Frequently asked questions
The Pride Porch is a cozy, community-first space designed to help queer adults find friendship without pressure, subscriptions, or ads. This FAQ answers common questions about how the Porch works, how to stay safe, and how to make the most of your time here. Whether you're just arriving or already rocking on the porch, we've got you covered.
What is The Pride Porch?
The Pride Porch is a platonic LGBTQ+ friend-finding space built for genuine connection, cozy conversation, and community care — no dating, no swiping, no subscriptions.
Is The Porch free to use?
Yes! We believe friendship shouldn’t cost money. The Porch is completely free, with no ads or subscriptions. Donations are welcome to help us grow but never required.
Is The Porch safe?
We work hard to keep bots, spam, and harassment out. Our chat is moderated, and we’re always improving safety features. If you ever feel unsafe, please reach out. If you ever are threatened or someone makes you fear for your safety, please contact your local authorities immediately by calling your local emergency number or going to the nearest police station.
Do you accept donations?
Right now, we aren’t able to accept direct donations because doing so legally requires formal nonprofit registration and approval. As The Pride Porch grows, this is something we hope to pursue so we can officially accept donations and keep the porch light shining for our community.
You can still support The Porch in a meaningful way by boosting our group chat. The boost button in the upper‑left corner of the chat helps unlock temporary upgrades — more features, more seats (“chairs”), and a better overall experience for everyone. The more boosts the chat receives, the more we’re able to offer.
Who is The Porch for?
The Porch is for LGBTQ+ adults seeking platonic connection — friends, chosen family, group chats, and safe spaces to be yourself. It’s not a dating app, and it’s not just for one identity or age group.
How do I join the chat?
You can join the chat by selecting “The Porch” in the menu at the top of the page. From there, you’ll be asked to create an account before entering the chat. Signing up is quick and simple, and you can choose from several login options — Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Microsoft, or a basic username and password. Once you’re signed in, you’re ready to pull up a chair and start chatting.
Can I delete my messages?
Yes. You can delete your own messages by clicking the three dots that appear when you hover your cursor over your message. Once you click the dots, you’ll see the delete option. Messages also automatically clear after one hour to keep the chat fresh and uncluttered.
Will you add more features?
We’re always exploring new features to make The Pride Porch even better. Because we operate as a not‑for‑profit project, it can be challenging to find tools and add‑ons that are free or affordable. Many free options come with limitations — for example, our current chat space (“The Porch”) only includes 20 seats, meaning only 20 people can be in the chat at once. it can temporarily be boosted by chat members but boosts only last for a short time.
Running The Porch also comes with real costs. Our web hosting is $28 per month, and increasing the chat capacity would cost another $28+ per month. Our domain is free for now but will renew at $23 per year. Even with our simple setup, the expenses add up quickly for one person trying to create something meaningful for our community.
Despite these challenges, we’re committed to growing The Porch at a sustainable pace and adding new features whenever possible. Every bit of support helps us keep building a safe, unique place for LGBTQ+ adults to make friends.