ROMEO Review
Formerly PlanetRomeo — the long-running European gay community site and app.
What is ROMEO?
ROMEO started life in Berlin in 2002 as GayRomeo, became PlanetRomeo, and rebranded to simply ROMEO in 2021. It predates the smartphone grid era, and it shows in the best way: profiles are long, text-heavy, and genuinely informative rather than a photo and three words.
It also remains one of the few major players with a fully featured website, not just a phone app. If you like browsing and messaging from a desktop, ROMEO is one of the only serious options in the category.
Key features
Detailed profiles
Extensive fields covering what you're looking for, interests, safer-sex preferences, and free-text sections — far more substance than a typical grid app.
Full web version
romeo.com is a complete desktop experience, not a companion to the app. Rare in this category.
Search and filters
Strong search tools including saved searches, which makes ROMEO good for finding specific things rather than just browsing who's nearest.
Travel and community
Long-running travel and community sections, useful for finding people and information in another city before you arrive.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Profiles carry real information, so you know who you're talking to
- One of the only gay apps with a proper desktop website
- Established, loyal user base across Germany, the Netherlands, and much of Europe
- Search and filtering are stronger than most rivals
- Long track record on privacy and community moderation
Cons
- Very thin outside Europe — in the US it's a niche app
- The interface feels dated next to newer apps
- Skews older; younger users are mostly elsewhere
- Some of the best filters need PLUS
Pricing
- Free: profile, browsing, messaging, and search.
- PLUS subscription: extra filters, more search results, larger albums, and ad-free browsing.
- PLUS is generally cheaper than Grindr XTRA, with discounts for longer terms.
Who it's for
- Users in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and elsewhere in Europe
- Guys who want to read a real profile before messaging
- Anyone who prefers browsing and chatting on a computer
Who should skip it
- US and UK users looking for volume — the density isn't there
- Guys who want a slick modern interface
- People after instant, nearby hookups
The bottom line
ROMEO is the grown-up of the category: detailed profiles, a real website, and two decades of community behind it. In its European heartland it's an excellent app, and it's the best choice if you'd rather read about someone than guess from one photo.
Outside Europe it's hard to recommend as a primary app simply because of user numbers. If you're in Berlin or Amsterdam, it may be the best app you install; in Denver, it won't be.
Visit ROMEOFAQ
Is ROMEO the same as PlanetRomeo?
Yes. The platform launched as GayRomeo in 2002, became PlanetRomeo, and rebranded to ROMEO in 2021. Same community, new name.
Is ROMEO free?
Yes, the core app and website are free. The optional PLUS subscription adds filters, larger albums, and ad-free browsing.
Can I use ROMEO on a desktop?
Yes — romeo.com is a full-featured website, which is one of the app's biggest advantages over rivals that are mobile-only.