Gay cruising in car

The best practice is to keep chats within the app, let a trusted friend know where you’re meeting, and protect yourself with tools like PrEP, condoms, or DoxyPEP if that’s available to you.

The bottom line

Sniffies isn’t trying to be Grindr. That means you can see who’s nearby, where people are active in real time, and even check out popular cruising hotspots like bars, adult bookstores, or parks.

The best value is the six-month option, which drops the rate down to $9.99 per month, though it does require paying upfront. Here’s a helpful overview of the most common environments where men meet for spontaneous, discreet encounters.

🌳 Public Parks & Woodlands

Quiet areas with paths, wooded sections, and hidden corners are popular for cruising.

You’ll also be removed from the map if you log out of the site or choose “Hide Me” on the map.

Still, safety ultimately depends on how you use the app.

Does Sniffies have an app?

For years, Sniffies existed only as a web and mobile browser experience, in part because Apple and Google have strict rules against sexually explicit content.

The short answer: no, Sniffies does not reveal your exact address. Sniffies also allows users to list their sexual health preferences, from condom use to testing frequency, which makes it easier to negotiate safer encounters.

The Sniffies app was created by Blake Gallagher, a former architect who envisioned a platform that would digitize and modernize the spontaneous energy of cruising culture.

While exact spots vary by location, there are certain types of places where cruising has naturally become part of the culture. Together, these features give Sniffies a blend of the old-school cruising spirit with modern tech flexibility.

Is Sniffies Plus worth it?

That depends on how you use Sniffies. That means if you share face pics or nudes, they can be saved without your knowledge.

How does Sniffies work?

Getting started is simple: you head to sniffies.com, which gives you the option to “Use Anonymously” or “Login.” After that, you’ll be given a few prompts before the site immediately loads a live map of nearby users.

According to Sniffies, if you don’t remove yourself from the map, “your profile marker will remain on the map anywhere from 30 minutes to a few days depending on how active your area is.”

Related

This TikToker is trying to figure out why someone on Sniffies keeps sending random guys to her door
The woman couldn’t work out why men she didn’t know were turning up at her door.

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture. LivePlay is a built-in video chat tool for those who want to verify a user or warm things up virtually before meeting.

Is Sniffies safe?

Like any hookup app, especially one that emphasizes anonymity and public cruising, Sniffies comes with risks.

Its popularity grew rapidly during and after the pandemic, when people were seeking out new ways to connect.