What Is Grindr?

Grindr is by far the world's largest dating app for gays, bi men, trans men, and queer people. If you don’t know the unmistakable Grindr notification sound then under which rock have you been hiding? The Grindr app has a reputation for being used exclusively to find quick hookups with someone nearby, although people have also been known to find friendships, dates, and relationships here. But let’s be honest, the chances of actually finding Prince Charming on Grindr are as slim as finding a dom leather daddy in a monastery.

With over 13 million monthly active members and a free option that provides more value than most paid memberships of Grindr’s closest competitors, Grindr is set to stay the number one gay hookup app for quite a long time. We’ll be discussing all you can do as a free member as well as what premium features you get access to if you decide to upgrade to a  membership. Don’t worry, we’ll make this just as quick as it is to find gay men to hookup with on Grindr.

Pros

• Massive worldwide user base (you’re bound to find a Grindr hookup wherever you go)

• The Grindr web version is fully operational

• There is no Grindr alternative (Grindr offers a distinctly unique dating experience)

• The free membership option comes with great features

• The Grindr support team is very responsive and there are lots of helpful tips online too

Cons

• Many headless-torso-only and empty profiles (makes it difficult to be sure who you are talking to) 

• It can be embarrassing running into someone online that you weren’t expecting to see on the Grindr app

• There are no identity checks and minimal regulations for profile photos (makes it easy for catfish profiles to use the site)

Grindr Login Process

Grindr offers a few login options. But first, you’ll need to download the Grindr app from your preferred app store or by clicking the Grindr download link from the Grindr website (Grindr.com). Either sign in via your Google, Facebook, or Apple account, or click ‘Sign Up’ to use your email or phone number instead. No matter which way you sign up it won’t take more than a minute.

If you choose to create your Grindr account with an email address, you’ll have to give the following info:

• Email address

• Password

• Confirm your password

• Provide your date of birth

• Choose whether to receive email communication from Grindr

When this has been completed you will have a mostly blank profile on Grindr. Don’t worry no one will see it’s you just yet. Well, not until you choose to show yourself to others.

Note: You can only log in via the Grindr web version after you are already a subscriber on the app.

Profile Completion

Hello there Mister Blank profile! After the Grindr sign up process you can choose how you’d like to personalize your Grindr profile a bit. You can leave it as blank as you like, but giving it some personality will only work in your favor. Start with adding up to 5 photos, creating a display name, and writing a short “about me” for your profile. You can also add a private gallery with all the personal Grindr porn pics you want to reveal to the users you choose. Everything else that you can add to your Grindr profile is broken up into individual sections to make it easier.

A lot of these sections are unique to Grindr (specifically the health section) and are important for people who embrace the hookup culture and want to stay safe.

Stats

• Your age, and whether you’d like it to be shown

• Height

• Weight

• Body type

• Position (sexually)

• Ethnicity

• Relationship status

• My Tribes (select up to three identifiers based on appearance

Your Expectations

• Select what you are looking for (hookup, date, etc)

• Where do you prefer to meet people

• If you accept NSFW pics

Identity

• Your gender

• Preferred pronouns

Health

• HIV status

• When last you were tested and if you want a testing reminder

• Vaccination status

Social Networking Accounts

• Optionally link your Instagram, Spotify, Twitter, or Facebook accounts to your Grindr profile.

User Account Quality

Grindr is notorious for having what we call headless torso profiles. Due to the need for a lot of gay men to stay anonymous, there are very few profiles where someone will show their face right away. Most prefer to vet a possible hookup before revealing too much of themselves, and rightfully so.

The majority of profiles will only be filled with the most necessary information you’d need to hookup with someone, this is all the sexual info of course. There is also no real matchmaking algorithm to help you to find a Grindr hookup on the app. Everything is based purely on location so you’ll see whoever is closest to you. You can, however, edit your search parameters from there to find someone more specific to your needs.

Grindr Dating Features

Tap Notifications

Taps are a great way to show someone on Grindr you are interested in without having to send a message. You can choose from one of the following three available taps to show your level of interest. What happens next will be up to them.

• A “Hi” in a speech bubble (to break the ice)

• A flame emoji (to let them know you think they are hot)

• A naughty devil emoji (to let them know you are horny)

To send a tap simply go into someone’s profile and long-click on the fire icon in the bottom-right corner and select one of the three taps that pop up. A normal click on the same icon will automatically send the flame emoji tap to that person.

Explore

If you are a bit of a jetsetter, then the Explore feature is going to be of great use to you. Simply set your Explore location at the top of the screen to anywhere in the world and view all the Grindr profiles that are in that area. This way you can connect with possible hookups long before you even get on your flight. Free members will only get to chat with 3 profiles that they find while exploring. Those with a Grindr XTRA or Unlimited subscription will be able to chat with as many profiles that pop up in your explore grid as they like.

Discreet Grindr App Icon

Not everyone is super open about their Grindr endeavors. Some want to keep their naughty hookup life a bit of a secret. So to stop your friends, family, or your partner from seeing the bright orange Grindr icon on your phone screen simply change it to something a bit more discreet.

You can do this from your settings. Just click ‘Discreet App Icon’ under your security and privacy settings and choose one of the 5 alternative icons available. Just be aware that the Grindr app label will still display as ‘Grindr’ on your phone.

Boost Me

Your luck on Grindr will depend mostly on who is online in your area when you log in. But with the Boost Me feature, you can take luck out of the equation. Boosting your profile elevates your profile on the Grindr grid for a full hour. You’ll also be promoted to an extended radius of profiles so that more gay men can check you out.

Boosts are available to paid and free Grindr users but come at an added cost. According to Grindr’s data from 2023, the very best time to use your Boost is at 6 pm on a Sunday. This is the time and day that Grindr is most active worldwide. Once your Boost time has expired you’ll get a Boost report to show just how many people viewed, tapped, and messaged you in that hour.

GayMojis

GayMojis are Yassified emojis that you will only find on Grindr, and nowhere else. These customized LGBTQ emojis make it even more fun to speak to a fellow Grindr gays in a way that you both will understand. No words are even required. With a range of over 500 GayMojis to choose from, there isn’t a single situation in which LGBTQ people won’t be able to express themselves with some flair.

Prices & Costs

While Grindr works on a subscription basis, the app can still be used for free. Anyone who uses Grindr can message as much as they like at no cost. A free membership comes with some limitations to what features you have access to, but signing up for Grindr XTRA gives you more freedom on the app. A Grindr Unlimited subscription (as the name suggests) lets you use the mobile app without any limitations at all. All subscriptions will auto-renew as soon as they expire.

Grindr XTRA Cost:

• 1 Month - $19.99

• 3 Months - $39.99

• 12 Months - $99.99

Grindr Unlimited Cost:

• 1 Month - $39.99

Note: Exact subscription prices can vary depending on your location and how long you’ve had the app.

There is also the option to boost your profile. This is an add-on that anyone can use no matter their subscription. A boost makes your profile more visible to people around you. Not only will your profile be elevated in the Grindr grid for one hour it will also get promoted to an extended radius of profiles.

Boost Me Cost:

• $11 per Boost

How Safe Is Grindr?

General Safety Measures

Grindr has always made it clear that security is their number one priority. With Grindr, online safety is extremely important for such a massively popular app. It has been the target of hackers in the past, much like a lot of other popular dating platforms. Nonetheless, its most recent document breach happened as far back as 2012. Grindr has since increased its security measures to ensure the protection of its users’ personal information.

Then, in 2020 an unnoticed security flaw in the app made it possible for someone to hijack another member’s account easily with only an email address. This vulnerability was swiftly dealt with by the Grindr team to reduce the risk it posed. But it is important to be aware that these things can happen so, be careful what you post on the app.

Fake Grindr Profile

Trust is a fickle thing, especially when you think you’re meeting up with Prince Big 🍆 to get your insides rearranged only to end your night being mugged at gunpoint. While this sounds like an extreme scenario, unfortunately, it does happen (but thank goodness it is the exception and not the rule). Because Grindr is a place where users generally prefer discretion it can be a lot more risky to just meet people you don’t know.

It is extremely important to become somewhat of a professional Grindr sleuth to identify which profiles are authentic and which are fakes. Grindr doesn’t do any background checks so anyone can log in and pretend to be someone they’re not. There are a lot of reports of catfish Grindr profiles that use other people’s photos as their own. Now this shouldn’t completely scare you off. But please consider your gut feeling and don’t just let a certain few inches do all the thinking for you.

Final Thoughts

There really are no other gay hook-up apps like Grindr out there (even though some wannabe Grindr alternatives have tried their best to come close). The app provides a unique experience that you won’t get anywhere else. And with millions of active users worldwide it is THE app where you are most likely to find what you are looking for! It’s been the number one gay hook-up app for years and there’s a good reason for it.

The stand-out feature of Grindr is what made it so popular from the very first time anyone logged in. That’s its location based approach to dating. Being able to see who is in your area, and also how far away they are, is the reason so many people still use the app. On top of that, you can set your location to anywhere in the world and connect with horny men wherever you like. What could be more perfect for a jet-setting hookup aficionado?

The only downside of the Grindr app is the danger involved when meeting strangers. Unfortunately, this is not something that can be easily eradicated. So members should use all the grey matter at their disposal to mitigate these kinds of risks. If it wasn’t for this, we’d be giving Grindr a 10/10 score. Based on millions of users, and the multitude of other reviews’ opinions, Grindr is perfect for any gay or bi men looking for a quick hookup with no strings attached.

FAQ

What Is Grindr Used For These Days?

As a primarily gay location based app, Grindr is used to find a quick hookup with someone who is close by. It is more for finding a convenient shag with a stranger than to find Prince Charming.

Is Grindr Safe To Use?

It is yes, if you know how to stay safe online. The app itself is very safe. The only hazard comes when you decide to meet people on the internet. For that purpose, it is always good to follow safe dating protocols before deciding to meet someone.

Is Grindr Free To Use?

Yes, Grindr offers a great free membership option with lots of available features.

What Are The Tribes On Grindr App?

Tribes are self-selected niche tags that Grindr members can add to their profile. Tribes are based on appearance and help make it easier to find compatible matches. A few examples of tribes include Twink, bear, otter, and jock.

Does Grindr Notify Screenshots Being Taken?

Since its latest update in 2021 Grindr no longer notifies a user if their profile is being screenshot. Screenshotting on Grindr is completely silent and unnoticed leaving the person on the other end completely unaware.

How To Get Unbanned From Grindr?

Oops, you got banned! To get your profile unbanned you will need to submit a ban appeal and wait to see if your efforts are successful. Alternatively, you can just use a new phone number or email address and create a new profile. Using a new IP address through a VPN and using an Android emulator on your laptop can also work if you are tech-savvy enough.

How To Delete Grindr Account For Good?

Go to your Grindr profile and click on the gear icon to view your settings. From there select “Delete Profile” and optionally give a reason for leaving. If you signed up with your email you’ll have to verify it before selecting “Delete Profile” again to confirm. This does not cancel your subscription and you should do that before deleting your Grindr account.