Before apps, dating sites, and everything that comes with them, people seeking companionship turned to personal ads. Personal classified ads, or “personals,” have been around for centuries in one form or another, and the internet makes it easier than ever to place men seeking women personals.

Publishing an ad in the newspaper isn’t the best way to find eligible single ladies these days, but several apps and websites can help single men connect with someone. Most of these apps and sites are free, and there are more personalized sites that cater to specific men seeking specific types of women.

Whether you’re looking for a fling or want something more serious, there is a place for you to find the woman of your dreams. 

Overall Best “Men Seeking Women” Personals

Let’s start with the overall best platforms for men seeking women personals and dating. These sites and apps are open to all, generally offer free signup, and have something for everyone. These dating services cater to all types of single adults, and they can be a fast way to meet local women.

1. Match

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.9/5.0
  • Find quality women with advanced search filters
  • Communicate with your Top Picks for free
  • Add up to 26 photos to your profile

Match.com is a website and dating app that helps connect singles looking for different types of relationships. While it doesn’t necessarily fit the classic definition of personals ads, the dating service operates in very similar ways.

It’s free to sign up and fill in your profile details, and the process is very similar to writing a men-seeking-women personals ad, because you have plenty of space to write about who you are and what you’re looking for. Match.com plays a role, too, by using its expertise to suggest potential matches you may be interested in. You can include all the details you want about your ideal partner, just like in a personals ad, and you’re likely to find exactly what you’re looking for.

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★★★★★ 4.8/5.0
  • More than 2 million monthly users
  • A growing network of female professionals in 25 countries
  • Elite Singles offers daily match recommendations and expert profile advice

If you’re looking for a more educated atmosphere, Elite Singles caters to the college-educated. Over 80% of the local singles on the site have at least a Bachelor’s degree, with many holding Master’s or Doctorate degrees in their fields. The high-quality personals ad section of the site features a mostly over-30, ambitious and career-minded crowd.

The dating site is definitely more for those seeking the right man or woman for a serious relationship rather than casual sex, since over 90% of the user base stated their preference for something more serious. Signing up is free, but you can only send messages or view photos with a premium membership.

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★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Over 2.3 million messages sent every week
  • Match formula pinpoints compatibility in lifestyle, temperament, and goals
  • Relatively even gender split of men and women

Not every Craigslist personals ad in the site’s history was for a hookup. Many men seeking women personals ads are for a man looking for something more serious. For men who know they want a committed relationship, eharmony is an online dating service that takes the focus off casual encounters.

The compatibility quiz is a bit of a time commitment, but with honest answers and 30 minutes of patience, eharmony can match you with highly compatible single women. According to the site’s statistics, someone finds love on the platform every 14 minutes, and the company boasts over 2 million success story testimonials. The eharmony dating platform has more than 20 years of experience and success if you’re looking for a wife or for online dating geared toward serious relationships.

4. Zoosk

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★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Free trial with unlimited profile browsing
  • Flirt with women in 80+ countries
  • Behavioral matchmaking system pays attention to your likes and views

Zoosk launched in 2007, bringing social media integration into the dating site world. The Backpage alternative offers all of its members a plethora of free contact options: virtual gifts, “likes,” pre-written introduction messages, and classic options such as instant messaging, making the site a convenient alternative to standard personals ads.

The dating app and site both use a behavioral matching system to pair each man and woman on the platform with the best potential partners. The signup process is intuitive and quick, so you can get right down to finding the single woman that meets your needs. With a membership of more than 40 million people and many positive testimonials, Zoosk gives you a lot of options and easy methods to act on them.

5. OkCupid

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★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Men can leave a message to anyone they fancy
  • A sophisticated match algorithm developed by Harvard math majors
  • The site and app facilitate over 50,000 dates every week

Launched in 2004, OkCupid is a forever free dating site and app that connects singles around the world. Unlike some of the options on this list, OkCupid offers all of its core features for free, including its match quiz, all messaging options, and profile viewing. A-list features enhance the experience by boosting your visibility or offering the chance to see who is looking at your profile.

The matching algorithm for OkCupid is data-driven. The online dating platform’s “math nerds” use analytics to figure out what makes successful matches tick. Responsible for over 91 million connections per year, the dating site and dating app that goes with it is equally good for those seeking a casual relationship and those looking for marriage.

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★★★★ 4.1/5.0

If you’re seeking something a little more casual, Adult Friend Finder has maintained a reputation for decades. Catering to anyone looking for a casual encounter, AFF is a popular choice in the swinger community as well as various kink communities, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

The site offers a lot of options for adventurous singles, with something for just about any single person or even any couple interested in casual sex. AFF members with a free profile gain access to erotic blogs and photo galleries, as well as the forum and public chats, which function much like hookup personals. If you’re looking for a Craigslist alternative for a casual hookup, AFF has been going strong since 1996.

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

As a spiritual successor to Craigslist and Backpage, BeNaughty makes it as easy as possible for men seeking women to get down to business. The casual hookup site is free to join, and includes broad to highly specific filters to help users connect with the people they’re most likely interested in.

If you think the most annoying part of finding a hookup is breaking the ice, BeNaughty has you covered. The site’s features include the ability to send a mass message to everyone who meets your criteria in your area, sending either a pre-written icebreaker or your own sentiments. Since the site has over 13 million monthly visitors, even the most specific man looking for a beautiful woman for a hookup can find what he wants.

8. Tinder

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0

One downside of classified ads is that you cast a wide net with little control over who responds. Tinder revolutionized the dating scene in 2012 by launching the first swipe-based dating app. The mutual-match function of the app means that while you don’t have to put in much effort, you still get to screen your potential matches without having to meet them first.

Another area that makes Tinder a good Craigslist alternative is the fact that you can provide as much or as little information as you want. While Tinder required a linked Facebook profile for several years, you can now access the app without any social media connection, keeping yourself as anonymous as you want.

9. Bumble

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • Bold women reach out to men on Bumble
  • A gender-balanced environment takes the pressure off
  • Facilitating millions of matches each month

Launched as a more woman-friendly alternative to existing dating apps and sites, Bumble has pioneered keeping women safe while they seek out partners for everything from marriage to casual sex. As a replacement for men seeking women personals ads, it’s a little more challenging than some of the choices on this list. But it’s well worth checking out if you’re willing to put in the work.

In an effort to stamp out creeps and unsolicited dick pics, Bumble empowers women to make the first move: After a mutual match, women have 24 hours to send a first message. The dating app is mostly geared toward those seeking a more serious connection, but hookup dates and casual encounters aren’t forbidden. 

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★★★★ 3.9/5.0

As another totally free dating site, Plenty of Fish earns its status as a Backpage alternative thanks to its user base of over 150 million users, its easy setup, and free messaging. While POF focuses on wholesome dating, there are plenty of members seeking something casual as well.

A major guideline for POF users is respect: The site monitors and removes any photos that include minors, nudity, or gruesome imagery. In addition, the dating site uses high-tech verification tools to ensure a high level of trust between members. While Backpage has strong associations to escorting and other sex work, Plenty of Fish is more Disney than Cinemax, but it remains a strong platform for those seeking a free, intuitive venue for meeting singles. 

Popular Sites For “Men Seeking Black Women” Personals

If your dating preferences tend toward Black women specifically, there are several sites out there to help you connect with a single woman of your racial choice. While some dating apps and websites in this category cater specifically to Black men and women seeking each other out, it’s also possible for people of other races to seek out an interracial connection.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.3/5.0
  • Find women who share similar backgrounds and goals
  • Over 1.5 million monthly users in the U.S. and Canada
  • Virtual gifts, match alerts, boost visibility, and other perks

BlackPeopleMeet is a fun meeting place for a diverse group of singles. This niche dating site, launched in 2002, creates a safe space for Black and biracial singles to mingle and connect. Over 1 million monthly users on the platform means that anyone seeking a flirtation, casual dating, or even something more serious has plenty of options. 

A major draw for BlackPeopleMeet is being among other Black and biracial people who understand the stresses and pressures that come with seeking a partner on conventional dating sites as a person of color. Profile setup takes less than two minutes, and it’s free to get an account and start browsing profiles to find the Black woman or biracial woman of your dreams.

12. BLK

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.8/5.0
  • Caters to Black single men and women
  • Personalized swiping options
  • Profile boosts and rewind options for premium members

As the Black dating app and dating site audience has grown, more and more options focus on verification and authentic connection between members of the Black community. BLK uses social media pairing to create trust among users and ensure that every member of the platform is verified.

The app is free to use, from creating a profile to creating matches and messaging mutual matches you find. Users also have the option to pay for account upgrades that allow you to show up higher on other members’ personalized match lists and to send more than 100 likes per month. While not an app that encourages casual hookup culture, BLK has established trust in the Black professional community.

Popular Sites For “Men Seeking Senior Women” Personals

Men seeking senior women for companionship and more are a growing demographic, and mature dating sites continue to pop up every year to cater to the market. These are the best options for senior men looking to connect with senior women.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.5/5.0
  • 59% of users are women seeking a date
  • Set match preferences by gender, age, height, distance, photos, or similarities
  • Detailed and easy-to-read profiles

Online dating can be intimidating for singles over 50, but SilverSingles has committed to making the process as easy as possible. The dating site caters exclusively to the older crowd, with fraud detection and verification to keep anyone under the age of 50 off the platform. 

In addition to an easy signup process, SilverSingles puts customer support front and center, and it implements strict security to keep bots and scammers off the site. Finding the help tools is easy and intuitive, and it’s simple to report any potentially suspicious profiles that a user thinks may have slipped past security. While the signup is free, only paid members get full access to sending messages and viewing photos.

14. OurTime

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.4/5.0
  • Mature men have plenty of date prospects available
  • Send women likes, flirts, faves, messages, and virtual gifts
  • ConnectMe facilitates private conversations over the phone

While LGBTQ+ seniors have traditionally had to use alternative websites to find a match, OurTime is open to anyone over 50. The premium dating site offers the core functions for free: searching and flirting comes with the sign up, as well as browsing curated match lists. To message the woman you’re interested in, however, you have to upgrade your membership.

OurTime boasts a large and ever-growing user base, and the site doesn’t just stop at online matchmaking: The team behind OurTime also coordinates local events for senior singles to meet in person and mingle with potential matches. The members-only events are a great opportunity to get to know other people without the pressure that comes with an actual date.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.7/5.0

With one of the largest membership rolls in the senior dating world, SeniorMatch has established itself as a trusted resource for over-50 singles. The site’s catchphrase, “You don’t have to be alone,” is a major call to action for a demographic that can often suffer from loneliness.

SeniorMatch, like many senior dating sites, only allows verified singles to join and participate. The minimum age for SeniorMatch is 45, and the membership skews more toward women than men, so men seeking women have a lot of choices in the 1 million-strong membership. With over 36,000 testimonials to its success, SeniorMatch is a trusted dating resource for very good reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions for a single man who is hoping to meet a woman on an online dating site or app.

What Does M4W, M4M, and W4M Mean on Personals Sites?

In free classified ads and local classifieds ads, these abbreviations are categories: M4W is men for women or man for woman, M4M is the men seeking men category and W4M is woman/women looking for men listings.

The abbreviations show up both in individual classified ad listings and in sections on websites, so that the right people can match up. Other common sections where these abbreviations are used include categories like “missing connections women” and “missing connections men.”

Is a Dating Site the Same as a Personals Site?

Mostly, yes. Personals ads sections and dating profiles have a lot in common, but the main differences are that personals sites and local classifieds sections don’t offer matchmaking features, and don’t require as much information from users.

Why Did Craigslist Personals Shut Down?

Craigslist personal ads shut down willingly after the passage of the FOSTA and SESTA laws in 2018. The site still hosts free classified ads for goods and services, but no relationship-oriented content. It’s important to note that Craigslist shut that section of its site down on its own; some other local classifieds sites like Backpage were forced by the law to go dark.

What’s the Best Backpage or Craigslist Alternative?

If you’re looking for casual sex, Adult Friend Finder is the best of the alternative sites for Craigslist and Backpage. AFF has been around since the 1990s, and it has millions of personals ads, photos, and videos in its database.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0

Adult Friend Finder is a safe and reliable Craigslist alternative because it is sex-positive, yet it uses verification tools to ensure fake profiles, bots, and sex workers do not ruin the fun vibes.

Can I Meet Single Women in a Chat Room?

Yes! If you want to find single women in an online chat room environment, there are several good options to choose from: FreeChatNow, OnlineFreeChat, and 321Chat are well-established platforms for strangers to meet and talk. And with fairly wide user bases, your odds of finding a good woman and a good conversation are high.

Are Oodle Classifieds Used For Dating?

Yes, it’s definitely possible to use Oodle Classifieds for dating purposes. Keep in mind, however, that while there’s a personals section, there is very little content moderation and no background checks. It’s a better idea to stick with sites that have at least a few verification steps.

How Can I Tell If a Woman’s Personals Ad Is Real or Fake?

The red flags for scammer profiles are fairly easy to detect, once you know what to look for. If you’re concerned that a woman’s personals ad may be fake or a scheme, there are a few things to check against:

  • Scam or “catfish” ads and profiles tend to have heavily edited photos or no photos
  • Sparse information can be a red flag on dating sites that ask for more details
  • Inconsistencies in background or story 
  • Lavishing compliments in an over-the-top way, too early on
  • Asking for money outright

By avoiding anyone showing these red flags, you can avoid most scammers and fake profiles.

Dating Personals Can Help Men Seeking Women Online

Men seeking women personals ads have come a long way from the age of newspapers. The internet and smartphones have opened up a wealth of opportunity for any interested man to seek out a beautiful woman for casual sex, dating, or even more serious relationships.

By taking advantage of what the digital world has to offer, men can find exactly what they’re looking for. Whether you want to find a married woman for an affair, or a swinger couple for an exotic adventure, options abound to connect with the right person (or people) to scratch the itch.

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