Recession indicators are everywhere: Sweetgreen introducing french fries, a Dunkin’ Donuts closing in Boston, flash mobs returning to our crowded city streets.
But for the gays and theys, there is one sign of an economic downturn above all others: Grindr placing even more of its features behind a paywall!
Taps, the ultimate noncommittal icebreaker, are no longer free. If users want to digitally poke the newest headless torso on their grid, they have to pay up.
The consternation over Grindr further limiting its free experience is nothing new. Like every publicly traded company, the ubiquitous hookup app has a duty to act in the best interest of its shareholders. That means milking insatiable gays for all of their rainbow dollars!
Over the last three years, the strategy has worked swimmingly. Grindr Inc. delivered 33% revenue growth in 2024.
However, the upcoming year doesn’t seem as rosy.
Grindr’s growth has slowed, causing share prices to drop (and that was before the tariffs). Users may notice an array of paid features in addition to XTRA or Unlimited, such as paying for “boosts” or “super boosts,” which are supposed to place your profile at the top of the grid for one or two hours.
