GROWLr Review
The bear app: built specifically for bears, cubs, chubs, and the guys who chase them.
What is GROWLr?
GROWLr launched in 2010 as an app for bears and bear chasers, and it has stayed on that single idea ever since. If you're a bigger, hairier, or older guy who finds the mainstream apps unwelcoming, GROWLr is built for you rather than tolerating you.
The experience itself is a familiar grid plus chat, with live streaming layered on top. What makes it worth installing isn't the technology — it's that everyone on it is there for the same body types, which removes an enormous amount of friction.
Key features
Bear-focused community
Profiles, tags, and culture built around bears, cubs, chubs, otters, and chasers rather than treating them as a niche filter.
Live streaming
Members can broadcast live video and watch others, which gives the app a social dimension beyond one-to-one chat.
Local and long-distance browsing
You can browse nearby or search other cities, which matters when local bear density is low.
Chat with photo and voice
Standard messaging with photo sharing and voice messages, plus private albums.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The only major app where bear body types are the default, not an afterthought
- Community culture is noticeably friendlier than the big grid apps
- Global membership, so long-distance and travel browsing is genuinely useful
- Free tier is usable without constant paywalls
- Live streaming adds something the mainstream apps don't have
Cons
- Local density is low outside big cities — you'll often be browsing other regions
- Ads on the free tier are frequent
- App polish and performance lag behind Grindr and Scruff
- Live streams can dominate the experience if that's not what you want
- Scruff's bear community is large enough that GROWLr isn't always necessary
Pricing
- Free: grid, chat, photo sharing, and live streams, with ads.
- GROWLr Pro: removes ads, expands browsing, unlocks more filters and profile views.
- Sold as a subscription with cheaper long-term plans.
Who it's for
- Bears, cubs, chubs, and chasers who want a community built around them
- Guys who feel filtered out on Grindr or Scruff
- Users in big cities with active bear scenes, and travellers
Who should skip it
- Anyone outside the bear community — you're not the target user
- Rural users where the app will be close to empty
- People who want the most polished app experience
The bottom line
GROWLr does one thing and does it honestly: it gives the bear community its own space. For guys who've spent years being ignored on mainstream grids, that's worth more than a slicker interface.
It's best treated as a companion app. Keep Scruff or Grindr for local volume, and use GROWLr for a community where you don't have to explain yourself.
Visit GROWLrFAQ
Is GROWLr free?
Yes. The free tier covers browsing, chat, and live streams with ads. GROWLr Pro removes ads and adds filters and browsing features.
Is GROWLr only for bears?
It's built for the bear community — bears, cubs, chubs, otters — and for chasers who are into them. Anyone can join, but the culture and user base are firmly bear-focused.
Is GROWLr better than Scruff for bears?
Scruff has more users overall and a large bear contingent, so it often wins on local density. GROWLr wins on culture: the whole app is built around the community rather than one tag among many.