Best sites · Orientation & identity
The best LGBT dating apps combine inclusive gender and orientation options with strong safety features. HER leads for queer women, Grindr has the biggest community of gay and bi men, Hinge is best for relationships, and Taimi covers the whole spectrum.
| Site | Fit for lgbtq+ | Overall | Best for | Free version | Paid from | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HER | LGBTQ+ women and queer people | Yes | ≈ $14.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Hinge | Finding a relationship in your 20s and 30s | Yes | ≈ $16.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Bumble | A big, well-moderated swipe app | Yes | ≈ $2.99 for Boost (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| OkCupid | Matching on values and answers as well as photos | Yes | ≈ $10/mo | Visit | ||
| Tinder | Meeting lots of people fast | Yes | ≈ $9.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Grindr | Gay and bi men meeting people nearby | Yes | ≈ $14.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Lex | LGBTQ+ people who want community and friends as well as dates | Yes | ≈ $3.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Taimi | LGBTQ+ singles of every identity | Yes | ≈ $5.99/mo (Taimi’s own comparison) | Visit | ||
| SCRUFF | Gay and bi men who want more than a grid | Yes | ≈ $9.99 (US App Store) | Visit |
We rank for this audience, so the order follows the fit score. The overall rating reflects the site as a whole. How we score.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 4.1
Best for: LGBTQ+ women and queer people
The best-known app for lesbian, bi and queer women and non-binary people. Matching, messaging, community feeds and events are free, so it works for dating and friendship.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 4.5
Best for: Finding a relationship in your 20s and 30s
Relationship-focused, with specific gender identities, pronouns and sexual orientations on profiles. Prompts and dating intentions make it easy to find someone serious; messaging is free.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 4.2
Best for: A big, well-moderated swipe app
A big, well-moderated swipe app. In same-gender matches either person can message first, and photo verification helps weed out fake profiles.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 4.0
Best for: Matching on values and answers as well as photos
The first big dating app to add pronouns to profiles, with many gender and orientation options, including pansexual. Matching questions show how well you line up before you message.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 4.0
Best for: Meeting lots of people fast
The biggest pool, with a write-in gender option and settings for who you want to see. Free to match and message, and a good second app alongside a queer-first one.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 3.8
Best for: Gay and bi men meeting people nearby
The best-known app for gay, bi, trans and queer people, showing who is nearby in a grid. Messaging is free, and you can hide your distance for privacy.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: LGBTQ+ people who want community and friends as well as dates
Text-first personals for queer, trans and non-binary people. Post what you’re looking for, from a date to a book club; free, with a limit on posts.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 3.9
Best for: LGBTQ+ singles of every identity
An LGBTQ+-first app for the whole spectrum, mixing dating with a social feed. Matching and messaging are free, and Premium adds extras such as incognito mode.
Fit for lgbtq+ · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: Gay and bi men who want more than a grid
A long-running app for gay, bi and queer men, with event and travel listings. Handy if you travel often or want a different crowd from Grindr.
In Pew Research Center’s 2022 survey, 51% of lesbian, gay and bisexual adults said they had used a dating site or app, compared with 28% of straight adults. And 24% of partnered LGB adults met their current partner online, compared with 9% of straight adults (Pew Research Center, 2023).
The best apps let you describe yourself in your own words. OkCupid was the first big dating app to add pronouns to profiles and offers many gender and orientation options, including pansexual and asexual. Hinge lets you add a specific gender identity, pronouns and sexual orientation, and Taimi is built around the whole LGBTQ+ spectrum.
If you’re not out to everyone, check each app’s privacy options before you join. HER and Taimi offer incognito modes on their paid plans, Grindr lets you hide your distance, and on any app you can choose a first photo that doesn’t show your face clearly. Keep chats in the app until you trust someone.
Same-sex relationships are still criminalized in some countries. Before you travel, check local laws, consider turning off location features or pausing your profile, and be careful about sharing identifying details with new matches.
Use the orientation and identity options so the right people see you, and say what you’re looking for, whether that’s a relationship, dating or friends. A clear first photo and one or two specific details about your life get more replies than a blank profile, so fill in your prompts.
Block and report anyone who sends hateful or unwanted messages; you don’t owe anyone an explanation. Video call before meeting, and choose a public, LGBTQ+-friendly venue for a first date.
We ranked sites on match quality, features, value, safety and ease of use, and weighed how well each fits this audience. See how we rate dating sites.
It depends on who you want to meet. HER is the best app for queer women, Grindr has the biggest community of gay and bi men, Hinge is best for relationships, and Taimi covers the whole LGBTQ+ spectrum. OkCupid is a strong free option with many identity choices.
There’s no big app only for pansexual people, but several let you choose pansexual as your orientation. OkCupid offers it among many orientation options, and Taimi and Hinge also let you describe your identity in detail. Say what you’re looking for in your bio to find people who get it.
Yes. HER, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid, Grindr, Taimi and SCRUFF are all free to match and message, with paid plans for extras such as incognito mode or seeing who likes you. Lex is free too, with a limit on posts.
Reputable apps offer verification, blocking and reporting, and several have privacy tools such as incognito modes or hidden distance. Keep chats in the app at first, video call before meeting, meet in public and tell a friend your plans. Check local laws when you travel.
Choose an app with privacy tools: HER and Taimi offer incognito modes on paid plans, and Grindr lets you hide your distance. Use a first photo that doesn’t show your face clearly, share details only when you trust someone, and keep chats in the app.