Skout Review October 2026
- Meet, chat and go live
- Nearby profile suggestions based on preferences
Skout in 10 seconds
- Skout is an online dating platform where singles can meet, chat, and go live
- The platform is a great place for singles who want to meet new people and expand their social circles
- Works by suggesting nearby profiles and allowing its members to search for potential matches based on preferences
- Offers unique features such as 'Back Stage' where you can hide your photos and let members unlock them - Learn more here
- The free version has many advertisements - Learn more here
- Most profiles have incomplete information
- The Skout community spans more than 180 countries and is available in 14 different languages
- Offers free accounts and affordable credit points. See more here
“With its many features and active members, using the Skout app can be very enjoyable. But not for people who want a dating or hookup site. Even though it is primarily advertised as a dating service, Skout is also filled with people who are looking for something less romantic.”
Better than Skout
Who is Skout for, and not for?
- For people who are looking for community building and friendships
- For singles who are looking for romantic relationships
- For people who want to extend their social circles
- Not for people who are looking for erotic adventures
- Not for cheating partners
- Not for people who only want casual dates
Skout pros & cons
- The app is available for iOS and Android users
- Has an active pool of users all over the world
- Offers many interesting features
- Many profiles have incomplete information
- The free version keeps on advertising its sister app Meet Me
- The app's user interface is a bit hard to use
What Skout really costs
- You can test Skout free of charge
- You can at least read a message for free to try the service
- You can create a profile, search profiles and message members for free.
- Direct inbox delivery and no ads are paid features.
- Points can be purchased or earned for free, then spent on gifts and boosts.
- These point packs are one time purchases, while subscriptions auto renew.
- Profile creation
- See who checked your profile
- Search profiles
- Favourite members
- Message members
- Like and comment on members' public photos
- No ads
- Boost your popularity (Your profile will outrank non-premium members in search results)
- Your messages go directly to inbox instead of as a chat request
- See who favourited you
- Your chats move to the top of your match's inbox
- Insights on potential matches
The website uses in-app currencies called Skout Points. You can use points to give gifts to another user, boost your profile to the featured users' list, and many more. Points can both be purchased or earned for free. All prices are in USD.
Member numbers you find online are usually very inaccurate, so we estimate how many people are really on Skout from traffic data and interest in the service, updated monthly. (2026-09)
Gender proportion: 35% ♀ / 65% ♂
Skout age range and age distribution
- Records over 3.4 million monthly visitors worldwide
- Top visitors are mostly from the United States, Taiwan, and Australia
- Males slightly outnumber females
- Most users are 25-34 years old
- The majority of the members access the website via mobile
Skout members come from all over the world with most of the users are based in the United States, Taiwan, and Australia. Members are said to be looking for community building, friendship, and relationships.
The members are active in replying to messages and there are just a few reported cases of scammers or fake profiles. However, it will still be best to be vigilant, especially for the minor members of the site.
Find out if Skout is the right service for you or if there are better options.
Strongest regions
- Waikato100
- Auckland21
How often Skout is searched for in each region, from Google Trends over the past 12 months. The darkest region scores 100; 50 means half as many searches. This is relative interest, not a member count. (Google Trends, 2026-09)
Skout in detail
Signing up at Skout ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- You must be at least 18 years old to sign up
- You must sign up to browse Skout
To sign up, visit the Skout website or download the Skout app, available on iOS and Android. To complete the registration, provide all required information.
Required information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Your gender
- Partner's gender
- Profile picture upload
Optional information
- Your ethnicity
- Your religion
- Your physical appearance
Skout verifies new profiles via:
- Email verification (required)
Making contact on Skout ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Messages are previewed first and accepted or rejected
- Rejected messages will block the user too
- Photo commenting and liking are free
- Set profiles as your "Favorite"
- Report users
- Everybody can send messages for free
The Skout chat is unlimited for all members and available through the free search option. If someone new sends you a message, it becomes a message request first. If you accept the request, you can start chatting immediately. If you reject it, the message will be deleted and the user will be blocked too to protect your privacy. If you accidentally rejected the message, you can go to the "Blocked Users" section, unblock that person, and start chatting.
You can try out their dating game called "Blind Date." It gives the streaming host the ability to hear the "contestant" but they initially can’t see them. As the video chat progresses, the images become less and less blurred before being fully revealed at the end of the allocated time.
Both participants can then decide whether or not they want to make a match and continue the conversation privately.
Profile quality ★★★★★ 3.0/5
- Profile photo is not required
- Other information can be added later
- Photos undergo approval before being uploaded
- Members can like and comment on your current profile photo
- Most profiles are only in their first names or nicknames
- Profiles are moderately detailed
- Profile pictures are visible to everybody for free
Since users can start using the app without completing their basic information, you might find a lot of potential matches with unfinished profiles. Some do not even have profile photos, since it is not required. This incomplete information can extremely limit members' choices. Photos are bound for approval; if they do not meet guidelines, the upload will be denied by Skout.
The Skout app ★★★★★ 2.5/5
- Available for iOS and Android users
- The interface can be overwhelming and confusing
- More features than the usual dating app
- Free version has many ads
- They keep advertising their sister app "Meet Me"
Both iOS and Android users can download the app. Profiles that are beyond your preferences (especially location) can show up in the recommended section. Sometimes, the profiles you click on in the search results are actual accounts from their sister app "Meet Me". You are then encouraged to download the Meet Me app as well to connect with that user, which can be annoying.
Our field test ★★★★★ 3.0/5
"The features of Skout are nice, but some members are not. I met rude people here. But at least there are also nice ones. You just really have to be careful who to entertain, because there seems to be a lot of scammers too. I've been a member for 6 months now, still haven't find the one who matches my personality. I'll wait 'till the end of the year. For now, I'm enjoying casual conversations." -Lyka, 19
"My friend suggested this site to me. I was hesitant at first because I'm not a believer of dating sites. But since I'm bored and I can't go out a lot, I signed up. Now I've been communicating with this cute guy from Arizona. I hope this is long-term. " -Joan, 243
Design & usability
Design and Usability
The design of the site is not really appealing and looks outdated. It might be okay for those who are technologically-challenged, but for the site's target members who are young teens, this one is not very good to the eyes.
On the other hand, the loading time is fast and the features are neatly arranged, and that's one good point to consider.
Special features
Check out Skout's special features here!
Backstage +
Where you can hide your photos and let members unlock them. You set the unlocking price from 10 to 10,000 points. For every user that unlocks your photos, you get a portion of the points earned. Members who unlocked your photo can rate it from 1 to 5 stars.
Buzz +
A place where you let people know your personality beyond your profile. You can post interesting content such as photos or fun questions to engage people in conversation.
Shake to chat +
Available in the Chat function of the Skout app. If you click on this feature and then shake your phone, you will be matched with a random user nearby. It is a gamble because you know nothing about the person, but the mystery is part of the thrill.
Skout Travel +
Purchase a 24-hour ticket to travel to hundreds of cities around the world. Your phone will be set to that city which means all the features will be local to the city you travelled to. This gives you the opportunity to experience the culture and meet people from different cities.
Interested? +
You are presented with different profiles suggested by Skout, and you can simply like or dislike the suggestions by the tapping the green check or red X mark. If you tapped the green check on someone who did the same to your profile, then it's a match.
Cancelling your Skout subscription
How you can cancel
- Via the app store's subscription management
Contact details
| Company | Skout |
|---|---|
| support@skout.com |
Do subscriptions auto-renew?
Subscriptions renew automatically, cancel at least 1 day before your current term ends.
Money-back guarantee
- Skout does not offer a money-back guarantee
Do your credits expire?
Credits you buy on Skout do not expire.
Better than Skout
Skout FAQ
What is Skout used for?
Skout is a social networking app which is used to connect to people nearby or all over the world. You can use it to find friends or romance.
Who created Skout?
Skout was founded by Christian Wiklund and Niklas Lindstrom in 2007.
Where is Skout located?
Skout is based in San Francisco, United States.
What are Skout points?
Points are the in-app currency used in Skout. You can use points to give gifts to another user, boost your profile to the featured users list, and many more. Points can both be purchased and earned for free.
What does Skout ID mean?
Your Skout ID is your username. It helps other members find you faster.
How do I change my name on Skout?
On the main interface of the app, swipe right to see the toolbar. Click on the pencil icon on the top right, and edit your name.
How do I search by name on Skout?
On the main interface of the app, swipe right to see the toolbar. Scroll down until you see "Find User by SkoutID", click that, and search their name or their Skout ID.
How do I log out of Skout?
On the main interface of the app, swipe right to see the toolbar. Scroll down until you see "Logout" and click on that.
How can I unblock someone on Skout?
On the main interface of the app, swipe right to see the toolbar. Scroll down and click on "Settings". Under "Settings", click on "Blocked Users" and click on the profile you want to unblock.
How do I know who checked me out on Skout?
The bell icon on the top right of the app serves as a Notification bar where you can see who checked your profile, among others.
Can Skout be used on a computer?
Yes, Skout is available on the desktop version.
How do I get free points on Skout?
You can upload private photos - known as "Backstage" photos and set a price for other users to unlock them. For every user that unlocks your Backstage photos, you earn a portion of the points. Another way is checking the Skout blog because the creators regularly post contests and giveaways for free points.
How do I chat on Skout?
You can look for users in the Meet People section or by manually searching. Once you've found someone, click on the green chat box in the middle of their profile, and start chatting.
Why won't Skout approve my picture?
Your photo has probably violated their guidelines. You can either contact their customer service or upload a more conservative or sensible photo.
Why did Skout block me?
There could be various reasons since Skout is strict with their policies. You can check their Terms of Use page to see if you violated anything, or contact their customer service.
Will Skout post/show up on my Facebook?
Skout does not post on your Facebook account.
How can I delete my account?
On the main interface of the app, swipe right to see the toolbar. Scroll down and click on "Settings". Under "Settings", click on "Deactivate Account" and confirm deactivation.
Can I reactivate Skout?
Yes, you can reactivate your Skout account and restore your data anytime by logging in with your name and password.
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