You’re ready to settle into a serious relationship, and you’ve worked hard to make your life align with that goal. You are settled, stable, and in a good place. Now, it’s time for the next step, meeting the right guy. There are plenty of valid approaches to this, but many gay men are choosing dating apps as their path to a long term relationship. If you’re leaning in that direction, great!
First – What Serious Relationship Readiness Looks Like
You want a serious relationship, but are you really ready for one? This doesn’t just impact you, but anyone else who encounters you in the dating sphere. Here’s a relationship readiness checklist:
- You are okay being alone – Healthy relationships start with people who are comfortable in their own skin.
- Your relationships are settled – Romantic, family, social, and otherwise! If your past or present entanglements are causing emotional upheaval, fix that first.
- You are comfortable in your sexuality – Everybody should come out in their own time and in their own way, but navigating an LTR from the closet will never lead to anything lasting.
- You are stable – You don’t have to be wealthy or have a lucrative career. You should be able to pay your bills.
- You’ve gone to therapy – You’ve settled substance use issues, take accountability for past mistakes, and bring emotional maturity to the table
Still ready to proceed? Here are five apps that are ideal platforms for launching a serious relationship.
5 Gay Dating Apps for LTR
These five gay dating platforms can help men find lasting love.
1. Taimi – Where Compatibility and Access Intersect
Taimi is a gay dating app that has features that help men connect with people who are compatible with them. Taimi offers:
- Detailed profiles that allow men to share their relationship goals, preferences, interests, and values.
- Advanced search filters that men can use to narrow down their selections with precision.
- Taimi Finder – A proprietary algorithm that considers user preferences, relationship intentions, location, and user behavior.
- Communication options that allow members to connect through messaging or video chat.
By curating profiles that are in your area and highly compatible, Taimi can help you find the ideal man.
2. Black People Meet – Where Black Gay Men Can Find Love
Black People Meet is a Match Group property that focuses on the dating and relationship needs of Black and biracial singles. It is an inclusive site that welcomes gay men. Guys who join answer a series of prompts to create profiles that make their preferences, values, and relationship intentions clear. With Black People Meet You Get:
- Daily profile matches based on your preferences
- Keyword search filters including location, religion, and other traits
- ConnectMe – A feature that allows men to text or call without disclosing their phone numbers.
If you are looking for a relationship app that fits where your queerness intersects with your racial identity, Black People Meet is an app to consider.
3. Surge – A Serious Alternative for Gay Men
While so many other apps dedicated to gay men are grid-style hookup platforms, Surge stands out. This dating site is designed specifically for gay, bi, and queer men. It has many features that encourage serious, intentional connections. When you choose Surge, you get:
- Communication only with mutual matches to avoid wasting time on unserious flirting or ‘drive-by’ solicitation from guys looking for hookups
- Profile verification to ensure you are connecting with real people.
- Power Messages that allow members to send a brief introductory message to a profile that really interests them instead of simply swiping.
Surge is a strong contender if you want a gay-centered app that encourages conversation and connection.
4. Hinge – The Serious Dating Platform
Hinge is not an LGBTQ+ dating app, but it welcomes the queer community. Hinge has a growing community of gay and bi men. It focuses entirely on serious relationships, and its tagline is ‘Designed to be Deleted’. These are the features that align with your LTR goals:
- Detailed user profiles built around prompts that are designed to reveal users’ relationship intentions, interests, and values
- Dealbreakers allow members to share their must-haves and must-avoids to avoid wasting time on recommendations that are a bad fit
- Advanced recommendation system that learns from in-app actions, and user profile information
Consider Hinge if you are interested in a platform that takes a scientific approach to fostering serious relationships.
5. Lex – For an Entirely New Approach to Online Dating
Lex is an LGBTQ+ dating app with a text-based approach. By ditching both the grid and swipe-based approaches to online dating, Lex encourages meaningful connections. The text-based format encourages authenticity, and these features allow men to get to know one another:
- Members create an introductory post in addition to a profile that helps them communicate their personality and intentions
- Advanced search filters that allow you to focus on the right profiles
- The ability to chat one-on-one or in groups to expand your social circle and opportunities to connect
If you have found other dating apps to be overwhelming and cluttered, Lex can be a refreshing way to look for the right person.
Which App Aligns With You?
Each of these dating apps has features that help men find serious relationships beyond casual hookups. It’s up to you find which of these match your personality, intentions, and preferences. Consider downloading a few, or visiting their websites to learn more. Ultimately, your final choice should align with your preferences, an active userbase in your area, and UX that allows you to navigate comfortably.
