Match Group, the owner of popular dating apps like Match, Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge, has invested $100 million in Sniffies, a new competitor to Grindr. Sniffies is a mobile service that focuses on the gay male community, featuring a “cruising” or hookup matching service with a real-time interactive map for finding nearby users and popular cruising spots.
Sniffies, based in Seattle, attracts around 3 million monthly active users and will continue to function independently, with support from Match Group to further their vision and growth. According to Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group, the Sniffies team has a profound understanding of their users and a clear viewpoint on community connections.
Match Group has faced challenges recently, dealing with dating app burnout as users express interest in more traditional ways of meeting partners. Despite surpassing Q4 estimates in February, Match Group reported declining user growth at its main platforms, such as Tinder.