Blendr
In short: Blendr was a location-based social and dating app launched in September 2011 by Joel Simkhai, the founder of Grindr. It showed nearby people and was widely described as a version of Grindr for a wider audience. Grindr's SEC filings list it as an app Grindr managed. It closed worldwide on 31 October 2022 and is a common failed precedent for proximity dating.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Status | Closed. Ceased operating worldwide on 31 October 2022. |
| Website | blendr.com |
| Launch date | Launched in the iTunes App Store on 8 September 2011; announced at SXSW on 14 March 2011 under the code name Project Amicus. [Blendr - Wikipedia, 8 September 2011] |
| Founder | Created by Joel Simkhai, founder of Grindr. He said he built it after requests from straight women and that it was less focused on sex than Grindr. [Blendr, 2011] |
| Closure | Blendr's website stated it was no longer in operation worldwide, with the app removed from all app stores and member data to be deleted on 30 November 2022. [An update from Blendr, 31 October 2022] |
| Closure date and website shutdown | Activity ceased in all territories on 31 October 2022; user data was to be deleted by 30 November 2022 and the website to go offline from 7 December 2022. [Blendr - Wikipedia, 31 October 2022] |
| Relationship to Grindr | Grindr's SEC filing for FY2022 states the company also manages a dating service app called Blendr, for a broader market. [Grindr Inc. Form 10-K FY2022, 2023] |
| How it worked | Used GPS to show a lineup of nearby users, with filters by interest and the option to check in to locations. Marketed as a way to make friends and connections, not only to date. [Blendr, 14 September 2011] |
| Orientation positioning | Towleroad reported that Blendr was open to straight, gay and bisexual users and was not marketed solely to straight people. [UPDATE, September 2011] |
| DII coverage | DII named Blendr, with Skout and Down, as an earlier proximity-based dating app that failed, in its report on Meet Me at The Bar. [Dating Industry Insights, 5 August 2026] |
About Blendr
Blendr was a geosocial networking app for iOS, Android and the web. It was created by Joel Simkhai, founder of Grindr, and was announced at SXSW in March 2011 under the code name Project Amicus. It launched in the iTunes App Store on 8 September 2011. Users added a photo and basic interests, then browsed people nearby, with the app giving only a rough estimate of location.
Press coverage at launch described it as a straight version of Grindr. Simkhai told the Guardian he built it after requests from straight women, and said it was less focused on sex than Grindr. Other commentators noted that it was marketed to people of all orientations as a way to meet people with shared interests, not only as a dating product.
On ownership, sources differ. Wikipedia and other secondary sources say Blendr was later "powered by" Badoo. Grindr's SEC filings for 2022 describe Grindr as managing a dating service app called Blendr for a broader market. This profile does not settle which company held the app at the end.
Blendr's own website said the service was no longer in operation worldwide. The app was removed from all app stores, member data was due for deletion on 30 November 2022, and the web page was due to come down on 7 December 2022. Third-party reviewers say the reasons for the closure are unclear. Dating Industry Insights has cited Blendr, alongside Skout and Down, as an example of earlier "who is near you" apps that did not last, in its August 2026 report on the Latvian app Meet Me at The Bar.
Also mentioned in
Questions about Blendr
What was Blendr?
A location-based social and dating app launched in September 2011 by Joel Simkhai, founder of Grindr. It showed people nearby and was widely described as a version of Grindr for a broader audience.
Is Blendr still available?
No. Blendr ceased operating worldwide on 31 October 2022 and was removed from all app stores.
Who owned Blendr?
Sources differ. Grindr's 2022 SEC filings say Grindr managed Blendr, while other sources say Blendr was powered by Badoo. This profile does not settle the point.
Why did Blendr close?
No official reason was found. Third-party reviewers say the reasons are unclear.
What is Blendr?
Blendr was a location-based social and dating app launched in September 2011 by Joel Simkhai, the founder of Grindr. It showed nearby people and was widely described as a version of Grindr for a wider audience. Grindr's SEC filings list it as an app Grindr managed.
When was Blendr founded?
Blendr was founded in 2011.
Also known as: Project Amicus.
Sources
- Blendr - Wikipedia
- Blendr: The Grindr for Straight People - Adweek
- An update from Blendr
- Grindr Inc. Form 10-K FY2022
- Blendr: Are straight people really this boring? - Salon
- UPDATE: Blendr Is Not Just For Straight People - Towleroad
- Meet Me at The Bar: Can Venue-Based Dating Solve Messaging Fatigue? - DII