Growlr App Review September 2026
- Over 10 million members worldwide
- Available on iOS and Android
Growlr in 10 seconds
- Growlr is a dating app for gay bears all around the world who are looking for casual dates and short-term relationships
- The app has over 10 million members worldwide - Know more about the community here
- Registration is free and quick - Learn more here
- The app is available for iOS and Android users
- Works by allowing its members search for potential partners based on location and dating information
- Sending and receiving messages are free
- The app is easy to use
- Some profiles have incomplete information
- Members can upgrade to premium to explore more special options. See more here
“Growlr brings a whole new perspective when it comes to men meeting men and hooking up with other bears. This is because it helps you do just that in a fun and engaging environment. There's so much you can do when you're a free member, but a lot more when you avail of their paid features. The only downside with this app is that it crashes frequently on your phone and your messages can be erased completely. It also cannot be downloaded on older versions of smartphones. The app is simple and it's also easy to use. However, statistics show that most bears would prefer casual dates or hook-ups than real and serious relationships. If you're into that type, you can check out our other Dating Apps.”
Who is Growlr for, and not for?
- For single bears who are looking for short-term relationships or casual dates
- For chasers who are looking for like-minded gay bears
- For single gay men who are looking for flirtatious encounters
- People who are looking for gay sugar daddies and babies
- Singles who are looking for long-term and serious relationships
- Not suitable for women and lesbians
Growlr pros & cons
- Most profiles are incomplete because the app doesn't require users to finish account setups
- The free account has a lot of advertisements
- In 2020, the app incorrectly suspended its users due to over-aggressive anti-spam settings
How does Growlr work?
- A dating app designed for the gay bear community, available on iOS and Android globally
- Basic features like messaging are free, with premium options for additional features like video chatting and ad-free browsing
- Users can engage with features like local check-ins, event listings, and the SHOUT! broadcast message system
- The app offers both public and private photo galleries, though it has an outdated interface and some bugs
- Growlr ensures safety through user-reported concerns but does not perform background checks
Growlr is a dating app tailored for the gay bear community, offering free and premium features to enhance user engagement and interaction. It's accessible globally on iOS and Android devices, facilitating connections with features like local venue check-ins, event listings, and a broadcast messaging system called SHOUT!. While the app provides an enjoyable and easy-to-navigate user experience, it maintains user safety through approximate location tracking and allows for privacy management through public and private photo galleries. However, it does not conduct background checks, relying instead on user reports to address safety concerns.
What it really costs
Compared with other dating services, Growlr is average-priced.
| Plan | Duration | Per month | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growlr Pro | 1 month | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Growlr Pro | 3 months | 8.00 USD | 23.99 USD |
| Growlr Pro | 6 months | 7.50 USD | 44.99 USD |
| Growlr Pro | 12 months | 6.00 USD | 71.99 USD |
| FLASH! | 1 month | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Gets your profile viewed faster by unlocking your private media to all users in specific areas | |||
| SHOUT! | 1 month | 4.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Send messages to many active users in a specified area | |||
Pricing proof
Can you try Growlr for free?
- You can test Growlr free of charge
- You can at least read a message for free to try the service
Free services
- Profile creation
- Chatting with other members
- Member and profile search
- Viewing members' profiles
Paid services
- Unlock private photos
- Video chatting
- Saved searches
- Ad-free browsing
Upgrading to a PRO membership will get you access to special features such as viewing of full-sized private pictures and videos, live video calls, and removing advertisements.
Payment options
Member numbers you find online are usually very inaccurate, so we estimate how many people are really on Growlr from traffic data and interest in the service, updated monthly. (2026-09)
Gender proportion: 39% ♀ / 61% ♂
Growlr age range and age distribution
- Users are members of the gay community
- There are more male members than females
- Meet users from all over the world
- Has over 10 million members
- Meet nearby members based on your GPS
Growlr is a dating app exclusively made for the gay community. Initially, the members are only gay males, but later on, other members of the LGBTQ+ community were able to register too.
The app has millions of members worldwide.
You can meet members around your neighbourhood oo by checking out the nearby function.
Find out if Growlr is the right service for you or if there are better options.
Growlr in detail
Signing up at Growlr ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- You must be at least 18 years old to sign up
- You must sign up to browse Growlr
To sign up, download the Growlr app, available on iOS and Android. To complete the registration, provide all required information.
Required information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Location
Optional information
- Profile picture upload
No verification is required to sign up at Growlr.
Making contact on Growlr ★★★★★ 3.5/5
- Members can be searched using basic info like who's online and nearby
- See and talk with members via video-chat
- Create and view posts on your "Feed" section
- Everybody can send messages for free
- Growlr has a chat function
Growlr lets you contact other bears easily. You can chat, search for members based on their location and online status, view galleries, check out and comment on user's blogs and see who has viewed you.
These are features on the app that are free. You can also extend your profile reach or advertise your business by using their SHOUT feature which you will pay for a minimal fee.
The contacting features of the app are the highlights of the app's functions.
Profile quality ★★★★★ 2.5/5
- Profile and pictures can be viewed for free
- Completing your profile is optional
- Profiles contain only little information
- Profile pictures are visible to everybody for free
- You can edit your profile information later
Creating a profile on Growlr is free and easy. You only need to manually fill out the sections that best describe you. However, this is all optional so profiles is not concise and clear.
Fake profiles can also be created, as the app is not strict and does not conduct tests or background checks on every member. There are also safety guidelines provided in the app for online safety.
However, should there be any complaints, you can just send them an e-mail to their customer support at support@growlrapp.com.
The Growlr app ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Growlr app is free to download on your Apple or Android smartphone
- The design is simple and easy to use
- The function of the app is also understandable
- Available on Google Play and Apple App Store
- App's design is a bit outdated
Our field test ★★★★★ 3.0/5
"Using Growlr has been an overall good experience. When it comes to meeting other men like me, the app sure delivers! There are some really great bears like myself who share the same interests and there are also cool features for you to easily meet up with them. However, the technicality of the app still needs improvement because the app often crashes even when I've updated it. Also, there are issues with the message feature. I've often experienced losing most of my messages and if I didn't connect with someone outside the app, it's difficult to recall your last dialogue." - Mikey, 38
I was having a hard time finding people who will understand my sexuality since I came from a conservatve family. That's why I always use special apps and trying new once every now and then. Growlr helped me find new friends who I can meet and, you know, do some stuf with. So far so good. It's just a little
Special features
Growlr keeps your dating game more fun and exciting with the following special features.
Bears +
You get to find bears based on three different sections, "online", nearby" and favourites". The "online" section shows you a list of people who are recently active. The "nearby" sections show you a list of users who are closest to your current location. There's also a "global" section if you wish to see other members in a different location. The "favourites" section shows the users you have marked as your favourites sorted by distance.
Checkins +
This feature lets you see a list of venues closest to where you are, and will then show a list of Growlr members near your area as well. You just need to tap on the venue to show you the venue details which will then show you a list of users who are in that area.
Events +
This section has two parts which are the "events" and "birthdays". For the events part will display a list of upcoming bear events. In the birthdays part, you get to see your favourites profile with their birthday listed down.
Bars +
This section shows you a list of bars that are frequented by bears. The venue closest to you is shown at the top of the list.
Meets +
This section shows you a list of meet requests that you will receive from other bear members. This also shows you a list of meet requests that you sent out to the person you marked as favourite or are attracted to.
Ntotes +
This section shows you a blank space to save personal notes or memos. You can add, edit, delete notes here and the most recent note will be seen at the top of the list.
Cancelling your Growlr subscription
How you can cancel
- Via the app store's subscription management
Contact details
| Company | Initech LLC |
|---|---|
| Address | Columbia, Ohio, USA |
| support@growlrapp.com |
Do subscriptions auto-renew?
Subscriptions renew automatically.
Money-back guarantee
- Growlr does not offer a money-back guarantee
Do your credits expire?
Credits you buy on Growlr do not expire.
Growlr FAQ
What is Growlr?
Growlr is a social networking app designed for gay bears to meet other bears. It was operated in 2010 at their headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and has gained 10 million members since then.
What do you mean by bears?
Bears are masculine gay men that belong to an inclusive community of gay people.
How does Growlr work?
It is an app that can be downloaded on your smartphone for free. You just need to register in the app, which is also free. You will only be required basic information like name, e-mail, password, and location for the signing up to be successful.
How do I search for other bears?
The search section is divided to 3 parts namely online, nearby or favourites. Online would show a list of bears who are active. Nearby would show bears who are online and near your current position. Favourites would show bears that you have marked as favourites or that you are attracted to. There's also a section in the app called "Events" where you can find upcoming bear events. There's also a "Checkins" section where you can find nearest locations where a lot of bears are usually gathering.
How do I send messages to other bears?
If a bear is currently online, you can click on their profile for free viewing and click on a chat button. The chat feature is also free.
How many bears can I mark as favourite?
The maximum number of bears you can tag as your favourite is 75.
Are there free features on Growlr?
Yes. You can view members' profiles and photos. You can also send them a chat directly and search and mark your favourite bears. You can also send a meet request to other bears.
What features do I need to pay for?
Growlr has extended features that you need to pay for like upgrading to PRO membership with their respective fees per month, the SHOUT feature where you can advertise or say hello to other bears within a 5 mile radius, and FLASH feature where your profile gets boosted quickly.
What do I get when I purchase a PRO membership?
When you purchase their PRO membership, you get ad-free browsing, get access to live video calls and unlock private photos and views, save searches and even anonymous viewing.
How do I pay for the PRO membership?
Your purchase be charged directly to your iTunes or Google Play account. You can also change the settings manually to stop auto-renewal.
Is Growlr safe to use?
Growlr is relatively safe and easy to use. However, since background checks are not conducted on every member of the app, precautions should be taken when connecting with other members and meeting them in public places. Should you have any complaints about other members, you can send them an e-mail at support@growlapp.com.
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