I Tried Tea: The App Where Women Anonymously Review Men

There’s a new app making waves on social media — and it’s not just another rebranded Hinge lookalike or yet another horoscope app, but it’s something way more powerful. It’s giving women a space to speak up, swap stories, and protect each other from men in a way that feels long overdue. Meet the Tea app.

Tea is a women-only platform allowing users to anonymously spill the tea (get it?) on their experiences with men —whether it’s rants, red and green flags, crazy dating stories, or even a simple “Does anyone know anything about this guy?” post. Ranked the No. 1 top free app on the App Store, Tea is basically FBI TikTok meets a girls-only Yelp for men. 

What sets Tea apart is its commitment to safety — to even make an account, users are required to submit photo identification to prove they’re not men lurking in disguise. There’s also a strict no-screenshot rule, which helps protect users’ privacy and keep the app feeling like a safe, no-judgment zone.

In a world where women are often told to “trust their gut” without many tools to actually verify their instincts, Tea has honestly become a lifeline for women everywhere. Whether you’re hoping to share your experience with a sh*tty ex, or maybe you’re just curious if you’re the only one getting weird vibes from that one Tinder match, this app has created a safe space for women to look out for each other. And, honestly, it’s made me wonder how we ever dated without it.

So? I tried it.

How does the Tea app work?

When I first downloaded the app, I was required to photo-identify myself first, so the app could prove I wasn’t a man. After picking my username and sharing the app with a few friends first to bypass the waiting time, my account was approved in a few short minutes. And trust me when I say, people really do take this app seriously. 

When you first enter the app, you’re shown photos of men: Hundreds upon hundreds of photos of random men. Press on a picture and find a caption, whether it says something along the lines of “Any tea?” to a massive paragraph straight out of a true-crime TikTok saga — picture “Part 37 of ‘Who The F*ck Did I Marry?” but in a caption. It’s unfiltered, anonymous, and honestly, it’s kind of wild. Users can add green or red flags and comment on their own experience; it’s basically like Rate My Professor but for dating.

In other sections of the app, there’s a map of sex offenders in your area, sourced via public record (useful, but honestly terrifying to look at), an area to ask for advice, an FAQ page, and even a handful of safety resources too. And while I haven’t personally tried it, Tea’s website boasts about being able to run background checks, identify potential catfishes, and check for criminal histories. Now, my curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to post about a recent ex-talking stage, just to see what the girlies would say. 

Imagine my surprise when I checked back on my post a few days later and had a handful of comments. Now, I knew this man had a reputation of sorts, but the comment section was just… not what I expected. With a whopping eight red flags attached to his photo, I received comments like “Watch out for the clap with this one” and “Not only is he RAN THRU but he’s also racist!! 😍😍😍 chlamydia carrying trumper!” While I was on my hands and knees blessing the universe that I never actually hooked up with that man, I couldn’t help but wish I knew about the Tea app before I cut him off — so I could’ve spared myself a few weeks of talking to him.

I went scrolling through the app, and over the course of a few days, I only found a few guys I actually knew. But the convenient thing about the app is that you can search for first and last names, as well as refine your location and age range. So if you’re looking to find a specific ex, don’t worry — Tea’s got you covered.

Tea isn’t without its problems, though.

However, with its positives, the app definitely did have its negatives. I managed to get logged out of the app several times, and while it was an easy login process, it was still annoying pressing on the app and seeing I’d been logged out once again. And with so many users on at one time, the app can be slow AF at times.

Additionally, many users have expressed concerns about people potentially posting fabricated stories out of spite or personal grudges, raising questions about the app’s ability to fact-check posts and protect reputations. This has additionally raised legal concerns, with legal experts mentioning the possibility of defamation suits or potential harassment issues.

That being said, the app’s fast-rising popularity definitely makes me a little nervous. When anonymity is involved, there’s always the risk of someone lying just to stir things up, and let’s be real: we never really know who’s behind the screen. Still, Tea feels like a much-needed shift in power. In a world where women are constantly told to watch out for themselves, it’s nice to know there’s finally an app where we’re doing it together.

• dating
• sex and relationships
• viral
• wellness