These Privacy-Conscious Gay Dating Apps Want to Dethrone Grindr

The top gay dating apps have become optimized for monetization and engagement, often at the expense of genuine connection. Grindr, with 15 million monthly active users, is a prime example, drowning in ads and pushing expensive upsells on users. The company's recent "gAI" overhaul included a new premium monthly subscription tier for $500.

This approach has led to a backlash against popular queer apps, with users seeking more private and community-driven alternatives. As public sentiment shifts, tech entrepreneurs are responding with new apps that prioritize user privacy and community. Calum Bowden, a 34-year-old PhD student in Berlin, launched MeetMarket in March, a web app built on a decentralized identity system.

This approach means MeetMarket doesn't store users' emails, passwords, or personal information, giving users full control over their data. Messages on the platform are end-to-end encrypted, and Bowden promises it will always be ad-free, even for non-paying members. A monthly membership costs €12, or $13.99.

"Decentralization and data privacy make a lot of sense for queer people in general, and especially in hostile legal environments or in the US right now, where you don't really know what digital platforms actually have your best interest in mind," Bowden says. MeetMarket gained significant traction, with over 12,000 sign-ups within the first 48 hours and around 60,000 users since its launch on March 24. The app averages 5,000 weekly visitors, according to Bowden, and has become more social than focused on immediate hookups.

The timing of MeetMarket's launch proved serendipitous, as public backlash against Sniffies grew following Match Group's $100 million investment. Bowden sees this as a prime example of the problems with venture capital-driven tech models, which can lead to the gentrification of digital platforms. Sniffies did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, other entrepreneurs are also creating niche apps that cater to specific gay subcultures. Justin Finnegan, a 35-year-old software engineer in Toronto, created Chunkr, a gay hookup app that has resonated with bears, chubs, cubs, and their admirers. "Gay men have tribes, subcultures, aesthetics, and different ways they want to be seen," Finnegan says.

As people seek more specificity and intention in their online dating experiences, these new apps are challenging the dominance of larger, more commercial platforms like Grindr.