As a single adult, I don’t always have the chance to meet new people in my daily routine. It’s just easy to get caught up in work, family, and your own social circle, and that’s why adult dating apps can be incredibly useful. A free app can give you access to a local dating pool of like-minded and age-appropriate singles.

Over the last few years, online dating has become one of the most popular ways for single adults to find a new romance. More new couples than ever before say they met online, making online dating the most popular form of modern matchmaking. Every week, popular dating apps like Tinder facilitate millions of first dates around the world.

Singles can use a free dating app whenever they’re feeling lonely and want to connect with a potential match. An online connection could lead to a one-night stand, or it could evolve into a long-term relationship. Either way, you’re in for an adventure on the following online dating platforms.

Overall Best Dating Apps Free for Adults

Adults have to bring their A-game to the online dating world because it is full of attractive, desirable, and local singles. We’ve ranked some of the top dating apps where adults can mingle day in and day out. All these apps are completely free to join, so you don’t have to worry about paying monthly fees or subscriptions.

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

Joining BeNaughty can increase your chances of having casual sex with a new person. This hookup platform is always buzzing with activity, and adults come here specifically looking for sexual partners.

As we detail in our full review, BeNaughty members can use the search filters by gender, age, location, body type, sexual orientation, and ethnicity to find a potential match that is exactly their type. BeNaughty even gives users the chance to send a mass message to local singles fitting their search criteria. That way, you can save time and see who responds to your flirtatious invitation.

If you’re feeling adventurous, go to the Like Gallery and swipe through photos until you find a dating profile you want to get to know better. Free members do not have unlimited messaging on BeNaughty, but they can use some communication features to test the waters.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

Over the last 25 years, Adult Friend Finder has grown into one of the largest sex and swinger communities available, and its adults-only membership base is active around the world.

Anyone over 18 can create a profile and identify themselves as a man, woman, trans person, couple, or group seeking erotic experiences. Some AFF users want to be naughty online and post X-rated stories or engage in sexting, while others are more interested in turning online flirting into a real-life hookup.

Adult Friend Finder supports over 14 million group discussions, and it has created around 4 million matches between users looking to hook up with a random stranger.

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★★★★★ 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 appeals to casual daters who want to play the field and meet a new sexual partner. It’s 100% free to send a private message up to five people a day here, and you can also use the FlirtCast tool to send a pre-written message to dozens of compatible singles at once.

Singles can use the search filters for age, location, appearance, and other factors to find the perfect match, and they can pursue a romantic connection by sending a like or a message. Once you see a hot dating profile on Flirt.com, don’t hesitate to reach out and solicit sex right away. Everyone in this flirtatious database is sexually active and looking for a potential partner to sweep them off their feet.

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★★★★ 4.0/5.0

OneNightFriend has gotten a naughty reputation as the best hookup site for a one-night stand, quickie, or fling. Single men and women can use this dating platform to form adult relationships that lead straight to the bedroom.

The adult dating site is part of the same match group as BeNaughty, and it offers similar matchmaking, browsing, and communication features. OneNightFriend has a standard free membership that provides the basics expected of an online dating site, but if you want browse incognito or send unlimited private messages, then you’ll want to upgrade to a paid subscription, which costs less than $1 a day.

As you can probably tell from its name, OneNightFriend aims to be the go-to spot for finding a one-night stand, and its active users definitely don’t shy away from adult dating topics.

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★★★★★ 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 is a discreet dating site where singles, couples, and groups of all orientations can mingle freely. You don’t have to give your real name or upload a profile photo to take part in the fun here.

This hookup platform gives people the freedom to express their desires and follow their passions. Many of its members take on a sexy persona and send bold, sexually explicit messages in a private, open-ended forum.

Our in-depth review of FriendFinder-X goes into the details of its matchmaking game, but the important thing to know is that online chatting is free for all female users, no subscription needed. So let the flirting games begin!

6. 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

Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has dominated the online dating scene and become one of the most popular dating apps in the history of dating apps. In total, it has been downloaded over 530 million times. Singles use Tinder for all sorts of reasons, but many of them want to build confidence by going out with hotties and exploring physical attractions.

Tinder’s swiping system is photo-based, so it naturally leads to a lot of local hookups. “I swiped right nonstop for a weekend and got about 300 matches,” said a Reddit user named Rick. “I had two one-night stands as a result of this.”

In terms of sheer numbers, Tinder is the undisputed king of the hookup scene. The online dating app is responsible for 75 billion matches, and the app leads to 1.5 million dates every week. Tinder also offers 50 gender identities and 9 sexual orientation options, so you can feel free to be yourself.

7. Match

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★★★★ 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

Match doesn’t advertise as being for casual hookups, but not all of its members are interested in settling down and putting a ring on it. Some singles create Match accounts out of curiosity and just want to see where the conversation leads them.

Most Match members are over 30 and have graduated college, so they’re not usually into playing games. In a survey, 42% of Match members said their favorite thing about online dating is that they can meet people they wouldn’t run into otherwise, and 29% said they preferred online dating to trolling for dates at bars and clubs.

As a premium dating site, Match verifies its members and brings greater accountability to online dating, so you don’t have to worry about being catfished or scammed here.

8. 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

Zoosk has a truly massive dating database with over 40 million members in 80 countries, and it continues to grow larger every day. Casual daters have plenty of options when mingling on this socially savvy site and app.

Thanks to its behavioral matchmaking system, Zoosk can identify mutual attraction and point singles toward the most compatible dates. As you send likes and view profiles on the dating platform, Zoosk will learn about your dating preferences and select dates that meet your standards.

Zoosk offers a variety of free communication features, including likes and smiles, and it allows members to read and respond to a limited number of greetings in their inboxes. These free messages could be just enough to get you on a hot date. However, only paid subscribers have access to premium messaging, which means they can send unlimited messages to anyone online.

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★★★★ 3.7/5.0

It’s free to browse profiles and send messages on Plenty of Fish, and that makes it a natural ally for singles seeking short-term romances and casual hookups. POF users don’t even have to form a mutual match before having a conversation here.

This popular dating app currently sees over 4 million daily active users. By lowering the barriers between singles, Plenty of Fish has fostered a flirtatious free-for-all where people can chat, connect, and arrange dates without making any big commitments.

Plenty of Fish endeavors to create a safe space that’s free of harassment and bullying. Its community guidelines encourage singles to be real, be authentic, and be kind. The moderators will remove any fake profiles or sexually explicit content posted by a user.

Best LGBT Dating Apps (Free for Adults)

The LGBTQ+ dating scene can be difficult to navigate if you’re new in town or newly out of the closet. You may not always know which gay bars, clubs, or social spots attract singles who are like you, but you can always meet local queer folks on a gay-friendly dating app.

We’ve picked out some serious contenders in the gay hookup scene to help adults spice up their love lives.

10. 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 all-gay dating platform where men can be honest about their intentions and arrange straight-up sex. The mobile-friendly website is open to singles and couples seeking male companionship.

It takes less than a minute to create a dating profile on MenNation, and you can start flirting with local singles immediately. Nothing holds you back from making hot connections through text and video chats.

MenNation has over 77,000 daily active users, and its database includes gay, bisexual, and queer dating profiles established by adult men.

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

LesbianPersonals is a wild and fast-paced dating platform designed to help a queer woman use her feminine wiles to attract sexy playmates.

Women are the target audience for LesbianPersonals, but the dating service also sees a fair number of couples seeking threesomes (aka unicorn hunters) and groups looking for orgies or no-strings-attached sex. Anything goes on this female-friendly platform.

Lesbian, bisexual, and bi-curious women can create a free personals ad on LesbianPersonals to explore their sexuality in a safe online space that’s free of fake profiles.

12. 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

Finally, Grindr is an incredibly popular hookup app for gay men on the prowl. The app uses location-based matching to ensure men can always find a date in their general vicinity. That makes it easy to arrange a meetup that leads to a hookup.

Since 2009, Grindr has become synonymous with gay dating, and this free online dating app has seen over 27 million signups. Every day, more than 3 million guys swipe, match, and chat on the app in hopes of meeting a potential partner on the down low.

If you’re looking for a casual hookup, this popular dating app for men should be on your radar.

“Awesome app,” said a review on Google Play. “I’ve had sex with like five different guys I met on here.”

Which Online Dating App is Best for Hookups?

If sex is your main priority, then you should join a hookup app that supports the hit-it-and-quit-it lifestyle. We’d recommend trying a free dating platform to make something happen without paying an arm and a leg. BeNaughty is a great option for adults seeking intimacy without commitment.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0

Over the years, BeNaughty has won over a lot of sex-driven singles — and the best part is that it won’t cost a thing to send messages and arrange sexy encounters with local hotties.

This casual dating service is available for download in the Google Play store, but iOS users will have to content themselves on the mobile-friendly dating website for now.

Is There a Dating App for Couples?

Yes, a number of dating apps cater to swingers and couples in open relationships. Feeld is a poly dating app where individuals can pair their accounts to a partner, lover, or special friend.

Along the same lines, Adult Friend Finder is inclusive of couples and groups seeking threesomes, orgies, and other types of sexual relations with a potential match. Since 1997, the AFF community has been open for business as an adult dating service.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0

Adult Friend Finder offers a sex-positive space where couples can explore romantic possibilities that don’t come around every day. It’s an exciting place to discover romance and satisfy your deepest desires.

Whether you’re in a serious relationship or looking for poly lovers, you can mingle on AFF to meet new people who share your sexual inclinations.

What is the Best Alternative to Craigslist Personals?

Many hearts were broken when Craigslist shut down its personals section in 2018. The classifieds website had become a hot bed of sexual activity, but U.S. law enforcement officials condemned the platform for supporting prostitution as well as legit daters.

Although Craigslist personals is history, many legitimate alternatives have cropped up and given singles the chance to continue hooking up anonymously. FriendFinder-X, for instance, has a similar profile setup and local search tools, so it can be a good resource for former Craigslist users.

Category Rating
★★★★ 3.9/5.0

FriendFinder-X is all about inspiring local connections, and it highlights ads created by sexually active individuals near you. There’s no need to worry about your budget either because it’s free to create a FriendFinder-X dating profile and browse the dating website.

Singles don’t need to have a Facebook, Instagram, or social media account to join this sexy database. FriendFinder-X allows newcomers to browse under a nickname and keep their identities secret if they wish. All it takes is a valid email address and a birth date, and you’re good to go.

Is Bumble a Hookup App?

No, Bumble is most definitely not a hookup app. In fact, it prides itself on being the exact opposite. As a progressive dating app, Bumble’s mission statement is to create meaningful connections based on shared interests and values.

Only 1% of Bumble women surveyed said they joined the app seeking a hookup, and 85% said they would like to find a serious relationship on the dating app.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • A feminist dating app puts singles on equal footing
  • 60% of Bumble matches turn into dates
  • Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF spark non-romantic connections

Bumble is a popular dating app known for its feminist values, but it’s not going to work for everyone. Singles who only want to get laid typically steer clear of Bumble because it does not support nude photos, raunchy content, or suggestive messages. The app doesn’t even allow you to post pictures of yourself in underwear or bathing suits. What a buzzkill!

Which Free Dating App Works the Fastest?

Swiping and chatting can sometimes take up hours and hours of your time, and it’s only natural for busy singles to start looking for a shortcut to romance. Especially if you’re more interested in a casual hookup than a serious relationship. If you want to press fast forward on the dating scene then Tinder is the online dating app for you.

Just look at the numbers: Tinder boasts having 630 million downloads, creating 97 billion matches, and leading to 1.5 million dates per week. And it’s free to download in the Google Play store or the App Store. That’s a pretty compelling reason to give it a try.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.0/5.0
  • Supports active daters in 190+ countries
  • The swiping system creates over 12 million matches per day
  • Tinder Plus members have unlimited likes and 5 Super Likes

Tinder requires a new user to connect his or her dating profile to a Facebook profile, Instagram account, or phone number, so that no fake profiles slip through the cracks. This top dating app goes to great lengths to keep single people moving in the online dating scene. As a result, the swiping system is famous for delivering fast results to singles seeking hot dates.

The Tinder app is completely free from start to finish. You can chat with your mutual matches for as long as you like without paying for a Tinder Plus or Tinder Gold membership, which offer more Super Likes, a rewind button, and a larger match radius in other cities or countries.

Will My Facebook Friends Know I’m on Tinder?

A lot of singles worry about their privacy in the online dating world. It’s perfectly reasonable to worry about data breaches or criminal hackers on the web, but you shouldn’t have to worry about a legit dating app sharing your personal details without your permission.

The Tinder app may require access to your Facebook account, but that is solely to gather some personal information for your dating profile — the dating app will not post, share, or publish anything on your Facebook profile or newsfeed. Your Facebook friends will only see your Tinder profile if they are on Tinder too and happen to swipe on you.

What’s the Top Dating App for iOS Users?

I know a person who is an Apple user through and through. He loves his iPad, he’s always glued to his iPhone, and he even wore an Apple Watch for awhile before realizing it. He has been online dating for years now, and he has often wished that more online dating apps would start with iOS versions first rather than catering to Android devices.

Here are the best iOS dating app according to rankings on the App Store itself:

  • Tinder
  • Bumble
  • Hinge
  • Grindr
  • Badoo

And as a last pick, I want to point out that Zoosk was actually one of the first dating apps to launch for iOS users, and it remains one of the top social networking platforms for singles seeking an iOS date.

“I met my husband on Zoosk eight years ago,” said Marinelli’s in a Zoosk review on the App Store. “Our first date was on Christmas Eve, and we had such a good time. Thank you, Zoosk!”

Can I Find a Casual Hookup on eharmony?

While it’s possible to hook up with a person you met on eharmony, it’s not likely that you’ll be able to score without first wining and dining your potential partner both online and offline. The eharmony dating website (and its companion app) focuses on building deep romantic connections that lead toward a serious relationship or marriage. It does not support hookup culture and #SwipeLife.

Singles who want to keep things casual won’t find a lot of viable and satisfying date options on eharmony. This premier dating platform delivers a curated list of matches based on a personality test and compatibility assessment.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.7/5.0
  • Over 2 million people have found love here
  • Users can filter their match recommendations by age or city
  • Compatibility Quiz identifies common interests, lifestyles, and goals

The eharmony matchmaking system has led to over 2 million relationships in the U.S. alone, and it creates a new love connection every 14 minutes. From the in-depth profiles to the fun icebreakers, eharmony is all about guiding singles to the perfect match and allowing love to blossom.

If you want a quality-driven dating experience, the eharmony is right up your alley. But if you just want to hit it and quit it, then you’re better off on a free online dating app like Tinder.

How Does Coffee Meets Bagel Work?

Coffee Meets Bagel is a free online dating app available for iOS and Android users. Three Silicon Valley women came up with the idea for Coffee Meets Bagel (or CMB) because they wanted to bring greater accountability and authenticity to the online dating world.

In 2012, the Coffee Meets Bagel app invited singles to slow down and really consider their options when swiping on profiles. The app delivers curated matches based on specific dating preferences, and it caps the number of likes and conversation invites that people can send in one day.

Rather than inundating singles with potential matches, Coffee Meets Bagel prioritizes quality over quantity and keeps users engaged by making each match something truly special. To date, Coffee Meets Bagel has inspired over 50 million connections between online daters.

How Do I Find a Casual Hookup on Match?

From the beginning, Match has been geared more toward serious relationships than casual hookups, but that doesn’t mean that people don’t try their luck and make romantic short-term connections here. After all, Match has over 15 million monthly active users who are looking to spice up their love lives in a variety of ways.

Some Match members may want to find a special person to cuddle up with forever, while others may just want a first date that leads to a one-night stand.

Category Rating
★★★★★ 4.9/5.0
  • Match is the world's longest running dating site
  • The Discover section has search filters by interests, looks, lifestyle, and more
  • Match is available in 50 countries and 15 languages

The best dating advice I can give casual daters on Match is to ease into the subject of sex in your conversations. You should expect that you may have to do some wooing before you hook up with a new person. Match encourages flirtation and lengthy chats, but be sure to let your date know your intentions so neither of you wastes your time.

You could start off the conversation by saying something like, “hey sexy, how’s your day going?” to let your potential match know where your head is at while still making an effort to keep things respectful and low-key. Becoming too sexually explicit too soon is a good way to get yourself reported and/or banned on Match, so watch your tongue and keep your chats family-friendly until you get the green light from your partner.

What’s the Best Totally Free Online Dating App?

Our dating experts consider OkCupid to be the top dating app for budget-conscious singles under 35. This fast-paced and free-wheeling dating service offers 100% free communication between all users, and the chats don’t have any time limits or expiration dates.

As soon as you set up your OkCupid account, you can start messaging anyone you like on the site or app. You must like a dating profile to send an initial message, and you won’t be able to send a follow-up message and start a real conversation until the other person has liked you back.

Once you’ve formed a mutual match, you can send lengthy messages for as long as you like. OkCupid gives members the option to upgrade from the free version to A-List accounts. The paid perks include receiving message-read receipts, appearing higher in search results, and seeing who’s liked your dating profile. All this can be helpful, but the upgrade isn’t necessary to spark a conversation on the mobile app or site.

Category Rating
★★★★ 4.1/5.0
  • Free, unlimited communication for everyone
  • Singles can swipe or search for a compatible date
  • Over 91 million connections every year

One of our favorite free features on OkCupid is the in-depth personality test which includes over 4,000 questions — don’t worry, they’re all optional — and is the bedrock of the compatibility ratings you’ll see on other people’s profiles.

OkCupid lets users state upfront what they’re looking for — short-term dating, long-term dating, friendships, hookups — so there’s no confusion or unrealistic expectations when singles get to chatting with each other.

OkCupid has brought a lot of joy, laughter, and intrigue to the casual dating scene, and the dating site and app continues to impress with its personality-driven matchmaking and affordable dating services. Every year, OkCupid creates over 91 million matches and leads to around 2.6 million first dates.

Adult Dating Apps Can Turn Up the Heat

A lot of young adults notice that their dating options start to dry up after they graduate from school and start their careers. It’s just not as easy to run into attractive singles anymore, and it takes more effort to find dating hot spots. It makes sense that today’s single adults naturally rely on dating apps to bring them of their comfort zones and into a new flirtatious environment.

We’ve reviewed the top dating apps for casual daters to help you make sense of the modern online dating scene. You can build new relationships by swiping and messaging on these dating apps that are free for adults.

If you’re serious about meeting new people, then a free dating app could be the perfect wingman. With such a vast dating pool at your fingertips, all you need to do is work up the courage to say hi to that special someone. Good luck!

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