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Have you ever wanted to explore swinging? For the uninitiated, “swinging” is when you engage in group sex and/or swap sexual partners within a group. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you’re in the right place!

Thanks to the internet, it’s never been easier to find other swingers. There are dozens and dozens of sites out there that you can use, and we’ve put together the top fifteen for your convenience.

So, read on to learn more about fifteen of the best swinger sites around!

Best Swinger Sites For Casual Swinging in 2022

RankSiteBest For1.AdultFriendFinder Best overall2.SDCThe original swinging site3.SeekingBest for sugar swinging4.Ashley MadisonBest for polyamorous5.TinderBest mainstream app6.BuddyBang Most open-minded7.Pure AppBest for fantasies8.ALT Best for alternative swinging9.SwingLifeStyleBest for long term options10.FabSwingersBest pure swinging site11.3FunBest for threesomes12.FeeldMost judgement free users13.SwapfinderBest wife swap14.KasidieBest swinging camaraderie15.Reddit R4RBest completely free option

1.  AdultFriendFinder – Best overall swinging site

When it comes to swinging, AdultFriendFinder is our #1 pick. It’s simply the best overall, and we’ll tell you why.

AdultFriendFinder has been around for a while, and they also focus on the niche of swinging and open relationships. This means that you can go to the AFF site knowing full well that you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Want a threesome? Want a wife swap? Whatever you might want, AdultFriendFinder is one of the best bets around. 

Swinging Tip: AdultFriendFinder has a huge community, so be sure to be transparent about what you want. This will help prevent you from wasting your time (or anyone else’s). 

Pros:

Straightforward sex-oriented site
Makes finding like-minded people an easy process

Cons:

Relatively expensive compared to some sites/apps
The free membership is heavy on the ads

2.  SDC – The original swinging site 

SDC, or Swinger Dating Club, may be able to lay the claim to the original swinging site. That’s how long they’ve been around and, like SwingLifestyle, don’t let the site fool you. This is a large community dedicated to swinging.

Swinging Tip: SDC has been around for a while, and while it might not have the bells and whistles of newer sites, it still maintains a large swinging community. 

Pros:

Various communities to explore
Open-minded and swinger-focused

Cons:

Some old and deactivated accounts
Less than intuitive site

3.  Seeking – Best for sugar swingers

Some swingers also like sugar relationships, which is when a (typically) older person will lavish money and attention on a younger person in exchange for their company, dates, and anything else they agree to.

If you’re looking for a sugar baby or daddy to join in on your swinging fun, then Seeking is the best place for you. It’s got a huge community and is one of the fastest growing sites around. While the site has tried to go a bit more mainstream lately, they still have a niche focus on sugar relationships, which can definitely include swinging.

Swinging Tip: You may have better luck using Seeking as a sugar couple, because there’s a lot of competition among would-be sugar babies. 

Pros:

Free signups for women
Favorable woman-to-man ratio for men
Relatively safe way for swingers to find a sugar baby or daddy 

Cons:

Fairly expensive 
Hookups may feel somewhat transactional

4.  Ashley Madison – Best for poly-curious

Ashley Madison is notorious for its slogan that encourages affairs (“Life is short. Have an affair”). So, you know what you’re getting with this site.

That said, it can also be a great option for finding swingers, whether or not it involves cheating. Ashley Madison simply attracts the kind of people who are more likely to get down with swinging and other fun. 

Another nice thing about Ashley Madison is that it really prioritizes discretion, meaning you can have your fun without blowing up your whole life (or at least have less of a chance of doing so). 

Swinging Tip: Buy more credits if you want a lower cost-per-credit ratio. (This system is fairly common for hookup and swinging sites.) 

Pros:

Women can use it for free
Discretion prioritized 
Judgment-free space

Cons:

Site actively advocates cheating
Can get expensive for men

5.  Tinder – Best mainstream app

Pretty much everyone and their mom knows Tinder at this point, so you probably don’t need much of an explanation from us. That said, not many people realize that a mainstream app like Tinder can also be a great avenue for swinging. 

You may have to wade through a lot of people, but there are definitely people on Tinder who are looking for swinging and other “no-holds-barred” type action. 

Swinging Tip: It’s important to realize that not everyone on Tinder is looking for swinging or even casual hook-ups. To avoid wasting time, be super transparent about what you’re looking for.

Pros:

Crazy huge userbase
Many people looking for non-committal arrangements

Cons:

Lots of fake profiles and spammers
Almost too many people to wade through

6.  BuddyBang – Most open-minded community

BuddyBang isn’t a difficult concept to grasp, thanks to its very evocative name. The nice thing with BuddyBang is that it’s all about casual hookups, and many of the people in that boat are down to try swinging.

So, while BuddyBang isn’t a “pure” swinger site, it’s worth a shot to find other swingers there. 

Swinging Tip: Be prepared for people who are super ready to get down to business. If that isn’t what you’re after, then you may want to look elsewhere. 

Pros:

Active users
Super direct vibe

Cons:

Annoying ads on the free tier
People may be too direct

7. Pure App – Best for fantasies

Pure is similar to Ashley Madison in that it’s all about “shameless dating.” You don’t have to worry about being too kinky or anything like that here.

This makes Pure a great option for people who are into swinging and other non-mainstream sexual activities. 

The app also has some solid features that help improve safety and security, meaning you can rest easier when using it. 

Swinging Tip: You may not have much success with Pure if you are in a small rural area, as it hasn’t quite taken off as much as some of the other sites reviewed here. 

Pros:

Focus on privacy 
Easy to join and get going
Good for fantasy fulfillment

Cons:

Relatively small user base
Better if you’re in an urban center

8.  ALT – Best for alternative and BDSM swinging

ALT is for the kinky ones out there, and we mean the really kinky ones. If you’re into swinging and also alternative and BDSM stuff, then ALT is probably your best bet.

The great thing about this site is you can be completely yourself. No matter what you’re into, you’re likely to find someone who shares your kink or fetish. 

Plus, there are plenty of people looking to find other swingers on here, making it a great all-around option. 

Swinging Tip: If you’re into swinging but not necessarily BDSM and other kinky stuff, ALT may be a little bit too much for your taste. 

Pros:

Sort by kinks
Browse NSFW content
Watch cam shows

Cons:

Bots and scammers
Premium account required to really get the most out of the site

9. SwingLifestyle – Best for long term swinging

SwingLifestyle may have a super basic looking site, one that you will recognize if you used to hang out on internet forums back in the day, but it’s a legit swinger site.

People have been flocking to SwingLifestyle for years, and you really know what you get with this community: an unabashed desire to find other swingers.

Most users join this site for long-term swinging options, not just a one night stand.

Swinging Tip: Don’t be turned off by SwingLifestyle’s old-school look. Give it a try and you may be pleasantly surprised.  

Pros:

Large swinger-focused community
Various groups and forums to join

Cons:

Unappealing, old-school site
May not have the size of community it once did

10. FabSwingers – Best for pure swinging

FabSwingers has actually gotten quite a bit of press, but not necessarily for the best reasons. That’s because it’s caused quite a stir in the UK due to various public figures (politicians, policemen, etc.) getting caught up while using the site.

For the average Joe, however, you’re not likely to run the risk of much trouble, so feel free to take advantage of the big swinger community going on at Fabswingers. (As always though you should be mindful of your privacy and image.) 

Swinging Tip: Don’t get turned off by the old-school site. While it could use a tuning up, it still has everything you need to find other swingers and get swinging. 

Pros:

Large community
100% focused on swinging

Cons:

Has a bit of a negative reputation
Site could use an update

11. 3Fun – Best for threesomes  

If you’re into swinging, chances are you’re open to threesomes. If so, 3Fun is a site that’s all about that one thing—threesomes. So, you have a great chance here to find other people looking for casual hook-ups. 

There’s also a nice feature that lets you sign up as a “couple,” meaning your account can be used from two different phones simultaneously, helping make it easier to find a third person for your threesome.

Swinging Tip: 3Fun is threesome specific, so if you’re looking for bigger group sex groups, then you may need to look elsewhere.  

Pros:

Oriented toward swinging via threesomes
Cool features

Cons:

Narrow niche 
Messaging feature could use work

12. Feeld – Most judgement free site

Feeld is similar to 3Fun in that it’s all about connecting open-minded people who may be looking for threesomes and other group sex activities.

One nice feature with Feeld is its all about a sex-positive vibe and inclusivity, meaning that everyone is welcome and no one is judged. It’s definitely a good place to check for other swingers. 

Swinging Tip: As a heads up, the sign-up process requires Facebook, and the site’s premium version doesn’t currently function with Android. 

Pros:

Super sex-positive platform 
Open-minded user community 

Cons:

Android users locked out of premium version
To verify your profile, you need a Facebook account

13. Swapfinder – Best wife swap

SwapFinder is another site dedicated specifically to swinging and swaps. This means that you’ll be embraced by a community with the same desires as you, which is always a comfort.

SwapFinder may not have the household name status as a Tinder or even AdultFriendFinder, but it has a streamlined site and a growing community, making it worth your while. 

Swinging Tip: Use the array of filtering features on SwapFinder for optimal results! 

Pros:

Many filtering options
Intuitive site

Cons:

Free tier not super robust
Relatively small userbase

14. Kasidie – Best camaraderie

Kasidie is unique among this list—actually, it’s kind of like Reddit—in that it’s a dating platform but also a social networking site/app. The cool thing about that is you might find more than just other swingers, you might even end up with some super cool new friends! (Or even both?).

Kasidie has a pretty intuitive site and it’s been growing well in recent years. Since people there are generally open-midned adults and swingers, you’ll be in good company! 

Swinging Tip: Keep in mind that Kasidie isn’t purely about swinging. It may be what has brought you all to the site, but you can also have non-sexual discussions as well. 

Pros:

Unique platform
Swinger focused

Cons:

Relatively small userbase so far
Might end up finding more friends than swingers

15.  Reddit R4R – Best 100% free option

If you’re after someone to join your swinging group, or hoping to find one yourself, you might as well give Reddit’s personals forum a try. That’s because it will cost you absolutely nothing to give it a shot and make a post (or respond to others).

This isn’t really a swinging site or app, just a subforum of a popular site. You will find a good number of people on here, though, so you just might get lucky. 

Swinging Tip: This Reddit subforum is all about making a good first impression, so take your time in putting together a good post to communicate who you are and what you’re looking for. 

Pros:

Totally free
No subscriptions or memberships necessary

Cons:

Fairly competitive
Every man for himself (no priority membership or anything like that)

FAQs About Swinging Sites

Is it safe to use swinging apps?

Overall, it’s perfectly safe to use swinging apps. It’s not really any different from using Tinder or Hinge or Bumble or any other dating app. That said, you should always be careful to avoid getting scammed online or, even worse, getting harmed by someone in-person. 

How do you stay safe using swinging apps?

It’s vital to trust your instincts and proceed with caution. The first time you meet someone it’s best to meet in a well-lit public spot (like a coffee shop). You can also let a friend or family member know that you’re meeting someone new and give them your location. These are little things that can make a big difference in keeping you safe. 

Are there any free swinging apps?

There are more free swinging apps if you’re a woman, because many of them provide free memberships to women. If you’re a man, you will have less luck in finding free sites, though some platforms do exist (like the r/R4R subreddit). 

Can women use swinging apps for free?

Yes, in fact, women can use many different swinging apps for free. 

Final Takeaway

Swinging may have gotten particularly famous in Western culture in the 1970s during that era of “free love,” but it’s more popular than ever.

Helping swinging grow in popularity is the fact that millions of people can find each other easily over the internet. With niche sites like the ones reviewed above, you don’t have to waste any time in finding a community with like-minded individuals.

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to get swinging, simply check out the sites reviewed above. Whether you’re a swinging couple looking for others or all on your own, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for!

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You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2022. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

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AdultFriendFinder: Scam or real? This is always the question to ask when signing up for a new hookup site. The goal is to find a legit hookup, not spend hours talking to bots.

Gather round kids, because here’s the tea: Thanks to AdultFriendFinder, also known as AFF, I now have two stable friends-with-benefits who I see on a regular basis. Both are babes and really open-minded. You could say I’ve tried some new things in the bedroom thanks to these women.

But that doesn’t mean that AdultFriendFinder is all rainbows and butterflies. I signed up for a premium membership to take it for a real test drive, and there were a few things to watch out for.

This review will show you all the good and bad that comes along with an AdultFriendFinder membership, and if it’s worth signing up for.

For the people who don’t want to read the full review, I’ve broken down some pros and cons. Keep reading to find out more details about these!

Pros

There are millions of users.
24/7 customer support
Registration is free.
The premium price is not bad.
Fetishes, kinks, and alt lifestyles are all welcome.
People are extremely willing and eager to meet up.
Due to the huge user base, there are lots of locals no matter your location.
Users are extremely open-minded.
You will find someone who wants to hang out immediately, even among some fake profiles.
You can enjoy the app version on your mobile divide.

Cons

Bots, fakes, inactive profiles, and scammers exist.
There are tons of ads.
You won’t get much out of the free version.
Some pages redirect to other companies.
There are plenty of users who aren’t easy on the eyes.
There was a security breach in 2015, but it’s been resolved.
Some argue that it was more effective when it first launched.

Ok, now for the real review…

What’s A Free AdultFriendFinder Membership Like?

I’m going to be honest here, you’re not going to be able to hook up with anyone by registering for a free membership. But because AdultFriendFinder is so much more than just a hookup site, there’s still a lot you can do.

For instance, you can join adult chat rooms or watch live sex cam girls. Just be advised that some of these “extra features” that AdultFriendFinder provides will just lead you to another website.

As a free member, you will also get a feel for the lay of the land and be able to receive messages. Find out who is online, who lives nearby, and who some of AdultFriendFinder’s hottest members are. You can also get detailed information from everyone’s profile and narrow your search by the age and gender filters.

I remained a free member for an hour and got some messages. Most of the women who sent the messages weren’t that hot. With 80 million members and counting, it’s no surprise that the users aren’t all supermodels. I’m not much of a looker either, though. Plus, I’d rather meet a DTF woman than one who isn’t but is walking down the runway. That’s where AdultFriendFinder can really deliver.

But there were a few profiles that really piqued my interest. I received messages like, “All I want is a nice bang and I’ll be on my way.” In order to message back, I had to upgrade my membership.

What’s A Gold Membership Like?

Yes, I bit the bullet and went Gold. Several friends told me it was a good idea because they actually found hookups through the site. For that reason, I bought the entire year because it was the best value. $14.95 per month comes to as little as $0.50 per day. It’s way less than a cup of joe and totally worth it. AdultFriendFinder doesn’t accept Paypal or cryptocurrency. You can use Mastercard, Discover, or Visa. Here’s the pricing breakdown:

$14.95 a month for 12 months or $180
$19.95 a month for six months or $90
$24.95 a month

The moment I signed up for AdultFriendFinder’s membership plan, I was introduced to hundreds of women who were nearby, online, and wanted some action. Again, they weren’t all gorgeous, but that’s OK with me. I started getting messages almost immediately.

Some also felt suspiciously like bots. You can tell that someone is a bot if they don’t speak naturally or respond insanely fast. But others were from actual real women who genuinely wanted to get off with a nearby stranger, and I wanted to be that stranger.

I have a pretty unique type. I love women who have a large bust, are thick, and have blue eyes. Ok, so not that unique. Luckily AdultFriendFinder has a very specific advanced search that makes finding someone who is your type very easy. You can also use it to find couples and groups to meet up with.

Here’s a snippet of how detailed you can get. . . and that’s not even half of it.

After selecting the traits that turned me on, I began my hunt for the perfect friend-with-benefits. This might come as a shock, but I’m not a one-night-stand type of guy. Don’t get me wrong, I love casual sex as much as the next person. But I like to have an ongoing sexual relationship because I like getting really comfortable with another person and experimenting with kinkier sex as time goes on. I hoped and prayed that AdultFriendFinder would grant me a compatible friend-with-benefits.

Guess what? Within a couple of days, I got two.

Using AdultFriendFinder To Actually Hook UpI’ll explain to you how it went down for me. I got a ton of messages from horny locals who weren’t really turning me on. There were some swingers thrown into the mix as well, but nothing that was really making me sweat (AFF does a double as a swingers site, but it’s not my thing). Until I came across a message from Jessica.

Before I could even meet up with her, I spotted another blue-eyed beauty named Whitegirldtfsum1. Spoiler alert: we hooked up the day after I had sex with Jessica.

Now I see Jessica and Whitegirldtfsum1 regularly. I am currently working towards getting them in bed with me at the same time. Fingers crossed!

So, Is It Legit?

I’m not surprised that some folks on the Internet are quick to call AdultFriendFinder a scam. With millions of members and new people joining by the minute, there are bound to be some unhappy customers. Not everyone knows how to use the Internet to get laid, or what to look out for from people who actually do use AdultFriendFinder to scam people.

There are certainly some misgivings and some people who use AdultFriendFinder for their own sick schemes. But if you’re smart, the site will get you laid. Again, AdultFriendFinder is not the holy grail of hookup sites, but it’s pretty darn close.

To get the most out of AdultFriendFinder, keep the following things in mind:

Look Out For Scammers: There will always be people on the Internet who want your money or information. They will try to take advantage of you when you are at your most vulnerable. . . like looking for a hookup. Don’t ever give personal information out to people on AdultFriendFinder. They have no use for it—unless they are trying to scam! If a match says any of the following, they are probably trying to scam you:
“I need money because I am sick.”
“I have legal issues, can you help me with those?”
“I have a ton of money in a secure account overseas, but I need a bit of money to get it out.”
“My friend died and I don’t know how to pay for the funeral.”
Beware Of Bots: The truth is, you’ll encounter a lot of bots with the free membership on AdultFriendFinder. They are easy to identify, but you want to stay away from them. They are a total waste of time. They will send you a generic opener like, “Hey big boy, looking for a good time?” It might be tempting, but there’s no point in entertaining this.
Ditch Dead Profiles: Dead profiles are abandoned or inactive profiles. AdultFriendFinder isn’t that good at getting rid of these, so keep that in mind when you’re fishing for a hottie.
Ignore The Ads: There are ads on AdultFriendFinder. If you ignore them and don’t click on them, you’ll have a smooth ride on the website!
Know What You Want: If what you want from AdultFriendFinder is a hookup, you’re in good hands. That’s what AdultFriendFinder does best—hook up two horny users! There are so many people using the site that finding a partner, companion, or quickie is as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
Educate Yourself On Catfishes: There are so many people who hop onto AdultFriendFinder regularly. There’s no major way to verify who is catfishing you and who isn’t. AdultFriendFinder does its best by requesting photo verification. That’s awesome! But people are smart. Through photoshop or sheer photo theft, someone can pretend to be much more attractive than they are in real life. We’ll be honest, not everyone who uses AdultFriendFinder is a supermodel, so keep an eye out for the catfishes. They are frequent on almost every dating site and hookup app. Also beware that adult sites like these can actually hire their own staff to act as models that live nearby. This is another form of a catfish. AdultFriendFinder has been known to do this in the past, but now they have so many users that they don’t have to. Here are some ways to tell if someone is a catfish:
They won’t video chat
Their photos are of different people
Their photos look fake or photoshopped
Understand Who The Models Are On AdultFriendFinder: If what you’re looking for is a model, then visit the Live-Action section of the site! This is where you can watch hot models perform for you in real time using their webcams.

Is AdultFriendFinder Safe?Back in 2015, AdultFriendFinder got into some trouble due to a large data breach. They have since implemented some of the best security systems offered and there have not been any privacy or security issues since that one in 2015. In fact, due to the stress caused by the 2015 breach, AdultFriendFinder has gone out of its way to make itself one of the safest and most secure hookup sites on the web, implementing the most secure encryption systems.

Final Thoughts About AdultFriendFinderHere’s the thing—no hookup site is perfect. AdultFriendFinder is almost there, but not quite. There are ads, there are some bots, and the users aren’t all smoke shows. But AdultFriendFinder is one of the best hookup sites because it works! Plus, it’s so quick and easy. The Gold membership is definitely worth two quarters a day for me. I am reminded of this with each casual hookup session that was brought to me by AdultFriendFinder.

What’s The Live-Action Section?

The Live-Action section on AdultFriendFinder is a whole lot of fun, but it won’t actually get you laid. This section is for webcam models who want to show you the goods, hoping you’ll pay so they can get a Chanel bag or pay their student loans. Many of the rooms are near empty, so you can definitely get the model’s attention without fighting through a ton of horny users, but these girls aren’t going to meet up with you.

The only chance you have at meeting any of these models in person is by following their social media pages that they’ve got outside of AdultFriendFinder. This is easy to do as many of the models list their socials right there on the page. If you aren’t a total ogre, you may as well try your luck!

The Live-Action section also doesn’t discriminate. You can view men, women, trans people, pansexual people, couples, threesomes, solo sessions, and more. The shows are of pretty high quality with a nice set and great production value.

The bottom line with webcam models is that they want to be paid, but they also love being showered with attention. If you play your cards right, you could get the webcam models to perform all sorts of seductive acts without dropping major stacks on the performance itself. But, it’s always worth paying the webcam model. They will work harder, utilize their skillset to the fullest potential, and it’s just the right thing to do.

How To Use AdultFriendFinder To Find A HookupFinding The Right Partner on AFF:

When you get your membership, you’ll be led through a series of questions that help AdultFriendFinder assess your personality and match you. It’s ideal for both short-term hookups and long-term partners. From there, you can make selections about your preference in a partner. Again, so many people use AdultFriendFinder, so narrowing down will help you save tremendous amounts of time. You will be shown profiles of folks who live in your area, so that you don’t have to buy a plane ticket or spend money on gas just to get your freak on.

AdultFriendFinder also has a Purity Test. This is a test that determines how “pure” (or prude) you are. It might seem like a lot of hooey, but this test will help you figure out how far you’ve gone sexually and how far you’re willing to go. It will then introduce you to folks who can satisfy your sexual urges.

Adult Dating Tips:Your hookup journey starts with a good conversation starter. If you aren’t sure what to talk about, take a look at our infographic helping you figure out what to say to actually get a sexy person in the bed with you! Don’t be too eager or creepy. The key is to find the balance between casual and sexual. If you’re too nervous to make the first chat or consider yourself an introvert, you can use AdultFriendFinder’s icebreaker messages or send a virtual gift! These can come in the form of everything from emojis to real gifts.

How To Meet In Person:Ok, so you’ve finally met someone who doesn’t look like a gremlin, who is horny, and who doesn’t have a personality that resembles stale toast. Congratulations! Now you’ve got to master that first date or first meetup. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of a first-time meet up!

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Ashley Madison has developed a notorious reputation over the years. As the first popular dating site for extra-marital affairs, it has generated its share of press. But regardless of what people say, it’s a popular dating site full of people looking to broaden their horizons. In this review, we’ll let you know whether it’s for you.

Whether you’re single, attached, or looking to experiment, Ashley Madison might have just what you’re looking for. With its wealth of “available” candidates, you’ll have no trouble finding hookups if you approach the site the right way. We’ll cover everything you need to know with our brand new 2022 Ashley Madison review, starting with a comprehensive outline of how the site works, and then jumping into detailed first-hand accounts of Ashley Madison users. 

But if you want a brief synopsis, check out the pros and cons of Ashley Madison:

Pros

–Very active community: Ashley Madison claims to have more female users than male.

–Easy to find a consistent hookup or a fling: Users on Ashley Madison are there for a reason. They aren’t messing around!

–Intuitive interface and design: Easy to navigate the platform even if you don’t use social media often.

–Discreet and anonymous: Users can opt for anonymous profiles (with fake user info), discreet billing, discreet payment methods, and discreet desktop and mobile app access.

Cons

–There are scammers on Ashley Madison, but they are easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for.

–Data breach occurred in 2015. It has since been resolved, but users are understandably wary.

–Quite expensive: See below for details on the credit system.

–Complicated pricing structure: Ashley Madison uses a combination of credits and subscriptions to charge members. It can be difficult to keep track of how much you are actually spending.

The Sign-Up Process

Registration on Ashley Madison is simple and doesn’t cost anything. You only have to provide the basics: age, marital status, height, weight, etc. Then, you’re free to browse profiles to find someone to hook up with.

You do need to provide an e-mail address, but it’s a good idea to use a separate account that does not include your real name or any identifying information.

What Can I Do For Free?

First thing’s first, if you’re not ready to make a (financial) commitment to Ashley Madison just yet, how can you get your feet wet without dropping your credit card info? There are a few ways to try out the site for free, especially for women. If you’re a man, your options are limited, but there are still a couple. Simply put, if you want to get the most out of Ashley Madison, you have to be willing to pay.

Free Sign-Up: Ashley Madison offers free sign-up. In other words, you don’t have to give your credit card info to open an account. Ashley Madison allows you to make an account, fill in your details, and start to use a basic version of the website for free. You can browse profiles and have a look around the site. You can search users depending on your preferences, and you can see which users are ready to interact in your area. Men can send one free message upon registration, but they’ll have to buy credits to continue the conversation after the initial message.

After this, as you might expect, you need to start paying to continue interacting with other users. Men need to purchase “credits” to start messaging and establishing connections with users. Below, we’ll outline the payment system, including the credit process, in detail. 

Free Messaging for Women: Ashley Madison offers free messaging for female users. The entire site is free for female users, which is one of the reasons Ashley Madison can maintain such a strong female user base. So, if you’re a woman, then your free Ashley Madison options are plentiful. You can send chats, open chats, initiate conversations, and more. The interactivity that men have to pay for, women will receive for free.

If you happen to be a male user, there are much more minimal free options, which include:

Your Free Options are Limited: Basically, that’s about it in terms of free options for men who want to use Ashley Madison! It is very much a “paid” service. Male users need to purchase credits to interact with other users (along with a few subscription options). Because of this, Ashley Madison will cost you more depending on how much you want to use the platform and how many users you intend on messaging.

If you’re a man using Ashley Madison, you’re going to need to pay. Next, we’ll explain the convoluted system in more detail.

What’s the Credit System?

Instead of a subscription model, Ashley Madison has opted for a credit system. Men using the platform need to pay for credits to interact with other users. Credits are more affordable the more you buy, and different actions require a different number of credits. It’s a bit complicated because Ashley Madison wants you to spend more money on their platform! Luckily, considering what you can potentially get out of the deal, it can be well worth it.

On one hand, it’s great that you only need to pay for the services you use. On the other hand, it’s still pricey!

Women, though, can do everything on the Ashley Madison platform for free, which is how Ashley Madison maintains such an active user base.

Signing Up: Signing up for Ashley Madison is completely free, and you don’t even have to give your credit card info. You also don’t have to use your real name or address. Some users choose not to use a profile picture, although this might make meeting people difficult!

How Much Do Credits Cost?

On the Ashley Madison home screen, you’ll see a big, brightly colored button that says “BUY CREDITS.” If you can’t tell by now, they want you to take out the credit card!

Credit costs are subject to change and might also depend on your region or be affected by sales and promotions. Here’s a general idea of what you can expect credits to cost:

Credits are sold in bulk, with Basic, Classic, and Elite plans:

–Basic gets you 100 credits for $59, or $0.59/credit.

–Classic (their most popular plan) gets you 500 credits for $169.00, or $0.34/credit.

–Elite gets you 1,000 credits for $289.00, or $0.29 per credit.

oNOTE: AnElite plan also nets you access to an “Ashley Madison Premium,” which gives you 24 hours of free chat, and “Priority Man” status. Priority Man puts your name higher in search results, making it easier for interested seekers to find your account.

After you’ve purchased credits, Ashley Madison will prompt you to automatically “Top Up” your credits each month. In other words, they want you to set up automatic payment when your credits run low. We’d advise against this, but it’s your call.

Member Initiated Contact Fee: Upon purchasing credits, Ashley Madison prompts you to sign up for a Member Initiated Contact Fee (MIC fee), allowing you to view and respond to messages sent to you by other members for free (without using any credits). MIC is free for the first month and $29.99/month after that. It’s optional, and you can choose to use credits to respond to these messages instead. If you’re a very active user, this might save you money in the long run.

What Can I Do With Credits?

As you can see, Ashley Madison’s credit plans are pricey. But it’s even more difficult to know how pricey until you know what you can do with them! Unfortunately, the credit system isn’t so straightforward.

It costs you five credits each time you send a message or open one sent by another user. Then, it will cost you credits depending on the time spent chatting with that user. You get charged 50 credits per hour of live chat with another user, and Ashley Madison will ding you another 30 credits once the hour is up, and another 20 credits once that hour is up.

Ashley Madison also allows you to send “virtual gifts” to catch the attention of other users. These gifts cost, you guessed it, credits. Depending on the gift, it will cost a different number of credits but typically ranges between 20, 30, and 50 credits.

Basically, as a man on the platform, you can expect every interaction you have to cost you credits. You can view your balance at any time, and you’re also free to re-up on credits at any time.

Bottom Line – How Much Does Ashley Madison Cost?

If you can’t tell by now, Ashley Madison is expensive. Well, if you’re a man, that is. Of course, just how expensive depends on how active you are on the platform. If you plan to message several users, carry on conversations, and maintain these connections, you can expect to spend a pretty penny. Many users spend hundreds of dollars per month on the site.

Luckily, you only have to spend as much as you want. Once you find a hookup, you’re free to stop using Ashley Madison’s services. For this reason, in the next section, we examine how easy it is to find a hookup on Ashley Madison.

Using Ashley Madison to Find a Hookup

So far, we’ve examined the platform and taken a detailed look at how much it’s going to cost you. The big question is, how easy is it to use Ashley Madison to find a hookup?

As long as you’re ready to spend some cash on the platform itself, Ashley Madison is an excellent place to find a hookup. Ashley Madison lets you sign up as attached, single, seeking males, females, or anything in between. People on Ashley Madison haven’t taken that decision lightly. They know what they want and are not ashamed to look for it (but they’ll still be discreet). If you want a hookup and want it to be discreet, Ashley Madison is a great place to find it.

People on Ashley Madison are not afraid to tell you what they’re looking for, and they’re not looking to mess around. They’re there for a reason, and they’re not going to waste their time on someone who isn’t looking for the same. Just check out some of the profiles we found:

So, as long as you’re there for the same reason, we think you’ll find success.

That said, as with most dating sites, you need to initiate contact if you want to find what you’re looking for. Ashley Madison makes it very easy to browse user profiles and find like-minded people who share your interests and want the same thing as you.

After that, send them a message, and you can spark something from there.

Of course, as with any dating site, not everyone will be interested in you. For this reason, we can’t say you’re guaranteed to find a hookup on Ashley Madison because that’s a two-way street. If people aren’t interested, then they aren’t interested. But we can say that many users on Ashley Madison are looking for hookups ranging from casual (most) to serious (some) and everything in between. If you take the effort to present yourself well, be up-front about what you’re looking for, and engage users in an approachable manner, we think you can find success too.

Ashley Madison is the world’s largest hookup site for those seeking an extramarital affair (or something else). If that’s what you’re after, you can find it there. But, as with any hookup site, the onus is on you to build your success.

So, Does Ashley Madison Work, Or Is It a Scam?

What do we think about Ashley Madison? Ashley Madison is “as-advertised.” It’s a hookup site that is full of real people looking for extramarital affairs and more. If that’s what you’re after, then it’s extremely tough to beat Ashley Madison. Nowhere else will you find a more active user base, and nowhere else will you find a platform that has been built to maintain such discretion.

That said, it’s not free. It’s very expensive. We might as well tell you that now because any user of Ashley Madison will learn it eventually. For the most part, the credit system allows you to only pay for what you use (although the MIC and Priority Man subscriptions can alter that), but just about every action on Ashley Madison costs credits. In other words, if you’re looking to use the site to its fullest, and to interact with many different users, then expect to spend money.

All that said, if you want a no-nonsense platform to find what you’re looking for, you can’t beat Ashley Madison. Here are some tips to safely get the most out of the experience.

Be Up-Front About Expectations: We’ve said it before, but it’s worth restating. Be up-front about what you’re looking for. Ashley Madison users aren’t there to mess around, and you shouldn’t be either. Be up-front about the exact kind of relationship you are looking for. People appreciate this honesty and it makes it much less likely for everything to blow up in your face if you’re straight-up with other users.

Be Yourself: Yeah, we know, it’s a cliché. Be yourself, don’t lie and pretend to be someone else. You can’t fake it in the long run, so you may as well be honest about who you are and what you’re looking for.

Carefully Craft Your Profile: This is true of any dating site, not just Ashley Madison. Your profile is your “billboard” that you’re putting out there for the world to see. It’s everyone’s first impression, and it’s often the make or break for whether someone even responds to your message. You want your profile to build you up, but be careful that it’s not too misleading! After all, if you’re a letdown in real life, then it won’t have been worth it anyway. Talk yourself up, but don’t lie. Use flattering pictures, but be sure that they’re current. People expect you to brag on a dating profile, but they don’t expect you to bald-faced lie.

Is Ashley Madison Legit? Yes, Ashley Madison is “legit” as long as you keep your expectations in check. Most of the time people asking these questions want to know whether the site is full of real users there because they want to hook up. For the most part, it’s a yes, although you’ll have to watch out for scammers who want your money (which is the case with just about any dating site). Check out our section below for advice on dealing with scammers.

Ashley Madison is a real place where users come to hook up and to seek an extramarital affair. If that’s what you want, then it’s very much legit.

A Few Tips To Have the Best Experience

Before we wrap up, here are some general hookup site tips. We’ve gathered these tips from experience, and they’re especially relevant to Ashley Madison:

Beware of Scammers: Yes, there are scammers on Ashley Madison, just as there are on just about any dating site. Scammers are fake profiles that aren’t looking to hook up and are generally just looking to get you to spend money on them. They’re unavoidable on hookup sites. Beware of profiles that look “too perfect” or users who are way too over-eager. Ashley Madison does their best to ban these users, but they can’t get them all.

Be careful, and be aware. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Watch Your Credits: Ashley Madison is a for-profit business. It’s designed to make you spend money. Not only that, since you are spending “credits” and not dollars, it’s easy to lose track of how much real money you have spent. Keep a careful eye on your credits and have a keen understanding of the payment system before you start (see our section above). Ashley Madison will also tempt you to sign up for “automatic top-ups” of your credits, and we’d advise against that.

Remember, It’s Not Easy: We’re not here to pass judgment on anyone, and everyone has their reasons for seeking an affair. We’ll just let you know that it’s often not easy. Be sure you put the proper thought into it and be sure it’s what you want. People have certainly faced repercussions from Ashley Madison, both emotional and real. Just be sure that you’ve thought it through, and that’s all we’ll say. This is an article about Ashley Madison; we had to mention it at some point!

The Final Verdict

The bottom line, is Ashley Madison worth it? Well, if you’re looking for what the website offers, then yes! Ashley Madison is the most active, discreet, and legitimate network you can find if you’re looking for an extramarital affair. It’s expensive, especially if you’re a man, so be prepared for that. But if you’re looking for what’s offered by Ashley Madison, then you truly can’t beat it as a hookup destination.

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It’s as simple as this: we all have sexual urges from time to time. Occasionally, we don’t have the energy required to find someone to meet IRL (in real life) for a quick hookup to satisfy our NSFW (not safe for work) needs. In the digital age, sexting is the newest form of casual sex available to us. We are lucky to have that type of human connection available to us by just the tap or click of a button.

For those of you who haven’t tried it, sexting is a unique way to sexually interact with a stranger or someone you know via messages, photos, videos, voice notes, and more. It’s instant, easy, and gets the job done! You don’t have to woo anyone or take them out for drinks before you start sexting. It can happen right away, with someone you’ve only met seconds before on a sexting site.

Sexting is also a much more reliable and safe way to engage in sexual activities with people you may or may not already know. That’s why we love these sites and apps. Is there a catch? Only one: There are so many hot sites to choose from! That’s why we’ve taken the time to list and review some of our favorites. Below you’ll find over 20 sexting sites that will get you off quickly! Oh, and most of them are free.

Best Sexting Sites and Apps For NSFW Messaging in 2022

Best Free Sites:

Best for local sexting – Instabang Best overall sexting website – ArousrBest new sexting site – SweetsextBest for messaging with models – SnapchatFor advanced sexters – SextFriendBest anonymous sexting site – SkibbelBest for sexting beginners – Sext LocalPopular sext and hookup app – TinderBest for couples who sext – BetweenGreat for intellectual sexting with real people – Zoosk

Best To Meet New People:

Best for dirty talk with local strangers – Ashley MadisonGreat for fetishes and kinks – Adult FriendFinderBest for shy people – FriendFinder-XBest for finding new naughty text friends – Kik FrienderExchange nudes with locals – BangSexting

Best Free Sexting Forums/Chat Rooms:

Best free random chat – Talk With StrangerMost reliable free sexting message board – /r/sextingfriendfinderPopular chat room site with all sorts of categories – ChatzyRaunchiest chat rooms with multiple people – LewdChat

Best Encrypted Messengers:

Most secure encrypted messenger – ConfideBest protection against screenshots – DustMost user-friendly messenger – SignalYou can erase messages from other devices – Wickr

1.) Instabang: Get Nudes Fast

Instabang, formerly known as SnapSext, is another free sexting site where you can pay for erotic texts. However, you won’t be paying by credit but rather paying for time-based packages. For example, you can pay by the day or sign up for an entire month.

Instabang has the quickest way to find someone to send you nudes. This is because it has an effective search engine, so you won’t waste your time browsing through their gigantic user base. It is also a way to find someone to hook up with, if you choose to search locally.

This is a sexting site with a lot to offer. There are regular people to talk to and professional sexters. But if you get bored sexting, you can always check out their live streams, cam girl chat rooms, nudes exchanges, and live video action.

2.) Sweetsext: Try Something New

From the wonderful folks who bring you Instabang comes SweetSext, a brand new sexting site that delivers the goods.

In most ways, SweetSext is the true spiritual successor of the famous SnapSext (RIP). The interface is almost identical and the girls are just as hot. Since it’s been a few years, the girls tend to be pretty experienced when it comes to dirty talking.

In addition to exchanging nudes, you can catch live stream content or chat with multiple girls at once in the chat rooms.

3.) Ashley Madison: Originally A Site For Affairs

Ashley Madison is an amazing website for meeting new people. Whether you are in the mood to sext, exchange photos, find a new hook up, or just fool around, Ashley Madison will deliver all of that to you and then some.

This site does get bad press because it’s famous (or shall we say, infamous) for supporting affairs. Oh well, we aren’t here to judge you for indulging in forbidden fruit. What we can say is that the people who sign up for Ashley Madison are always “in the mood.” That is what makes it so easy to find someone who is excited and willing to have a naughty chat with you. Even more exciting is that these people usually live close by to you, just in case you’re in the market for some physical action.

It should be mentioned that those you meet on Ashley Madison probably are going to be older than 20 years of age and they might already be in a “committed” relationship. But, it is still the best way to meet someone new to sext—hands down. Check out our full Ashley Madison review for more.

4.) Arousr: Meet Professional Sexters

Arousr is an exciting free sexting site where you can pay to sext (payment occurs in the form of credits). When you sign up for Arousr, they’ll gift you a sweet 100 free credits to chat with the paid talent.

Arousr is certainly a site that caters more towards men. Women sign up for Arousr because they enjoy sexting and want to get cash for it. When you use your credits on Arousr, you are essentially paying gorgeous ladies to flirt and send hot messages to you. There are pros and cons to this, but one thing we love about the credit system is that it incentivizes women to keep the chat extremely sexy and interesting.

This sexting site also has some fun features that you can take advantage of, like video chat or voice notes. And, like we said, these women you are paying have every reason to make your experience as enjoyable as possible.

5.) LewdChat: Erotic Chat Rooms

LewdChat is an anonymous sexting site where you can find someone to send erotic messages to in a snap. You literally only need to plug in a temporary username, and you’re off to the races!

Here is how most people use LewdChat to sext: First, they check out the chat rooms that LewdChat has to offer. They are set up like regular chat rooms, but the subject matter is raunchy. If you’ve ever experienced a chat room before, you will feel right at home. As people explore the chat rooms, they often find another user in the room that turns them on. If that user is down, the two will move to private messaging.

LewdChat is for someone who doesn’t have time to waste. They want to sext, and they want it right now. With the fast sign-up process and subsequent launch into naughty chat rooms, LewdChat makes it easy to find someone to sext. Don’t expect bells and whistles on this site though. It’s very basic, but that is on purpose.

6.) Bangsexting: Talk To Strangers About Your Fantasies

Bangsexting is a messaging platform where users come to express their sexual fantasies to hot strangers on the web. It’s an adult matching site that pairs compatible sexters with one another. And it’s strictly for sexting or hookups—not dating. This is made extremely clear when you visit the homepage. “No bots, no long dates, and no spending lots of money on unnecessary things,” are all part of the rules of Bangsexting.

Bangsexting was created as a place where people didn’t have to feel shy about their desire to sext. Through Bangsexting, you can chat with people in your area. This allows for the sexting to evolve into an in-person hookup, if that is what you’d prefer.

Signing up is easy and requires you to answer four questions about your sexting preferences. From there, you’ll be matched with other users on the site. Bangsexting also offers a feature which allows you to stay anonymous throughout the entire process.

7.) Reddit: Free Message Board

We’d be surprised if you haven’t already heard about Reddit. It’s one of the most popular message boards on the worldwide web, where people can come to express themselves on virtually any topic you can think of. This includes nudes and erotic messages.

There are plenty of messageboards (called subreddits) that cater to sexting fiends, but our favorite is r/sextingfriendfinder. It shouldn’t be hard to see why. The name of this subreddit pretty much says it all! It’s designed as a meeting place where strangers can come to find sexy friends. While you are searching for the erotic sexter of your dreams, you can explore the sexy or nude content that already exists on the forum.

Reddit is absolutely free to use, so you know the folks posting in sexting subreddits are there for the right reasons. In other words, you won’t be paying anyone to sext. These subreddits are full of genuinely horny individuals who want to have a little bit of fun. If someone wishes to be paid for their erotic texts, they will likely inform you right there on the subreddit page.

8.) Kik Friender: Find New People To Talk To On Kik

Kik has long been a reliable app for open-minded people. Plenty of sexters have used Kik (a free app) to connect with people because it’s an anonymous messaging app. It masks your identity through usernames within a sexy and accepting environment. But you need the username of the person you want to sext before you can enjoy all the perks that Kik has to offer. This can be done easily by searching the hashtag #kikme on Twitter, or you can use Kik Friender!

Kik Friender is a site that can be used in conjunction with Kik for the ultimate sexting experience. Use Kik Friender to find usernames of the hottest people around so that you don’t have to spend your time searching for those usernames. Kik Friender allows you to make friends all over the world and find new sexting partners to explore your fantasies with.

Right when you hit the homepage, Kik Friender introduces you to a list of beautiful people (primarily women) in the form of thumbnails. These people are selected based on their activity on the Kik platform. Keep in mind that many of the ladies found on Kik Friender are expecting to be paid for their nudes.

9.) Talk With Stranger: Unique Sexy Chat Rooms

Talk With Stranger is a random chatting site where no registration or payment is required. Yup, it’s totally free. Simply visit the website and get to meeting new people! But, beware of the ads that seem to overtake the homepage (the price you pay for free chat we suppose). Talk With Stranger has some of the best sex chat rooms available to you on the web, which is why it’s ideal for people who love sexting.

Talk With Stranger is a unique chat room site because it offers an array of desirable sexting categories for you to choose from. There are LGBTQ+ chat rooms, rooms for lonely people, younger chat rooms, and rooms for people who want to sext and find love. Pick a chat room that seems interesting and you’ll immediately be introduced to like-minded people.

If you connect with someone in a chat room, you always have the option to move from the public chat forum into a private chat room where pictures and videos can be exchanged. Talk With Stranger is a wonderful way to meet people to sext on the Internet discreetly and anonymously.

10.) SextFriend: Meet Other Experienced Sexters

SextFriend is a combination site that is for both sexting and adult dating. For a matching site, they’ve got one of the quickest and easiest sign-up processes. Within five minutes of hopping onto SextFriend, you could be sexting with a hottie.

SextFriend is not for those who are new to sexting. It doesn’t really hold your hand through the process. It’s for the more advanced sexters and adult daters who know exactly what they are looking for. SextFriend lets you sign up for their services and then throws you into the deep end of the adult dating pool. Whether you are searching for a hookup or a kinky conversation on the web, your fate is in your own hands when you use SextFriend.

SextFriend is known as a vibrant sexting community and caters to all sorts of sexting needs. Through the platform, you can meet people to sext, use their messaging feature, video chat, and send photographs. You can also move from texts to a real meetup in a jiffy if that’s what you are after. However, if you’d prefer to simply send naughty messages to people through the site, you can do that too.

11.) Chatzy: Most Straightforward Chat Site

Chatzy is a quick, straightforward, no-frills chatting platform. Though the website feels a bit out-of-date, it does a fantastic job at connecting people for the purposes of sexting and erotic chatting.

Joining the platform could not be easier. All you really need is to create a username. Once you do, you are welcome to enter one of the various Chatzy chat rooms and join in the conversation. There are all sorts of chat rooms on Chatzy, and they don’t all have to do with sexting. To find the naughty rooms, use the Chatzy search function to look up sexy keywords that will introduce you to the sexting chat rooms you prefer.

You can also create a chat room if you wish or move into a private room with another Chatzy user. For fast anonymous chat, Chatzy is a nice option because it doesn’t bog you down with any distractions or advertisements. It’s a plain and simple chat room platform with nothing standing in your way of juicy messaging. However, if you are trying to meet a local or have a more in-depth experience, we’d suggest looking elsewhere for your sexting needs.

12.) Skibbel: Random Sext Chat

Skibbel is a free application that was created specifically for sexting. It creates random chat opportunities with other people who want to send naughty messages, photos, or videos to one another.

If you are a fan of Omegle or Chatroulette, you’ll surely enjoy Skibbel. In fact, Skibbel calls itself the “better Omegle,” and we’d have to agree. Omegle has an old-school feel whereas Skibbel is a very modern, user-friendly, and attractive platform designed for sexting and sexting alone.

If you are a bit of an exhibitionist, you can take advantage of Skibbel’s livestream feature where you can broadcast a video of yourself to the Skibbel community. However, if you’d prefer to sext one-on-one with a stranger from around the globe, you can do that too.

Unlike Omegle, Skibbel requires that you set up a profile (don’t worry, it’s very simple and doesn’t take long). Skibbel prides itself on anonymity, so it will never ask you for your e-mail address or any identifying information. It just wants to know your gender, what you are looking for, and a sentence or two about yourself.

13.) Sext Local: Adult Dating App + Sexting Site Hybrid

Sext Local takes the features of a local dating app and applies it to a fun, free sexting site. With Sext Local, you will meet real people in your area to talk to. This is also good for someone who might want to meet IRL.

With other adult dating apps, it’s hard to know whether or not your match will be comfortable sexting immediately. With Sext Local, there is no guessing. All users who sign up must fill out a questionnaire that ensures that they are on board, willing to sext, and able to adhere to the safety guidelines.

Sext Local knows that images and videos are an important part of sexting, so they have features to accommodate that sort of communication. People love this site because the user base is full of real and genuine locals. Catfishes are few and far between on Sext Local!

14.) Snapchat: The Original Nudes App

Snapchat is an extremely popular app where folks can send each other disappearing images and utilize fun filters. If they want to share something with all of their Snapchat friends, they can create a story (similar to the ones you see on Instagram) that disappear after 24 hours. It’s easy to see why it’s referred to as the “original nudes app.” However, today it’s used mostly by tweens to communicate with one another through innocent images. Like all sites and apps, you need to be careful about who you are engaging with.

There are still plenty of people who use Snapchat for hot pics and texts. People feel good about using it for that type of material because it notifies users if their messages are saved or screenshotted.

Plenty of pornstars will use Snapchat as another way to lure customers and make a living. They often refer to their Snapchat handles as “Premium Snapchats” because they will cost you a premium to view and interact with. There are sites all over the web listing the best Premium Accounts that are worth spending your money on.

You can use Snapchat to securely sext with people you already know, meet new sexting friends, or engage with Premium accounts for a fee.

15.) Friend Finder X: A Casual Sexting Site

Friend Finder X is technically a hookup site, but sexting is widely encouraged between the users on the platform. On the home page, you will be informed that the folks you’ll meet through Friend Finder X are regular people, not pornstars or sexting professionals.

Most people use Friend Finder X to find casual sex, but they are always eager to flirt through the message function before meeting up. This means that raunchy communication happens frequently on the Friend Finder X platform.

Friend Finder X will put you through a small sign-up process and then introduce you to their user base in the form of thumbnail photos. If you are a man seeking a woman, you will notice that the ladies on Friend Finder X are on the younger and raunchier side.

It’s an adult dating site that aims to skip all the dating awkwardness and head straight to the sexual side of a casual relationship, so don’t be shy to initiate sexting with any of the Friend Finder X users who you meet.

16.) Confide: Most Secure Messenger App

Confide is an extremely secure instant messaging system. It’s basically the Fort Knox of sexting apps. But it’s not specifically for sexy chat. Confide is used by business professionals and regular people as a way to send encrypted messages. Each message that is sent or received immediately self-destructs after it is read. It is also screenshot-proof and encrypted.

This might feel like overkill for some, but sexting and exchanging nudes can be seriously risky when in the wrong hands. Using Confide is a way to confidently send those raunchy notes without the fear or paranoia that they’ll be leaked to the public or cause problems in your life.

Confide is not a site where you can go to meet new sexters. It’s best used with someone you already know as a way to keep sexting sexy, and without worry or fear.

17.) Dust: Most Anonymous Encrypted Messenger

Dust is very similar to Confide in that it’s an encrypted secure messaging system that can be used for nudes along with other confidential information. Its main function is disappearing messages and providing security.

You can use your social media platforms to sign up with Dust, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not secure. It is simply a way to figure out which of your friends or followers also use the Dust app. It’s good for seeing if an old flame or former hookup also uses Dust. However, if you don’t feel comfortable signing up with your social media account, you can always choose to provide the bare minimum which is simply a username and password.

All of your texts will self-destruct in 24 hours. You can also choose to delete messages if waiting 24 hours for destruction is too long. Dust is also clever in that it never shows your name on your messages. So if someone wants to be sneaky and take a photo of your messages on their phone with another device, Dust won’t allow your name or username to link in any way to that image. However, screenshotting isn’t disabled on Dust.

18.) Tinder: Swipe Through Potential Sexters

Tinder is a free hookup app that tons of people swear by. Its primary use is to find someone to either go on a date with or hookup with, but there’s no reason why it can’t be used for sexting.

Tinder is a swipe-based application that allows you to swipe left for “no” and right for “yes.” What are you saying yes or no to? It’s pretty much based on who you think is hot or not. When you find someone worth swiping right on, Tinder will notify you if it’s a match. Then, you can begin chatting.

If you want to find a sexting friend that could also be a hookup friend, Tinder is the app for you. However, you might find yourself wasting time on people who aren’t in the mood to sext with you. Many users of Tinder are seeking a relationship, so they aren’t keen on getting right to the sexual stuff. You might offend some folks with your naughty messages, but it’s OK because there are so many users on the app at any given time. You are bound to find someone quickly who wants to send naughty messages to you.

19.) Adult FriendFinder: Talk About Your Fantasies

Adult FriendFinder is a site recognized by many as an effective hookup site. It’s beloved by adult daters, swingers, and sexters. Hanging out on Adult FriendFinder is like going to a sex party. You never know who you are going to meet, but everyone is in the mood.

While it’s used primarily for meetups, the people on Adult FriendFinder love to sext. There are so many unique ways to chat with fellow hot strangers on Adult FriendFinder. You can sext through e-mail, instant chat, live streaming, or video chatting. You can also rate people based on their sex appeal.

Adult FriendFinder also makes your sexting search a breeze with their advanced search function. Narrow down your options by filtering by hotness rating, looks, or even kink. Adult FriendFinder is fantastic for those who have very specific fantasies and fetishes in mind.

20.) Zoosk: Meet Real People To Sext

Zoosk is a popular dating app that is used for a variety of relationship types. It’s on this list because sexting tends to be a popular activity for users of the app.

When you visit Zoosk, you’ll notice that the app itself feels very clean. There aren’t suggestive images and it presents itself as a serious dating app. You can browse other members on the app to figure out who you are attracted to. With 40 million people using Zoosk, you have many options to choose from.

It’s an adult dating app that requires verification, so catfishes and scammers never slip through the Zoosk cracks. That’s really what makes it great for sexting, aside from their massive selection of users.

Sexting is something you’ll need to ask for in the messages with your matches because it’s not explicitly what Zoosk was made for. That being said, sexting happens frequently between two Zoosk users who feel an attraction to one another.

21.) Wickr: Reliable Messaging Application

Wickr is a reliable, safe messaging app that is widely used amongst sexters and other people who wish to keep their information private. It’s rumored that Wickr is the messaging platform which celebrities use to safely and discreetly sext!

It’s become very popular because it is genuinely safe and secure. Wickr, like other messaging applications, utilizes end-to-end encryption for all types of messages (including text, video, photos, and more). It provides a secure way to exchange private messages with someone who you already know. It won’t introduce you to strangers on the web, but it will make you feel more at ease and secure with people who you already know.

Wickr doesn’t offer screenshot protection, but does have a very useful “Shredder” function. The Shredder allows you to permanently erase your messages, photos, or videos from another person’s device without issue. You can also select a time limit for all of your messages which causes them to self-destruct once that time limit is up.

22.) Between: App For Sexters In A Long-Distance Relationship

Between is a free sexting site for people who already know each other. This Korean-built chat app allows for multiple forms of private communication between two people. For instance, you can chat, call, send nudes, video call, and more.

It’s best used between people who might already be in a relationship (potentially a long-distance one) and want a platform that is used exclusively for their sexual mobile relationship. This has a lot to do with the other special features which Between offers. There is a way for two Between users to share each other’s schedules, making it easier to know when sexting is on or off the table. We can all agree that sexting is easiest when not in the middle of an important meeting or at breakfast with Mom.

Again, Between is free unless you choose to go premium. We can assure you that you won’t need to pay in order to enjoy Between. However, you can shell out some change if you want to experience some of their more personalized features.

23.) Signal: For Discreet Communication

Signal is a secure open-source messaging platform that is free for you to use. While it wasn’t created with sexting in mind, it offers the security you’d need to have discreet sexting fun.

Like other messaging applications, Signal is a place where you can send naughty encrypted messages to someone. You can also set your messages to self-destruct on a timeline of your choosing. Whereas other messengers will automatically destroy your messages immediately or within 24 hours, Signal gives you the power to control when the message disappears from your partner’s screen.

Signal is a fantastic sexting app for people who want to keep their nudes discreet. Worrying while sexting kind of takes all the fun out of it. Signal will help you keep that fear at bay and allow you to simply relish in your naughty fun! With Signal, you can send voice or text messages, videos, photos, and more.

How To SextThe idea of sending dirty words through a phone or computer might make you anxious, but that’s OK. With practice, you will begin to feel more comfortable and develop your own style of sexting. However, there are some things to know before you’re able to master the art of sexting.

Always get consent: It can be tempting to send unsolicited nudes to someone, but it’s never a good idea. You want enthusiastic consent before you engage in any sexual activity with another person, including sexting. Remember that your text partner is sharing intimate private thoughts or photos. Do not share or screenshot without their consent.Only do what you feel comfortable doing: Draw the line if you feel uncomfortable. Perhaps your sexting style doesn’t include photos or videos because sending those gives you anxiety. That’s fine! Set boundaries for yourself so that you can move through erotic messaging confidently.

Take the pressure off of yourself: Sexting isn’t something that people are automatically experts in. There is a learning curve to this. You might stumble through a few sexting sites and experiences before you get a rhythm going.

Get creative: Sexting is a writing exercise. You are using your words to evoke feelings of passion from your partner. That’s why you’ll want to use your imagination and creativity. Describe how you are feeling in intricate detail. It will keep things hot!

Have nudes on hand: Sexting is usually quite fast-paced. Having nudes in your library will make them easier to send quickly. That way, you don’t lose momentum by trying to get the perfect shot!

Example Sexts

This is a good example of a nice rhythm. The partners here are playing off of one another and carrying on as if they were speaking to one another. There is a building momentum here where you can tell that they are both really turned on.

These partners are very descriptive and making a nice use of emojis to convey passion. Notice how the woman is describing how she likes to be pleasured, and the man is responding by playing into her fantasy.

The man who is sexting is extremely specific, which makes it easier for his partner to respond. He also breaks up his sexts and it flows really well, as if he were telling a sultry story.

Sexting Site Safety TipsCybersex is hot, but it comes with some personal responsibility. When you meet someone new on the Internet, or share intimate photos, you immediately are placing yourself in a vulnerable position. For some, the risk is part of the thrill. But you always want to put your safety first.

Don’t give out your personal information: OK, we know this sounds silly. What could be more personal than a spread-eagle shot of your junk? Here, personal information refers to info such as your home address, banking information, social security number, and other identifying details. Sadly, scammers love to find prey anonymously through the Internet.
Use encryption when you need to: We’ve all seen tabloid headlines that read, “Celebrity Nudes Leaked!” The second-hand embarrassment is nearly tangible as we read an article containing images of the nudes or screenshots of Instagram DM sexts. Had those celebs simply sent their pictures through encrypted messenger, they wouldn’t be available for everyone to see. That’s why these apps are available to you too. Use them if they make you feel more secure while sexting.

Is Sexting Better Than Dating?First off, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. You can sext someone you are dating. You can also use apps to find a stranger to send naughty messages to. To answer the question simply, different strokes for different folks. Sexting is far more casual than in-person interactions. But there are major benefits to sexting:

It’s safe: If you can be smart about your privacy online, sexting sites offer ways to connect with new people without placing yourself in physical danger.

It’s easy: Sexting is very convenient. If you’ve got a phone and Internet connection, you can find someone to sext in just minutes.

It’s fun: Due to the veil of the Internet and the ability to remain anonymous, you might feel more comfortable letting your freak flag fly.

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If you thought chat rooms ended with the 90s, you’d be wrong. They’re more popular than ever, especially adult chat rooms.

There are two types: classic/text and video. Remember old-school AOL chat rooms? They’re a huge hit with adults looking to talk dirty on the Internet. And video chat rooms take the beauty of classic rooms and add video capability.

Adult chat sites have become the go-to for any busy adult looking for that quick gratifying fix. You don’t have to leave your couch to find excited sexy people who want to talk about naughty things. There’s a little something for everyone here, no matter how specific your sexual kink is.

But some sites do it better than the rest. It’s going to take far too much energy for you to peek through the Internet looking for the best. Some are too expensive, others are too boring, and some are just plain bad. Skip all that nonsense and read below to find the top free adult chat sites (or almost free) with the sexiest users.

Top 15+ Adult Chat Rooms for Sex Chat Reviewed

Sl*tRoulette: Best overall adult chat site
321 SexChat: Most entertaining site
Jerkmate: Get off with sexy strangers
ChatAvenue: One of the most popular chat rooms
Chaturbate: Most well-known video chat
ChatRandom: Quickest way to meet someone new
Chatropolis: Kinkiest chat room categories
AdultFriendFinder: Meet horny strangers on AFF
Flingster: Most discreet option on this list
Ashley Madison: Best for affairs
Chatville: An adult site that offers a sense of community
Chatzy: Old-school, no-frills chatting
DirtyRoulette: Sexy roulette-style website
Chatroulette: Most active roulette website
Omegle: Free chat site for random encounters
iSexyChat: Share nudes with new friends
LewdChat: IRC platform for adults
FlirtLu: Sexiest webcam experience

Honorable Mentions

Flirt: A hybrid of erotic chat and a dating site
Weird Town: Chat about any weird thing you can think of. It doesn’t have to be weird sex, but it can be!
CooMeet: Like Chatroulette with more attractive people!
Cuckold Chat: Cuckold-oriented chat rooms
Chat Zozo: Run-of-the-mill free adult sex chat site
FreeChatNow: Quick free sex chat site with forums and discussion boards
Kinksters Chat: BDSM and kink chat rooms
ChatPig: Sexy chat rooms with regular and adult actress users
TempoCams: Naughty roulette-style chat
Shagle: Meet new hotties through video chat!

1.  Sl*tRoulette: Roll the dice to find someone nice

Sl*tRoulette helps shake things up in the adult chat room world, where many sites look and function in basically the same way. Sl*tRoulette is pretty much like it sounds—you get a random cam model on your screen. You can then select “Next” if you want to move onto someone else. 

(Fun fact: Sl*tRoulette is a new take on ChatRoulette, a similar site whose adult version was taken down.) 

Like many adult chat rooms, Sl*tRoulette is free, which is always a plus, right?  All you have to do is simply verify your age. After that, you’ll be free to sit back and enjoy a wide range of women performing cam shows. The Sl*tRoulette uses an algorithm that selects top-rated models, helping ensure a more enjoyable experience from the get-go.

Sl*tRoulette Live is a platform within SlutRoulette that has more diverse offerings instead of the stream of solo women on the regular platform. Here you will see men, straight and gay couples, group sex, trans performers, and more. 

Like most other adult chat sites, Sl*tRoulette uses a tip system that incentivizes the performers to use the platform and put on an enjoyable show for viewers like you. You can also upgrade to Premium for more features. 

Pros:

Fun concept
Attractive models
Free

Cons:

May not appeal to everyone
Minimal control can be frustrating

Price: Free (with option to upgrade) 

2.  321 SexChat: Quirky and silly chat site

321 SexChat is for someone who doesn’t take their sex chat needs all that seriously. Don’t get us wrong, 321 SexChat has got the goods. It’s designed like a normal adult chat site, but it’s designed in a way that’s bubbly, over-the-top, exciting, and a whole lot of fun. It’s not dark or serious in any way, but it will seriously get you off if that’s what you’re looking for.

For one, 321 SexChat has tons of unique rooms for you to join, whether you are into furries, nymphs, saunas, or whatever else. All the rooms have fun names, too, like The Lurker Zone, Yes Daddy, or Pegging Palace. Once you are in the chat room, there are so many fun features for you to play with. You can send emojis, fun texts, memes, and even GIFs.

321 SexChat is a fun way to explore your adult fantasies with strangers online. It keeps everything lighthearted, which is a welcome change of pace in comparison to many of the other video chat sites on this list.

Pros:

Fun and quirky approach
Extremely niche rooms
Free

Cons:

Not a ton of users in the rooms
Male users dominate
Some ads

Price: Free

3.  Jerkmate: Masturbate with new friends

Jerkmate is a free sex chat site that claims you’ll never have to masturbate alone again. It also calls itself the ultimate live masturbation experience. It’s a bold claim, but a very real one. If you couldn’t tell by the name, Jerkmate will help you find a jerk-off partner through their group chat sessions or one-on-one chats. This person could be your average guy or gal, but they might also be a professional adult star.

Signing up for Jerkmate is fairly simple. Create a free account by adding your e-mail, nickname, and password. From there, you’re guided to a page full of beautiful people who want to share this journey with you. It can tend to feel more like an adult video chat experience, but it’s a fantastic way to meet someone.

Enjoy shows performed to a wide audience, or settle into a more private one-on-one setting. Use their great search features to filter by category, body type, or fetish. Aside from being a unique adult chat experience, Jerkmate has a lot to love in terms of usability.

Pros:

Fantastic enthusiastic users
High-quality shows
Tons of search options

Cons:

Can sometimes be a struggle to find someone hot enough to go one-on-one with
More cammy than adult chat

Price: Free, but can pay for upgraded features

4.  ChatAvenue: Clean-looking naughty chat site

ChatAvenue is one of the cleaner options for chat sites on this list. If you’re concerned about someone checking out your Internet history or a nosy neighbor peering into your window and seeing what you’re up to, ChatAvenue will make you feel secure in its squeaky appearance.

ChatAvenue isn’t designed just for dirty talk. There are all types of rooms available to everyone, like sports, teen, and college chat. There are also flirtier options like dating chat. Of course, there’s an adult section, otherwise ChatAvenue wouldn’t make the cut for us!

The 18+ Adult Chat section on ChatAvenue is one of the most active adult rooms on the site. There are tons of users online at any given time with floods of messages from the moment you enter! Before you can come into the room, you’ll be agreeing to a list of reasonable terms. One of those terms is no solicitation, so you know you won’t be enticed to purchase anything you weren’t planning on buying. Offering services will actually get you banned from the room, which is good news when you just want a free good time! Also, there isn’t any registration required.

Pros:

No sign-up necessary
Very active room
Solicitation of any kind will get a user banned

Cons:

Only one adult chat room available
It’s both good and bad that it is flooded with users

Price: Free

5.  Chaturbate: Sexy online video chat

Chaturbate offers webcam video chat where you can message and watch the stunning users and their livestreams through the platform. There’s nothing that’s not drenched in hot sexual energy over at Chaturbate, which is why it’s one of the hottest places to engage in erotic chat room discussions with likeminded adults.

This site is one of the biggest players in the adult world, so they’ve got their ducks in a row in terms of functionality and navigation. It’s not a totally free site, though, which is the one drawback. Transactions on Chaturbate are done through a credit system, which you can use your credit card to purchase or even some forms of cryptocurrency.

The main pull to Chaturbate is that it’s a well-known site full of beautiful people. What’s not to love about that? You’ll need to shell out some cash to get the full experience, but it’s worth it on this amazing platform!

Pros:

Attractive users
Webcam video chat
Enthusiastic members

Cons:

It’s not the cheapest option

Price: Credit-based system

If you want even more info, check out our full-length Chaturbate review.

6.  ChatRandom: Speedy random chat site

ChatRandom is a chat site that randomly pairs you up with others around the globe who are also on ChatRandom at the same time as you. You don’t have to do anything, aside from have a working camera and microphone, to find someone to talk with. Just allow the site to access your camera, and instantly you’ll be met with a new Internet buddy.

ChatRandom has over 35K daily users, so there’s never a shortage of people to meet while you’re engaged on this roulette-style adult chat. If you want to make the experience a little less random, you can filter by country or gender you wish to talk with.

Though it was developed a decade ago, it still has a modern feel and works very quickly. In fact, it’s way more modern than a site like Chatroulette or Omegle. That’s why it’s higher on our list! It also offers rooms in addition to random chat. These rooms have themes like gay, adult dating, role-play, flirt, and more.

Pros:

No sign-up required
Instant random chat
Tons of people to meet
Chat rooms along with random one-on-ones

Cons:

No major filtering or search features
Chat rooms are on the smaller side

Price: $17.99/month

7.  Chatropolis: Most diverse chat room options

Chatropolis is fairly average in that it directs you to chat rooms once you’re on the website. The dark colors and nude images give you the indication that all these rooms are going to be adult themed. There are no gamer rooms or anime discussions on this website. What gives Chatropolis its edge (aside from the edgy colors used throughout the site) is the fact that it has a plethora of themes that cater to unique types of individuals. For example, there are chat rooms called Celeb Flesh, Cougars Till Dawn, and Office Seduction. There are plenty for you to choose from aside from these highlights, as well.

It would be surprising to learn that you didn’t find any room (among their 200+) that hit your sweet spot on Chatropolis. If you want to create your own room, that’s possible on this site! You can come up with the name, choose your colors, etc. However, in order to create a room, you need to sign up and pay for Chatropolis. It’s pretty reasonable, though, and won’t break the bank if you’re dead set on starting your own room.

Chatropolis gets a good amount of engagement and activity on a daily basis. You are able to be in multiple rooms at a time if you’re someone who likes a lot of action.

Pros:

Plenty of chat room themes
Premium members can create their own rooms
Pretty active site

Cons:

Some of the rooms you might want to enter could be full
No exciting features on Chatropolis

Price: $12.95/month

8.  AdultFriendFinder: Best way to find a new kinky chat

If you’re privy to the world of online adult fun, you’ve probably been introduced to AdultFriendFinder at least once. It’s one of the most popular ways for kinky adults to meet each other. While AFF has various means and methods of introducing people, their chat function is one of the best.

We love AdultFriendFinder because it has so many users. The site has millions of members, but about a quarter-million of those folks use the AFF chat capabilities. Members of AFF seem to love doing sex broadcasts that invite other users to join in and meet new users. There are also fantastic rooms and one-on-one options.

Being so popular, AFF does a fantastic job of creating unique categories and opportunities. You can search the site for various groups, forums, and chat rooms broken up by fetish. For instance, do you have a thing for older women? They’ve got you covered. Do you enjoy being a voyeur on your naughty neighbors? There’s a discussion for that too. Whatever you are into, you’ll find (and more) on AdultFriendFinder with plenty of other adults who are into the same thing.

Pros:

Tons of users
Unique groups
No shortage of fun features
Everyone is kinky

Cons:

Expensive
Tends to have a lot of annoying ads

Price: about $40/month (that price decreases if you sign up for a longer time)

9.  Flingster: Anonymous adult video chat

Flingster is another random video and chat site for kinky adults. You might be puzzled as to how it could be an anonymous video chat site. Well, Flingster makes anonymity a possibility by implementing two very important features.

For one, Flingster doesn’t require anything aside from choosing a gender to begin talking. Also, it allows you to mask your face if you wish! Think of this mask as something similar to a social media filter. You can cover your face with an emoji or disguise. These masks follow your face, so you can move around and your face will stay hidden. It’s a fairly advanced feature that other random chat sites don’t have, making Flingster totally unique!

It’s a free chat site unless you want to take advantage of its premium features. We don’t think you need it as you can access the video option without paying a dime. However, premium members do enjoy their ability to use the search features and perform non-video calls.

Pros:

Virtually no registration
Totally anonymous
Fun filters to cover your face
Tons of users who get right down to business

Cons:

Some people report fake users
Tends to have a lot of annoying ads

Price: Free unless you upgrade

10.  Ashley Madison: Chats between taken people

Are you someone who isn’t technically single, but you’re still looking to get your kink on with someone on the Internet? Listen, we aren’t here to reprimand you for your choices. Maybe you’re in an open relationship or separated! Again, we aren’t your parents. What we can tell you is that Ashley Madison is a fantastic way to meet others who want to have a naughty chat with you, taken or otherwise.

As far as chat sites go, Ashley Madison is a lot more personal than the others. It’s not totally anonymous (unless you disguise your identity, which you are welcome to do) and it doesn’t lead you to a page full of video models or chat rooms. It uses a matching algorithm to effectively pair you up with horny people in your area to have a sex chat with.

Ashley Madison attracts over 10K new users per day, so finding someone you’re attracted to is a cinch. It also gives you the ability to take your sex chat into a real-life experience.

Pros:

Easily meet real horny adults
Genuine interactions
Non-judgemental environment

Cons:

Video isn’t available
Need to pay
Long registration process

Price: About $50 for 100 credits and about $150 for 500 credits

11.  Chatville: A video chat community

Chatville is an adult video chat room similar to the likes of Omegle. In fact, it dubs itself as the best Omegle alternative site. It also calls itself a virtual nightclub. Chatville does offer random one-on-one options similar to other roulette-style chats, but it also has features that set it apart from those.

For instance, when you hop onto the Chatville homepage, you’ll be given the option to instantaneously jump into a 16-way video group. It makes Chatville more of an adult video community than it is just a roulette-style adult site. You can also video up to four feeds at a time if you wish. Also, you can register, but you don’t have to. It’s free either way, which is another reason to hop aboard the Chatville train.

Chatville is a great mix of a chat site and a social network where you can meet new friends. It’s like a forum site but with video capabilities. You can create your own room if you want and become the moderator. There are tons of naughty rooms already, though, like Foot Fetish, Swingers, and Nudists. You’ll need to register to do that, but it’s not complicated and you won’t be asked for credit card information.

Pros:

Tons of options and rooms
Best way to meet friends through video
Open-minded users

Cons:

Not for beginners
Could be more user-friendly

Price: Free

12.  Chatzy: Old-school chat room

The ideal Chatzy user is someone who has been to chat rooms before, might be on the older side, and has an affinity for the classic setup. Chatzy is one of those sites that has been around for ages and really hasn’t changed with the times. It’s stuck in the early 2000s. It was created 20 years ago and refuses to add any bells and whistles, which we kind of respect.

If simplicity is important to you, Chatzy delivers. There are no confusing features, no additional portals, and no frills. There’s nothing to distract you from your chat. The only thing that might get in your way is that Chatzy is used for all sorts of discussions. They aren’t all kinky conversations. In order to find the juicy stuff, you’ll need to do a little bit of research, but it’s not complicated.

When you hit Chatzy’s home page, look to the left and click on the tab titled “Find More Rooms.” From there, you’ll be given the option to search for a phrase or word of your choosing. Look up your favorite fetish or anything related to sex. You will then be directed to the appropriate rooms.

Pros:

Simple as can be
No distractions
Free

Cons:

Not modern at all
Need to search for your room in the “Find More” section

Price: Free

13.  DirtyRoulette: Naked roulette video chat

DirtyRoulette is a site that’s powered by Flingster, so you can bet that it’s just as interesting and suitable for sexy video chat. It’s a free chat site that employs straightforward navigation capabilities rather than bogging you down with nonsense.

DirtyRoulette keeps things engaging while maintaining its simplicity. All you need to do is press the “Start Chatting” button to be launched into viewing a free random live sex chat. If you enjoy what you’re watching, you can stay on the show and begin chatting. If you’d like to see something else, you can hit “Next” to view another random feed. Once you land on something that whets your appetite, you can start communicating with the other DirtyRoulette users. Enable your own video camera if you wish to show off your raunchy side.

DirtyRoulette is a saucy platform that invites people to let their freak flags fly. There’s no prudishness on DirtyRoulette. The feeds load very quickly and you can also check it out on your mobile device!

Pros:

Easy navigation
No distractions
Exciting and fresh

Cons:

A handful of reported fake users
Some users are boring

Price: Free

14.  Chatroulette: Best roulette chat site

Chatroulette used to be a roulette-style chat site that wasn’t for nudity. They’ve since updated their site to include two sections: Random Chat and Unmoderated. For the purpose of dirty sex chat, you’re going to want to enter the Unmoderated section. It still gives users the chance to report anything that they deem unsavory; however, nudity isn’t banned from this section.

Chatroulette is potentially the most famous sex chat site around. It’s a cure for boredom, a way to meet cool Internet folk, and totally addictive. The website has undergone some cosmetic changes over the years to keep it modernized and entertaining, and we think it’s done a really good job. For quick adult chat, there really isn’t a better option than Chatroulette.

There are over 30K people on Chatroulette at any given moment! In terms of what to expect, with that many people, you never really know what you are going to get. But that’s the beauty of Chatroulette. It’s completely random, mostly kinky fun!

Pros:

No sign-up required
Downright addicting
A huge amount of users online at any given time

Cons:

Seedy past reputation
Must enable camera

Price: Free

15.  Omegle: Random free chat

Meet new friends without registering on Omegle, the ultra-famous randomized video chat site that allows you to plug in some keywords so that the site can match you according to your interests. Omegle is only for adults; however, like Chatroulette, there are two types of roads you can travel while you are on Omegle. You can either head into the monitored section, where dirty video chat isn’t allowed, or the unmonitored section. You’re going to want to swiftly head into that unmoderated section.

Unlike Chatroulette, Omegle will give you the opportunity to list things that are exciting to you, things that interest you, or keywords that help express what you’re looking for while on the site. This will inform the algorithm and help to pair you with someone you’ll enjoy chatting with.

Omegle is totally free and most people take advantage of the randomized video option; however, you can also go into “spy mode,” which means that your camera is off, but you can still chat with strangers. If anonymity is your thing, try Omegle with spy mode! Just don’t expect strangers to completely open up to you without that camera turned on!

Pros:

No registration
Easy way to meet hot strangers
You can plug in keywords for a more filtered random chat

Cons:

Not that modern
A dime a dozen

Price: Free

16.  iSexyChat: Erotic free chat site with nudes exchange

iSexyChat is a really intuitive, welcoming, navigable chat site that gives you more control than many of the other websites we’ve covered. It’s free, anonymous, and completely dedicated to sexual chat between adults. Though it was started back in 2006, the site itself is very modernized, making going from page to page feel like a total breeze.

There are a lot of refreshing features on iSexyChat, but it doesn’t bog you down with unnecessary bells and whistles. We also appreciate that iSexyChat is transparent about the fact that it’s totally supported by ads. Something about mentioning that on the homepage makes the presence of ads way less annoying.

Ok, here’s what’s special about iSexyChat: The rooms are very pointed. Yes, there are your run-of-the-mill chat rooms like sex chat, video, gay, singles, live, and video. There are also neat rooms like Trade Skype/Kik?Etc. In a room like that, there’s no guessing as to what you’ll get. You are trading usernames for the purpose of sexting. There are also rooms titled Sex Modeling and Trade Pics.

Pros:

Unique chat rooms
Modern interface
Erotic-centric chat site

Cons:

Lots of ads, just be prepared
Some rooms redirect to other sites

Price: Free

17.  LewdChat: Sext chat site

LewdChat is dubbed as an adult matching site, but it’s really an Internet Relay Chat platform that connects adults who want to sext. This free site allows for a seamless registration that will take you seconds. Once you confirm that you are over the age of 18, you will be brought to the chatting platform where you’ll be prompted to give your name, sex, age, and location.

LewdChat is pretty advanced in terms of the users it attracts. If you choose to enter the #Lewd room, you’ll be met with other online users on the gray message feature. While not all that complex, LewdChat doesn’t shy away from throwing you right into a chat room without any real explanation of what you’ll be met with. It’s essentially a sexting message forum filled with a handful of online members discussing sexual topics.

If you wish to head over to another channel, you can click the magnifying glass on the left-hand side. Then, click “Find More Channels” to be given the option to search for specific keywords. Those keywords will direct you to channels containing similar titles and you can explore from there.

Pros:

No hefty sign-up required
Lots of channels to choose from
Talkative members

Cons:

Small user base
Less than intuitive navigation capabilities

Price: $12.95

18.  FlirtLu: Video sex platform

FlirtLu is a video sex chatting platform that makes it easy to find women and men on camera who are willing to flirt with you. The site doesn’t require that you register at all; however, it will prompt you to register later by tempting you with free credits. These credits are what will allow you to have a private chat with anyone you meet on FlirtLu. Until then, you are welcome to watch the gorgeous people on FlirtLu in a group setting.

FlirtLu is not a random chat platform. It’s designed so adults can get their rocks off to beautiful people who are on their webcams. They are hoping you’ll want to pay for credits to enjoy private time with the people on the site, which you likely will. Your options for who to watch are laid out in the form of thumbnails, making it very easy to choose. You can easily move from room to room for free if you wish to look around.

When you click a thumbnail, you’ll launch into a model’s room and profile. There, you’ll find hot pictures and a livestream where you can join in on the chatting and sex conversation. The women on this site are absolutely beautiful, so there’s a good chance you’ll want to spend some money in order to spend some private online time with them.

Pros:

Beautiful users
Very erotic and sensual
No buffering on your computer or mobile device

Cons:

Need to pay for one-on-one action
Feels sort of cammy

Price: Free unless you decide to buy credits for private chat

Adult Chat Sites 101

How to have the best sex chat site experience:You’d think that chat rooms are pretty self-explanatory, but as you’ve read, these sites are all different with features that make them unique. In order to make the most of your adventures, you’ll want to be sure that you’ve found the absolute best adult chat site that fits your specific needs. Figure out if you want to find a website that introduces you to random strangers or one that allows you to learn about someone on a deeper level. Are you someone who gets off on one-on-ones, or would you prefer a group setting? These are questions you’ll want to ask yourself before landing on a site.

How we came up with this list:We’ve spent a fair amount of time on many websites and apps to determine which are the best. Essentially, the list came down to a handful of factors. We wanted to find the fastest, most effective, and most user-friendly sites that are either free or low cost. We looked at some reviews and reflected on our own time spent on each of the sites.

All the things you can do on sex chat sites:Believe it or not, sex chat sites serve many purposes. You can use them for sexting, video chatting, watching a livestream, broadcasting, sharing nudes, and meeting friends. People also love to get onto these sites when they’re going through a fit of boredom. There’s nothing more entertaining than meeting someone totally new on the Internet for some naughtiness. People also use these websites to link with folks they plan on meeting in the real world. If you go this route, make sure you do it safely.

Free adult chat sites vs. paid ones:Yes, there are plenty of free sex chat sites for you to enjoy. You’ve got nothing to lose by testing those sites out for yourself. Of course, the sites that want you to pay will offer a greater array of features and a bit more enjoyment. Most randomized chatting sites won’t make you spend a nickel, which is a nice touch. If that’s all you’re after, don’t bother paying anything. However, if you want something with a bit more excitement and frills, you might need to get your wallet out. Don’t worry though, these sites usually don’t cost that much and allow you to pay monthly. Usually it’s less than $1 per day, which is very manageable.

Are sex chat sites anonymous?All of the sites listed allow for anonymity. Discretion is important and the creators of these sites get that fully. But if you’re really worried about the outside world knowing your dirty little secrets, check out one of the sites that doesn’t require registration at all. They won’t ask for your e-mail, name, or anything else. These types of chat sites are also the quickest in terms of getting straight to the saucy stuff.

Safety tips:Make sure you’re speaking with an adult; some of the best chat sites aren’t fully adult. They include some PG-13-type rooms that attract a younger crowd. Tread carefully on this site. In other words, don’t pull out your junk on one of these non-18+ sites before figuring out who is on the other side of that webcam.

If you meet up, be careful. Most of these websites don’t cater to meeting up for a romp or a date. However, if you do decide that the person you’ve been hitting it off with online is worth a trip into the real world, make sure you meet in a public setting first.

Stay anonymous. All of these websites let you keep your identity a secret. When dealing with the combination of sex and the Internet, staying anonymous is the best way to stay safe!

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Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

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Lifeline Theatre’s acclaimed KidSeries has had good luck with the silly bucolic tales of Doreen Cronin (illustrated by Betsy Lewin), from 2003’s production of Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type to 2012’s Duck for President. A large part of the success of these family musicals comes from the fact that adapter James E. Grote and composer George Howe know how to appeal to kids and their parents alike, with pop cultural references for the latter and silly wordplay and physical humor for the youngs (and young at heart). 

Dooby Dooby Moo Through 12/11: Sat-Sun 11 AM and 1 PM; Sat 11/19 performances open captioning, Sat 12/3 11 AM features touch tour at 9:30 AM and live audio description, Sun 12/4 11 AM sensory-friendly performance; Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood, 773-761-4477, lifelinetheatre.com, $20

In Dooby Dooby Moo (directed by Heather Currie), we’re back at Farmer Brown’s—the most enchanting rural enclave since Babe turned up on that New Zealand sheep farm. Speaking of sheep: the newest animal to join Farmer Brown’s team (a place where no animals are apparently ever slaughtered) is Ewe. No, not YOU—Ewe! (Yes, the homophone gets put to frequent use throughout the show’s hourlong run, but kids like repetition, as anyone who has sat through endless minor variations on a knock-knock joke can tell you.) 

A shy sheep recently laid off from the sweater factory, Ewe (Danielle Kerr) joins Cow (Sarah Beth Tanner), Pig (Jennifer Ledesma), and Duck (Brian Tochterman Jr., whose look-at-me comic-dorky antics and styling duds made me think of another “Ducky” made popular in John Hughes’s Pretty in Pink—pardon that Gen X digression). Though Farmer Brown (Scott Sawa) is generally a good guy, he doesn’t like that his animals go off on adventures once in a while. And since, other than Ewe, his animals all harbor big ambitions, keeping them in the barn is a challenge.

This time, their plan is to win a trampoline being offered as first prize in the county fair talent show. Which one of the animals will most impress the panel of puppet judges (which includes MooPaul and Simon Cowbell)? Singer Cow? Dancer Pig? Comedian Duck? Or, will shy Ewe somehow become a dark horse?

It’s all bright, goofy fun that knows how not to talk down to its audience. At one point at the performance I attended, Tochterman’s Duck delivered a joke that predictably fell flat, and asked the audience “Do you get it?” One young lad in the house responded with admirable honesty, “No!” Aly Renee Amidei’s clever costumes hint at the species-specific requirements of the characters without making them look like a furry convention (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) If you’re looking for something for the family to enjoy this season that isn’t filled with tinsel and holly, Dooby Dooby Moo may well fill the bill.

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Reminiscent of Shakespeare’s first play The Two Gentlemen of Verona, the new Shakespeare-inspired comedy titled Malapert Love by first-time playwright Siah Berlatsky would make the bard proud. Letters and sonnets are written by servants, plagiarized to woo a fleeting infatuation. Identities are swapped, fools are poets and poets are fools, friends become lovers, and the fickle human heart is lampooned in this fast-paced comedy. 

Yet it is possible to overdo such elements. Who among us hasn’t seen a play that works too hard, gets too silly, dodges the nuances? This production from Artistic Home, directed by Julian Hester, is not that play. “Striving to better, oft we mar what’s well,” Shakespeare himself later wrote in King Lear, and it seems as if Berlatsky understands this, sticking to the hilarious elements of farce, mistaken identities, breakups, and reconciliations, as well as the satisfying sigh of happy endings. 

Malapert Love Through 12/11: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM; no performance Thu 11/24; Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee, 773-697-3830, theartistichome.org, $35 (students/seniors $15)

Yet if that were all it took, we’d all be staying home on a Thursday night to see season three of Love Is Blind. Berlatsky gets those nuances and uses the play’s framing and snarky dialogue to dig more deeply into a few familiar themes of the human heart: friendship (is it always platonic?); love (is it really that or more like lust?); and honor (are we maybe putting a lot of pressure on ourselves?)

Better yet, Malapert Love is full of deeply satisfying and gasp-inducing romantic moments between queer (and cisgender) characters to offset the scheming and the duels. The play has a particular appeal to the LGBTQ+ world and as such brings with it a certain cosplay romantic comedy adventure vibe—nodding to a genre where queer storytelling has traditionally found refuge.

Malapert Love is perfectly cast with Karla Corona (serving pure diva as Gabriella), Ernest Henton (successfully channeling every clueless dude ever in love, this one a fool called Molyneux,) and Frank Nall (as Phischbreath, a ne’er-do-well huffer of forbidden inhalants and a true street saint). It also includes Grant Carriker (playing pouty but irresistible Duke Montoya), Declan Collins (playing Skip, the riveting, multitalented love interest/servant of Montoya), Emilie Rose Danno (playing the plucky servant and brainy Esperanza), Jenna Steege Ramey (playing the charming powerhouse Lorca, love interest to Gabriella) and Xela Rosas and Luke Steadman (multiple roles, more below).

Layers of story upon story parallel each other—cascading through class, gender, and sexuality with aplomb, uncloaking not just a Shakespearean ease of wit, but also displaying a Gen Z modern sensibility. Duke Montoya struggles to accept his love for a commoner much more than he struggles with the fact that he has fallen in love with another man. The fourth wall is broken at every turn with brief “Are you getting this shit?” appeals to the audience (à la The Office), and the pompous language is delivered with camp physicality to match it, or else popped in and out of to serve up an irresistible modern punchline. One of the most satisfying stories in the show is that of the servant/bandit/musician/stagehand duo played by Rosas and Steadman. Their story uncomplicatedly and sweetly escalates to love in the background even as the machinations of their ambitious employers are unraveling.

Kevin Hagan’s minimal but cleverly designed set, with sheer screens that allow for effective comic asides, combines with Mike McShane’s colorful lighting to set the rom-com mood.

In a Reader interview back in June about the play, Berlatsky (who is the daughter of Reader contributor Noah Berlatsky) explained, “I would write it on the bus or the train to and from school on my phone. I didn’t really think that anything would ever come of it. I was just a kid experimenting with art.” If this is what Berlatsky can do on a crowded el train, the world has much more to look forward to from this writer.

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This past year has turned out to be the Chicago culinary scene’s time to shine onscreen. First came The Bear, with its frenetic take on the intersection of haute cuisine and Italian beef, and now comes the dark horror-comedy The Menu, which—while it doesn’t take place in Chicago—makes several notable hat tips toward the city’s formidable dining scene. 

Those nods come courtesy of the film’s producer/writers, Succession scribe Will Tracy and former Late Night With Seth Meyers writer Seth Reiss. The pair came up together at The Onion, living and working in Chicago as the site’s editor in chief and head writer, respectively. Though Tracy and Reiss would later depart for New York, their time in Chicago helped inspire their view of fine dining, and several experiences they had in and around Chicago are actually reflected in The Menu. 

In the film, directed by Mark Mylod, a group of high-end diners venture out to an exclusive island restaurant, where they think they’ll be enjoying a much-lauded tasting menu from a world-renowned chef. As it turns out, though, the diners have been handpicked to attend that evening—and all is not as it seems in the kitchen. 

The Menu’s actual menu is craveworthy, to be sure. Everything the group eats is grown or raised on the island. Many of the specifics come from Chicago; other dishes—like a scallop appetizer that’s served on a stone painstakingly sprinkled with local greens and a dish of laser-printed tortillas—were pulled from other great restaurants and creators around the world, such as René Redzepi at Noma in Denmark and Nathan Myhrvold, author of Modernist Cuisine. The film also had three-Michelin-star chef Dominique Crenn on call, and she seemed to relish the chance to branch out from her traditionally more warm and unpretentious cuisine. 

Crenn actually trained Ralph Fiennes for his role as the film’s antagonist, the precise and calculating Chef Slowik, a revered figure who runs and operates the restaurant as a sort of farm-to-table boot camp for his adoring staff. Before each course, he comes out to wax rhapsodic about what diners are about to enjoy, a move that Reiss says they first saw while dining at Phillip Foss’s EL Ideas in Chicago. 

“Will and I went to EL Ideas, and afterwards, Phillip Foss wanted to come and hang out at The Onion to see how we put it all together,” Reiss explains. “Will is more of a foodie than I am, but that made me start thinking about the chef as an artist who just wanted to see how another group of people put together this artistic thing.” 

Tracy took other inspiration from Foss, explaining that he always admired how the chef shared the spotlight. “I went to EL Ideas a few times, and it wasn’t always Phillip introducing every course,” Tracy says. “The cook who created the dish was given the platform to introduce it to the room, and we do that in the movie as well. A lot of chefs are more dictatorial about how they run their kitchen, like they’re the word of God, but I think [Foss] wanted to create something that felt a little bit more humane.” 

In The Menu, the servers move almost in unison, presenting each new course to the entire restaurant as it’s ready. Reiss says that move was inspired by West Loop’s Grace, which closed in late 2017, while the restaurant-wide, sauce-swooped dessert that marks the movie’s finale (no spoilers) was inspired in part by Alinea’s famous tabletop finale. 

Dessert isn’t the only thing the movie pulled from Alinea, either: Tracy says The Menu’s cold, somewhat unapproachable exterior was inspired in part by Grant Achatz’s Lincoln Park eatery. “There are always restaurants that want to make you feel a little bit nervous,” Tracy explains. “I don’t know if they still do this, but for a while, Alinea would do this thing where, when you entered, you went through a long hallway with nothing in it. When you got to the proper door of the restaurant, it was a sliding door, but it didn’t open immediately, like they wanted you to think, ‘Am I doing something wrong? How do you open this thing?’ Right when you start thinking that, it opened. It made for a little bit of nervousness and disorientation before you stepped inside, which I thought was almost a casually cruel thing to do, but so very effective.”

Reiss had other thoughts about Achatz’s three-star eatery, saying that when he went this past summer, he went with people who were initially resistant to the idea of tasting menus. “There was a moment when the waiter took something that was hanging over our table, though, and he said, ‘This is part of your next course,’ and there was just this laughter,” Reiss says. “Once you settled in and once you saw how it was all interweaving, it was joyful. That’s when you really understand, “Wow, there’s so much thought put into this meal and into pleasing us. It’s genius.” 

Tracy agrees, noting that there’s a scene in the movie when Chef Slowik tells the diners that he’s a storyteller. “Chefs love saying that, and so much of the time I have to resist rolling my eyes because it sounds so highfalutin,” Tracy jokes. “But when everything works at Alinea, [Achatz] does make that phrase work, because it’s one of those rare occasions where you feel as though you’ve been surprised and informed in the way that a story would. It’s magical.” 

The MenuR, 106 min. Wide release in theaterssearchlightpictures.com/the-menu/

Reiss and Tracy agree that some of Chicago’s culinary magic comes from the fact that the scene is so accessible to the masses. While New York’s Per Se might be filled with Wall Street traders and Upper East Side billionaires, in Chicago, even the finest Windy City establishments are still doable with a little scrimping, saving, and quick clicking. 

“Chicago really does love when something special begins to happen there,” says Reiss. “People in Chicago are so appreciative of, ‘This cool thing is happening in our cool city.’ They all just unabashedly love it. There’s no corniness there. There’s no irony there. It’s like, ‘This is cool. It’s in Chicago. It’s great. We love it,’ and that’s awesome.”

In that sense, watching The Menu is a bit like getting a table at a buzzy new Chicago dining experience. It’s a singular experience, and you’ll walk away telling your friends they have to check it out. Like the chefs they pay tribute to, Reiss and Tracy truly are artists and storytellers, and the movie is full of tense twists and queasy turns that not even the savviest Alinea diner could see coming. The Menu will make you reframe your vision of high-end dining, no matter if you’re typically perched on a cozy bench in the dining room or working long hours in the kitchen.

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