# GROWLR: Gay Bears Near You — Meet, Date, and Chat

> Global social networking app for gay men, Bears, and Bear Chasers. (iPhone/iPad app by GROWLR, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growlr-gay-bears-near-you/id393402212 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [GROWLR, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/339590843)
- Category: Social Networking, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 49,698 App Store ratings · 758 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 169 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-11-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growlr-gay-bears-near-you/id393402212/reviews.md

## What is GROWLR?

The only app for Bears and Bear Chasers!

More Bears in More Places...we are a global community with over 10,000,000 members worldwide. GROWLr allows you to meet other Bears from around the world or around the corner.  GROWLr is free, fast, reliable and easy to use.

A Bear is a gay man who belongs to a very inclusive part of the gay community. Some are hairy, some are muscular, and some are heavy-set and some are none of those things. Being a bear is about being yourself - we are all amazing no matter how we are labeled.

Bear Chasers are the men who love Bears – and if you’re a Chaser you’ve come to the right place! More Bears in More Places.

It’s the perfect way to meet guys and make friends whether you are sitting at home or traveling abroad. Send and receive private instant messages, live video calls, pictures and video.

We also have an amazing Event section with complete and up-to-date Bear Run and Bear Bar listings. Tons of Galleries, Check-in features, Notes and More.

GROWLr allows only males 18 years or older. Photos containing nudity or explicit adult content are strictly prohibited.

Visit us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/growlrapp

Or on the web:
http://www.growlrapp.com

GROWLr PRO Membership Subscriptions:

GROWLr PRO - 1 month, $9.99 USD
GROWLr PRO - 3 months, $23.99 USD
GROWLr PRO - 6 months, $44.99 USD
GROWLr PRO - 1 year, $71.99 USD

- Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase
- Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period
- Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, for the price listed above for your renewal term
- Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase
- No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period

Privacy Policy:  http://www.growlrapp.com/privacy
Terms of Service:  http://www.growlrapp.com/tos

## Key features

- Meet Bears and Bear Chasers
- Global community
- Instant messaging
- Live video calls
- Event listings (Bear Runs, Bars)
- Photo and video sharing
- Check-in features

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $3.99 | per month |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $7.99 | per month |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| GROWLr PRO Membership | $23.99 | per 3 months |
| GROWLR Pro (1 month) | $14.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SHOUT! (5 Miles) | $4.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 500 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #104 in Top Grossing · Social Networking (US App Store)

## What do users think of GROWLR?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 🚀 Efficient app
- 👍 Friendly community
- 👍 Good for finding like-minded individuals
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Reliable network

**Cons**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔒 Security and privacy concerns
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🤖 Overrun with spam and bot accounts
- 🤔 Confusing and outdated UI
- 🚫 Limited features without paid subscription

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Messages not delivering or disappearing
- Notification issues and inconsistencies
- Crashes when switching between apps
- Profile photo upload problems
- Incorrect distance/location display

**Most requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to send multiple photos at once
- Better message syncing across devices
- Improved location tracking and nearby user display
- More granular profile customization options
- Enhanced moderation and spam/bot detection

## Recent user reviews (10 of 758)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/growlr-gay-bears-near-you/id393402212/reviews.md

### 5/5 — It's a beautiful day

*2026-08-26, version 16.50.0*

Any day is a fantastic day when you look at growler you never know what you're gonna see or be exposed to that's awesome thank you guys for a wonderful productfritz

### 4/5 — Awesome App

*2026-08-24, version 16.50.0*

This is the app from where i found my husband! We still use it to find friends and playmates! Awesome , easy, and fun. Worth the try.

### 1/5 — Keeps getting worse

*2026-08-24, version 16.50.0*

The app update they released two weeks ago no longer lets you report spam bots. Great job guys 🙄

### 2/5 — SHOUT for iOS not working

*2026-08-23, version 16.50.0*

SHOUT feature is not working for iOS. The SHOUT form opens, but after entering the message I cannot tap “Done” or proceed to purchase, and I cannot go back. I’ve used SHOUT successfully before, so this appears to be an app issue. Please fix this.

### 1/5 — Growlr cannot be edited.

*2026-08-22, version 16.50.0*

The edit portion of the app can't be completed. The submit tab it locked far into the corner.

### 1/5 — Trotz Update viele Buggs

*2026-08-20*

Habe schon echt nicht viel von dieser App erwartet, aber die Entwickler sind einfach ein Witz. Es wurde ein großes Update angekündigt und nun kann ich meine Profilbeschreibung nicht mehr ändern, das das Layout nicht passt.

### 2/5 — Ugh

*2026-08-18, version 16.50.0*

Great app but on the iPhone when you try to change your information on the profile to cancel and done button is unreachable. Ugh

### 4/5 — MODBOT IS A TERRORIST

*2026-08-18, version 16.50.0*

LIVESTREAMING is the best thing ever: no begging for pictures, no back-and-forth, no lying or tweaking the profile because you're on candid camera. BUT MODBOT IS A DICTATOR. I have been banned for making coffee, wearing a tank top, saying a single cuss word on camera, someone on my panel scratching themselves. This is just ridiculous. Fix your goddamn bot, or else when the next live streaming big thing comes along, we'll just migrate somewhere else

### 5/5 — Simple UI 😎

*2026-08-17, version 16.50.0*

So far so good founded  during college years in 2014. there alittle issue where i have to reopen the app to view the message when it is received ,but im having problems with video chatting connections. I try to troubleshoot on my end. And keep trying.

### 1/5 — Security risk

*2026-08-17, version 16.50.0*

Too many scammers, and bots. I tried to report an account as spam and the app keeps saying select reason and the report link in the app is broken. API is also leaking data putting accounts at risk

## Frequently asked questions about GROWLR

### What is GROWLR?

GROWLR is a social networking application designed for gay men who identify as Bears and for those who are attracted to Bears (Bear Chasers). It allows users to connect, chat, and meet people within this specific community globally.

### What are the key features of GROWLR?

Key features include meeting other Bears and Bear Chasers, instant private messaging, live video calls, photo and video sharing, and an events section with listings for Bear Runs and Bear Bars. It also offers check-in features and notes.

### Is GROWLR free to use?

The app is free to download and use, offering core features for connecting and chatting. However, it also offers a 'GROWLR PRO' membership with subscription options for enhanced features, which can be purchased within the app.

### Who can use GROWLR?

GROWLR is exclusively for males aged 18 years or older. The app focuses on connecting gay men within the Bear community and those who appreciate them.

### How can I find events or places to meet people?

GROWLR features an Events section that provides up-to-date listings for Bear Runs and Bear Bars. This section helps users discover gatherings and venues relevant to the Bear community, both locally and internationally.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 16.50.1 — 2026-08-26

- Bug fixes and performance optimizations

### 16.50.0 — 2026-08-10

- Bug fixes and performance optimizations

### 16.48.0 — 2026-04-15

- Bug fixes and performance optimizations

### 16.47.0 — 2026-03-13

- Bug fixes and performance optimizations

### 16.46.1 — 2026-01-20

- Bug fixes and performance optimizations

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-29.*