A new study shows that Grindr has more appeal to users beyond just sex. More than half of those who use the app believe they can find true love.
The study results, released by online surveyor Compare The Market, found that 84% of Grindr users have fallen in love with someone they met on the app, and a full 56.5% believe they can find the love of their life on the smartphone program.
(In a revealing twist, 81% of queer women who use a similar app, HER, said they had also fallen in love with someone they met there.)
On the other hand, the study also revealed some 25% of dating app users see it as a game rather than a means to make a meaningful connection.
Moreover, 91% of users of the website Ashley Madison–a site aimed at attracting married or committed men to find a mistress–said they’d fallen in love with someone from the site. We’re guessing that probably caused relationship issues at some point. That number also corresponds exactly to the number of respondents who said they had a bad experience using the app.
Those online dating horror stories translated to Grindr users as well, where users reported complaints ranging from having a boring date to meeting someone that was married to people looking nothing like their profile photos.
Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise then that respondents’ biggest complaint was that 41% said they’d encountered someone who was dishonest on their dating profile.
In other words, dating in the smartphone era hasn’t gotten any easier.
MartyO49
I agree. I met my husband on Grindr. He is Brazilian living in the USA and I am American. He explained to me that in Brazil, Grindr is more of a social rather than a sex app…You never know!
john.k
I found the love of my life on Gaydar. I was just looking for sex so you never know. We’ve been together for over 12 years now.
Brian
Anything is possible. There are always decent people mixed in with the horrible ones on dating apps. The problem is the amount of frogs you have to kiss before you find one. And that way too many people on the apps are so ridiculously specific with their dating requirements that they’ve probably already swiped past many potential loves of their lives because of some superficial reason or another.
I met my husband in a seedy bar where I would never expect to find anything beyond a one night stand. Just be open to possibilities and keep your expectations low and realistic and who knows?
Tombear
Oh, please! Let’s call Grindr what it is: an on- line bath house.
Gary Q VV
Grindr… who knew it had a favorable record. My “first” and I met in a college town’s only gay bar – we were together for 11 years.. My “second” partner and I met on Match .com and we enjoyed a long relationship. Social media works great, just as face-to-face.
sfmike64
People meet i ALL sorts of ways. They always have. When I lived in Boston I knew a couple who’d been together for 20+ years who met in a t-room, sucking each other’s dicks.
I met my husband of 14 years on Bear411.
Stop judging how people meet. It’s BEYOND tedious since we all know the truth. Queers have always met through hookups. The dirty secret is, straight people meet the SAME WAY.
surreal33
Grindr is the online equivalent of steroids you will get results but at what cost?
Aromaeus
My longest relationships were with guys I met on apps and gay dating websites. Hell my first boyfriend I met on a4a and god knows that place is shady af.
djmcgamester
I went on to Bumble and Tinder. Someone from one of them seemed to be nice. We talked on the phone for a while. Then came the extremely raunchy text messages. When I said I wanted to get to know him before anything else he stopped replying. I’ve had similar-ish things happen on Match.com.
Hard to know where I’m supposed to meet guys. Non-drinker and not all that interested in hanging out in bars. I also don’t live in a major metropolitan area. That’s why I’m using the apps. Maybe the gym – but not the steam room.
batesmotel
Grindr is a shallow hook up app. Can you find love on it? A lifelong committed relationship partner? It’s possible, but rare.
theafricanwiththemouth
Well, this is sorta true, for me at least, and only because grindr and few other social media apps are the only ways folks like me living/born in horribly homophobic countries, can meet other gay’s.
But tbh, the experience on grindr has been extremely boring and totally unuseful. Although the app’s not the only thing to blame, seeing as i (as a result of really bad paranoia) will never agree to meet up with anyone or release my phone number. When i put up my photo every now and then, it’s like someone’s holding a gun to my head. Lol, i doubt i can ever have a normal gay experience, but it’s good, I’ve got a certain degree of joy/content following up on stories of gay’s (couples especially) living their best lives.
Also, i’m one of those guys who watches a series (all episodes and seasons) for just that one minor gay character who would pop in and out every now and then. But thankfully more major gay roles are being doled out in TV shows.
PS: “looking” cancellation was murder to me. It was the only fully gay series i could have on my phone (not video hiding apps) that didn’t warrant weird questions from friends and family members. Plus it was really good all round IMO. CURSE YOU HBO!!
JJinAus
I went to a meet up in my city at a gay club organised by participants in irc chat. That’s how long ago it was. I was then invited to a party….. fast forward 20 years, still together.
Clay83
I beieve if you meet the right person, regardless of whether it’s on Graindr, Tindr or out and about you can fall in love and be very happy. I met my fiance on Tindr and we couldnt be happier. An ex of mine met his current partner on Grindr and they are very happy, all it take is that chance encounter with the right person
Heywood Jablowme
“Those online dating horror stories translated to Grindr users as well, where users reported complaints ranging from having a boring date to meeting someone that was married to people looking nothing like their profile photos.”
If those are the only “horror stories,” that’s not much horror. The first two happened of course with 20th-century dating; the inaccurate profile photos are the only new annoyance. I’d worry more about safety, inviting a total stranger into your home or going to a total stranger’s place, when there’s no observer (bartender or similar) to notice.
winemaker
Wow is this guy serious? For those out there new to internet dating or meeting on an app, first order of safety is: never, ever, ever (you get the idea) meet someone the first time at your place or their place. Every dating site i know of has this warning in ‘dating safety tips’. Common sense tells you if it doesn’t go well, or the guy’s creepy or you get a bad feeling or just not interested, it could get dicey. Always meet the first time in a bar or restaurant for a drink or cup of coffee to see how things go and a quick getaway of things don’t go well and take it from there. The second thing that kind of goes with the first caveat, don’t reveal your address because if it doesn’t work out, you don’t want a stalker. This reminds me of meeting guys in bars years ago and if you hit it off, the dilemma of, ‘your place or mine ‘ always came up.. You never can be too careful and sadly there are a lot of creeps and low life’s out there. Be wise.
radiooutmike
I met my present partner on Chappie.
Of course we find our relationships on apps, because we’re all on them. “Good” men never use Grindr, only “bad ones”? Though, I think the question needs to be parsed better.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Grindr?? The app from Hell!
My profile tag line clearly states “No pic= No reply”
Don’t stop guys from regularly tapping and/or messaging me. When point out my criteria get all offended
There are soooo many guys who catfish there I sometimes refer to it as an aquarium 🙁
MusicBoi74
I met my now-husband on gay.com. I had just moved to Atlanta. We chatted online for a very long time before meeting in person. We were good friends for many years, and eventually realized what we had with eachother. So, it’s always possible.