Grindr XTRA tested: Is the upgrade worth it?

I put down money for Grindr XTRA, used it really hard for a week, and came away only (if very slightly) regretting my spending.
Read more »

The short version: the upgrade makes Grindr feel, well, functional once more — even polished. The long version is where it gets tricky, because what you unlock is great but so too is what you’re escaping — a free tier that had become borderline chaotic.

What you’re really getting with XTRA on Grindr

The ad-free experience is the clearest XTRA win. And getting rid of that full-screen interstitial and those banner breaks turns the grid from molasses to conveniently browsable, where you know you can tap without grunting in rage. That on its own changes how often you check the app and how long you hang out.

Beyond that, the upgrade adds new profiles to your nearby grid (up to 600), increases filtering options for those who are more specific about their matches, includes quality-of-life features such as multiple photo albums, expiration of sent photos and albums, saved phrases for read receipts.

You can also use Explore to recon other cities before you arrive. If you’ve ever tried to filter by age, interests or “looking for” on the free tier and been left with a trickle of results, XTRA gives you back a full grid while respecting your filters. That’s the realistic difference between browsing and getting.

Two things were particularly notable in daily use. For one, improved filters trim dead-end chats and mismatches — so you’re not wasting your time if your time frame is a subway ride or a lunch break or something. Second, “recently chatted” indicators tactfully dissuade endless reintroductions and unwanted introductory messages. None of this is flashy; all of it works.

Pricing and value: how XTRA compares and what it costs

Sticker shock is real. In my testing XTRA was available as an in-app purchase for $14.99 a week, although the longer you’re willing to commit to subscribing the further down the daily rate dropped: closer to $22.99 per month, $49.99 for three months and about $149.99 for a year, though prices vary by region and include discounts during promotions. Grindr Unlimited’s top tier adds in incognito browsing, who-viewed-me, unsend and read receipts — and can be bought in daily or monthly chunks (but the price quickly increases if you keep re-upping).

How does that compare? Third-party market trackers like Sensor Tower and data.ai have found that monthly prices on big dating apps usually fall between $20 and $35, with upsells for weekly passes or premium-plus tiers. Tinder, Bumble and Hinge all tempt users to step up their age bracket or add-ons. In that context, XTRA’s monthly fee is relatively competitive; its weekly fee is an indulgence for brief, intense bursts.

Performance and UX reality: how XTRA changes the app

Here’s the uncomfortable part: upgrading doesn’t just add features — it removes friction that is increasingly being imposed on the free tier. On my free account, I was regularly interrupted by ads, and experienced occasional freezing as well as missing or delayed messages. Reviews in the app store echo that complaint, mentioning crashes and a heavy ad load. Flip on XTRA and those pain points nearly disappear. The outcome is unquestionably an improvement, but it does also suggest a fair question about design incentives.

From a product economics perspective, it makes sense. The ads monetize casual use; the subscriptions monetize intention. But the difference in quality between free and paid now feels more like a chasm. If you’re impatient or time is running short on your needs — say, to get set up for a conference, Pride week or the next trip — the stability and speed of XTRA are built into that pricing.

Privacy and safety considerations for using XTRA

But shelling out for XTRA doesn’t inherently alter the privacy basics of employing a location-based app. It’s worth stating that because Grindr’s data practices have come under scrutiny. In 2021, a data protection authority of Norway fined the company millions of euros for unlawfully sharing personal data with advertising partners. Digital rights advocates including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Mozilla have long cautioned against granular location sharing on dating platforms.

Common-sense advice still holds: Turn off precise location if you don’t need it, use safety features that obscure distance and be aware of what you’re putting in albums. XTRA’s ephemeral media is useful, but no digital tool ensures content control once it lives on another device.

When paying makes sense: times XTRA is worth the cost

This was my takeaway after trying it: pay when your time is limited and you know exactly what you want. Traveling alone, and just for a few days? Working filters, an expanded grid and no ads significantly favor your chances. Attempting to negotiate a busy event week where agility is key? Same story. If you mostly browse at home, the free tier may be sufficient with some patience — and other apps might fill in any gaps without a weekly-premium subscription.

One more XTRA strategy note: the weekly pass is the most costly way to exist on XTRA. If you know you’ll use it more than two weeks a month, the monthly tier usually wins on simple math. On the other hand, if you only want a 72-hour sprint, set yourself a reminder to cancel after the trip and consider it a self-serve heavy lifter for one time.

Bottom line: is Grindr XTRA worth it for most users?

Is Grindr XTRA worth it? For targeted windows, yes — sometimes emphatically. It brings back a quick, filterable and frustration-free experience that the free tier hasn’t reliably provided in years. Do I love paying for that? Not particularly. But when the results really mattered and XTRA performed exactly as advertised, my sole lament was getting over it too quickly.