind and your mind on hookups, Adult Friend Finder is one of the best options. It's popular especially among gay singles because of its location- and interest-based search features (in addition to sexual orientation). Whether you're looking for someone around the corner or someone across the world, AFF has your back.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

From the history (founded in 1996) to the features (e.g., videos), you’re sure to be impressed by the AFF community. This sex-positive hookup site allows singles, couples, and polyamorous people to come together to fulfill their secret desires.

Gay Dating Apps

Seeking hot dudes in your area? Jump online. The 11 apps below are great for gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men.

1. MenNation

MenNation is the self-proclaimed world’s largest gay dating and hookup app, and that appears to be true. More than 79 million gay and bisexual men have created a profile, and at least 83,000 are online in your area at the same time, at any given time.

MenNation

★★★
3.2/5.0
MenNation

Available on: iOS, Andriod

  • Relationships: Strictly Hookups
  • Match System: Search by location, interest, more
  • About the App: MenNation is well-known in the gay community as the site was founded in 1996, with the app following several years after. "Find intimate encounters with hot guys near you" is what this iPhone and Android app promises it'll help you do. MenNation will show you who has logged in at the same time as well, so you can get to that hookup even faster.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

It’s totally free to add your information and photos to MenNation as well as browse through singles (and couples), receive match suggestions, and interact (e.g., via virtual winks).

2. Taimi

“The safest way to meet your man,” Taimi is new to the gay dating app scene, but it’s already making an impression. Taimi’s main focus is security, so every profile is verified and protected by a two-factor authentication and moderated by the team 24/7. Probably the funnest feature on Taimi is the built-in video calls, so you can take your conversations to the next level.

Screenshot of the Taimi homepage

3. Grindr

Available in more than 192 countries, Grindr is the most popular location-based dating app for gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men. You’ve almost certainly heard of Grindr, and maybe you think it’s just a hookup app, but actually a lot of gay men have gotten into relationships here too.

The Grindr app

4. Bristlr

Want more “beard love” in your life? Then you should turn to Bristlr. Open to everyone, this fun (and super specific) dating app is made for singles with beards and singles looking for someone with a beard.

5. SCRUFF

From bears to jocks to just normal guys, SCRUFF can help you find a match right around the corner or from across the world.

The SCRUFF app

6. GuySpy

GuySpy has some of the coolest features of any dating app, from personal voice greetings and favorite lists, to search filtering options and a travel mode.

7. MR X

Known as the first and only gay chat and gay dating app exclusively for men over the age of 30, MR X takes your wants and needs into consideration in order to send you quality matches.

The MR X app

8. GROWLr

GROWLr, the Bear Social Network, is a free app that lets you view photos and chat with its more than 5 million members and keeps you up to date on the latest bear run and bear bar listings.

9. Hornet

More than 6 million people and counting have signed up for Hornet, a free and easy to use app for gay, bi, and curious men, so we think your chances of meeting someone special are very high.

The Hornet app

10. Jack’d

One of the fastest-growing apps for men who want to date other men, Jack’d lets you browse thousands of photos, see who’s viewed your profile, anonymously select your own matches, and more.

The Jack’d app

11. BoyAhoy, By Skout Inc.

The sky’s the limit on BoyAhoy, where you’re only a few clicks away from finding like-minded gay men anywhere, anytime.

Lesbian Dating Apps

The 5 apps below are best for lesbian, bisexual, and bi-curious women.

1. LesbianPersonals

Launching in 1996, the LesbianPersonals company is among the longest running in the online lesbian community. The app came along a few years after and has made an impact ever since.

LesbianPersonals

★★★★
4.1/5.0
LesbianPersonals

Available on: iOS, Andriod

  • Relationships: Casual Sex
  • Match System: Browse by area, appearance, and other identifiers
  • About the App: We recommend LesbianPersonals for those gay girls who aren't looking for serious dating but casual and hot sexual encounters instead. Provide your gender, relationship status, gender and relationship status that you're interested in, age preference, country, state, and zip code, and then start reaching out to sexy members.
  • Browse Free: View Profiles Now

Gay and bisexual women interested in hooking up are best suited for LesbianPersonals, and even if you’re already part of a couple, you can still join the app and search for a third to add to the party.

2. HER (formerly Dattch)

What once was Dattch has now become HER, the app for women who like women. Not only is HER like a sassy best friend who really knows how to set you up, but you’re given more than just the typical features, including daily lesbian news and events. Over 4 million lesbian, bisexual, and queer women have joined HER so far.

The HER app

3. Facebook Dating

Facebook Dating is an extension of Facebook, and it’s rapidly becoming a popular meeting space for singles of all orientations and backgrounds. Facebook Dating allows singles to meet new people by swiping or to connect with crushes in their friends list by mutual matching. No one on our Facebook feed will see your activity on Facebook Dating, so it’s a private place for lesbian matches.

4. BeNaughty

Tired of the bar scene? Bored with swiping apps? Maybe it’s time to join an old-school hookup site like BeNaughty. The BeNaughty dating site allows single women to communicate for free, and its search tools allow for a lot of fun exploration and discovery of similar interests. If you’re a lesbian woman or bisexual woman, you’ll have your pick of matches on this naughty app.

5. Atraf Girls

Whether you’re staying local or traveling to a distant place, you won’t want to do it without Atraf Girls. Flirting with and meeting other lesbian women has never been so simple.

LGBTQ+ Dating Apps

While the apps above can also work well for bisexual and transgender daters, the 4 apps below have gotten some of the best reviews from this target audience.

1. Tinder

With more than 2 billion swipes per day, your odds of connecting with someone on Tinder are very good. Whether you want a hookup, casual date, or relationship, Tinder can make it happen and lead you to your dream date.

The Tinder app

2. OkCupid

Launched in 2004, OkCupid is a free dating app that’s awesome for younger LGBTQ+ daters, especially those who like the idea of being matched by their on-site behaviors and answers to multiple choice questions. OkCupid is free to download, and it offers free matching and messaging, but the thing we really like is that it has 13 orientation options and 22 gender options on its profiles.

3. Distinc.tt

Distinc.tt is an unbeatable social networking platform for the LGBT community that focuses not on hookups but on friendship, companionship, common interests, and the like.

The Distinc.tt app

The Best Gay Dating Apps Work For You

It’s amazing to see the LGBTQ+ community expanding and welcoming so many different types of people — and bringing so much love into the world. Online dating has been a key ally in that journey, helping singles make connections, find solidarity, and pick up dates without having to come out of the closet if they don’t want to.

Today’s gay singles have so many options when it comes to online dating apps, and we only expect this number to keep on growing as time goes by. Any of the apps on this list can meet the needs of the gay community and build them up whenever they’re feeling alone.

Advertiser Disclosure

DatingAdvice.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across the site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingAdvice.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.

Our Editorial Review Policy

Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.