"Using Growlr has been an overall good experience. When it comes to meeting other men like me, the app sure delivers! There are some really great bears like myself who share the same interests and there are also cool features for you to easily meet up with them. However, the technicality of the app still needs improvement because the app often crashes even when I've updated it. Also, there are issues with the message feature. I've often experienced losing most of my messages and if I didn't connect with someone outside the app, it's difficult to recall your last dialogue." - Mikey, 38
Growlr App Review New Zealand October 2026
A free and fun social networking app to help find friendship and dates within the gay community around the world or in the neighborhood. All about Growlr in New Zealand.
2.5poor
Growlr is a dating app for gay bears looking for casual dates and short term relationships
- Over 10 million members worldwide
- Free app for iOS and Android users
Flirts
Casual dating
Relationships
Is Growlr right for me?
last updated
Members in New Zealand40,000
Women / Men
42% 58%
FromUS$7.50/mo
Age
Growlr New Zealand in 10 seconds
- Growlr is a dating app for gay bears all around the world who are looking for casual dates and short-term relationships
- The app has over 10 million members worldwide - Know more about the community here
- Registration is free and quick - Learn more here
- The app is available for iOS and Android users
- Works by allowing its members search for potential partners based on location and dating information
- Sending and receiving messages are free
- The app is easy to use
- Some profiles have incomplete information
- Members can upgrade to premium to explore more special options. See more here
“Growlr brings a whole new perspective when it comes to men meeting men and hooking up with other bears. Growlr is fun, it's real, and it works!”
Is Growlr right for you?
Find out if Growlr is the right service for you or if there are better options.
Better than Growlr
Who is Growlr for, and not for?
Growlr is for…
- For single bears who are looking for short-term relationships or casual dates
- For chasers who are looking for like-minded gay bears
- For single gay men who are looking for flirtatious encounters
…and not for
- People who are looking for gay sugar daddies and babies
- Singles who are looking for long-term and serious relationships
- Not suitable for women and lesbians
Growlr pros & cons
- Growlr is free and offers affordable premium plans for those who want to upgrade
- Has an accepting gay bear community
- The app's general interface is intuitively easy to use
- Most profiles are incomplete because the app doesn't require users to finish account setups
- The free account has a lot of advertisements
- In 2020, the app incorrectly suspended its users due to over-aggressive anti-spam settings
What Growlr really costs in New Zealand
Compared with other dating services, Growlr is average-priced.
PRO
PRO adds private photos, video chats, saved searches and ad free browsing. The membership renews automatically.Total
1 month
9.99 USD / month
9.99 USD
3 months
8.00 USD / month
23.99 USD
6 months
7.50 USD / month
44.99 USD
Our pick: The 6 Month PRO membership costs 7.50 USD per Month, totals 44.99 USD and saves 25% against the first option. It covers the main paid features.
1 year
69.99 USD / year
69.99 USD
Growlr costs last updated on Oct 1, 2026
Payment options in New Zealand
Via Mobile PhoneApp Store
No anonymous payment.With Growlr you cannot pay anonymously, the charge appears on your bank statement.
On your bank statement
The company does not publish what the statement shows and the checkout page or first invoice tells
Growlr costs screenshot
Can you try Growlr for free?
- You can test Growlr free of charge
- You can at least read a message for free to try the service
What is the notice period on Growlr?
The notice period on Growlr is 1 day.
Upgrading to a PRO membership will get you access to special features such as viewing full-sized private pictures and videos, live video calls, and removing advertisements.
Growlr Shout!
SHOUT! s are a way for users to advertise their business, event, or just say "Hello" to a large number of users at one time.
- 20 Tokens: 18 USD
- 50 Tokens:45 USD
- 100 Tokens: 90 USD
- 200 Tokens: 180 USD
- 500 Tokens: 450 USD
Free services
- Profile creation
- Chatting with other members
- Member and profile search
- Viewing members' profiles
Paid services
- Unlock private photos
- Video chatting
- Saved searches
- Ad-free browsing
How to cancel your Growlr subscription →
Is Growlr right for me?Who is signed up on Growlr in New Zealand?
Exclusively on DatingScout: online member numbers for dating services are usually far off, so we estimate how many people are really on Growlr from traffic data and interest, updated monthly, with history.
Growlr is a dating app exclusively made for the gay community. Initially, the app caters to gay bears who want to meet other gay bears. Later on, the app evolved and accepted other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Today, the app has millions of gay bear members with a growing population of bear chasers–people who are attracted to gay bears.
1,840+33%
Estimated active members in New Zealand
8,000
Weekly active members in New Zealand
40,000
Members in New Zealand
1k
1k
1k
1k
2k
2k
MayJunJulAugSepOct
Estimated active members, last 6 months
Gender
21%
18-24
26%
25-34
21%
35-44
16%
45-54
16%
55+
Age of members
Last data update: October 2026
How does Growlr work?
A dating app designed for the gay bear community, available on iOS and Android globally
Basic features like messaging are free, with premium options for additional features like video chatting and ad-free browsing
Users can engage with features like local check-ins, event listings, and the SHOUT! broadcast message system
The app offers both public and private photo galleries, though it has an outdated interface and some bugs
Growlr ensures safety through user-reported concerns but does not perform background checks
Signing up at Growlr
★★★★★ 3.0/5
Sign up with
Email & password
Where
iOS and Android app
Minimum age
18
Browse without an account
No
Required information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Location
Optional information
- Profile picture upload
Verification
No verification is required to sign up at Growlr.
Making contact on Growlr
★★★★★ 3.5/5
- Members can be searched using basic info like who's online and nearby
- See and talk with members via video-chat
- Create and view posts on your "Feed" section
- Everybody can send messages for free
- Growlr has a chat function
Profile quality
★★★★★ 2.5/5
- Profile and pictures can be viewed for free
- Completing your profile is optional
- Profiles contain only little information
- Profile pictures are visible to everybody for free
- You can edit your profile information later
The Growlr app
★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Growlr app is free to download on your Apple or Android smartphone
- The design is simple and easy to use
- The function of the app is also understandable
- Available on Google Play and Apple App Store
- App's design is a bit outdated
Our field test
★★★★★ 3.0/5
I was having a hard time finding people who will understand my sexuality since I came from a conservatve family. That's why I always use special apps and trying new once every now and then. Growlr helped me find new friends who I can meet and, you know, do some stuf with. So far so good. It's just a little
Special features
Growlr keeps your dating game more fun and exciting with the following special features.
Finding people 2
FreePaid
BearsFree
You get to find bears based on three different sections, "online", nearby" and favourites". The "online" section shows you a list of people who are recently active. The "nearby" sections show you a list of users who are closest to your current location. There's also a "global" section if you wish to see other members in a different location. The "favourites" section shows the users you have marked as your favourites sorted by distance.
CheckinsFree
This feature lets you see a list of venues closest to where you are, and will then show a list of Growlr members near your area as well. You just need to tap on the venue to show you the venue details which will then show you a list of users who are in that area.
Showing interest 1
FreePaid
MeetsFree
This section shows you a list of meet requests that you will receive from other bear members. This also shows you a list of meet requests that you sent out to the person you marked as favourite or are attracted to.
Community and events 2
FreePaid
EventsFree
This section has two parts which are the "events" and "birthdays". For the events part will display a list of upcoming bear events. In the birthdays part, you get to see your favourites profile with their birthday listed down.
BarsFree
This section shows you a list of bars that are frequented by bears. The venue closest to you is shown at the top of the list.
Other extras 1
FreePaid
NtotesFree
This section shows you a blank space to save personal notes or memos. You can add, edit, delete notes here and the most recent note will be seen at the top of the list.
Final results
2.5poor
- Best score: Making contact, 3.5
- Weakest: Profile quality, 2.5
Is Growlr right for me?
tested October 2026
Signup3.0
Making contact3.5
Profile quality2.5
App3.0
Field test3.0
Overall2.5/ 5
Compare Growlr to alternatives
Looking for sites like Growlr, apps like Growlr or simply the best Growlr alternatives? Here are the services that did better than Growlr in our test, and below you can compare Growlr side by side with any other dating site we have reviewed.
Better than Growlr
Compare Growlr with other dating sites
Growlr and TSDates side by side. Add up to four services to the comparison, or remove one and type another name. All tested LGBT Dating Under the Radar
Growlr FAQ
FACTS
What is Growlr?
Growlr is a social networking app designed for gay bears to meet other bears. It was operated in 2010 at their headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and has gained 10 million members since then.
What do you mean by bears?
Bears are masculine gay men that belong to an inclusive community of gay people.
How does Growlr work?
It is an app that can be downloaded on your smartphone for free. You just need to register in the app, which is also free. You will only be required basic information like name, e-mail, password, and location for the signing up to be successful.
USABILITY
How many pictures can I upload on Growlr?
You can upload one public picture for other members to view and 5 extra slots for private photos and videos.
Is there an age limit to join Growlr?
There is no maximum age limit. However, only individuals 18 years old and above can sign up to Growlr.
How do I search for other bears?
The search section is divided to 3 parts namely online, nearby or favourites. Online would show a list of bears who are active. Nearby would show bears who are online and near your current position. Favourites would show bears that you have marked as favourites or that you are attracted to. There's also a section in the app called "Events" where you can find upcoming bear events. There's also a "Checkins" section where you can find nearest locations where a lot of bears are usually gathering.
How do I send messages to other bears?
If a bear is currently online, you can click on their profile for free viewing and click on a chat button. The chat feature is also free.
How many bears can I mark as favourite?
The maximum number of bears you can tag as your favourite is 75.
FREE SERVICES
Are there free features on Growlr?
Yes. You can view members' profiles and photos. You can also send them a chat directly and search and mark your favourite bears. You can also send a meet request to other bears.
COSTS
What features do I need to pay for?
Growlr has extended features that you need to pay for like upgrading to PRO membership with their respective fees per month, the SHOUT feature where you can advertise or say hello to other bears within a 5 mile radius, and FLASH feature where your profile gets boosted quickly.
What do I get when I purchase a PRO membership?
When you purchase their PRO membership, you get ad-free browsing, get access to live video calls and unlock private photos and views, save searches and even anonymous viewing.
How do I pay for the PRO membership?
Your purchase be charged directly to your iTunes or Google Play account. You can also change the settings manually to stop auto-renewal.
SECURITY
Is Growlr safe to use?
Growlr is relatively safe and easy to use. However, since background checks are not conducted on every member of the app, precautions should be taken when connecting with other members and meeting them in public places. Should you have any complaints about other members, you can send them an e-mail at support@growlapp.com.
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Founder of DatingScout and Author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies"
Chris founded DatingScout 17 years ago, and today he is one of the leading Online Dating Experts. He is the author of the book "Online Dating for Dummies" and the author of the Internet's largest online dating study analyzing 20 Million Profile Pictures with artificial intelligence. Chris Pleines holds a master degree in media science and appeared in numerous television interviews and publications to give expert advice as well as tips about online dating.