A Grindr rival is shutting down after less than three years
The closure was announced by Michael Kaye, the company's director of brand marketing and communications
By Callum Wells
Match Group is shutting down Archer, the dating app it launched for gay, bi and queer men in 2023.
The closure was announced by Michael Kaye, Archer’s director of brand marketing and communications, less than three years after the app debuted during Pride Month.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we built with ARCHER and grateful to the community, partners, and supporters who helped make it possible,” Kaye told Mashable in an emailed statement.
Match Group announced a $100 million (£74.6 million) investment in Sniffies
“While ARCHER will be winding down, we’re thankful for the impact it had and the connections it fostered over the years.”
The decision comes shortly after Match Group announced a $100 million (£74.6 million) investment in Sniffies, the location-based hookup platform for gay and bisexual men.
Archer launched in June 2023 as Match Group sought to expand its presence in the LGBTQ+ dating market. The company said the app would focus on helping users form meaningful connections, positioning it as an alternative to platforms more closely associated with casual sex.
Among Archer’s competitors were Grindr, Scruff, Jack’d, Sniffies and Squirt
The app recorded more than 685,000 downloads within a year of launch. However, it struggled to match the scale of market leader Grindr, which reported around 10 million downloads during a similar period.
Archer entered an increasingly competitive sector that also includes Scruff, Jack’d and Sniffies. Earlier this year, cruising website Squirt also launched its own app.