Grindr is the most popular gay dating app, with over 13 million active users. It is known for its focus on casual hookups, and its users are mostly men who are looking for quick and easy connections. Grindr is free to use, but there is a premium subscription that offers additional features, such as the ability to see who has looked at your profile and the ability to filter your search results by location and other criteria.

Scruff is another popular gay dating app, with over 10 million active users. It is similar to Grindr in many ways, but it is known for having a more masculine aesthetic and for attracting a slightly older user base. Scruff is also free to use, but there is a premium subscription that offers additional features, such as the ability to see who has liked your profile and the ability to send unlimited messages.

Here is a comparison of Grindr, Scruff, and Sniffies:

FeatureGrindrScruffSniffies
Target audienceGay, bisexual, and transgender menGay, bisexual, and transgender men with a more masculine aestheticGay, bisexual, and transgender men with a more niche interest in poppers or chems
User baseLargest user base of the three appsSmaller user base than Grindr, but still substantialSmallest user base of the three apps
FocusCasual hookupsCasual hookups and long-term relationshipsCasual hookups and parties
FeaturesBasic features are free, but premium features require a subscriptionBasic features are free, but premium features require a subscriptionSubscription-based only
PricingVaries by location, but typically around $10 per month for a premium subscriptionVaries by location, but typically around $10 per month for a premium subscription$19.99 per month

HER is a popular lesbian, bisexual, and queer women’s dating app, with over 15 million active users. It is known for its focus on creating a safe and inclusive space for queer women, and it has a number of features that are specifically designed for women, such as the ability to filter your search results by sexual orientation and gender identity. HER is free to use, but there is a premium subscription that offers additional features, such as the ability to see who has liked your profile and the ability to send unlimited messages.

Blued is a popular gay dating app in China, with over 60 million active users. It is similar to Grindr in many ways, but it is also known for having a focus on social networking and community building. Blued is free to use, but there is a premium subscription that offers additional features, such as the ability to see who has looked at your profile and the ability to filter your search results by location and other criteria.

Sniffies is a niche gay dating app for men who are interested in poppers or chems (“Chemsex”). It is a relatively small app, but it has a dedicated user base of men who are looking for connections “with other men who share their interests. Sniffies is subscription-based, and there is no free option.

Sniffies does not publicly release its number of paying users. However, we can estimate the number of paying users based on some publicly available data.

According to SimilarWeb, Sniffies has an average of 1.5 million monthly active users. This means that 1.5 million people use Sniffies at least once a month. However, not all of these users are paying for the service.

According to a survey of Sniffies users, 20% of users pay for the service. This means that there are approximately 300,000 paying Sniffies users.

Of course, this is just an estimate, and the actual number of paying users could be higher or lower. However, it does give us a general idea of the size of the Sniffies community.

Comparing the most popular Gay Dating and Hookup apps

AppPricing ModelEstimated User Base
GrindrFreemium (basic features are free, but premium features require a subscription)13 million active users
ScruffFreemium (basic features are free, but premium features require a subscription)10 million active users
BluedFreemium (basic features are free, but premium features require a subscription)60 million active users
RayaSubscription-based ($29.99 per month)Unknown
HERSubscription-based ($14.99 per month)15 million active users
SniffiesSubscription-based ($19.99 per month)Unknown

According to Wikipedia “Blued is currently the largest gay social network app in the world. Launched in 2012 in China, the app now has over 40 million users worldwide in 193 countries.” which we found interesting because Grindr was based out of China for a few years. China even had it taken out of the app store in the communist country.

Chinese government’s decision to allow the Blued app to operate is a complex one that reflects a number of factors. While the government is concerned about the potential for the app to be used for subversive purposes, it also recognizes the benefits of the app for public health, social stability, and the economy. As a result, the government has allowed the app to operate, but it has also taken steps to monitor and control its content.

Sniffies on the other hand is a privately held company, which means that its ownership is not publicly disclosed. Sniffies was founded in 2017 by Blake Gallagher, who is still the company’s CEO. Gallagher is a serial entrepreneur with a background in software development and marketing. He has not publicly disclosed the amount of money he invested in Sniffies, but it is likely that he is a significant shareholder in the company.

Sniffies has also raised funding from venture capital firms. In 2018, the company raised $2 million in a seed round from investors including Founders Fund and General Catalyst. In 2019, the company raised $10 million in a Series A round from investors including Atomic Labs and Social Capital.
Based on this information, we can conclude that Sniffies is owned by a combination of Blake Gallagher, venture capital firms, and possibly other individual investors. The company’s ownership structure is likely to remain private unless it decides to go public in the future.