Finding the right dating app can be difficult for anyone, but transgender people face additional challenges when looking for safe, inclusive spaces to connect with potential partners. With more dating apps aimed at the LGBTQ+ community emerging, transgender daters have several good options to choose from. This article explores the top free dating apps for transgender people based on features, user base, safety, and inclusivity.
What should transgender people look for in a dating app?
When choosing a dating app, transgender users should consider apps that:
- Offer gender identity options beyond just “man” or “woman”
- Have a large user base of transgender and queer users
- Allow users to easily report harassment and block/ban other users
- Have robust privacy and safety features to protect user data
- Cater to long-term dating in addition to casual encounters
- Are free to use with premium upgrades optional
Apps that meet these criteria tend to provide a more welcoming, safe environment for transgender people looking for anything from casual dates to serious relationships. Considering factors like user experience, ease of use, and overall vibe of the app is also important.
What are some popular dating apps for transgender people?
Here are some of the most popular free dating apps among transgender users:
OKCupid
OKCupid has an extremely inclusive range of gender identity and sexuality options, allowing users to get very specific with how they identify. Users can choose their pronouns, and OKCupid’s algorithm helps match people based on compatibility, not just gender or sexuality. OKCupid also has a large user base with a wide variety of ages and backgrounds.
Taimi
Taimi was created specifically for LGBTQ+ dating. It offers over 20 gender identity options and sexuality options like pansexual, demisexual, and sapiosexual. Taimi also emphasizes safety and privacy with photo verification, encrypted chat, and the ability to unsend messages. The app has a wide user base in the millions.
Her
Her focuses on lesbian, bisexual, and queer women. While not specifically aimed at transgender users, it does have an inclusive range of gender identity options. Her also hosts local in-person and virtual events like speed dating, making it easy to meet other users. The app prioritizes safety and community guidelines.
Transdr
As the name implies, Transdr is a dating app exclusively for transgender people. Users can join as trans men, trans women, or non-binary. Transdr also has a large global user base of over 750,000 members. The app is free but offers premium upgrades.
Butterfly
Butterfly stands out for its emphasis on transgender safety. All users must pass a background check before joining. The app has a zero tolerance policy for harassment and immediately removes any users who don’t make the community feel safe. Butterfly also hosts in-person meetup events specifically for transgender daters.
What are the pros and cons of these transgender dating apps?
| App | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| OKCupid |
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| Taimi |
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| Her |
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| Transdr |
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| Butterfly |
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How do these dating apps work?
Most of these transgender dating apps work similarly to mainstream apps with swiping and matching features. Users create a profile, add photos and details about themselves, then can start viewing other profiles. Here are some details on how some popular options function:
OKCupid
Users fill out an in-depth profile answering questions about themselves, their interests, lifestyle, values, and more. They’re then presented with potential matches based on profile compatibility. Users swipe left or right on these matches, and can message each other once matched. OKCupid also suggests questions for users to answer to keep improving match recommendations.
Taimi
Taimi takes a more straightforward swiping approach. Users create a profile then start swiping left or right on other users’ profiles in their area. There’s also a community feed where users can interact and a chat feature to message matches. Taimi offers video calls through the app.
Her
On Her, users create profiles and can view local women’s profiles, swiping right to like them and left to pass. When two users both swipe right on each other, they match and can start chatting. Her also has an events page where users can sign up for local queer meetups and virtual events.
Transdr
Transdr uses the swipe left/right matching system as well. Users fill out a profile then start viewing and swiping on other trans users’ profiles. The app includes chat features, the ability to upload photos and videos, and even voice messages. Transdr also recently launched live streaming capabilities.
Which transgender dating app is the safest?
Safety is a top priority for transgender dating app users. The safest apps tend to have robust blocking, reporting, and banning systems to weed out harassers and trolls quickly. Encrypted messaging is also important, as is the ability to unsend messages in case users change their mind.
Based on these safety features, some of the safest options include:
- Butterfly – Background checks on all users make this one of the safest options. The app also has immediate banning policies against offensive users.
- Taimi – Taimi has encrypted messaging, the ability to unsend messages, and easy reporting tools.
- Her – Her prioritizes community guidelines, removing anyone who doesn’t make the space feel safe.
While no app is 100% safe, choosing options with robust safety features is important for transgender users.
Which app has the most transgender users?
When it comes to the number of transgender users specifically, these apps tend to have the largest user bases:
- Transdr – As a trans-specific app, Transdr has amassed over 750,000 transgender users.
- OKCupid – OKCupid has an estimated 65,000 transgender users and continues growing.
- Taimi – While Taimi doesn’t share exact user numbers, it claims millions of overall LGBTQ+ users.
Apps with the most transgender users tend to be those developed specifically for transgender dating or ones like OKCupid that have strongly branded themselves as inclusive dating apps.
What is the most inclusive transgender dating app?
The most inclusive transgender dating apps make gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality options expansive. They move beyond the male/female binary to give users multiple options. Apps with great inclusivity include:
- OKCupid – Over a dozen gender identity and sexuality options and users can write in their own.
- Her – Over 60 options for sexuality and gender identity.
- Taimi – Numerous gender identity and sexuality options.
Having these options creates a more welcoming environment for nonbinary, genderfluid, and other transgender users who don’t identify as strictly male or female. The ability to display chosen pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them, etc) also improves inclusiveness.
How successful are transgender dating apps for relationships?
Transgender users have found success on these apps whether looking for casual dating, hookups, or committed relationships. For example:
- A 2022 Transdr survey showed 62% of users entered a relationship through the app.
- Her facilitates over 1 million matches per month, suggesting high relationship potential.
- OKCupid helped facilitate over 91 million connections in 2020 alone.
Success rates depend on the user and app, but these stats indicate transgender dating apps can absolutely help users find meaningful connections and relationships when used effectively.
What tips help transgender users have success on these apps?
Here are some tips to help transgender users get the most out of these dating apps:
- Use current photos that reflect your authentic self.
- Provide plenty of details in your bio to attract compatible matches.
- Be upfront about what you’re looking for – hookups, dates, relationships, etc.
- Don’t hesitate to block or report red flags like harassment or married users.
- Stay safe when meeting matches in person for the first time.
- Keep an open mind as you get to know matches.
- Don’t get discouraged if it takes time to find the right match.
Taking the time to create a quality profile and being smart about vetting matches can lead to great connections through transgender dating apps.
Conclusion
Dating as a transgender person comes with its own set of challenges but can absolutely be rewarding. Apps like OKCupid, Taimi, Her, Transdr, and Butterfly provide safe, inclusive spaces for transgender people to connect with dates and partners who value them for who they are.
Choosing an app with robust safety protections, a large transgender user base, and gender/sexuality inclusivity is key. Taking precautions, being patient, and staying optimistic when messaging matches leads to the most dating success. The right app makes it easier for transgender daters to navigate the online dating world and find meaningful relationships.