Which Gay Dating/Hookup LBS app is the best? Grindr, Scruff, or Qrushr?

Location-based services (LBS) are the future of online dating. Scratch that, they're a reality of dating today. We all know (or have "heard") how Manhunt and Adam for Adam show profiles by region, but is that guy you're checking out across the park or across the street? It could be the difference between tomorrow's coffee date and tonight's after-hours.

Believe it or not, there are apps that tell you how far guys are from you! And while convenience doesn't mean compatibility, you're a lot more likely to chat on your phone at the office than to log onto BigMuscle on your work computer. And wouldn't you be more tempted to interact with that hottie if you knew he was right next door!

It seems that the gay LBS apps that are making the biggest splash in the US right now are Grindr, Scruff, and Qrushr. I'll give a brief overview of each apps features (though they constantly update) before comparing the pros and cons between the LBSs. And since I have an iPhone, I'll be focusing on the iOS versions of these apps.


Grindr was the first major gay-focused LBS on the iPhone. Each profile has room for a picture, a screenname that doesn't have to be unique, profile text (120 characters), a headline and a facebook URL. This text text layers over the lower third picture when other users open your profile. Your stats (age, distance from users, height, weight, and ethnicity) show up on the top right corner. Users can choose to not post any of these features.

Profiles are displayed in a box grid in order of how far users are from each other. In the grid, users see a cropped version of the picture with the screenname layered across the top. When the user clicks on a profile, the full picture displays along with the profile info that that user chose to share.

The app has a chat function that allows a user to send text, pictures, and his location on a map. With the standard edition, one must be signed in to be notified of messages, and Grindr X (the $2.99/mo version) allows users to receive push notifications for messages.


Scruff is a newer LBS that's targeted towards the bear/chaser community (I define bears as guys with mass, be it fat or muscle, who are hairy, but it can include skinny hairy guys [otters] and chasers [appreciators who don't fit the description] as an umbrella term).

The layout is similar to the Grindr app on the surface: square grid with cropped pics and non-unique screennames. But Scruff profiles have more info available in the profile: there's space for "what I do," "what I'm into," "what I'm looking for" and "where I live." As far as I can tell, there are no strict character limits. When you open a user's profile, his picture is still cropped and stays in the corner (you can click to enlarge), putting the focus on the text. There's also a check-in feature that allows you to display your latest location, which shows up layered over your picture in the grid as well as on your profile.

In addition to Grindr-like messaging, Scruff allows users to "Woof" at other users, which lets the guy know you're interested. Also, the app allows users to see who has viewed them. Anytime a user gets a Woof or a message, he gets a push notification. You can also mark profiles by if you would meet the guy: "definitely," "maybe," or "not my type." Scruff says they'll notify you if you both like each other, but in the 4 months I've been using this feature, I've never received such a notification. Perhaps, oh my god, nobody on this app wants to meet me! this feature hasn't been widely adopted among users.


Qrushr a gay LBS based out of the UK. It uses the same grid layout, showing cropped photos with screennames. Users can upload multiple photos (I've seen as many as 4 on a profile) that can be viewed by swiping. Like Grindr, tapping on a user's profile will display their full-screen picture with profile text layered on the lower third and stats in the upper-right corner. The app sends a push notification when a user receives a message.

Some unique features that Qrushr has: chat rooms; radio and video content; magazines; the ability to view all users on a grid and switch to a view that only shows users currently online (Scruff has this ability, but only selectively... I've seen guys on my general grid marked as online now, but they don't show up in the online now grid).

As far as features go, Qrushr wins hands down. It basically has the ability to do what the other apps do, plus it has the chat rooms, mag, video and radio. You have almost unlimited profile text, and (most importantly) you can have multiple pictures in your profile. However, Qrushr seems to have fewer active users than the other apps, at least in NYC and Philly. And though I get more messages on Qrushr and Scruff, they're mostly from guys that are thousands of miles/kilometers away. This is probably because Qrushr and Scruff allow you to see guys that are currently online that are far away (rather than exclusively guys who are passively or currently online near you the way Grindr does). This is great for spreading the word about my blog, but it may not be the most exciting feature for the user who's "looking for now."

Scruff's winning feature (besides its high penetration in NYC and surprisingly wide variety of guys for a targeted LBS) is the ability to see who has viewed you and to woof at users without actually sending a message. This is a definite win for more subtle flirtation. The users aren't as conventionally attractive as Grindr, but I found them to be much more likely to contact me one way or another. Did I mention that I'm kind of a bear chaser?

Also, I've found Qrushr to have more black and Latino guys in the NYC area than the other apps.

So which app is best? Well, they all serve different purposes that I find useful. While I've found Scruff to be more populated with nearby guys and guys who will actually reach out, Qrushr has more features that would be awesome if more guys signed on and used them. Grindr has the most traditional hotties. It's great exposure for my blog, and while they don't talk to me, some of my more mainstream friends have found themselves flooded with messages.

My suggestion: download all 3 and see which works best for you. They all have different target audiences, and you may find value in all 3.

Are you on any of these LBSs? What apps do you use to meet guys? Leave a comment and let me know!

Click here to check out a Fun with Grindr post (there may or may not be an adult diaper involved).

Click here to download Grindr.
Click here to download Scruff, now available on ANDROID!
Click here to download Qrushr.