Archer, a dating app for gays, will be shut down. Let’s see when.

Archer, the gay dating app launched by Match Group during Pride Month in 2023, is shutting down after just three years.

Michael Kay, the app’s director of brand marketing and communications, announced the end of Archer in May, shortly after the parent company announced a $100 million investment in gay dating app Sniffy’s.

“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve built with ARCHER and are grateful to our community, partners, and supporters who helped make it possible,” Kaye told Mashable in an emailed statement. “While ARCHER is winding down, we are grateful for the impact it has had and the connections we have made over the years.”

Connection app that anyone can use

adult friend finder

— Casual Connections Selected by Readers

crater

— Top picks for finding a date

hinge

— A popular choice for regular meet-ups

You can purchase products through affiliate links. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Archer made gay dating more intentional, focusing on building a relationship rather than finding a lover. In 2024, TechCrunch reported that Archer was downloaded over 685,000 times within a year of its debut. But Grindr, perhaps the most famous gay dating app, was downloaded 10 million times in the year before TechCrunch’s report. As Mashable notes in its roundup of gay dating apps, Grindr is still king.

Mashable Trend Report

But in recent years, Grindr has put a paywall on its best features, and users have complained about a buggy interface. Competitors such as Archer, Sniffies, Scruff, and Jack’d have also emerged. Squirt, a cruising site that predates Grindr, just launched its app in April of this year.

For now, Match Group seems to be focusing on Sniffy, at least in the gay dating space.

“We look forward to partnering with Sniffy’s to continue to foster meaningful queer connections and build the future of our community,” Kaye said.

Archer will officially close on June 17th.