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You may have heard about Backpage, a website where you could find ads for just about anything you can think of. That’s because it made national headlines a few years back because some unsavory people were using it for questionable reasons. That said, many people used Backpage legitimately such as buying or selling regular goods like you can do on popular sites such as OfferUp.

While Craigslist is one possible (and popular) alternative to Backpage, it no longer has personal ads either. So, read on to learn more about twenty of the best Backpage alternative websites. First, we’ll cover Backpage alternatives in terms of meeting people for casual dating or hookup purposes (like Tinder), then we’ll cover alternatives for buying and selling goods.

11 Backpage Alternatives for Meeting People and Dating

A lot of people appreciated Backpage for its personal ads page as a way to find other people looking for “casual” encounters. So, we’re going to start off by looking at some of the best Backpage alternatives when it comes to casual online dating or finding hookups.There’s a large variety here, so you’ll want 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 some of the same issues that plagued Backpage and ended up getting that site taken down. So, please take into account the following disclaimer:

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

1.) Tinder

This one doesn’t really require an introduction, as just about everyone and their mom has heard of Tinder. It’s gone global and is now the number one dating app in the world in terms of registered accounts, largely due to its popularity with millennials and gen Z. In case you’re unfamiliar, Tinder is a pretty straightforward app. You see random profiles in your area, with photos and a little bit of text. You then swipe right to indicate your interest, or left, if you don’t. Then, you’ll be matched with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on your profile. From there, you can start messaging and go from there. As with the other sites, there’s a free version as well as a paid tier (Tinder Gold) for additional features and unlimited swiping.

2.) Ashley Madison

You’ve probably seen ads for Ashley Madison on *ahem* those websites. That’s because this site is all about connecting adults who are looking for casual hookups. One big plus for Ashley Madison is that it really prioritizes discretion. For example, if you decide to become a paying member, your credit card statement will simply read “Online services.” And you will probably want to do that if you’d like to take advantage of everything this website has to offer, including features such as “Traveling Man,” which lets you reach out to people from the area you’ll soon be visiting. Check out our full Ashley Madison review.

3.) Adult Friend Finder

When it comes to alternatives to Backpage for romantic encounters, Adult Friend Finder is easily one of the top choices. It cites itself as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Personals Community,” and it has a staggering amount of people signed up—over 100 million accounts, in fact. Just as with Ashley Madison, there’s a free option but it’s rather limited compared to the paid subscription tier. There are chatrooms, vlogs, messaging, and a (paid) feature called Stories that lets you discuss your dream dating life so other people can see if they share the same vibe or goals. Click here to read more about Adult Friend Finder.

4.) Kasual

Kasual, formerly known as Yumi, is a cool Backpage alternative because it’s really unique. Instead of getting matched up via algorithm or swiping, you get connected randomly to a person and the two of you can begin talking right away and see if there’s a connection. This app is available for Android and iOS, and the free version is pretty complete. If you like, though, you can always opt for the Premium membership. Ultimately, Kasual is a breath of fresh air compared to many hookup sites like Tinder because it’s ultra-focused on casual hookups (hence the rebranded name).

5.) Plenty of Fish

Plenty of Fish, or POF, refers to the old dating mantra that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—in other words, don’t sweat being single or getting broken up with, because there are a whole lot of people out there (billions, in fact). You can use POF as a website or app, which is kind of nice. It’s a pretty typical dating site, where you get matched up with people based on shared interests. They also have a nice video-date feature that may make you feel safer (especially women) about meeting up with someone after seeing them over video first.

6.) Pernals

Logo

Pernals is an app that’s all about personal ads. It allows you to create your own personal ad for free so you can state exactly what you’re looking for (a relationship, casual hookup, friend, etc.). Pernals even lists itself as a direct alternative to Backpage classified ads. They feature relationship categories like Backpage’s personals page used to: platonic, woman seeking woman, woman seeking man, man seeking woman, etc. It’s only available as an app, which you can download either with Google Play or the Apple Store.

7.) Bedpage

Bedpage is another Backpage alternative. Although it features many different categories, the ones that may be of most interest to people looking for a Backpage alternative would be the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. You should definitely proceed carefully with this site, however, as there are no doubt many people trying to use it to scam people and/or conduct illicit activities.

8.) Doublelist

Doublelist is another site that’s similar to Backpage. One slightly annoying aspect is you have to sign up in order to browse their site, which leads with the tagline “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious!” So, it isn’t hard to know what most people are looking for with Doublelist. They claim to have more than three million users in the U.S., however, so there might be a good chance you can find something that you vibe well with. As always, watch out for catfishers and other scammers.

9.) Oodle

Oodle has features very similar to old personals sites, with categories such as “Men Seek Women,” “Women Seek Men,” etc. There are also some filters including age, which can be nice if you want to narrow things down. There don’t appear to be a ton of people using this site, but it might be worth a shot. At least for my area, there are a lot more men posting on it than women, so depending on what you’re looking for it might not be a great option.

10.) Locanto

Locanto has a similar set up to Oodle and the other Backpage personals imitations. For example, there’s a “Casual Encounters” category with lots of subcategories. You can post a personal ad to let people know what you’re looking for. Like with Oodle, it appears to be mostly men posting and some of the female postings seem rather scammy. As long as you use your best judgment, Locanto could end up being a solid option for meeting people.

11.) eBackpage

Ebackpage is—you guessed it—a Backpage clone that’s just about identical to Bedpage in terms of its look. Like Backpage, there are personal ads available, and like Bedpage, there are both “Dating” and “Adult” categories with the usual options. This site didn’t appear to have many people posting, however. In the “Women seek men,” section, for example, the last posts were from May 2021. You can give this site a try but be aware that there are plenty of scammers on it.

9 Backpage Alternatives For Posting Classified Ads

While the above websites and apps all have the goal of connecting people for dating purposes, Backpage was really a one-stop shop for everything. So, this next batch of Backpage alternatives will focus on sites where you can post ads for buying and selling goods, whether that’s an electric guitar, Playstation, couch, or other items.

1.) Craigslist

If you’re in the U.S., Craigslist probably doesn’t need much introduction as it’s been a household name for a while. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Craigslist. As with any of the sites listed in this review, you have to watch out for scams, but in general I’ve had dozens of easy, smooth transactions with people in my community. Although Craigslist no longer has a “personals” page in the wake of the Backpage scandal, it’s definitely one of the best places to go if you’re looking to buy or sell something in your area.

2.) Offerup

Offerup is a website for the buying and selling goods, whether that’s shoes, clothing, headphones, guitars, furniture, you name it. While you can use it on your desktop, the app itself is a bit better. Also, unlike Craiglist, there is an option for shipping, so you can find stuff from all over the country as long as the person is willing to ship whatever it is that they’re selling. As a buyer and seller, this opens you up to more options. Another cool feature with Offerup is there’s a “free” section so you can take advantage of what people are trying to just quickly get rid of.

3.) Pennysaver

PennySaver is another popular website for those of us out there who are always trying to save money. You can look for real estate listing, cars and motorcycles, jobs, services, even pets! There are a ton of different ways to save money through the PennySaver, which has been in operation for more than fifty years with its original printed classifieds and mailers. This is another great Backpage alternative with a local focus so you can save money whether that’s on a plumber of dining out.

4.) Kijiji

Kijiji is the perfect Backpage alternative if you just so happen to live in Canada. Since it’s a Canadian site, you can browse in English or in French, plus there’s a Kijiji Autos page just for people looking to buy or sell their car. As with Backpage, you select your region and then your city. You can find just about anything on Kijiji, as with PennySaver, so that means getting deals on cars, apartments, services, and pets.

5.) Geebo

Geebo bills itself as “Safe Community Classifieds.” To this end, Geebo has a “Scams & Shams” page that encourages its users to follow certain safety practices, such as purchasing locally, meeting in public, bringing a friend, and following your gut. These are good rules to apply in general to all the sites reviewed here, but it’s nice that Geebo goes out of its way to try to encourage a safer experience. Geebo also has a job portal that can help you potentially find your next employee—it does seem like an expensive service, however, at $299 for 1 month of access.

6.) Gumtree

Gumtree is the Craigslist of the U.K., so if you happen to live there then this is definitely one of your top options. You can peruse job listings, cars, gaming consoles, apartment listings, etc. Gumtree also has an option to rate people who you conduct business with, which is a nice feature as you’ll have a better sense of whether or not someone is trustworthy before you start engaging with them. In general, Gumtree has solid online reviews, as people appreciate the easy-to-use interface.

7.) Free Ads Time

Free Ads Time is a global classifieds website, which is nice because you can potentially use it all over the world wherever you go. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to have many active users, as I could hardly find any postings for my city (a relatively good-sized one). As with most of these sites, Free Ads Time has all the usual categories, meaning that you can look for apartments or houses to rent, roommates, jobs, pets, cars, furniture, clothes, etc.

8.) Want Ad Digest

Want Ad Digest is like Penny Saver in that it goes back some 50+ years. This site has a specific focus on the East Coast, catering to states such as New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, etc. You can use Want Ad Digest to find watches, electronics, cars, campers, even farm equipment! It’s got all the usual categories that you’re accustomed to finding on other sites, with a special focus on cars, trucks, powersports, trailers, boats, and the like.

9.) LetGo

The basic idea of LetGo is right there in the name, encouraging us to let go of what we have so that others might enjoy it. LetGo is a newer app that shares a fair amount in common with OfferUp (see above). This means that it’s only accessible via mobile app (iOS or Android). Like OfferUp, LetGo is all about letting you access the “secret economy right in your neighborhood,” as their website says. As with Gumtree and OfferUp, you can rate other users on the site who you transact with, which makes these sites feel a little safer than some of the others reviewed here.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a ton of options in terms of Backpage alternatives. If you read all of these reviews, however, you can see that that definitely doesn’t mean that they’re all created equal. In fact, some of these are much better than others.

In general, if you’re in the U.S., your best bet is probably to stick with one of the major dating or hookup sites, such as Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, or AshleyMadison (or another one that’s similar to those). And if you’re looking to buy and sell stuff, then your best bet is to probably stick with OfferUp or LetGo. If you’re in Canada, then Kijiji, and if you’re in the U.K., then Gumtree.

Some of the other sites may be okay, but a fair amount seem to host quite a lot of scams, so remember to be extra careful if you’re using one of the lesser-known sites. Make sure you follow basic common sense and never send strangers any money before you’ve actually met with them and have verified that everything is legit. When in doubt, trust your gut and stay safe out there!

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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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