Singles often search for hookup sites and apps with no credit card required because they want to save a little cash while getting lucky — and we can hardly blame them.

Free dating platforms can offer flirtatious opportunities for a very reasonable $0 price. Casual daters and sexually active swingers tend to favor these low-investment and anonymous services because they don’t have to put in much to land a sexy date.

If you’re looking for no-strings-attached sex, the following hookup sites can certainly fit the bill without requiring you to foot the bill and provide your credit card information.

Best Overall Hookup Sites & Apps (No Credit Card Required)

Let’s get right to it. Casual daters don’t like to waste time on small talk, and neither do we. Here are the top dating sites and apps for singles hoping to hook up with strangers:

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0
  • A massive user base of over 70 million dating profiles
  • Send a free private message or Flirtcast to get something going
  • Exchange nude pics or adult videos with a Flirt member you trust

Flirt.com is a no-strings dating site that delivers a ton of flirting options for adults looking to get laid. The good news is it doesn’t cost a thing to set up a dating profile, swipe on matches, and send messages to anyone you like.

The Flirt network doesn’t impose a lot of rules and restrictions on its users. As long as you have an email address and profile picture, you can take advantage of the searching and chat features on this hookup site. The only reason to give your credit card information is if you want to pay for a premium subscription on Flirt.com.

The paid membership includes some perks, including incognito browsing and more match options, but you can still meet people and have a good dating experience with a free membership on Flirt.com.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.8/5.0
  • Discreetly arranges one-night stands and extramarital affairs
  • More than 80 million profiles worldwide
  • Travel-friendly features for seeking matches in other cities

Ashley Madison is an affair dating site where men and women seek low-key and low-commitment connections. Most members aren’t looking for a serious relationship because they’re already in one, and they’d prefer to keep things casual and discreet.

It’s free to join Ashley Madison, view potential matches, and use the Quick Reply tool to show your interest. The dating service will only ask for your credit card information if you choose to upgrade to get premium perks, such as the ability to swipe in a different city. Instant messaging is free for all female members, while male members have a cap on the free icebreakers they can send.

The privacy features on Ashley Madison can help sexy women and men keep their affairs private and enjoy no-strings-attached sexting and perhaps a casual encounter without anyone they know being the wiser. For added security, you can blur or mask your profile picture, and you can change the Ashley Madison icon on your phone so that it doesn’t give you away.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.8/5.0
  • 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

BeNaughty has a lot to offer casual daters in the mood for sex. The hookup website provides free browsing, free chatting, and free match suggestions to help singles make something happen.

You can find a potential match by swiping through photos in the Carousel or by using the advanced search filters for age, location, appearance, and background. Once you’ve identified a hottie, it’s time to start flirting by sending a like or a message to establish a new casual relationship. It’s free to send messages on BeNaughty as long as you have a valid profile picture.

If you’re really in a hurry to get sexting with strangers, you can always use the mass texting option to send the same greeting to all BeNaughty members who meet your dating criteria.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

AdultFriendFinder has more than 100 million users worldwide, making it one of the most popular sex and swinger site of all time. The website facilitates discreet hookups 24/7.

Since its launch in 1996, the AFF site has made erotic content and sexy dates easily accessible to horny adults everywhere. It’s free to set up an account and look through the photos and personal ads of other users; however, only premium members can send direct private messages on AdultFriendFinder.

The AFF Gold Membership plan also unlocks video chat features and private photo collections that can turn up the heat on an online dating experience. Adult singles don’t need to pay for AFF to join the discussion boards, play sex games, and view online nudes.

5. Pure

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.6/5.0

Pure keeps things interesting by allowing users to post sexy personal ads any time they wish for free. You don’t have to give your real name or post a photo if you’d prefer to stay anonymous. The hookup app has been downloaded over 11 million times, which means it’s not the biggest dating pool, but it’s not the smallest either.

Free members can explore the app and browse profiles without needing to input their credit card information. It isn’t until you want to chat that payment comes into play. For safety reasons, and let’s be honest to stay profitable, Pure has a policy of keep chatting between subscribers only. But you can subscribe for as little as one week if you’re curious and want to get a piece of the action.

Just be aware that chats are automatically deleted on Pure after 24 hours, so you’ll need to move fast to seal the deal and land a date before that match vanishes completely.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

OneNightFriend is a casual hookup site where single people can flirt, sext, and chat without any inhibitions or kink-shaming. The atmosphere is friendly and chill because no one is taking themselves too seriously. Users are looking to meet sexy people on the down low, and perhaps an online match will create enough of a spark to set up a one-night stand.

The free membership includes some free messaging features, so it’s possible to make a sexy connection without paying. The free version of OneNightFriend is particularly useful if you’re a single woman because female users receive the most free features on the website.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0
  • 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

FriendFinder-X fosters a casual dating scene where local singles can skip the pleasantries and get right to arranging steamy affairs. The free sex site doesn’t charge for access to the database, and it has advanced searching tools to help like-minded, sex-driven people connect.

You don’t need a debit or credit card to become a member of the online dating site. All you need to provide is a valid email address and some basic demographic details (gender, age, location, etc.) to get your profile up and running. As a free member of FriendFinder-X, you’ll have the ability to view photos and like or favorite any profile that interests you.

8. Tinder

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • The dating app of choice for millions of sexually active singles
  • Accelerating the dating process through swiping
  • Has led to over 97 billion mutual matches

Tinder is a no-brainer for lists like this one. This app invented photo-based swiping and matching in 2012, and it has been a dominant force in the casual dating scene ever since.

Tinder has been downloaded over 630 million times, and it has created over 97 billion matches, and it’s only become more popular as a new tech-savvy generation comes of age. More than 50% of Tinder members are under 25 years old, meaning they’re Generation Z, and most of these young singles are more interested in a one-night stand than a one true love.

9. OkCupid

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0
  • Free private messaging available to all members
  • Users can state that they're seeking hookups on their profiles
  • Responsible for 50,000 dates per week

If you want a dating website or app that is completely free, then OkCupid is just the thing for you. Pretty much everything you need to meet someone is free on OkCupid — and that includes unlimited free communication.

Once you complete your OkCupid profile, you can send a message to anyone on the online dating site or app without paying anything or even needing to create a mutual match. The first message is a freebie, but the other person has to give the thumbs up to your dating profile to unlock a chat window.

Since 2004, OkCupid has honed its matchmaking system to incorporate profile data, browsing history, and responses to match questions, so the compatibility ratings are incredibly good at predicting which couples will hit it off. OkCupid sparks about 90 million matches every year and is growing larger all the time.

10. Match

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0
  • Free profile browsing and liking
  • Private chat rooms and video dates for Match members only
  • Fast-working, time-tested AI match algorithm

Traditionally, Match is a serious dating site and app for building relationships and friendships that last for more than one night. However, not all of its 30 million members are strictly interested in the long haul.

This popular dating site sees all types of singles, from divorcees to never-married singles, and some of them are open to casual hookups and short-term dating. You typically won’t find that information in the Match profile, so you’ll have to send a message (it’s free for Top Picks) to see where that single person stands and when they’re free to meet up.

Match offers adult dating done right. According to the site’s internal statistics, approximately, 75% of Match members are over 30, and every dating profile must pass a screening process before it appears on the site.

11. Zoosk

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • Fast-paced dating scene available in 80 countries
  • Full members can send unlimited messages
  • Advanced search filters help you zero in on the hottest dates

Online dating is a numbers game, and Zoosk has a whole lot of numbers to back it up. More than 40 million singles have joined this free dating site and app since 2007, and members exchange over 3 million messages per day through the platform.

Zoosk has the look and feel of a social media platform, and new users can link their profile to their Facebook account to speed up the signup process and help their personality shine. After all, if you’re going to add photos from Facebook anyway, you may as well let the dating site or dating app do it automatically.

Casual daters appreciate that Zoosk offers a lot of free communication options to facilitate online connections. Not all messaging is free, but Zoosk unlocks certain chat windows and allows free greetings between members, so it’s possible to land a first date here without bothering with account updates, subscription fees, or tokens. You can learn more about how much Zoosk costs in our full review.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.7/5.0

Plenty of Fish is a 100% free dating site that delivers free communication to all users with very few restrictions. Basically, as long as you’re not spamming the membership base, you can chat with as many POF members as you like for as long as you like without a paid subscription.

The POF community can offer a lot of value for its $0 price tag. Free members can fill out detailed profiles and take the chemistry test to attract compatible matches, and they can use search filters, swiping features, and match suggestions to find hot dates in their area.

Plenty of Fish has over 150 million members in 20 countries, and the online dating service creates over 57 million matches every week, so dive in and get your flirt on.

Best LGBT Hookup Sites & Apps (No Credit Card Required)

If you want to explore your sexuality and make a splash in the gay dating scene, you’re better off going to an adult dating site or app geared toward the LGBTQ+ community. Gay dating sites and lesbian dating apps offer a safe and flirtatious space — and straight people are not invited to the party.

Singles and couples can make the most of the gay dating experience and find a same-sex match by joining the following free dating platforms with no credit card needed.

13. MenNation

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • 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

MenNation is an online dating site for gay and bisexual men with sex on the brain. Both single men and gay couples can sign up for free and identify themselves as “men seeking men,” which is the only matching option available, and then they can enjoy mingling in the global gay chat room.

MenNation sees over 780,000 monthly visitors, and its database encompasses a virtually endless gallery of sexy profiles and personal ads, so men can always find some eye candy here.

As a full member of MenNation, you can seduce local singles and turn a potential match into a real-life love interest by sending private messages, photos, and videos.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Create a free profile in less than a minute
  • Search filters can identify attractive singles and couples in the area
  • Strip tease videos, revealing photos, and other adult content

On the other side of the coin, LesbianPersonals is a female-friendly hookup website designed to help a lesbian or bisexual woman get laid. This lesbian sex site invites single women, lesbian couples, straight couples, and swinger groups to explore their sexuality and pursue their desires in a judgment-free zone.

Whether you’re interested in arranging a threesome or sexting a hot woman, this sexy network can put you in touch with people searching for the same thing.

As an adult-friendly hookup site, LesbianPersonals requires all users to be over 18, but it doesn’t require members to share their real names, photos, or credit card information if they don’t want to.

15. Grindr

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • Sexually active men can create free profiles
  • Matching system uses GPS information to find local dates
  • Millions of prospects available in 192 countries

Launched in 2009, Grindr is the longest-running and most popular gay dating app on the market, and it has attracted over 27 million men seeking romance.

Grindr doesn’t charge a fee for basic features like chatting with your mutual matches, but sometimes guys upgrade to Grindr Xtra because they want to swipe outside their cities or send more likes per day.

Grindr uses location-based data to highlight guys who are nearest to you. That means you could quickly go from swiping on your phone to chatting in real life — especially if you’re both already bar-hopping or clubbing.

Jose H. was frustrated with his date prospects as a single gay man until his friend introduced him to Grindr one night. “I’m now in heaven,” Jose said in a review in the App Store. “I don’t have to go out for dates or encounters.”

What Does “Hooking Up” Mean?

Hooking up is a vague term that means something flirty or sexy is going on. It could refer to anything from a makeout session to good old-fashioned sex. A hookup is what happens when two people become romantically involved. Maybe they have sex, or maybe they just cuddled.

In most cases, hooking up is a euphemism for sexual activity of some kind, but you’ll need to rely on context clues or ask follow-up questions to figure out what exactly was going on.

What’s the Difference Between a Hookup Site & Hookup App?

There’s not a huge difference between hookup sites and hookup apps. You’ll find similar matching features and messaging options on both types of platforms — and sometimes the online dating experience is pretty much identical.

Hookup apps tend to rely on swiping technology to create new matches and online connections. Hookup sites are primarily accessed via desktop, so they’re more likely to have search filters and showcase multiple profiles rather than one at a time.

Most hookup sites offer a companion hookup app that you can download on your smartphone, and that can be helpful for singles who don’t have time to sit down at their computer. Hookup apps are handy when you’re at work or at the club and want to flirt with someone new. These apps can also use real-time location data to find matches near you.

Do Most Sites and Apps Allow You to Search for Hookups?

No, most online dating sites and apps do not have sex-related search filters beyond that of age, location, and maybe some physical characteristics. However, singles can easily find sexually active singles by prowling on sex-positive platforms.

For instance, if you’re on a hookup site like BeNaughty, it’s safe to assume that everyone in the database is open to having sex.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0
  • Over 13.3 million monthly users worldwide
  • Cute or Not swiping game introduces you to hot women
  • Switch to Full Safe Mode to limit contact to verified members

Mainstream apps like Tinder have a broad dating pool where serious relationship seekers mingle with sex seekers, and that can cause frustration on both sides. Singles who want to skip the guessing games will often write “looking for something serious” or “just want something casual” in their bios to let potential dates know what their expectations are upfront.

Just be aware that your dating site of choice will make a big difference in what sort of people you encounter. If you’re on a relationship site like eharmony, then you’re probably not going to get lucky until at least the third date.

How Do I Choose the Best Hookup Site or App?

Singles have a lot of options in the online dating scene, and that can be overwhelming for newcomers hoping to make the right decision. You can start by reading a lot of reviews and testimonials until you get a feel for which dating platform has worked best for people like you.

Our online dating experts have done a lot of research to highlight the top dating sites and apps available for different types of singles, but the #1 on our list may not be the #1 option for you because success varies widely based on age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and other factors. We’ve seen sites like AdultFriendFinder, Pure, DOWN, HUD, and SaucyDates voted the best hookup site, and they all have great benefits to offer.

The best advice we can give you is to trust your instincts and create a dating profile on multiple free dating sites and apps to give yourself the best chance at meeting a new sex partner.

Are Hookup Sites and Apps Safe?

Yes, it’s safe to use hookup sites and apps as long as you tread cautiously and vet your date prospects before agreeing to meet in person.

Keep in mind that dating platforms can attract some unsavory characters looking to lie, cheat, and steal, so verify a person’s identity through a video call, web search, and/or social media profile to avoid falling victim to a romance scam or fake profiles.

Photo of a scam alert
Online daters may encounter fake profiles as they browse a popular hookup website.

Most of the people you meet online will be ordinary people looking for some low-key fun or maybe a serious relationship. They may be lonely or horny and eager to chat. However, that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down and open your heart (or your bank account) to any random person who pays you a compliment.

Romance scammers tend to lay on the charm and use flattery to get in the good graces of their victims. They may message for a few weeks or even months before pretending to have a crisis and asking for money.

Texting in broken English and avoiding an in-person meeting or video date are common red flags of online dating scams, and singles should trust their gut to keep themselves safe. If anyone gives you bad vibes, then block or report the dating profile on the hookup site or app.

What Does “Free” Mean on a Hookup Site and App?

A free dating site should be pretty straightforward, right? Well, in a perfect world, maybe, but in reality, I think most savvy web users know that the word “free” tacked onto a website doesn’t always mean it’s free. Even if the dating website claims to be 100% free, totally free, or absolutely free, you should take that with a grain of salt and ask yourself exactly what is being offered for free.

Every dating site or app will have some free features — even if it’s just a free signup and profile browsing — so they can all legitimately claim to be free for everyone or free forever. What they’re not telling you is that your free membership has limits and may not include the ability to view photos, see potential matches, read or respond to messages, and use the platform to meet new people.

A hookup site or app may be free to join, but it may not be free to chat, so go in understanding that or you could be in for a rude awakening when you go to your inbox and find it locked behind a paywall.

What’s the Best Dating Site for Black Singles?

For over 20 years, BlackPeopleMeet has given Black singles a place where they belong and can mingle with people who share a similar background and culture. This niche dating site and app has been a champion for the Black community and stood behind the words “Black is beautiful.”

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Over 1.5 million monthly users from all walks of life
  • Search for Black dates by demographics, online status, or keyword
  • Up to 11 match suggestions delivered to your inbox

BlackPeopleMeet appeals primarily to African-American singles, but it also welcomes anyone interested in dating a person of color. You can find dark-skinned dates as well as interracial relationships through this diverse network. And, if you’re only interested in a hookup, you can state that in your dating profile and search the database by relationship type and appearance.

The matching features on BlackPeopleMeet appeal to both casual daters and serious daters, and it doesn’t cost anything to dive into this diverse dating pool.

The Best Hookup Sites Offer the Freedom to Do Your Thing

Go ahead and put your credit card away. You don’t need it to sign up and browse on free sex sites and local hookup platforms. All of the sites and apps on this list offer a free membership plan that doesn’t expire, and most of them also offer some form of free communication options to help romance thrive in the online world.

We’ve ranked and reviewed the best hookup sites and apps with no credit card required to help casual sex seekers save money when they prowl the dating scene. You don’t need to shell out any cash to swipe on hotties on apps like Tinder or chat with cuties on OkCupid, and you don’t need a paid membership to start flirting on the sexy networks on this list.

Advertiser Disclosure DatingNews.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation from many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear on the page (including, for example, the order in which they appear). DatingNews.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers. Our Editorial Review Policy Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.