Hornet

What Hornet does

Hornet (legally Queer Networks, Inc.) is a Los Angeles–headquartered, remote-first social networking and media company serving LGBTQ+ men worldwide through its core Hornet app. Founded in 2011 by Christof Wittig, the platform describes itself as 'the world's leading queer media company,' combining feed-based social networking, chat, video, live streaming (Hornet Live), and map-based web discovery (HornetX) for gay, bi, trans, and queer users across more than 100 million registered accounts. The technical stack centers on iOS and Android apps distributed through Apple App Store and Google Play (10M+ downloads on the latter) plus a web front-end, with localized editions of alternative apps (Hornet Stories, Hornet Core) deployed in markets where the main app has been removed from storefronts (Russia, Malaysia, Türkiye). The company curates editorial content under a 'Stories' vertical covering queer news, entertainment, health, culture, travel, and sports, and runs community programs such as a Beta Tester program (56,759 members) and a Health Ambassador program (808 members).

Hornet monetizes through two primary streams: LGBTQ+-targeted brand advertising (validated by Nielsen and Kantar studies, with rate cards available via [email protected]) and a freemium subscription stack (Hornet Plus, Hornet Premium, Hornet Max) sold on 1-month or 1-year cadences, including gift subscriptions. Premium features concentrate on visibility, ad removal, chat enhancements, and unlimited access. Distribution is multi-channel across app marketplaces, the company's web platform, and real-world events led by the Hornet Model Search competition (Thailand 2025; Thailand and Türkiye 2026). Capital formation has been modest but selective: a 2012 seed led by 500 Global ($500K) and a 2016 Series A led by Ventech China ($8M), alongside a 2016 acquisition of Vespa.

Name

Hornet

Legal name

Queer Networks, Inc.

Website

https://hornet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hornet is a remote-first LGBTQ+ social network and queer media platform serving gay, bi, trans, and queer men worldwide via feed-based apps, live streaming, and editorial content, monetized through advertising and tiered premium subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Networking / LGBTQ+ Dating Platform

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Gaming & Virtual World Social Platforms (MPACAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gaming Social Networks & Community Platforms (profiles, guilds, forums, discovery) (MPAFAIAD), Gaming Community, Chat & LFG Platforms (BPAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Gay social network
• Queer dating app
• LGBTQ community platform
• Live streaming social
• Queer media advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Brand advertising targeting LGBTQ+ demographic. Hornet positions itself as the world's leading queer media company with curated content from editors and community leaders. Media kit and reports (Nielsen, Kantar) available for advertisers.
2. Premium Subscriptions: Freemium model with three tiers: Hornet Plus, Hornet Premium, and Hornet Max. Available as 1-month or 1-year subscriptions. Premium features include ad-free experience, enhanced visibility, and additional chat capabilities.
3. Gift Subscriptions: Users can purchase Hornet Premium as a gift for friends through the in-app shop

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hornet (Queer Networks, Inc.) operates a feed-based queer social networking platform accessible via iOS, Android, and web, where gay, bi, trans, and queer men can discover users, chat, video call, watch live streams, share posts and stories, and engage with curated LGBTQ+ editorial content. The platform is sold to consumers via a freemium app with tiered subscriptions (Hornet Plus, Hornet Premium, Hornet Max) and to advertisers via a brand-partnership ad business positioning Hornet as a queer media company.

Product overview

Hornet is a queer social network platform consisting of multiple interconnected products: the core Hornet gay chat app (with over 100 million users worldwide), Hornet Live for gay live-streaming, and HornetX, a map-based web app. The platform offers tiered subscription services through Hornet Premium, Hornet Plus, and Hornet Max. In response to regional app store removals, Hornet has also released temporary alternative apps including Hornet Stories and Hornet Core in markets like Russia, Malaysia, and Türkiye. The platform emphasizes community features including user feeds, video sharing, stories, and real-world events like the Hornet Model Search competition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hornet Live: The gay live-streaming app by Hornet, allowing users to live stream and connect with the LGBTQ+ community.
• HornetX
• Hornet Core
• Hornet Stories

Products and services

• Hornet (main app) Core gay social networking application for iOS, Android, and web, enabling users to discover and chat with other gay, bi, trans, and queer men, browse a feed of posts and short videos, use hashtags and filters, and watch live content.
• Hornet Live Dedicated gay live-streaming product from Hornet, allowing users to broadcast and watch live video content within the LGBTQ+ community.
• HornetX Map-based web application for gay men enabling location-based discovery and connections.
• Hornet V9 (major app update) Hornet Version 9 (V9) major update transforming how gay men connect digitally, adding video chat capabilities, sticker packs, video story tools, video messaging, screenshot blocking, and private photo management.
• Hornet Premium subscription tier Subscription tier offering enhanced features including unlimited access, more photos, ad-free experience, enhanced visibility, and additional chat capabilities, sold as 1-month or 1-year subscriptions, also available as gifts.
• Hornet Plus subscription tier Entry-level premium subscription tier above the free plan, sold as 1-month or 1-year subscriptions with enhanced core features.
• Hornet Max subscription tier Top-tier subscription with full feature access and maximum benefits, sold as 1-month or 1-year subscriptions.
• Hornet Model Search 2026 Annual model-search competition (Hornet Model Search Thailand 2026, Hornet Model Search Türkiye 2026) engaging users and creating brand ambassadors for Hornet.
• Hornet Stories (regional alternative app) Temporary alternative app released in markets where the main Hornet app faced App Store removal (Türkiye, Malaysia, Russia), providing continued access to chat, live streaming, and safety features for the LGBTQ+ community in those regions.
• Hornet Core (Russia alternative app) Limited-features alternative application released in Russia following the main Hornet app's App Store removal, enabling nearby connections, chat, and live streaming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.3+ Million Monthly Active Users
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Taimi: LGBTQ+ social networking and dating app with overlapping features (feed, chat, live, video) and a comparable queer-first value proposition, though with a smaller user base than Hornet.
• Feeld: Alternative dating and connection app with strong LGBTQ+ adoption and a similar freemium-with-premium subscription model, partially overlapping Hornet's queer, non-monogamy-curious audience.

Direct peers

• Blued: Chinese gay social network that, like Hornet, combines dating, live streaming, and community features. Notably also backed by Ventech Capital, making it a directly comparable international peer.
• Grindr: The largest gay, bi, trans, and queer social networking and dating app globally and Hornet's most direct head-to-head competitor, with overlapping user base, features (chat, video, live), and advertiser relationships.
• Jack'd: Gay, bi, trans, and queer social and dating app acquired by Perry Street Software, with overlapping feature set (chat, photo sharing, discovery) and a comparable target audience to Hornet.
• Scruff: Gay dating and social networking app with a similar freemium + premium subscription model and LGBTQ+-focused community features, directly competing for the same male user demographic.
• GROWLr: Gay social and dating app with a strong bear-community focus, sharing Hornet's freemium dating/social model and direct audience overlap among gay men.
• PlanetRomeo (Romeo): European-headquartered gay social network and dating platform, offering similar chat, community, and discovery features for LGBTQ+ men and competing with Hornet across global markets.

Broad incumbents

• Tinder: Mainstream dating app owned by Match Group; not LGBTQ+-specific but absorbs a large share of queer dating demand, sets pricing benchmarks for premium subscriptions, and is the source of Hornet's VP Marketing.
• Bumble: Public mainstream dating app with LGBTQ+-inclusive features (Bumble BFF, Bumble Bizz, same-sex matching) that compete for the same dating-and-connection use cases as Hornet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hornet
• Facebookfacebook.com/hornetapp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hornet-networks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hornet