SCMP staff reporters have examined this growing market and selected some of the most popular LGBT apps.Their inclusion is based on functionality, funding, and popularity with users.Blued raised more than US million in funding in October 2014, shortly after Apple chief executive Tim Cook himself came out as gay.

However, your best bet is going to be using what the locals use, not just for app availability reasons in that region, but also to increase the number of people you can interact with.Blued also has an LGBT newsfeed and travel maps to find gay spots in cities like Toronto and Los Angeles.Blocked by the Chinese government until June 2011, the app’s user numbers have been steadily climbing ever since, though a spokesman for the company declined to give current figures.For those who have trouble coming up with something to talk about, the app has a pretty fun “ice breaker” feature where you each answer 10 questions to help get to know your match a little better.China's burgeoning LGBT-rights movement has been given a boost thanks to a proliferation of social networking apps targeting homosexuals backed by big tech firms.