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Despite its name, Scruff isn’t just for scruffy men. There are plenty of gay guys here, from clean-cut jocks to those with a more rugged look. Whether you’re into bears, twinks, otters, or any other type of guy, Scruff has a diverse user base that’s large enough to rival Grindr’s.
The only difference? Scruff is a little more serious in terms of what people are looking for. Sure, it’s good for hookups, but you probably won’t get the same level of raunchiness (or as much) as you would on Grindr, with users noting the app has much less of the immediate, catty “blocking culture” found elsewhere.
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If Grindr is the chaotic gay bar where anything can happen, Scruff is the slightly more upscale lounge next door. We picked it because it’s a great alternative for guys who find Grindr’s culture exhausting and want an app that grows with them. While you can definitely find a quick connection, Scruff has a well-earned reputation for attracting a more mature crowd that’s open to actual dating.
Scruff is also more than just a grid of faces. Its “Venture” feature (similar to Grindr’s “Roam” feature) lets you connect with guys in other cities before you travel, and its events section helps you find local LGBTQ+ parties and gatherings. That said, be aware that Scruff has been following Grindr’s lead in locking down features. Users on Reddit have recently complained that the free version has become much more restrictive, putting things that used to be standard behind a paywall, like viewing past message history, unrestricted filtering, and seeing your full profile visitor list. It feels like a “predatory” push to get you to upgrade to Scruff Pro (which starts around $16.99 per month).
However, mature users on Reddit are quick to defend Scruff’s free tier because its ad experience is vastly superior to Grindr’s. Instead of unskippable, frustrating videos, Scruff’s ads are simple, easily dismissible pop-ups that are surprisingly relevant to the community (like PrEP and local health services). And while users have noticed a recent uptick in spammy “massage therapist” bots, Scruff keeps its “Verified users only” filter completely free, so you can easily weed them out.
But what truly makes Scruff stand out is its commitment to creating a more inclusive and respectful space. Dylan Thomas Cotter, a publicist, author, and transgender rights activist, shared his success story on Scruff with us. As a gay trans man, he initially found the dating pool challenging. He proactively became a Scruff brand ambassador to boost his visibility and find his “Prince Charming” (which he did!).
“I am very grateful to Scruff for building an inclusive, safe, and welcoming platform that became a success story on my end as a gay transgender man,” Cotter tells Mashable. Scruff “has been substantially more inclusive of trans people and overall has excelled in the body positivity department” compared to what he describes as the “substantially superficial, less respectful of trans people” user base on Grindr. He also offers a key safety tip for all dating app users: “I would suggest turning off your exact location on grid coordinates because an inference of proximity can possibly still be made and potentially place users’ privacy at risk.”
