Queer people were early adopters of online dating, and the numbers still show it. In Pew Research Center’s national survey of American adults, 51% of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults had used a dating site or app, against 28% of straight adults. Almost a quarter of partnered LGB adults, 24%, had met their current partner online, more than double the rate for the population as a whole.
That reliance comes with a particular kind of risk. ILGA World’s latest data shows that 65 UN member states criminalise consensual same-sex sexual acts, and the number rose in 2025 for the first time in almost a decade. For LGBTQ+ daters, choosing an app is partly about the people on it and partly about what it does with your location, your photos and your identity. This guide to the best LGBTQ dating apps weighs both.
Quick picks: queer dating apps by what you want
- Best overall for relationships: Hinge, whose Match Note feature was shaped by feedback from LGBTQIA+ daters.
- Best for gay, bi, trans and queer men: Grindr, with 15 million monthly users and strong discretion tools.
- Best for lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people: HER, built around sapphic identity and community.
- Best for non-monogamy and kink: Feeld, which lets you link profiles with up to five partners.
- Best for identity options: OkCupid, with 22 genders, 20 orientations and more than 60 LGBTQ+ identity tags.
- Best for friends and community: Lex, a text-first queer social app.
LGBTQ+ dating apps compared
Ratings are from the UK App Store on 19 October 2026. Prices are the lowest relevant items listed on the UK App Store on that date; Apple doesn’t always label plan lengths, and prices vary with promotions.
| App | Best for | Our score | Store rating (App Store UK, 19 Oct 2026) | Free version | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinge | Relationships | 9.3 | 4.3 (197k) | Yes | Hinge+ from £12.99 |
| Tinder | Biggest pool | 8.8 | 4.2 (274k) | Yes | Tinder Plus £3.99 |
| OkCupid | Identity options | 8.4 | 4.2 (17k) | Yes | Premium from £5.99 |
| Feeld | Queer, kink, non-monogamy | 8.3 | 4.0 (22k) | Yes | Majestic £19.99/30 days |
| Grindr | Gay, bi, trans and queer men | 8.2 | 4.3 (56k) | Yes, with ads | XTRA from £9.99 |
| HER | Sapphic dating and community | 8.1 | 4.3 (6.7k) | Yes, with ads | Premium £13.99 |
| SCRUFF | Gay travel and events | 7.9 | 4.3 (3.6k) | Yes | Pro from £6.99 |
| Taimi | All-spectrum, AI matching | 7.4 | 4.2 (10k) | Yes | Items from £0.99 |
| Lex | Friends and community | 7.3 | 4.2 (271) | Yes | Lex Plus £7.99 |
Hinge: a mainstream app shaped by queer daters
Hinge is not an LGBTQ+ app, but it takes queer daters more seriously than most general apps. Match Note, launched in February 2025, lets you privately share something important with a new match before you start talking, whether that is identity, lifestyle or what you want from a relationship. Hinge says the feature was inspired by feedback from LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent daters who wanted a space to offer clarity early on. For trans and non-binary users in particular, a private, upfront way to share context can save a great deal of awkward explaining.
The company also publishes research on queer dating. Its 2025 LGBTQIA+ D.A.T.E. Report, based on more than 14,000 global respondents surveyed in January 2025, found that 28% of LGBTQIA+ daters experience “label fatigue”, rising to 48% among queer-identifying daters, and that half had felt pressure to present as more masc or femme to attract someone. Treat those as company-commissioned figures, but they explain why Hinge’s prompt-led profiles, which reward personality over categories, suit many queer users.
The rest is Hinge as usual: likes and comments on specific photos and Prompts, a usable free tier and Face Check selfie verification where it has rolled out. On 19 October 2026 it held 4.3 from 197,000 ratings on the UK App Store, with Hinge+ items listed at £12.99 and £14.99. The drawback for queer users is pool size outside cities, which a mainstream app can’t fix. Read our Hinge review.
Tinder: the widest queer pool, with travel safeguards
Tinder’s advantage is scale. It claims more than 55 billion matches and availability in 190 countries on its homepage, and in a smaller town that is often the difference between an empty feed and a full one.
Its LGBTQ+ features are older but meaningful. Developed with GLAAD and rolled out globally in June 2020, Tinder’s orientation feature lets you choose up to three of nine sexual orientations and show them on your profile. In 2019 Tinder also introduced a Traveler Alert, built on ILGA data: when the app is opened in a country whose laws penalise LGBTQ+ people, users can hide their profile, or stay visible with their orientation and gender identity hidden until they leave, CBS News reported at the launch.
Face Check, the mandatory video-selfie verification that Tinder now requires of new UK sign-ups, adds a further layer against fake profiles, though it means handing biometric data to Match Group. On 19 October 2026 Tinder held 4.2 from 274,000 ratings on the UK App Store, with Tinder Plus listed at £3.99. The drawback is that queer users share a vast, mostly straight pool, and filters can only do so much. See our Tinder review.
OkCupid: the most inclusive identity options
OkCupid has a long record of letting people describe themselves precisely. Its Identity Tags help page lists 22 gender options and 20 orientation options, plus more than 60 additional identity tags for LGBTQ+ members. Nineteen of those tags were added after consultation with staff, community experts and the Human Rights Campaign. You can choose as many as you like, change them whenever you wish and use them as search preferences, and pronouns can be displayed on your profile.
Matching runs on roughly 500 questions, which feed a percentage score you can unpack answer by answer. That suits anyone who would rather screen for values, from politics to monogamy, before photos. OkCupid also has a clear written policy on ethical non-monogamy, showing non-monogamous profiles only to people open to it.
The free tier lets you like, match and message; Premium adds the list of people who have already liked you. On 19 October 2026 OkCupid held 4.2 from about 17,000 ratings on the UK App Store, with Premium items starting at £5.99. Its question bank leans American, which British users will notice. Our OkCupid review has more.
Feeld: queer, kinky and non-monogamous dating
Feeld began, according to its own homepage, with co-founder Ana Kirova telling her partner she had fallen in love with a woman. Today it claims more than 14 million registered accounts, and its UK App Store listing offers more than 20 gender identities and more than 20 sexualities. It is built for people exploring queerness, kink and non-monogamy, and says it is ad-free and doesn’t rank profiles by algorithm.
Its signature feature is Constellations: you can link your profile with up to five partners, each keeping their own profile, with chats kept separate unless you start a group conversation. Privacy tools are thoughtful, including private photos visible only to connections and Incognito for Majestic members, so only people you have liked can see you.
The weakness is verification. It is optional, handled by the provider Veriff, and the company said in early 2026 that about 38% of profiles were verified. On 19 October 2026 Feeld held 4.0 from about 22,000 ratings on the UK App Store, where Majestic was listed at £19.99 for 30 days or £99.99 a year. See our Feeld review.
Grindr: the gay dating app with the biggest grid
Grindr reported 15 million average monthly active users and 1.4 million paying users in its second-quarter 2026 shareholder letter. Open it almost anywhere and a grid of gay, bi, trans and queer men fills up, sorted by distance, with no matching step before you chat.
Its safety design reflects that its users face very different risks in different countries. Grindr says it disables the Show Distance feature in countries it classes as high-risk, using ILGA data to build its classification, and it developed a disguised app icon with the free-expression group Article 19. Everyday tools include hiding your distance, a discreet icon, PIN lock, expiring photos, screenshot blocking on sensitive content and Profile Hide. Its safety tips warn plainly that in some countries authorities use apps to identify and arrest LGBTQ+ people.
The data-protection record deserves equal attention. Norway’s data protection authority fined Grindr about €6.5 million for sharing data with advertisers without valid consent between 2018 and 2020, a decision upheld by the Borgarting Court of Appeal in October 2025. In September 2026 Grindr agreed to pay £26 million to settle a UK claim on behalf of about 12,000 users alleging that, between 2016 and 2020, it shared sensitive data, in some cases including HIV status, without adequate consent, Infosecurity Magazine reported. Grindr admitted no liability and says the practices predate its 2020 change of ownership.
UK users must pass a one-off age check. On 19 October 2026 Grindr held 4.3 from about 56,000 ratings on the UK App Store, with XTRA from £9.99. Read our Grindr review.
HER: the leading app for lesbian, bi and queer women
HER describes itself on its homepage as an app for queer women, non-binary people and trans people, and claims more than 15 million members. Its App Store listing gives a lower figure, over 13 million users, so treat both as company estimates. Founded in 2013 as Dattch and renamed in 2015, it has been owned by Match Group since May 2025.
What sets HER apart is that sapphic identity is the default, not a filter. Profiles carry pronouns, gender identity, sexual orientation and optional Pride Pins that others can filter on. More than 30 topic-based communities and local event listings give the app a social life beyond matching, which matters in places where the dating pool is thin.
Its safety toolkit is lighter than its new stablemates’. Verification relies on linking a social media account, which adds trust but may not suit anyone not out to everyone in their life. A moderation team removes scammers, transphobic users and fake profiles, according to the company. On 19 October 2026 HER held 4.3 from about 6,700 ratings on the UK App Store, with HER Premium listed at £13.99. Our HER review covers the Match Group deal in detail.
SCRUFF: a gay app built around travel and events
SCRUFF, made by Perry Street Software, is the long-standing alternative to Grindr. Its UK App Store listing claims more than 30 million users, while its website says 40 million members; neither figure is independently audited.
Where Grindr is about who is nearest, SCRUFF leans towards plans. Its Explore section lists LGBTQ+ parties, prides and festivals, lets you RSVP and see who else is going, and lets you tell locals you’ll be visiting their city. There is a daily SCRUFF Match stack, built-in video chat, private albums, and pronoun and gender identity options. Photo verification adds a badge to profiles, a step Grindr doesn’t offer.
The listing says SCRUFF has no banner ads and doesn’t share data with third-party ad networks, though its App Privacy section still lists precise location and advertising data as linked to you. On 19 October 2026 it held 4.3 from about 3,600 ratings, with SCRUFF Pro from £6.99.
Why we scored it 7.9: verification and a strong travel and events layer make it a credible Grindr alternative, held back by a smaller UK pool and user figures we can’t independently confirm.
Taimi: an all-spectrum LGBTQ+ app with AI matchmaking
Taimi pitches itself as a fully inclusive dating app for the whole LGBTQ+ spectrum, from gay, lesbian, bi and trans users to ace and poly daters. Its website claims more than 40 million users across 138 countries; its UK App Store listing says 37 million.
The features are generous on paper. A queer-centric bio has room for gender identity and pronouns, Stealth mode shares your data only with people you’ve liked, Private Cards restrict photos and videos to approved members, and screenshot blocking on profiles is designed to reduce the risk of outing. Taimi says it verifies identity during profile setup, though it doesn’t publish detail on how.
Its AI dating assistant is the part to think about. The App Store listing says it can automatically like profiles and send initial messages on your behalf, which some will find efficient and others will find a little hollow on the receiving end. On 19 October 2026 Taimi held 4.2 from about 10,000 ratings, with a confusing spread of Bronze, Silver and Gold items from £0.99 to £19.99.
Why we scored it 7.4: broad inclusivity and useful privacy tools, but unaudited user claims, little published detail on verification and opaque pricing.
Lex: a text-first queer social app for friends and dates
Lex grew out of the tradition of printed lesbian personals and has become a broader queer social network. Its App Store listing describes a feed, groups with group chats, local events and missed-connection posts for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people in more than 200 countries. Dating is supported but optional: you can hide dating posts from your feed if you are there for friends.
Posts are text-only, which keeps the focus on what people say rather than how they look, and the company has said it won’t run an ad-based model. It raised $5.6 million in seed funding in 2023, when co-founder Jennifer Lewis became chief executive, TechCrunch reported.
It is small in the UK. On 19 October 2026 Lex held 4.2 from just 271 ratings on the UK App Store, with Lex Plus from £7.99 and Lexplore passes from £3.99.
Why we scored it 7.3: a warm, community-led alternative to grid and swipe apps, limited by a small UK user base and no published identity verification.
How we ranked these queer dating apps
All nine apps are scored on our how we review weights: match quality (35%), features (25%), safety and verification (25%) and value (15%). The six apps we have reviewed in full keep the scores from our main best dating apps ranking. SCRUFF, Taimi and Lex were scored on the same weights from their official listings, websites and published pricing. For this list we gave particular attention to identity options, discretion tools and each company’s data record.
Choosing an LGBTQ+ app that fits
Pool size matters more for queer daters than for anyone else. A specialist app gives you a space where nobody needs to explain who they are; a mainstream app gives you numbers. Many people use one of each.
- Gay, bi and queer men looking for immediacy will find Grindr’s grid unmatched; SCRUFF suits those who travel or prefer verified profiles.
- Lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people should start with HER, adding Hinge or Tinder for reach.
- Trans and non-binary daters may value OkCupid’s identity options and Hinge’s Match Note for sharing context privately.
- Couples and the non-monogamous are best served by Feeld’s partner linking.
- Anyone seeking friendship first will find Lex and HER’s communities a gentler entry point.
Queer dating safety: privacy, travel and the law
Protecting your identity at home
Every profile field on most of these apps is optional, so share only what you are comfortable having seen by a colleague or neighbour. Use discreet icons and PIN locks where offered, keep your face off your main photo if discretion matters, and be cautious about linking social media accounts. Grindr’s safety guidance also warns about sextortion: scammers recording intimate conversations and threatening to share them. Don’t pay, report the account, and keep chats in the app until you trust someone.
Dating apps abroad
The legal map is moving in both directions. In 2025 Burkina Faso criminalised homosexuality for the first time and Trinidad and Tobago reversed its decriminalisation, GCN reported, while Saint Lucia decriminalised. ILGA World counts seven UN member states where the death penalty is prescribed for consensual same-sex acts, with five more where the legal position is uncertain.
The UK Foreign Office’s LGBT+ travel advice warns that entrapment campaigns may target LGBT+ people through dating apps, and that at least 15 countries criminalise diverse gender expression through cross-dressing and disguise laws. It advises researching laws and attitudes everywhere you plan to go, not just at country level. Before you travel, turn off distance display, consider hiding your profile, and remember that an app may still reveal your rough position through grid order.
Where to get help in the UK
Galop, the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, runs a national helpline on 0800 999 5428 for LGBT+ victims and survivors of abuse and violence. Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can be reported to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. Our romance scam statistics report covers the warning signs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best LGBTQ+ dating app?
It depends on who you are and what you want. For relationships, we rate Hinge highest at 9.3. Among specialist apps, Grindr leads for gay, bi, trans and queer men and HER for lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people.
Is Grindr safe to use in 2026?
Grindr’s current privacy tools are strong, including hidden distance, a discreet icon and Profile Hide, and it disables distance in high-risk countries. It has also been fined in Norway and agreed a £26 million UK settlement over pre-2020 data sharing, without admitting liability, so tighten your settings before sharing anything sensitive.
Which dating apps are best for trans and non-binary people?
OkCupid offers 22 gender options and more than 60 LGBTQ+ identity tags, Feeld lists more than 20 gender identities, and HER is designed for queer women, non-binary and trans people. Hinge’s Match Note lets you share identity details privately with a match.
Should I use dating apps when travelling to countries that criminalise LGBTQ+ people?
Be very cautious. The UK Foreign Office warns that entrapment campaigns may use dating apps. Research local laws first, hide your distance or profile, and avoid sharing identifying photos.