Hanky
In short: Hanky is a gay and bisexual men's dating app from Hanky Limited, which issued its launch press release from London in January 2016. It was invitation-only, with new members admitted by invite code or a vote of three existing members. DII cites it as an example of a gay app that gained brief attention but did not scale.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Status | Unconfirmed. Dating Industry Insights lists it among gay dating apps that failed to scale, but no closure notice was found. The App Store listing was last updated in September 2017. |
| Website | Hanky.com |
| Publisher | Hanky Limited (listed as Hanky Ltd on the App Store) [New Dating App Helps Gay Men Avoid Unwanted Attention, Time-, 5 January 2016] |
| Launch announcement | Press release datelined London, 5 January 2016, describing an invitation-only gay dating app available for iPhone, with Android due in 2016 [New Dating App Helps Gay Men Avoid Unwanted Attention, Time-, 5 January 2016] |
| Membership model | Entry by invite code plus phone verification or Facebook sign-up; without a code, at least three current members must vote the applicant in [New Dating App Helps Gay Men Avoid Unwanted Attention, Time-, 5 January 2016] |
| Co-founder | Jonas Cronfeld, named as co-founder of Hanky; he said eight in ten applicants did not get in [New Dating App Helps Gay Men Avoid Unwanted Attention, Time-, 5 January 2016] |
| Most active countries at launch | UK, USA and the Philippines, per the company [New Dating App Helps Gay Men Avoid Unwanted Attention, Time-, 5 January 2016] |
| Reception | The exclusion policy drew criticism in LGBTQ media and on social media [Super-exclusive dating app Hanky is soaking up some outrage, January 2016] |
| App Store listing | Free iOS app, 'Hanky - Gay dating, flirt and fun by live selfies', by Hanky Ltd; latest version 4.8.0 released 8 September 2017 [Hanky - Gay dating, flirt and fun by live selfies, App Store, 8 September 2017] |
| DII coverage | DII named Hanky among gay dating apps it described as having achieved brief localised traction but failed to scale nationally, in its Goose story [Dating Industry Insights, 26 June 2026] |
About Hanky
Hanky is a dating app aimed at gay and bisexual men, published by Hanky Limited (listed in app stores as Hanky Ltd). The company announced it in a press release datelined London on 5 January 2016, describing an invitation-only community meant to reduce catfishing, creeps and time wasters. At launch it was available for iPhone, with an Android version promised for 2016.
Its main feature was restricted entry. A new member needed an invite code from a friend and had to verify a phone number, or sign up with Facebook. Without a code, at least three current members had to vote the applicant in. Co-founder Jonas Cronfeld said that eight in ten applicants were turned away. The policy drew criticism in the LGBTQ press, including from LGBTQ Nation and Cult of Mac, and the founders defended it as a way to keep the community welcoming. The App Store listing later described the product as a way to see live photo updates from men nearby. Matching worked by swiping right to like and left to pass.
For the dating industry, Hanky is a small early example of gated onboarding in niche apps. Dating Industry Insights, in a June 2026 story on the app Goose, named Hanky among gay dating apps that it said gained brief localised traction but did not scale. We could not find a closure announcement or a current official website, so its present operating status is unconfirmed. The App Store listing shows a last update in September 2017.
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Questions about Hanky
What is Hanky?
Hanky is a dating app for gay and bisexual men, published by Hanky Limited and announced in January 2016 as an invitation-only community.
How did people join Hanky?
Applicants needed an invite code from a friend plus phone verification or Facebook sign-up. Without a code, at least three current members had to vote them in.
Is Hanky still running?
This is unconfirmed. DII listed it among gay dating apps that failed to scale, but we found no closure notice. The App Store listing was last updated in September 2017.
Where is Hanky based?
Hanky is based in London, United Kingdom.
When was Hanky founded?
Hanky was founded in 2016.
Also known as: Hanky - Gay dating, flirt and fun by live selfies, Hanky Limited, Hanky Ltd.