Grindr is back with its fifth annual Grindr Unwrapped, and the numbers are staggering. In 2025, users sent over 135 billion chats, proving once again that the app isn’t just a hookup tool, it’s a global stage for gay culture, pop trends, and some very memorable online moments.
The report taps into data from Grindr’s 15 million-plus monthly users and 32,000 votes, three times more than last year, to showcase what drove the community wild in 2025. From music to fashion to in-app chatter, Grindr Unwrapped paints a picture of a community that’s shaping, not just following, trends.
“The internet moves fast, but the gay internet moves faster,” said Tristan Pineiro, Grindr’s SVP of Marketing and Communications. “UNWRAPPED is our annual receipt check. What starts in our community today becomes mainstream tomorrow.”
Who Ruled the Grid?
Grindr crowned the movers and shakers of queer culture this year:
- Mother of the Year: Lady Gaga
- Mother-in-Training: Sabrina Carpenter
- Daddy of the Year: Pedro Pascal
- Girl Group of the Year: KATSEYE
- Hottest Man of the Year: Jonathan Bailey
- Best Bulge (Sponsored by Woodwork): Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein ad
- Album of the Year: Lady Gaga, Mayhem
- Porn Star of the Year: Joey Mills
- Gaymer of the Year: Dan and Phil
- Viral Sound Bite of the Year: Nothing beats a Jet2holiday
Concerts weren’t just entertainment—they were digital sparks. Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour caused Grindr usage to spike nearly 7% in cities hosting her shows, showing how live events and online flirting now go hand in hand.
Global Grindr: Who’s Into What
The Grindr Unwrapped report revealed some surprising regional trends:
- Finland: Most likely to send nudes
- South Korea: Leading in open relationships
- Switzerland: Highest percentage of twinks
- Italy: Top country for foot enthusiasts
Roles and preferences continue to shift. The U.S. and U.K. climbed into the top five for “Hung Bottoms,” a ranking previously dominated by France. Grindr’s ‘Right Now’ feature showed 10 p.m. as peak hookup time, while Paris remained the most-coveted city for roaming internationally.
Chat, Tap, Repeat
Beyond cultural highlights, the app’s numbers tell their own story:
- 12.8+ billion taps sent globally
- ‘Hung’ was the most searched profile tag
- U.S. boasts the highest percentage of self-proclaimed daddies
- Most-featured song: Cardi B’s W.A.P.
- Top Gaycation city: London
“These insights show a community that’s bold, brash, and unapologetically itself,” said Zachary Zane, Grindr’s sex and relationship expert. “Grindr isn’t just an app—it’s a canvas for expression, where real-time fluidity defines culture.”
Grindr Unwrapped 2025 proves one thing: whether through chats, taps, or profile tags, queer culture continues to set the trends that everyone else is trying to catch up to.
