[2] Manhunt was officially launched in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 1, 2001, by Jonathan Crutchley and Larry Basile after their original Boston-based gay telephone dating service declined when more of their clients began to use the Web to find partners.

[3] In December 2006, an independent tracking agency ranked Manhunt as the largest LGBT-targeted site online, surpassing long-time leader Gay.com.

The upgrade modernized the site's look and feel and included many sought-after features, like the addition of penis size and sex position preferences to members' profiles.

[7][2] On November 13, 2013, Manhunt announced—via its corporate moniker Online Buddies, Inc.[3]—the acquisition of Jack'd, one of the leading location-based gay dating apps.

In August 2006, a community health advocate at the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts told the Boston Herald, "In comparison to lots of other sites, [Manhunt]'s light-years ahead.

[13] In August 2008, Manhunt's co-founder Jonathan Crutchley resigned from the company's board after it was revealed that he made a $2,300 contribution to John McCain's presidential campaign in March 2008.

[15] In April 2021, Manhunt filed a notice with the Washington attorney general's office as a result of a database breach that exposed user account credentials.