A very lesbian and sapphic Project

The goal of this app is to create a dating space where lesbian and sapphic people feel safe, seen, and genuinely understood. Many existing apps don’t reflect the realities of sapphic dating, especially when it comes to identity, presentation, and attraction preferences.

For example, if you’re butch4femme, or a femme4femme, you should be able to express that clearly and be matched accordingly. This app is designed to allow that kind of specificity without judgment.

It’s for lesbians and sapphic people who are tired of navigating apps that weren’t built with us in mind, where boundaries are unclear, preferences are limited, or the space gets filled with men and couples 'seeking a 3rd'. This is a community focused space, built intentionally for sapphic dating and connection. The only users who will not be permitted on the app are men and unicorn hunters.

1. Apps like HER have played an important role in creating visibility for queer dating, but over time many users have found that the experience no longer reflects how sapphic people actually date. This app takes a more intentional approach by focusing on clarity, boundaries, and compatibility rather than scale.

   The key difference is in how identity and attraction are handled. This app allows users to describe both how they present and who they’re attracted to in a way that resonates with a lot of lesbians and sapphics.

   Our app will also have clearer and easy to understand UI and UX and not fall into the trap that other apps have - where they try to become 10 apps in one (Trying to have feeds, forums, matches, events, etc)

   There is also a stronger emphasis on maintaining the space itself. Clear rules, active moderation, features are designed to encourage intentional connections instead of endless swiping or paywalled interactions.

   In short, the difference isn’t about replacing existing apps, it’s about creating a more focused, community led experience for sapphic dating that prioritises feeling understood.

It’s true that many dating apps already exist, Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, and others. However, most of these platforms are designed primarily around straight dating, with queer users added later as an after thought. Even apps marketed specifically toward lesbians or sapphics often fall short. Over time, many have prioritised scale and monetisation over community care, limited meaningful filters around identity and presentation, or struggled to maintain clear boundaries that make users feel genuinely safe and understood. This app exists because there is still a gap: a dating space built from the ground up with sapphic dating in mind, one that values clarity, community, and accessibility over money. Rather than trying to serve everyone, it focuses on serving its intended community well.

The app is currently in the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) stage and is being actively built using Bubble. At this stage, the focus is on creating a fully working core experience, profiles, matching, messaging, and safety features, rather than scaling or adding unnecessary complexity.

This is a small, independent project rather than a large corporation backed product. Development is intentional and iterative, allowing features to be tested, refined, and improved based on real user feedback.

Once the MVP is stable and usable, the next steps will focus on refinement, performance, security and preparation for a broader launch.

1. Yes, Trans women and Non-Binary sapphics are allowed on the app. I am consulting several trans women and Non-binary people to make sure this app is a safe space for them and inclusive.

   You may wonder how the app will prevent men from getting onto the platform while avoiding exclusion of early-transition trans women, butch women, and non-binary sapphics - The answer is with our verification and report system.

   Verification focuses on account integrity, not femininity or appearance. We use layered checks, including phone verification, anti-bot measures, and a one-time liveness selfie, to confirm that accounts belong to real, unique people. (Again, this is NOT a check to see if you are 'feminine' enough, this is simply to avoid fake bot or bad-faith accounts)

   To further reduce bad-faith accounts, users are asked to provide one trust signal, such as a long-standing social account (min 6 months old) that shows engagement with sapphic communities. This is about good-faith participation, not proving identity.

   We don’t certify gender, and we don’t assess how someone “looks.” Reports are reviewed by humans and decisions are based on behaviour, misrepresentation, and evidence, not presentation.

   No verification system is perfect, and we recognise that not everyone will be comfortable with every step. Some people may choose to self-exclude, and that’s an unavoidable trade-off. However, our priority is the safety of our users and reducing harassment as much as possible, especially for a community that is already marginalised and often targeted online.

   The measures we’ve chosen are designed to balance accessibility with protection. They focus on account integrity and good-faith participation rather than appearance or conformity, and they allow us to act quickly when bad-faith users do appear. Our aim isn’t to be exclusionary, but to create a space where sapphic users can participate without constantly having to guard themselves. To know more about our report and verification system, keep reading our FAQ.

Yes. Building and operating a dating app is legal in most jurisdictions, including the US, EU, UK, and elsewhere. There is no general law that bans niche dating apps or platforms focused on specific audiences. Dating apps operate under the same legal frameworks as other social platforms, as long as they comply with applicable laws such as privacy, safety, and consumer protection. Specific legal issues (like privacy, discrimination law, or platform liability) depend on where users are located and applicable local regulations.

The app is being developed using Bubble, a no-code platform commonly used to build and test MVPs. Bubble allows fully functional applications to be created through structured workflows, databases, and custom logic, making it well suited for early-stage products.

Development is being done in collaboration with an experienced Bubble developer, alongside external freelancers where needed, including UI/UX designers and specialists for areas such as privacy, GDPR compliance, and security reviews. This approach allows the app to be built efficiently while still prioritising quality, usability, and responsible development.

As the project progresses, the focus is on stability, user experience, and preparing the foundation for future improvements and scalability.

1. It will be both! Usable on the Web and as a mobile app.

User data is protected through multiple layers, including encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS), controlled access via privacy rules, and minimal collection of sensitive information. The app is built on a platform that enables secure authentication and protected data storage, with additional safeguards. Before launch, the intention is to consult with qualified legal and privacy professionals to review compliance with applicable laws (e.g., data protection and safety obligations). Platforms dealing with personal data and user safety are expected to seek expert review, including terms of service, privacy policies, etc.

Our verification system is designed to reduce bots, fake accounts, men, and bad-faith users, without judging how someone looks or policing gender expression. It focuses on account integrity and good-faith participation, not appearance.

No single step does all the work. Instead, we use multiple light checks together, which is far more effective and fair.

Here’s how it works:

1. Email verification

When you sign up, you’ll verify your email using a one-time passcode (OTP). This ensures each account is tied to a real, reachable email address and helps prevent mass fake signups.

2. Phone number verification (OTP)

Each account must be linked to a phone number via a one-time code. This helps prevent duplicate accounts, ban evasion, and repeat offenders. One number = one account.

Phone numbers are used only for security, not for visibility or contact.

3. CAPTCHA & bot protection

Automated bot checks are used during signup to block scripted accounts and spam before they ever reach the app.

4. Liveness photo (real person check)

Users are asked to take a one-time, in-app selfie with a simple gesture prompt (for example, holding up two fingers, paper with name).

This is used only to confirm:

- the account belongs to a real person

- profile photos aren’t scraped, stolen or AI

It is not used to judge gender, femininity, or appearance, and it is not a video. Liveness images are not stored long-term.

5. Social account trust signal (ownership-verified)

To further reduce bad-faith accounts, users are asked to link one existing social account of their choice:

- Reddit

- Instagram

- X (Twitter)

- Tumblr

How this works:

- The linked account must be at least 3 months old

- You’ll receive a one-time code in the app

- You place that code in your bio temporarily

- This confirms you own the account, we don’t scrape content or require private access

For Reddit, this can include visible engagement in sapphic or lesbian communities. This step is about good-faith participation, not “proving” identity.

6. Ban-evasion & duplicate-account protection

We use technical safeguards (such as device and number pattern checks) to prevent users who are removed for breaking rules from immediately returning.

7. Community reporting & human review

Users are encouraged to report:

- men

- unicorn hunters

- harassment

- misrepresentation

Reports include a proof field to reduce false reporting, and all reports are reviewed by a human, not automated appearance checks. Decisions are based on behaviour and evidence, not how someone looks.

What verification is not

- It does not police identity

- It does not judge femininity or masculinity

- It does not rely on ID documents

- It does not use video authentication

- It does not require access to private social media content

Why we’ve chosen this approach

No verification system is perfect. Some people may choose not to go through these checks, and that’s an unavoidable trade-off. Our priority is reducing harassment and bad-faith users as much as possible, especially in a community that is already marginalised and often targeted online.

These measures allow us to keep the space safer without excluding trans women, non-binary sapphics, or masculine-presenting women, and without turning appearance into a gatekeeping tool.

Will this 100% avoid ANY men, couples and harassment? No, that is not possible - But we can heavily reduce the risk and take appropriate action when an account is reported.

1. Reports are always seen to by a human, and will require proof - such as a screenshot of harassment or evidence the account is fake. Once a report is made, it is sent to our admins who manually check the report and action will then be taken, which may be: Account suspension, ban or a warning. Users who receive a suspension or a ban will have the chance to appeal this action via email, once they are notified. Will reports be instant? No, because as stated all reports are seen to manually and may take a few days for appropriate action to be taken, but be assured reports are taken seriously and any evidence of harassment, men, unicorn hunters, etc, will be dealt with.

Yes, there will be an optional subscription, but not in the way most dating apps approach monetisation.

Using the app meaningfully will not be hidden behind a paywall. We don’t boost accounts, hide likes, or prioritise visibility based on payment. One of the main reasons this app exists is because many users feel frustrated by aggressive paywalls that interfere with genuine connection.

The subscription is designed to offer a small number of “nice-to-have” features, such as:

- Unlimited undo / show-me-later actions

- Read receipts

- The ability to send a message with a like

Subscribing is also a way to support the ongoing development, moderation, and maintenance of the app. It helps us keep improving the experience and maintaining the space without relying on exploitative monetisation. The subscription will be priced at £3.99 a month, with equivalent pricing in other currencies.

A dating app that lets users define their own identities and preferences around who they want to meet is not the same as unlawful discrimination under public accommodation laws. In jurisdictions like the US, anti-discrimination laws typically apply to publicly provided services in contexts like employment, housing, and access to facilities. Digital platforms with clearly defined user scopes (e.g., “for women and sapphic people”) are framed as targeted services, not as denying access to a protected class in a context like housing or employment. Some countries’ human rights bodies also distinguish between commercial exclusion and community focused platforms. However, there’s no blanket rule that “no one can ever define a niche audience”, what matters is how the platform describes and enforces participation criteria, not whether someone is not included.

1. We will try our best to make this app as accessible as possible - Right now at this early stage we include ALT-text to help visually impaired users. More accessibility features will be added and taken seriously as we expand.

By following our project on social media, joining our community Discord, sharing the app with whoever you know and optionally supporting us via subscribing when the app is released or on Ko-fi.

Word of mouth will be the biggest factor in assuring we get enough of a user base, so spread the word, share the waitlist and post about us on your socials! Finally, providing constructive feedback and suggestions on our Discord