“Ol’ faithful, or Grindr as it’s usually called, has always been a reliable and surefire way to meet others specifically interested in trans women. It’s exhausting managing them all, and while Grindr annoys me to no end with all the racists and flakes, it seems to have the highest number of users and is still the easiest to use.” - Dave, 43 “I don’t have enough bandwidth to use multiple apps. It’s a one stop-shop for anything I’d look for in a dating app: hookups, dates, even friends.” - Matthew, 27 I guess I have narrowed it down to using that because it’s my favorite. Still, it’s not uncommon to have shared nudes before you’ve actually met in real life. While it’s usually used for more quick and casual “liaisons”-you can and plenty of people still do use it to ask out men on dates. Grindr, in case you live under a rock, was the first gay geolocation app, meaning that it lets you know how close you are to others (e.g., 715 feet). GrindrĪlright, since I started with Grindr, let’s finish up talking about it before I move onto the next apps. So we reached out to a bunch of LGBTQ folks of all genders and non-straight sexual orientations to discuss which apps they prefer and why. Apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble all have options to choose the same-gender. In fact, it’s one I never go to I just happened to be in the area for a random meeting.īut Grindr is just one of many dating apps for queer people, and queer folks don’t necessarily need an app that’s specifically marketed as gay or bisexual. If it wasn’t for Grindr I’m not sure if I would have ever met Ryan, since that wasn’t my usual gym. Roughly a year later, he’s my little man. He said yes, and admitted he was looking at me too. I messaged him asking if he was the guy I saw at the gym today. On most gay/bi social networking apps that cater primarily to hook-ups as opposed to dates, it’s customary to post a headless body photo to protect anonymity. Luckily, he actually had a photo of his face and not his torso, which as any queer man can tell you, is rare. I hopped on Grindr, thinking he may still be in the area, and there he was. I told myself I’d build up the courage, walk over to him, and introduce myself when I finished my set, but by the time I was done, he was nowhere to be found.
We locked eyes while he was squatting at the rack and both looked away coyishly. Per the matchmaking angle, Salams prioritizes your cultural background, family upbringing, core beliefs, and overall personality over looks-so much so that in certain countries, photos are blurred until you're ready to reveal it to your match.I met my current boyfriend at the gym, but I’d have to award Grindr the assist. Salams was originally created to matchmake single Muslims, but it's since expanded into connecting others for friendships and networking. One of the big negatives is that you'll need a Facebook account to join.
The app boasts a strong database of users in their 20s and 30s, with many free basic features.
JSwipe is a leading dating app for Jewish millennial singles. It also has enhanced privacy features and the ability to sort through matches by age and location. These types of apps attract a database of faith-driven people who center their religious beliefs in their dating experience.Ĭhristian Mingle, for example, asks for and culls information about someone's upbringing, education, interests, and their relationship to spirituality, so it appeals to serious daters. If sharing similar beliefs is an important consideration, consider looking into religion-specific apps like Christian Mingle (for Christian singles), JSwipe (for Jewish singles), or Salams (for Muslim singles). So, without further ado, we've rounded up the best dating apps for 2022, depending on what you're looking for.Īlthough other apps filter for religious preferences, you'll have to wade through a lot of conversations to understand the role religion plays in their life. After all, you're not looking to meet everybody-you want to meet the right ones. (Here are all our best online dating tips, btw.) If you're looking to optimize your time, it might be a smart idea to approach the apps with a sense of intentionality, which means, signing up for the apps that will give you the best chance to meet your kind of people.
But the convenience of the dating apps presents a slew of other unique dating challenges: analysis paralysis, dating fatigue, ambiguous intentions, one-sided conversations that go nowhere, etc.Īlthough dating apps can be overwhelming, they're one of the most popular approaches out there and for good reason-we're all on them now. In today's hyper-connected world, it's never been easier to meet lots of potential partners from the comfort of your couch. If you're looking for a romantic connection, you don't have to look much further than your phone these days.