Hornet

You'd think it would be easier to connect with people in the modern era of social networking but it seems like so many apps and websites just want you to conform to a sterile model and be a part of a boring, digital hive. However, there are a few standout services which don't look at you as a drone but as a person who wants to meet other people online, not bots and bitches.

Fortunately, there are some clever web and app designers who have been some busy little bees who’ve made some fantastic platforms to meet up with people who share your interests – both romantic and erotic. I’ve combed the net to find out who they are and what the sweet services that they provide are, and a shining example is the dating website and application: Hornet.

To find out what the buzz is about: read on.

What Is Exactly Is Hornet?

According to their tag line – Hornet is "redefining the gay app."

This website and application really isn’t just a hook up per se. The designers put a lot of thought into recreating what it is we think of and should expect from a gay network. Founded in 2011, Hornet’s creators have said that they wanted to…

“…build the seminal digital home for the LGBTQ+ community…[utilizing] cutting-edge, proprietary technology, Hornet helps people make meaningful connections in a refreshingly friendly environment filled with award-winning, original content and news around lifestyle, travel, entertainment and social justice.”

They sum up their story with their secondary catchphrase: Hornet, where guys connect.

So, as you'll see throughout the rest of this review, this website and app are for more than just hooking up or even just getting dates. It's the one stop shop for romantic, platonic, sexual, and businesses connections. In a sense, it's the gay version of Facebook, Twitter, and Tinder all rolled into one neat freemium-type service.

There Are Un-bee-lievably Hot Men

Being the largest hookup app and website which has even managed to beat out Grindr, this app has a host of hot guys to choose from. This is one of those cases where more certainly is better!

With over 25 million users who are sending over 250 million messages daily allowing them to constantly getting laid, dates, and making new acquaintances you, too, are bound to meet a ton of interesting people no matter how remote a place that you live.

In addition to searching for and chatting with guys the traditional way, you can search for and join communities with a simple hashtag. By searching or adding a hashtag to your profile, like say #gaymer, you can be connected with other gay dudes on the site who like playing video games. There are tons of communities already and new ones being added all of the time, so this app is definitely geared toward transforming into what the users want it to be rather than strictly adhering to what the designers want it to stay.

Having said that, most of the users range between 18 to 34, so the majority of guys tend to be on the younger side and since the bulk of them Western, the majority are white. However, there are a ton of Hispanic users especially from the United States, and the second highest number of members are Asian. Having said all of that, my understanding is that guys on this app are generally nice and don't have the bitchy shallow or flaky attitude that Grindr users do.

If you do chat someone up and they aren’t online chances are they’ll get back to you pretty soon. After all, according to the stats I found, the average user logs on about seven times a day and spends over a hundred minutes on the app per week.

See a guy that you fancy as interesting, and someone worth knowing, or who is always posting about the crazy stuff that he does, or you just want to fuck? Then use the FOLLOW option. Similar to favoriting someone, this feature allows you to easily keep up with someone's profile and alerts you when they've adjusted their profile.

All of this information is added to your feed just like it would if you were on Twitter, Facebook or Myspace. Speaking of, who uses Myspace anymore.

Anyway, as far as I know, this FOLLOW feature is unique to Hornet and is yet another way that this app stand outs.

Further, this can be of great help to you if you're trying to promote your Insta, Facebook, Twitter page, or blog. Although to be honest, the best purpose for this tool is the same as its original – to get you and your own tool some action!

Read Travel Reviews Which Are The Bees Knees

Most gay apps have turned meeting people right before traveling into an art form. Not only are these services which post where and when you are going to vacation or let you take a peek at the guys you're going to see in a new city an excellent way to make friends, but it's also an awesome way to find guys to fuck. So, it's a great thing Hornet has taken this to a whole new level.

Unlike Grindr, which allows you to “venture” and see a small fraction of the dudes in a particular city you are going to, with Hornet allows you to drop a pin anywhere on a map to see guys near that location who you can chat with from where you currently are. Talk about a nice and efficient way to sample the local flavor of the town before getting the main course.

Moving on, Hornet also hosts user reviews of cities and tourists destinations. So, rather than get the “opinion” of a paid hack, you get to read real reviews from authentic people who are giving their honest opinions.

But You Can Still Tell Thotty Boys To Buzz Off!

Any good dating, hook up, or general social media platform should care about your safety and privacy. Since we're living in a time of hacked footage, stolen celebrity nudes, and post-Cambridge Analytica, it is important now more than ever to have your data secured and to be able to track who you give you information to online. That is especially true when you consider that apps like Hornet use a geolocation feature to tell people where they can find you.

Fortunately, Hornet has a completely secure payment method and doesn’t share your data willy nilly with third parties. Further, they provide you with tools to keep track of your information and keep the creeps at bay.

For one, you can search for users using a variety of filtering criteria, so it's easier to find the type of men that you want. Like I brought up earlier you can search for hashtags that interest you and join those communities yourself to make it easier to find like-minded dudes.

While that’s not a guarantee, you can always block or report any guy who is creeping on you. And yes, with a free account you do get an unlimited number of blocks, unlike some other, shitty apps. So, if you have some man harassing you by begging you for dick pics or just being an asshole, don’t hesitate – block that bitch, bee-yotch.

And remember, just because there is a FOLLOW option doesn’t mean you can’t control who does or doesn’t talk to you, and you always have the option of restricting the amount of geographical information you put out there. Distances calculators can be toggled on and off, and you can always drop a pin and scan an area rather than announcing where you are going on your profile if you want.

And to keep your phone secure even if some has your phone, with a modern phone you can keep your phone locked with fingerprint ID.

Read About Stories Which Are Sweet and Sting A Little

In addition to all of this awesome stuff, Hornet hosts a great blog section which has new pieces written all of the time. Some of the articles are about mental and physical health; others are related to more amorous activities like adult film awards and updates, while others tend to be more general "gay" related news pieces.

Don’t see a piece that you like? Then write your own and submit it for potential publication. Since Hornet is a global community, they are also looking for people to translate existing works into other languages.

You’ll Enjoy Being Apart Of This Cum-munity

Besides surfing and chatting, you can connect with people in other ways like participating in the growing Hornet Forum. You can also earn badges (and thus rewards) by contributing to programs and share ideas to improve either the website or the app. As I said, this service is constantly morphing in the way you want it to.

So, Should You Bee-come a Member, Honey?

Okay, that’s the last of the punny puns, I swear. ;)

You get all of the basics when it comes to hookup apps along with a series of awesome features like pin dropping before you travel, unique search features, and the ability to join or create online communities. With the FOLLOW feature you can keep up with the whereabouts and happenings of other users you like, and through the blog section, you can keep up-to-date with both the Hornet and gay community generally.

So, ready to sign up?

Great.

Getting an account on both desktop and mobile version takes literally seconds and just the basics like a username, profile picture, and a little personal info for login and security purposes. Both versions come with a ton of features that I mentioned which are free to use. In fact, everything I've mentioned so far is free.

However, if you do want to take Hornet even further you can get full access for just $9.99 a month. That’s less than half of what competitors like Grindr cost!

Anyway, with a premium account, you don't have to put up with any ads, you can see who checked out your profile, view an unlimited number of profile photos, upload an infinite number of profile photos, and search for guys with all filters enabled.

Want to save even more money on membership? Then get three months for $25.99 or $8.66 a month, or put down $59.99 for a year which breaks down to just about $4.66 a month. On top of that, Hornet occasionally puts out promotional coupon codes so you can save even more money.

Like I said, their payment processors are quick and anonymous, and I haven't seen any horror stories about people getting screwed or having problems with payment going through.

For these reasons, I give Hornet five out of five happy hands and strongly recommend that you try it out, at least for a bit. And since I do recommend it so strongly, do me a solid and tell them who sent ya. It'd be a great way to help the website.

At any rate, I really do believe that with this site you really will enjoy getting “stung.”

Buzz, buzz.