Grindr vs SCRUFF: how the two LGBTQ+ apps differ

Who each app is for

Grindr's App Store description calls it "the world's #1 free dating app serving the LGBTQ community", a ranking that is Grindr's own claim, and names "friendships, dates, and whatever else you're looking for" as the reasons to join. SCRUFF's store descriptions open with "the top-rated and most reliable app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people to connect with each other" and add that SCRUFF is "an independent, LGBTQ+ owned and operated company". The operators are Grindr LLC and Perry Street Software, Inc. The SCRUFF homepage shows profile tags reading "Random play/NSA", "Guy next door", "Partner" and "Visiting now", so casual dating is among the intentions it lists.

No official SCRUFF page calls it a hookup app or declines the label. For Grindr, the word hookup does not appear in the store listings, the homepage or the Community Guidelines that were read. Apps sorted for that search are in casual connection apps; the audience page is lgbtq hookup and dating apps.

Google Play shows 50M+ downloads for Grindr and 10M+ for SCRUFF. SCRUFF's homepage also says "Join 40M+ members" and the store descriptions say "30+ million users, no spambots". Both member figures count registered members, not active users, and the pages checked do not explain the gap.

Finding people: two grids and a daily stack

Grindr is a grid. The App Store listing promises to "See people nearby based on your location", and tags, filters and starred favorites narrow it down. XTRA shows up to 600 profiles at once and Unlimited shows unlimited profiles; the number a free account sees is not stated. A free account can filter its search, and XTRA adds filtering by position, relationship status and more.

SCRUFF has a nearby grid as well, and its homepage lists "up to 1,000 nearby members" and more search filters under SCRUFF Pro. On top sits SCRUFF Match, a new daily stack of profiles: swipe right if interested, left to pass, or "Ask later" to see the profile again tomorrow. Tapping "I'm Interested" on a profile shows whether the attraction is mutual. An Explore feed shows Moments, events and cities, and the homepage says "SCRUFF lets you explore other cities so you can chat with locals, plan meet-ups". Whether that city browsing needs Pro is not stated. Grindr's listing calls the app a tool for travelers who want to meet locals, but no named travel mode is confirmed; travel mode apps lists those that have one.

Messaging, photos and video

Chat is free on Grindr, along with private photos and private albums that can be shared and unshared. Unlimited adds unsending messages and photos. The privacy policy names audio and video calls between users, but the store listings do not list calls and the plan that covers them is not stated.

SCRUFF's listing says "Message history, photos, and videos sync across your devices and never get lost". Moments are photos and videos posted to an audience or a neighborhood, with the member choosing who sees them and "when it is gone". Pro adds complete message history, an unlimited inbox, read receipts, and sending and receiving videos. Its App Store and Google Play descriptions both include "VIDEO CHAT. A fun and flirty way to get to know each other before you meet". Whether a free account can exchange messages, and whether video chat needs Pro, is not stated. Voice messages are not confirmed for either app.

Verification and safety tools

This is the sharpest split in the data. SCRUFF lists optional selfie verification with a profile badge. Grindr's terms, section 3.2, say "We do not verify users", and no optional photo verification is described for it. Grindr does run age assurance, a date of birth plus a video selfie in certain jurisdictions, and that check concerns age, not identity. See dating apps with profile verification.

Both apps have in-app report and block, and both let you mute conversations. Grindr gives free controls over whether your distance and map position are shown, and its terms warn that a sophisticated user may still estimate your exact location. Incognito mode and unsending are Unlimited features. Its Community Guidelines set consent and privacy rules and an adults-only rule.

SCRUFF's Dating Safety Policy adds hiding your profile, hiding or changing the accuracy of your distance, an app passcode and, where supported, a discreet app icon. It also lists travel safety warnings for countries where LGBTQ+ people face heightened risk, and moderation that mixes automated tools and human review, with appeals. Neither list rates its tools; are hookup apps safe has the general picture.

Free accounts and paid tiers

Grindr is free to download. A free account shows nearby users, chat, private photos and albums, tags and basic filters, favorites, and block and report, with third-party ads. XTRA and Unlimited add features and remove the ads.

SCRUFF is free to download too. Its terms call the free version the "Standard Service" and the paid version the Pro Version, and the homepage lists Pro features that include stealth mode, browsing anonymously and no fullscreen ads. No official page read mentions a free SCRUFF trial, and what a free account can do with its inbox is not stated.

Grindr vs SCRUFF prices in the US and UK

The US App Store lists SCRUFF Pro from USD 9.99, with rows up to USD 119.99, Messaging Pro at USD 4.99 and Browsing Pro at USD 3.99. Grindr XTRA is listed on the US App Store from USD 14.99 and Grindr Unlimited from USD 27.99. The UK App Store lists SCRUFF Pro from GBP 6.99, Grindr XTRA from GBP 9.99 and Grindr Unlimited from GBP 24.99. Both apps have rows in both countries. None of these tier rows states a billing period, and Grindr's terms say renewal periods vary by plan, for example one week or one month.

Prices as listed in the store on November 5, 2026. They change by country, platform, account and promotion.

Prices as listed in the store on November 5, 2026. They change by country, platform, account and promotion.

The lowest listed SCRUFF Pro price is below the lowest listed Grindr XTRA price in both countries: USD 9.99 against USD 14.99 on the US App Store, GBP 6.99 against GBP 9.99 on the UK one. The tiers hold different features, so without periods that is as far as the numbers go. Only iPhone App Store listings are covered; Google Play and web prices are not. On Grindr, deleting the app or closing the account does not cancel a subscription. Full lists are on Grindr pricing and SCRUFF's price page.

Privacy and data

Grindr's privacy policy, last updated 6 July 2026, says Grindr may collect precise geolocation for distance and maps. Profile fields can hold health information such as HIV and vaccination status if the member adds it. Where the age check uses a video selfie, it involves biometric processing. Free accounts show third-party ads that share limited data with ad partners.

SCRUFF's privacy policy, last revised October 6, 2026, says Perry Street Software collects profile details, device and advertising identifiers, and location through GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular signals with consent, storing the last known location. Distance to other users is public by default, with an option to hide it or change its accuracy. Gender identity, health details and HIV status are collected only if you provide them. Deleting the app does not delete the account: a help center request starts a process that begins 30 days later and "is not absolute", according to a summarized copy of that article. More is in our privacy guide.

Platforms, ages and availability

Grindr is on iPhone and iPad, on Android and on the web: its homepage says "Log in with Web" and "No download required", with a footnote naming XTRA and Unlimited. SCRUFF is on iPhone and iPad and on Android, where the homepage also links a sideloadable APK. No web version was found for SCRUFF. Grindr is listed in 41 of the 45 App Store storefronts checked and missing from TR, SA, MY and ID; SCRUFF is listed in 43 and missing from TR and MY. The pages checked do not say why.

The App Store rates both apps 18+, and Google Play rates both Mature 17+. Grindr's terms require members to be at least 18 "no matter where you live", and SCRUFF's terms set 18 or the age of majority in the member's jurisdiction.

Which app fits whom

Grindr fits adults who want chat and private photos confirmed in a free account, a web version, and the larger Google Play audience. SCRUFF fits adults who want optional selfie verification, a daily Match stack, a feed of events and other cities, and settings such as an app passcode and a discreet icon; for most of those, the pages read do not say whether Pro is needed.

If neither suits, Grindr alternatives and SCRUFF alternatives sort other apps by need. The comparison with a mixed-audience app is in Grindr vs Tinder, and more pairs are in dating app comparisons.