Dating App Review | Scruff

Scruff is one of the most popular gay hook-up apps out there. But just how much kink fun can you expect to get for your money? In line with our vision to be the most trusted BDSM and Fetish community, we asked writer, Sean Lucas, to look into the Scruff app for us.

Scruff Overview

Another hook-up app for gay men, were my first thoughts when signing up to the Scruff app. What can this app offer that others can’t, I wondered?

So, statistics first. Scruff reportedly has approximately 15 million users worldwide - a deep pool to fish from, indeed. As with Grindr, the app runs on iOS and Android devices and uses your device’s geolocation.

The Scruff dating app is now translated into 14 different languages. Moreover, it offers options for members of the military and the transgender community. That’s all very well, I thought, but is it going to serve the needs of all those kinksters out there?
 

Scruff Visual Appeal

The very name of the Scruff dating app summoned up, for me, the image of a hot, hairy guy. And you’ll find plenty such specimens; I was delighted to see, on the Scruff app. I found this refreshing. It’s undoubtedly an antidote the perfectly sculpted abs you find dominating (and not in that way) many other gay hook-up sites.

The colour scheme is simple — black background with tabs along the top which light up in blue as you scroll across them. No, I didn’t find it the most visually exciting design – but it’s all that’s needed. The real question, for me, was how many of the users in the grid were serious kinksters? And just how easy would it be for me to find them?


Inside the Scruff app.
 

Scruff Navigation and User Experience

After signing into the Scruff dating app, I found myself on the main grid, which includes all users currently online, which is easy to navigate. Tap along the top to see who is online globally or locally.

Below the list of current guys online, I viewed “new guys” and the most “Woof’d” guys. You dispense a Woof when you like someone. Needing an immediate self-esteem boost, I clicked on the cute paw print in the top right of the screen to see who had “Woof’d” me. I was pleasantly surprised.

In the top right you can view your messages. Click on any user’s thumbnail to message them. To the left of the message tab, there’s the all-important search option. However, the filters on the free version are basic. No kinky parameters here, I was disappointed to find.  You can also search by location and check out events near to you. But I wanted to know how I can alert other users to my proclivities…

Is Scruff free to use?

Yes, anyone can sign up to the Scruff app for free. But on doing so, I soon discovered that my options were limited. Indeed, for fetishes, there are few options. You can say the type of guy you’re into – and under ‘preferences’ you have the option of clicking “Fetish” alongside “Bottom” “Versatile” etc. But that’s as specific as it gets.

The Scruff Match option gives you a swipe photo feature for those looking for a relationship. All very well and good, I thought, but a swipe feature for kinks would have been much more welcome.
 

Does Scruff Pro mean extra kinky?

Scruff Pro is the paid version of the app. It offers an array of benefits mainly focused on increasing the number of guys you can see, favourite, Woof, and block. And possibly the most important benefits: unlimited messaging and unlimited private albums.  However, this didn’t help me much in finding kinksters. Crucially, the paid version doesn’t offer any further opportunities to define your fetishes.

Scruff dating app support

Though I didn’t need to contact them, I was reassured to find that Scruff support is easy to reach. Click on the Scruff Support option where you can check that running status of the app and put in a new support request. Additionally, there’s a handy and comprehensive FAQ section.

Scruff app community feel

Is there a community feel to the Scruff dating app? The event listing sections offers you opportunities to connect with guys in real life, which is always a bonus. But I couldn’t find anything else which suggested to me that there was a vibrant community thing going on here.

Scruff app review – Final Thoughts

The millions of active profiles on the Scruff dating app immediately raises the chances of finding a guy to suit your kinky tastes. But the process of hunting him down is far from easy — the lack of kinky options to search by means that it’s essentially a pot-luck numbers game.
 

Have you tried the Scruff app? Do you agree with our review? Tell us in the comments below. Spanks for reading!

Cover image released from Shutterstock.com