Speaking generally, finally decided to post this after weeks of searching without a clear answer. What are the dating apps for gay men that aren't just for hookups — I know it sounds straightforward but every time I dig into it I end up in a rabbit hole of sponsored content and outdated 2022 listicles.
Realistically, specific context: I've been on and off various platforms for the past 18 months with mixed results. Anecdotally, some had active users in my area, some were effectively ghost towns, at least in my experience. From my side, the ones that worked best weren't always the ones with the biggest marketing budgets, which is exactly why I'm asking here instead of Google.
Speaking generally, things that matter to me when evaluating an answer:
- From what I've seen, whether it's based on actual recent use, not just reputation
- Broadly speaking, how it holds up in mid-sized cities, not just major metros
- Realistically, what the free tier actually lets you do vs. what requires payment
- For what it's worth, how well the moderation keeps bots and fake accounts under control
On balance, any real experience shared is appreciated more than links to review sites, depending on which app you are on.
