Grindr's Creator Launches New Gay App Called Motto

A New Type of Hookup App?

The founder of Grindr, Joel Simkhai, has launched a new gay and queer matchmaking app.

The app, from Simkhai and Alex Hostetler, is available in New York City and Miami starting today, according to a news release.

Motto is Simkhai's first venture since he left Grindr in 2018. The new app "focuses on finding you the right people, not just the closest - on the quality of interactions, not the quantity."

It provides a set of personalized people for the user to view and they can decide to pursue interaction with someone in the group or not.

"The vast majority of gay and queer people aren't satisfied with their online hookup and dating experiences. Motto's goal is to help you find someone you're into without frustration, reduce the amount of time you spend on hookup apps to just a few minutes a day, and bring people together in the physical world," Simkhai said in the release.

He added that he's the first to admit that while he believes Grindr did a lot of good in the world there are still shortcomings. Those shortcomings were behind the creation of Motto.

"We built Motto to address those issues, simplify the process of hooking up, and bring back the fun in finding someone you're into," Simkhai said. "Motto should be just as positive for your mental health as it is for your sex life."

Motto is a membership-based app that's free. Profiles must have three face pictures and each profile is verified.

"We heard a lot of frustration and fatigue with the existing apps. Fundamentally, we think hookup culture needs a refresh," said Motto co-founder and Head of Product Alex Hostetler. "The gay apps are good if you're just looking for someone close, right now. But the process is impersonal, addictive, repetitive and often toxic."

Hostetler added, "In many ways, Grindr defined hookup behavior and created a culture of immediate, transactional sex. That works well for some people, but our community is very diverse in its approach to hookups and casual dating. We created Motto to rethink that paradigm, to give people with different values another option."

Below, find images showcasing the app.

Founders of Motto, Alex Hostetler (L) and Joel Simkhai