Dating apps tailored for LGBTQ+ communities are reporting measurable gains as they introduce trans-inclusive features and design with disclosure in mind. A GLAAD report from 2024 noted that 53% of transgender and nonbinary users feel overlooked by mainstream dating platforms – highlighting a clear opportunity for more empathetic alternatives.
Platforms such as Translr and Feeld have responded accordingly. Feeld, in particular, expanded its gender and sexuality identity options and allowed users to adjust these descriptors freely – an initiative that fueled a 70% increase in trans users. Meanwhile, Translr also saw a 35% rise in membership, partially due to new strategies that are meant to make it easier for users to comfortably disclose their gender identity without fear of putting themselves at risk. Translr’s changes were also meant to prevent fetishization, a concern that 45% of trans or nonbinary users had.
Even as far back as 2023, Tinder reported on the fact that use of categories other than “male” or “female” on the app had begun to spike, meaning that more and more users either fell into those labels or were experimenting with using them. According to Feeld, over 180,000 users also ended up changing their sexuality settings within one year of the app’s operations – some of whom were likely hiding their real orientation initially.
As more and more LGBTQ+ users begin looking for dating apps that are both welcoming to and properly equipped for users outside the normal binary or with a more complex identity, it only makes sense that apps which accomodate them see small bursts of growth. While only a portion of the wider online dating audience, the LGBTQ+ dating market may continue to grow as more users look for platforms tailored to their needs.
