Goose is live. It's the newest dating app "for the boys," as Out reported earlier this month. Now, this isn't your daddy's Grindr, founder Derek Chadwick wants you to know. The hunky model, actor, and beauty brand entrepreneur pitched the app as an "anti-algorithm gay dating and lifestyle platform," aimed at offering gay men dating opportunities, not just hookups.
It does so by being "intentionally social-first" and uses human beings to screen users, who can only download the app via Apple's AppStore.
Sorry, Android gays.
And even though it only went live on Thursday, it's already generating a lot of buzz, both positive and negative.
"It's super cool and a great way to meet new people," one user wrote on the Apple site. "First day with the app and already got 10 dates," wrote Sylvester on Instagram. But another user complained of technical glitches in signing up: "After I type my verification code the app breaks every time it’s unusable."
Francesco of New York City's West Village told his 21K followers "Goose is basically Pokémon Ho," showing how the app uses a map to connect its users with potential singles nearby. And then there was this common refrain, posted by Nick: "Give this two weeks tops before it just becomes another hook-up app."
PopCrave boosted the app's launch to its 5.2 million followers, and Goose's own Instagram account has already gained nearly 10,000 followers since Out reported on the app on June 12.
Chadwick spoke to assistant editor Alex Reimer of Queerty about his app, saying in a statement that Goose is a “direct response” to what he and his friends have experienced using dating apps. As Out reported, Chadwick posted a selfie video last month revealing he's been single for two years and asking, "How come there's no cool gay dating apps in 2026?"
Goose, he says, is his solution.
“While we can’t control individual user behavior, we’ve designed Goose from the ground up to move away from the transactional, high-pressure dynamics of traditional dating apps,” he said. “Our goal is to create an experience that reflects real-life connection, where people can engage more authentically, discover shared interests, and build relationships at their own pace.”
Unlike most dating apps, Goose doesn't match users; instead, they "wave" to each other, which connects them if both people do it. Waving is all it takes to signal interest.
Reimer wrote that the premise "sounds promising enough," noting that the company claims it logged 56,000 “pre-downloads” before the app even launched. "I downloaded Goose to try for myself, and can confirm the interface looks a lot like Hinge," wrote Reimer. "One note: it did take a couple of hours for my profile to be verified. Clearly, Goose is not trying to facilitate immediacy."
That's because profiles are reviewed by humans rather than algorithms for approval, allowing for what Global Dating Insights called "a more natural connection." Among Goose's features are the ability to scroll through profiles, to post photos, videos, and real-time updates, and privacy tools such as Vanish Mode and screenshot protection. No membership fees are required, the report added.
Out reached out to Chadwick for comment, and his rep told us he's traveling today but promised to respond to our emailed questions. We'll just have to "wave" to him until then.
