Popular American actor and model Derek Chadwick, tired of the “toxicity” and “transactionality” of modern gay dating services, decided to create his own project. The app called Goose is positioned as a “social-first platform,” aiming to bring sincerity and real-life context back to dating. We look at how it works and what early users think of it.
Popular American actor and model Derek Chadwick
What’s the main hook?
Goose is trying to distance itself from the image of a “one-night stand sex app.” The main differences from competitors.
No algorithms or swipes. Instead of the usual left-right swiping, users send each other “waves” (waves). If two people have “waved” at each other, a match is created. At the same time, unlike many other services, you can message anyone here without waiting for mutual interest, although a “wave” remains the main signal of interest.
Live map. The app uses a neighborhood map to show who’s nearby in real time. This makes it possible to see not just plain profiles, but people placed in a local city context.
A live profile instead of a dating profile. Instead of static photos and profile data, Goose focuses on video, stories, and constant status updates. Users don’t need to immediately label themselves and say “what they’re looking for” — communication is expected to develop naturally.
A closed club. Getting into Goose isn’t easy: it’s an invite-based community. Every profile is reviewed not by bots but by live moderators, which should filter out fakes and spam.
How do you use this?
After your application is approved (this can take several hours because of manual review), you’ll enter the feed. You can simply scroll through profiles or explore the neighborhood map. For privacy protection, the app includes Vanish Mode (disappearing messages) and protection against taking screenshots. At the moment, the app is free and does not require membership fees.
What do users say?
The first user reviews from the app’s early “geese” (as users are sometimes called) were mixed.
Enthusiasts call the interface “super cool” and similar to Hinge. One user even bragged on social media that they got 10 date invites on the very first day.
Skeptics have ironically dubbed the app “Pokémon Ho” because of the map feature, which turns the search for a guy into a hunt for rare Pokémon. Many predict that in a couple of weeks Goose will inevitably turn into yet another Grindr clone for quick hookups.
Technical issues also soured the launch: some users complain that the app crashes immediately after entering the verification code or simply works unstably.
It didn’t come without scandal either
Right after launch, the publication Wired published an investigation, according to which Goose's creators used a network of AI avatars for aggressive marketing.
It is reported that hundreds of Instagram users received messages from suspiciously attractive guys (whose photos, according to detectors, were created by neural networks), who persistently lured them into the new app. Project co-founder David Aliagas was also accused of trying to openly buy old Instagram accounts to promote the platform.
Despite this, the app managed to climb to 4th place in the App Store charts, although later its ranking noticeably dropped to 33rd place.
Download the Goose app for gays
A new mobile app for dating and chatting, created especially for gays and positioning itself as an alternative to familiar services like Grindr. Unlike typical swipe-based apps, this one takes a social approach: instead of matches, users send each other “greetings” (waves), and can also browse an interactive real-time map. You can download Goose from the links below:
0 comments
Enter your email — we’ll send you a one-time code. No passwords or accounts.
Code sent to
If the email doesn't appear in your inbox within a few minutes, check your spam, junk, or promotions folder, as some email services may mistakenly place automated messages there