Photo verification
Take a quick selfie in the app and we compare it with your profile photos. Pass, and you get the blue badge. Turn on the verified-only filter to hide everyone else.
The free gay dating app for guys near you
Swipe, match and chat with photo-verified gay, bi, trans and queer men nearby. Free to download, free to match, free to chat.
Scan to downloadPoint your phone camera at the code4.5
From 20,000+ ratings on the US App Store
Download Surge free
4.520,000+ App Store ratings
8.5M+
Members worldwide, by our own count
10M+
Messages sent every month
11
Languages, from English to Japanese
48h
To review every safety report
What is Surge?
Surge is a free gay dating app for gay, bi, trans and queer men on iPhone and Android.
Swipe through guys nearby, match when you both like each other, and chat for free. Photo verification uses a quick selfie to confirm that a profile belongs to the person in the pictures, and the verified-only filter hides everyone else. Surge says it has more than 8.5 million members, and it is rated 4.5 out of 5 from over 20,000 ratings on the US App Store (September 2026). Premium is optional and adds Who Likes Me, Private Mode, Travel Mode and Power Message.
- Available on
- iPhone and Android
- Price
- Free, with optional Premium
- Languages
- 11
How Surge works
Add a few photos, verify with a selfie and you can start swiping in minutes. Here is what you can do in the app.
Cole
It's a match
You matched today
Hey! How's your week going?
Good! Just got back from Lisbon
Nice. Want to join me for a drink on Friday?
Yes! Where?
Type a message
Who likes me
See everyone who already liked you and match straight away.
See who likes you
Travel mode
Prague, Czechia
Save location
What's free and what's Premium
Everything you need to meet guys is free. Premium is an optional subscription for more control.
Free
- Swiping, matching and chatting
- Photo verification and the blue badge
- Verified-only filter
- Age, distance and role filters
- Disappearing photos and videos in chat
- Freeze your profile instead of deleting it
Premium
- Who Likes MeSee everyone who already liked you
- Private ModeOnly guys you liked can see you
- Travel ModeMatch in another city before you arrive
- Power MessageMessage someone before you match
- Change Your MindUndo likes and skips
- Advanced filtersFilter by height and weight
How Surge keeps you safe
Chats only open after a mutual match. On top of that, three tools keep fake profiles and unwanted attention out.
Report and block
Report or block anyone from their profile or your chat. Our team reviews every report within 48 hours and removes accounts that break the Community Guidelines.
Private Mode and hidden distance
Private Mode (Premium) shows your profile only to guys you liked. You can also hide your distance, send photos that disappear, or freeze your profile.
Travelling? Same-sex dating is legally risky in some countries. Check our guidelines before you use a dating app abroad.
Gay dating guides
All guides
10 best gay dating apps in 2026, compared
Grindr, Tinder, Hinge, Surge and six more, compared on what the free version includes, safety features and who each app suits. We make Surge, and the guide says so.
Read the comparison
How to succeed on dating apps
Read the guide
5 first date ideas for gay couples
Read the guide
What is Surge?
Surge is a free gay dating app for gay, bi, trans and queer men, available on iPhone and Android. You swipe on guys nearby, match when you both like each other and chat for free. Surge works in 11 languages and is rated 4.5 out of 5 from over 20,000 ratings on the US App Store (September 2026).
Is there a Surge website or desktop version?
No. Surge is a mobile app for iPhone and Android, so there is no gay dating site to log into in a browser. Download it free from the App Store or Google Play, or, on a computer, scan the QR code at the top of this page with your phone camera.
Is Surge free?
Yes. Downloading Surge, swiping, matching, chatting and photo verification are free. Premium is an optional subscription that adds Who Likes Me, Private Mode, Travel Mode, Power Message, Change Your Mind and height and weight filters.
Is Surge safe?
Chats only open after a mutual match, photo verification confirms that profiles are real, and you can report or block anyone from their profile or your chat. Our team reviews reports within 48 hours.
How does photo verification work?
Take a quick selfie in the app. We compare it with your profile photos, and if they match you get the blue badge. You can then filter your stack to show verified guys only.
Can I hide my profile?
Yes. Private Mode (Premium) shows your profile only to guys you liked. You can also hide your distance, or freeze your profile to take a break without deleting it.
Can I match with guys in another city?
Yes. Travel Mode (Premium) moves your location to any city, so you can match with guys there before your trip.
How do I cancel Premium?
Cancel in your App Store or Google Play subscription settings.
Which languages is Surge available in?
English, Czech, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
Can't find your answer? Email help@surgeapp.com or visit the Help Centre.
Download Surge for free
Free on iPhone and Android. Swipe, match and chat with verified guys near you.Swipe, match and chat with verified guys near you.
Download Surge freeFree on iPhone and Android
