How Sway works.

Sway is a social app for gay men — a live map of who’s around you, Spots (places on the map with a group chat) for making plans, a community Wall, and private messaging. It’s built for meeting people nearby, right now or whenever you’re ready.

Yes. Joining is free, and so are the essentials: unlimited messaging, unlimited distance, every filter, who-viewed-you, and incognito browsing. Pro and All-Access add power features on top — see “Pro & All-Access” below.

No. Sway is anonymous-first. Pick any display name you like — you’re never required to share your legal name, and there’s no phone number or SMS anywhere.

You must be 18 or older. Everyone affirms they’re 18+ when they join, and in some regions the law requires a quick age check before full access. Sway is strictly adults-only.

When you check in, your pin appears on the map so people nearby can find you. Check out and you drop off the map and the grid, and the app pauses until you check back in. You’re in control of when you’re visible.

Never. Your location is always fuzzed to an approximate area before anyone sees it — your precise spot is never shared. You can make the area even larger anytime in Menu → Location precision.

Sway now is a status that tells people you’re looking to meet right now — your pin stands out so the people around you know you’re up for it in the moment. It’s a Pro feature.

Ghost Mode is a Pro perk that lets you use the whole app — browse, message, check out profiles — while staying completely hidden from the map and the grid. You see everyone; no one sees you.

Photo verification is a quick selfie that we match to your primary profile photo. When it matches, a gold check appears on your profile and pin so others know your photos are really you. It’s a trust signal only — not an identity or ID check.

Your main and secondary photos follow display rules — no exposed genitals, no sexual acts — and are checked automatically on upload. Private albums you choose to share allow any legal adult content between verified adults 18+.

Active status is the small dot that shows others you’ve been active recently. It’s separate from checking in — if you’d rather not broadcast when you were last around, you can turn it off in your profile while still using the app normally.

Yes. Sending messages is unlimited and free, whether or not you’re on the map. You can browse and chat anytime you’re checked in.

Spots are places on the map with a group chat — drop a pin where you meet (a bar, a park, your loft) and your people find you there. Public spots show on the map; invite-only ones unlock when you’re let in; hosting spots run for a set time you can ask to come to.

Conversations between two free members clear 30 days after the last message. If either person has Pro or All-Access, the thread is kept — Unlimited Message History is one of the Pro perks.

These are Pro perks: see when your messages are read, retract a photo you’ve sent, see who deleted a conversation, and unsend messages. Everyone can still send messages and use the core chat for free.

Pro unlocks Read Receipts, Hide Chat Photos, See Who Deleted a Conversation, Unlimited Message History, Travel Mode, Ghost Mode, Sway now, Boosts, more photos, a Pro badge, and an ad-free experience.

All-Access is a limited-time launch gift: while Sway is new, every member gets the full premium feature set unlocked for free. It isn’t permanent — as the community grows, the All-Access period may end at any time. One thing it doesn’t include: removing ads. Ads are what keep Sway free, so they still show during All-Access; going Pro removes them.

Billing happens inside the app through the App Store or Google Play — there’s no card payment on the website. To cancel, manage your subscription in the account settings for the store you used; you keep your perks until the period ends.

Members see a small number of brand-safe ads in a few reserved spots — including during the free All-Access launch period, since ads are what keep Sway free. The ad-free experience is a paid Pro perk: subscribe to Pro and ads disappear.

Open Sway on seven days in a row and you earn a free 1-hour Boost. Days 1–6 are simple check-ins — just open the app — and day 7 unlocks the reward, saved straight to your Boosts. Then the streak starts over, so you can earn another the next week. It’s free for everyone; you don’t need Pro.

One week. A rewarded Boost is use-it-or-lose-it — it expires seven days after you earn it. You’ll find it in Boost whenever you’re ready to get seen. The full terms are in our Terms of Service.

No — you hold one reward Boost at a time. If you earn a new one before using the last, the new one replaces it; rewarded Boosts don’t pile up. So claim it, then use it within the week.

Only an approximate, fuzzed area — and only while you’re checked in. Check out, or turn on Ghost Mode with Pro, and you’re off the map entirely. Your true coordinates are never sent to other people.

Open their profile or your message thread, tap the “…” menu, and choose Block or Report. Blocking ends the conversation and hides you from each other. Our moderators review every report — see the Safety Center for step-by-step help and crisis resources.

Account deletion is one tap and complete — find it in Menu → Account. When you delete, your profile and data are removed.

No. Ads are matched only by placement, never by sharing your personal information with advertisers. The full details are in our Privacy Policy.