Key Takeaways
I’ve been swiping and researching online dating since 2015. My dating app ratings are based on cost comparisons, safety tests, and firsthand experience.
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Ashley Madison: Best Overall Sex Dating App
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Adult Friend Finder: Best Sex Site for Poly People
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MenNation: Best Gay Hookup Site
“Are sex dating apps a real legit thing?” a friend asked me on a girls night. “Because I’d be up for it if it they really work.” A lot of people share my friend’s skepticism mixed with horny hopes, and we’ve got good news for y’all — the best sex dating apps definitely work, and they’re always open for business, if you know what I mean.
We’ve taken the most popular sites and apps for a spin to distinguish the winners from the losers. Here are our rankings for all you sex-driven adults seeking a late-night companion. The best part is you don’t even have to leave home to take advantage of these free hookup sites and apps. Enjoy!
Overall Best Sex Dating Apps
Let’s get to it. I don’t want to waste your time with a lot of hemming and hawing, and neither do the sexy singles on the following casual hookup apps. You can get matched and get laid on these adults-only platforms.
Ashley Madison is a breath of fresh air for single or attached folks experiencing a sex slump. This exciting dating site and app offer tons of opportunities to mingle, match, flirt, and hook up discreetly. Over 91 million profiles await you on Ashley Madison, and it's free to create an anonymous account.
- Discreetly arranges one-night stands
- More than 91 million profiles worldwide
- Travel-friendly features for seeking matches in other cities
- Browse Ashley Madison profiles 100% free »
Ashley Madison is a discreet dating site known for helping not-so-single users, but it’s also our pick as the best app for singles seeking casual sex.
The Ashley Madison app offers a safe, anonymous, and discreet place to explore different options in the online dating scene. Some members are single, and some are in an open relationship or marriage, and of course others are seeking an affair. The key thing is they’re all hankering for the low-key excitement of a casual fling.
Affairs happen, and Ashley Madison doesn’t judge a person for finding romance outside of marriage. This cheater’s paradise has over 91 million users worldwide, so you will never be alone here.
Registering for an account on Adult Friend Finder (AFF) is like speeding into the fast lane of the online dating world. This hookup site puts you in the center of action and encourages sexy singles and swingers to satisfy their secret fantasies. Anyone over 18 can join AFF and browse millions of profiles for free, but only full-fledged members have access to the revealing content in the community forums and chat rooms.
- One of the largest adults-only sex communities
- Free and fast registration process
- Dating forums and live chats foster live flirtation
- Browse Adult Friend Finder profiles 100% free »
Adult Friend Finder has broken records with its ever-growing membership. Over 100 million people have created a profile on this adult dating platform, and its flashy features give them a lot of bang for their buck.
Casual dating is alive and well on Adult Friend Finder. This mobile-friendly platform appeals to singles and swingers who want to spice things up in the bedroom and meet playmates online and offline.
In addition to the typical search and matching features, the AFF site offers many community spaces where singles can post erotic stories, enjoy some dirty talk, and chat with anonymous strangers for as long they like.
3. NaughtyCharm
When it comes to arranging hookups, NaughtyCharm is fast, easy, fun, and safe. This dating site has built a global network of sexy men and women who want to skip the small talk and cut right to the chase. If you're interested in short-term romance, NaughtyCharm is the place to go and get your flirt on.
- A global network of naughty singles over 18
- Ability to blur nude and explicit content, if desired
- Advanced search filters and one-on-one messaging
- Browse NaughtyCharm profiles 100% free »
We’ve determined that NaughtyCharm is also a leading adult dating site for finding sex because it has free and fast communication tools, and tens of thousands of daily active users.
NaughtyCharm offers a level playing field to flirt and pick up dates — the female-to-male ratio is pretty good for a local hookup site. A new member can send private messages, profile likes, and mass texts fairly easily on the casual sex site. The dating service doesn’t have any mutual match requirements or character limits to hold you back.
Many singles post explicit content — including revealing photos — on their dating profiles to get attention, and they find many opportunities to satisfy their sexual appetites.
FriendFinder-X offers sexy singles the gratifying experience of meeting hot dates within a few clicks. This hookup site is designed to excite people's imaginations and fill them with sexual energy. Whether you're chatting privately or in a group forum, singles and swingers can be upfront about their sexual desires, fetishes, and fantasies.
- A casual personals site for singles, couples, and groups
- Profiles have suggestive photos and strip tease videos
- Chat live via a two-way webcam or private messaging
- Browse FriendFinder-X profiles 100% free »
FriendFinder-X provides tons of local dating opportunities with its advanced search and screening tools. This hookup site welcomes singles, couples, and groups seeking no-strings-attached sex with a stranger.
Things can heat up quickly between members of this hookup site. FriendFinder-X has done a solid job of connecting people with similar interests, expectations, and desires, and that can make a real difference in your local dating scene.
If you’re looking for a sexual encounter online, FriendFinder-X can give you direct access to date prospects and chat rooms that are available 24/7.
5. Tinder
First impressions matter on Tinder. The dating app gives its users the chance to find romance by liking the photos and bylines of local singles. The app's casual atmosphere encourages flirty conversations that quickly lead to exchanging numbers or arranging in-person dates. Every week, Tinder facilitates over 1.5 million dates and hookups in 190+ countries.
- The dating app of choice for millions of sexually active singles
- Accelerating the dating process through swiping
- Has led to over 100 billion mutual matches
- Browse Tinder profiles 100% free »
Tinder is without doubt one of the most popular dating apps of all time, and a good number of Tinder users are more interested in casual sex than a serious relationship.
Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has created over 97 billion matches, and over 630 million people have downloaded it on Google Play or the App Store. Tinder is now available in 190 countries and 40 languages.
Tinder’s swipe-based matching system can certainly get fast results, and over half its members are under 25 and looking for a fun distraction to fill their days — and their nights.
Plenty of Fish lowers the cost of romance by allowing casual daters to send private chats for free. It's easy to make a fast connection thanks to Plenty of Fish's free messaging system. On average, POF members send over 1 billion messages a month, and these chats often lead to romantic encounters in the real world.
- Free instant messages for all singles
- Over 150 million members in 20 countries
- The MeetMe section highlights local hotties
- Browse Plenty of Fish profiles 100% free »
Since 2003, Plenty of Fish has made a name for itself as a free, fun, and casual dating platform for singles who want to meet new people and see what happens.
Plenty of Fish offers a commitment-free sex messenger with no subscriptions, fees, or mutual match requirements reining users in. As long as you are respectful and follow the community guidelines, you can chat with anyone you want for as long as you want on this dating site and app.
Sex isn’t a dirty word on Plenty of Fish. Truth be told, plenty of its users are looking for a fast track to the bedroom for a one night stand, and these single adults enjoy the open forum provided on the free dating app.
Best LGBTQ+ Sex Dating Apps
The LGBTQ+ dating scene has been strengthened by the rise of gay dating apps. Today’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer person doesn’t have to go outside their comfort zone to meet a romantic partner. They can simply sign up to a casual dating app and start swiping!
The following sex-positive apps allow adults to get real with one another and enjoy being fluid, curious, and adventurous together. After all, there’s strength in numbers.
7. MenNation
MenNation has tons of X-rated content to arouse the senses and stimulate conversation. The hookup site attracts single men and gay couples all over the world and has grown its network to include over 93 million people. Free members can browse these profiles for as long as they want and send flirts to anyone who catches their eye.
- A massive men-only sex and swinger community
- Browse profiles and send private messages to your favorites
- Profiles feature erotic videos and sexually explicit blogs
- Browse MenNation profiles 100% free »
MenNation is a straightforward men-only hookup site made for guys who are thirsty, horny, and just plain frisky. Men of any sexual orientation can create a personal ad for free and browse profiles to get a feel for how things work here.
As a hookup platform, MenNation offers adult dating prospects on demand with few hassles and no intrusive matchmaking features. Gay men come in search of an instant hookup, and the private chats often become sexually charged.
MenNation sees over 77,000 daily active users, and it’s a positively raunchy place to meet gay singles and couples online.
8. Grindr
Grindr facilitates hookups by telling local singles where the hottest guys in town are and giving them a direct line of communication. It's easy to jump into this active dating pool and start flirting with gay and bisexual men near you.
- Sexually active men can create free profiles
- Matching system uses GPS information to find local dates
- Millions of prospects available in 192 countries
- Browse Grindr profiles 100% free »
As a gay hookup app, Grindr has sparked many sexy chats, casual hookups, and low-key relationships since its launch in 2009. Today, Grindr has over 27 million users in almost every corner of the world — and it’s still growing.
Location-based matching is the name of the game on Grindr. The app highlights the profiles of guys near you, and it encourages mutual matches to start chatting and arranging a sexual encounter immediately.
Grindr is a top pick for guys hitting the club and bar scene, with many reviews praising it as a hookup app. “Perfect for meeting new folks when you’re new in town,” said a Grindr user named Christopher. “From chatting to friendships to folks just seeking fun!”
FAQs: What’s the Best Sex Dating Site?
That’s an easy one. Just scroll to the top of this list and you’ll see — the best sex dating site is Ashley Madison. It has a massive dating pool of 91 million users, and it offers robust security to keep bad actors and fake profiles out.
It offers women free communication as soon as they create your profile and upload an authentic picture. The site has face-blurring and mask options to edit photos so they don’t show your face, and many users take advantage of that.
I like that Ashley Madison doesn’t waste time with a lot of personality quizzes and match games. Its search filters are straightforward, and users can state if they have privacy concerns or if they are to romantic experiences.
Not all members of Ashley Madison are strictly single, and that’s part of the excitement.
Which Dating Apps Are Completely Free?
Many of the sex dating sites on this list offer free services, but how much matching and messaging is included in the basic plan can vary. I’ll do a quick rundown of what to expect from each site and app in terms of freebies.
- Ashley Madison: Completely free for women.
- Adult Friend Finder: Free communication in the public forum.
- NaughtyCharm: Free browsing and some free replies.
- FriendFinder-X: Free discussion forum and public posting.
- Tinder: Free messaging with mutual matches.
- Plenty of Fish: Free to send 55 messages per day.
- MenNation: Free commenting and public posts.
- Grindr: Free chatting with mutual matches.
The free membership is a good place to start on a sex app. It could be enough to get you where you want to go.
Which Dating Apps Actually Work?
A lot of dating apps really do work. I met my husband on an online dating app called Hinge aka the dating app designed to be deleted — and sure enough, we both deleted it within a week of meeting.
Ashley Madison has great success stories, and I’d bet a lot more positive reviews would be out there if its membership weren’t known for secrecy.
“I would say that Ashley Madison helps set up meets for one-night stands, but nothing long-term. I used it to meet women.” -Anonymous testimonial
Tinder has phenomenal success stats to its name. The app boasts sparking about 1.5 million first dates every week. It has made 100 billion matches since launching in 2012.
Do I Need a Facebook Account to Join a Dating Site or App?
No worries! Plenty of dating sites and apps let you skip Facebook or social media logins during signup. Typically, you’ll just need to provide an email address or phone number to confirm your identity. Keep in mind that registration rules can differ depending on the dating platform.
To my knowledge, the only dating app that absolutely requires a Facebook profile is Facebook Dating.
Which Sex Dating Site Should I Choose?
Why pick just one! Grab a spoon and enjoy all the different flavors of online dating. Seriously though, I always recommend joining at least two dating apps to up your odds of finding a good match.
This strategy is actually the reason my husband and I found each other. He’d messaged me on OkCupid, and I’d ignored it. When he messaged a week later on Hinge, I answered (not knowing he was the same “want to go to the dog park” guy I’d passed on)!
You’re not guaranteed success on any app, so the best you can do is put yourself out there as much as you can (while keeping your sanity and not making it a full-time job) on apps that have worked for people like you.
If you want a personalized recommendation, take our expert-backed quiz:
The Most Popular Sex Apps Can Work Like a Charm
As you can see, sex dating apps are most definitely a thing, and they’re a big part of the reason single friends of mine can have sex on a regular basis. You don’t have to prowl the bar or club anymore to pick up hot dates — simply go online to a top-rated dating site or sex app to meet people and arrange a casual encounter.
The dating platforms on this list can guide you to sexy singles and couples who want to skip the small talk and create intimate connections as quickly as possible.
Whether you consider yourself a smooth talker, a casual dater, or an online dating newbie, you can start exploring the local dating scene with a free profile and a little flirtatious energy. Good luck!
