Tinder or Grindr: Which should you choose if you’re looking for hookups?

There isn’t anything more synonymous with the time we’re living in than the use of dating apps. From finding friends to hang around and enjoy similar interests to hooking up and having sex, social apps are at an all-time high. We all use them in some way. In fact, you’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Tinder. It’s probably the most popular mobile dating app in the world. 

 

However, it’s not the only one. There are many others, including Grindr, which is the top pick for the LGBTQ+ population in the world. But which one should you choose? Well, both have their pros and cons. But no worries — we’ll take you through the ins and outs of both apps so that you can decide easier.

Tinder and Grindr: What Are They?

In essence, Tinder and Grindr are two of the same. They are location-based dating sites. Nevertheless, let’s focus on the former first. Tinder is a dating app that allows people to match with one another based on their looks and short bio descriptions. You post a couple of pictures on your profile, write something about yourself, and set your location. After that, the app’s algorithm starts to provide you with other people’s profiles.

 

 

The mechanics of the app are simple. If you swipe right, you’ll show interest in someone’s profile. If you swipe left, the opposite will happen. Once someone shows interest in another person, they will receive a notification on their smartphone that allows the two of them to come into contact via direct messages. The same goes for Grindr, but its demographics are gay, lesbian, and bisexual folks. Pretty simple, isn’t it?

Tinder Facts

Aside from it being one of the best dating apps for casual hookups, Tinder is quite an interesting phenomenon. The app has been with us ever since late 2012 and has evolved into one of the main icons on both iOS and Android smartphones. Across the world, it has over 70 million users. Most of these are men, and 30% of all users are actually married.

 

You can use Tinder across 190 different countries in the world. And as such, it’s available in different languages, apart from English. But enough of these boring stats. Let’s mention the main pros of using Tinder. The company stats suggest that 95% of all users come across at least one match in less than one week. In other words, there’s someone for every user.

All About Grindr

Although most will assume that Tinder is the first and original social media platform for dating, Grindr is actually older. In fact, Grindr came to us all the way back in 2009 when smartphones weren’t even a thing. And ever since then, it has provided gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and trans people with casual dating.

 

The app has similar if not the same options for its users as Tinder. You post a profile picture, write a bio about yourself, and continue user-swiping. Nevertheless, the main pros of using Grindr are the sheer number of users and their sexual orientations. Unlike Tinder, Grindr is exclusively for non-straight people.

Possible Downsides

The main Tinder and Grindr difference is that they serve people of different sexual orientations. However, both groups of people are prone to similar problems while pursuing online dating. Namely, meeting someone online can lead to a myriad of unpleasant experiences, including scams, queerbaiting, catfishing, and abuse among others.

 

  • Both Tinder and Grindr provide a platform for people looking to scam other users. This is especially true for older and less experienced users. They are more prone to scams as they are more desperate for love and affection. To learn more about this type of online dating danger, watch Netflix’s Tinder Swindler.


  • Queerbaiting is a practice where people promise queer content to the LGBTQ+ population but then don’t deliver. For example, it’s common in marketing TV shows and movies. Trailers include something that might lead down a queer route, but it then proves to be a red herring. Well, Grindr is full of it.

 

  • Unfortunately, Grindr and Tinder both have a problem with fake accounts. Just like on all other social platforms, bad people create profiles that they use to catfish naive users for numerous purposes. Most of these come down to exploiting them in financial ways. But that’s not all. Catfishing can lead to a myriad of issues.

 

  • Lastly, we need to mention abuse. In the last couple of years, there have been numerous accounts of people reporting abuse after using both platforms. Both physical and verbal. There are many bad people out there looking to exploit social media to inflict pain on others, and Grindr and Tinder are perfect platforms for their plans.

Protect Yourself

The sad reality is that there are many bad people around us. They use both Tinder and Grindr apps for their means. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t protect ourselves from them. There are easy steps to ensure your safety, regardless of the app you choose to find love in the future.

 

  • The first thing we recommend is that you check your match on other social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram before you agree to meet in person.
  • If you do agree, you should also choose a public place and come early to inspect the situation from afar.
  • Another tip we suggest is that you never share your phone or — god forbid — credit card number before you get to know the other person really well.
  • In our eyes, it’s best to inform at least one of your friends or family members that you’re going on a blind date in case anything goes wrong.

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