Is Scruff Safe? 2026 Safety Report

Scruff Safety Analysis

Scruff scores 8/10 on our safety review as of March 2026. It's one of the safer gay dating apps available, with a strong moderation track record and transparent pricing - though account safety depends heavily on how much personal information users choose to share. The app is owned by Perry Street Software, a company with over a decade of operation, which gives it more accountability than newer platforms. Most users can feel confident here; extra caution for anyone in regions where LGBTQ+ identity carries legal risk.

We checked Scruff on multiple dimensions. HTTPS is enforced across all connections. The app requests location access for proximity matching, but you can set it to show a general neighborhood rather than exact GPS - a privacy feature that's opt-in but genuinely useful. Their privacy policy explicitly addresses data retention and notes that profile data is deleted within 30 days of account closure, which is better than most dating apps. The age gate at signup is a self-declaration (18+) with no document verification, which is typical for dating apps but worth knowing. No malicious ad redirects or third-party tracking scripts beyond standard analytics like Firebase and Adjust.

Scruff Pro runs $12.99/month with annual options that drop the per-month cost significantly. Billing appears as "Perry Street Software" on statements - discreet. Cancellation goes through the App Store or Google Play subscription settings, not through Scruff's own interface, which trips people up. We couldn't independently verify how quickly data deletion requests are processed under GDPR vs. US requests - the policy says 30 days but enforcement varies. Refunds follow platform store policies, not Scruff's own.

Fair warning: if you're in a country where same-sex activity is criminalized, Scruff's location features create real exposure even on the freemium tier. For everyone else, enable 2FA via your Apple or Google account linked to the app. Honestly, the counterstraightforward truth about gay dating apps is that the ones charging subscription fees - Scruff, Grindr Unlimited - tend to have better moderation than free-tier-only apps, because paying users complain louder.