Best dating apps for lesbians, queer women and non-binary people
There are number of dating apps designed for lesbians, bisexual and queer women, and non-binary people. (Alexander Grey/Unsplash)
Dating in 2024 as a lesbian, queer woman or non-binary person is, without doubt, different than it was for our parents and grandparents’ generations with the dawn of apps.
The most obvious difference is that people now initially meet face-to-face less and less, instead using dating apps from the comfort of their homes to see who out there might be a compatible partner.
According to a recent Statista study, 20 per cent of the UK population use dating apps that cater for a variety of interests and people. But many of them are designed by, and for, straight people rather than for queer people.
As a queer or non-binary person, it might be difficult to know where to start – but thankfully there are an increasing number of apps that have been designed with queer and non-binary people in mind.
Of course, apps can also be a place filled with people you’d never want to encounter, but for LGBTQ+ folk, they can be, and are, a great place to meet someone you might not have the chance to click with otherwise.
Here are some of the best for lesbians, queer woman and non-binary people looking for love, sex, friendship, or all of the above.
Taimi
Taimi is considered a “truly LGBTQ+-centred” app that boasts a community of more than 18 million people.
According to the app, it “was recently recognised as one of the best products for non-binary, gender-fluid, and transgender people” and is known for its inclusivity. It offers options for pronouns, sexuality and gender when creating a profile, in addition to basic information such name, age, current location and what kind of relationship you’re looking for.
It also has “cards” that allow users to let others know more about you, hopefully creating a more-genuine interaction and matching those who have similar interests. In addition, it allows you to connect the app to your Instagram and Spotify profiles.
The app is also a social networking platform so if you find that there are no romantic connections right away, it can still be a good way to make new friends.
Features are free but there are premium options, starting at £12.
Her
Her is one of the most-popular dating apps for queer people. It was created by, and for, queer women and is, by its very name, known to be quite gendered.
It claims to be the “world’s most-loved sapphic dating app”, heavily implying that it is designed solely for women, but there are also a number of trans and non-binary people on its books.
Users create a profile including pronouns, sexual identity, gender identity, relationship status and what they are looking for. Then, it will present you with potential matches and you can start messaging with a person you like if they have swiped right too.
There is also a section that allows users to explore communities and events so that you can connect with like-minded people online and in real life.
The majority of features are free, but there is a premium subscription, which starts at £13.99 per month.
Feeld
Feeld is an app designed for those interested in alternative relationship models and sexual preferences, such as ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, casual sex, kink and swinging.
Given that some members of the LGBTQ+ community do engage with, and prefer, alternative relationship models, Feeld might be the place to find like-minded people.
There is also the option for paired couple accounts, kink-positive profiles and a range of gender and sexuality choices.
It’s likely that Feeld had a smaller user base than other apps but it still reports more than two million connections per month and half of its users identify as other than heterosexual.
Feeld costs £19.99 per month for a premium subscription, which allows you to see everyone who liked your profile, but its free service is adequate.
Lex
Queer-owned and operated, Lex is an app for meeting “lesbian, bisexual, asexual and queer people for womxn and trans, gender-queer, intersex, two spirit and non-binary people”.
It is considered a “welcoming space for conversation and expression, where LGBTQ+ people can build relationships, have fun and belong”.
Lex is a bit different from almost any other dating app out there. It is more about conversation and connection than what people look like, and makes photos optional, with the hope that users focus on writing about themselves rather than endlessly swiping through gym selfies.
Zoe
Zoe is similar to Tinder, in that you can swipe right to match with other lesbian, bisexual and queer women, making it easy to use. It offers verified profiles so users feel safer in the knowledge that they’re less likely to swipe on someone who isn’t who they say they are.
It claims to be “the best-rated lesbian dating app worldwide” and has more than 3.9 million registered users.
The paid version offers larger searches, to reach those millions of people, as well as compatibility questionnaires to match with other users who are extremely similar, or you can turn on Opposite Match to test the “opposites attract” theory, and you can undo a left-swipe if you make a mistake.
A subscription costs £13 per month.
Lesly
Lesly is aimed at lesbians, bisexual and queer women who want to “chat, date, and hook up” with other LGBTQ+ singletons.
It also works like Tinder but was created by a group of lesbian dating experts who say it’s a “trusted and secure place for gay women to connect, get to know [others], and even fall in love”.
It claims to have very strict verification processes, so there is less risk of catfish, or of people who identify as straight or as a cisgender male slipping through the cracks.
Scissr
Scissr is “designed by queer womxn for queer womxn” but is not strictly for romance – it aims to build connections in friendship and careers too.
It has been described as the “Tinder for lesbians” or an equivalent to Grindr but “classier”.
Users can add their dating preferences and uses GPS data to find matches nearby if preferred, but it is not restricted to where you are, and you can expand the dating pool worldwide.
Fem Dating
Fem Dating states it is “designed specifically for gay women, bisexual women and [with] WLW (Women Loving Women) in mind”.
Even though the language and the name, suggests that only lesbians, bisexual women and femmes should use it, the app welcomes queer people of all sexual orientations and gender presentations.
Instead of uploading photos, Fem suggests creating video profiles, but this is not mandatory so it can be used just like other dating apps.
Hinge
Hinge pegs itself as an app “designed to be deleted”, implying that users will want to delete it after finding the right person. It aims to involve people in real conversations rather than based on superficial traits.
Profiles include questions and answers that can serve as conversation starters to which potential matches can respond.
The app has added more options for gender and sexual orientation in recent years and released conversation starters specifically for LGBTQ+ users.
There are already a number of LGBTQ+ users on the app who hopefully can be found with the free features, but there is also an option to upgrade to a premium subscription at a cost of £19.99 per month.
Bumble
Bumble is a well-known app, but not designed exclusively with queer people in mind.
However, it spun out of Whitney Wolfe Herd’s desire to put the power into women’s hands instead of sitting around waiting for men to start the conversation.
This translates into women having to start the conversation within 24 hours when they match with someone. Of course, this is rather heteronormative as it assumes there are not two women, or non-binary people, trying to converse.
But when there are two same-sex or non-binary people, either of them can choose to start the conversation.
While it’s not specifically for LGBTQ+ people, some have had success using the app to find partners.
Bumble is free to use but some premium features will cost upwards of £7.99.
Hashtag Open
Similar to Feeld, #Open is an app for ethically non-monogamous people to find other like-minded users.
You can sign up as a couple or individually and the app says it is focused on respectful and inclusive engagement with the lifestyle.
#Open is slightly different to other dating apps, given that it offers virtual and real-life community events, so you can combine online dating with meeting someone the “old-fashioned way” if you so choose.
The paid version will let you see numerous likes at a time and discover who likes your before you decide whether you want to match with them.
Tinder
Tinder was one of the first dating apps to gain widespread popularity and boasts more than 75 million active users every month.
While it’s popular with heterosexuals, it does have filters to allow people only to see women, or what it calls “beyond binary”, which allows the app to “hold space for all genders. including gender fluid, gender non-conforming, Intersex and others beyond the binary”.
A study in 2019 suggested that Tinder has a massive gender imbalance, skewed towards men, so it may not be the best place for queer women and non-binary folk to find love and romance. But there is always a chance that the future the love of your life is in there somewhere.
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