It's finally happening: Sniffies just launched its first-ever iOS app

If cruising is your thing, then you’re probably familiar with the uber-popular map-based cruising site Sniffies — it’s like Grindr, but for more adventurous gay and queer folks. On Sniffies, it’s implied that you’re there for sex, no pretense required. (That’s why we chose it as the best hookup site for gay men.)

Until now, Sniffies was only available on web browsers, but the company has just announced the launch of its first-ever iOS app. So, they may actually give Grindr a run for its money.

The new Sniffies app promises to make it even easier to find local guys looking for action. It still features the map-based interface, but the anonymity users are allowed to have on the website, unfortunately, doesn’t translate to the iOS app, which requires users to create profiles with "common provider" emails like Gmail or Yahoo. On the web-based version, you only need a birth year to view nearby profiles.

When users download and open the app, it opens in “Vanilla Mode,” which hides the more explicit content. Users can toggle this setting to access the full, uncensored version of Sniffies. The only slightly annoying thing is that it takes you back to the website to enable the naughtier content, but it takes you back to the app once that's done.

Get real-time notifications about people who are nearby and interested in getting busy. Credit: Sniffies

This change was likely made to comply with Apple’s App Store guidelines, which prohibit “overtly sexual” material. According to Eli Martin, the company's chief marketing officer, that's why Sniffies waited so long to launch the app in the first place.

“There was certainly back-and-forth with the App Store and figuring out how to make it work on both ends,” Martin said in an interview with Fast Company. “It took way longer than we thought, but it seems like Apple was very open to us being a part of the store as long as we could meet the guidelines.”

One of the app’s main draws is that you can switch between safe-for-work and default (NSFW) modes and receive real-time notifications about people who are nearby and interested in getting busy.

“Sniffies has always been about breaking barriers and making real-time connections easier,” Blake Gallagher, CEO and founder of Sniffies said in a press release about the app launch. “With the iOS app, we’re giving our Cruisers an even more seamless way to explore, connect, and play — wherever they are,” adding, “Our web-app remains the foundation, but this launch is a major step in expanding the Sniffies experience — giving our cruisers even greater access to the connections they desire.”