In 2018, Scruff stopped using third-party programmatic ads, such as banner ads, and moved to a revenue model based on subscriptions and direct advertising.
In October, 2015, the company launched Scruff Version 5, which included new communities, relationship types, sex preferences, and safety practices. In 2013, the app added a community for HIV-positive users called 'Poz.' Scruff was the first app to include options for members of the military and transgender community. The company was founded in 2010 by Johnny Skandros and Eric Silverberg, now its CEO.
