11 Best Hookup Sites & Apps For Casual Sex

Hookup culture is nothing to be ashamed of!

In fact, 80% of North American college students have admitted hooking up. 

So, if you're looking for a hookup with minimal effort, then you need to use one of the best hookup sites and apps. 

The best hookup site lets you cut to the chase. So instead of wasting time on dating sites where people are “looking for love,” you can get right down to things with someone looking for the same thing you are: Casual encounters right now.

This is way better than using dating apps like Bumble, or Match, where sexy singles would rather waste time getting to know you before taking off your pants. 

Boring. 

But we get it. There are a lot of online dating sites out there, and some don't work. Some adult dating sites are filled with “dead” profiles; others are filled with people who say they want a hookup but decide to bail out when it comes to the crunch. 

As such, we've compiled an article dedicated to the best hookup sites of 2021.

I've thoroughly researched and tested each dating app myself, and I'll be giving you detailed insights into each one so that you can decide which hookup site is the right one for you.

Best Hookup Sites & Apps of 2021:

1. AdultFriendFinder – Best Hookup Site Overall

AdultFriendFinder (AFF) is one of the world’s most popular hookup sites. It’s especially popular with those who want any kind of hookup as soon as possible, including one-night stands, dogging, swinging, and all other types of kink.

Known for its “nudity allowed” policy and a homepage that is full of graphic profile pictures, AFF wants to help you get straight to the point. It’s effective, too, with this hookup site currently used by over 80,000,000 people worldwide. Everyone who joins knows exactly what they’re getting – dirty, naughty live chat, naked pics, and very possibly sex, either online or offline.

This hookup site is free to join, but you must be a paying member to send and receive messages. Profiles are typically well-detailed and include a person’s gender, what they’re looking for and what sexual kinks they’re into. You can join as a single individual or as a couple (swingers are highly welcome).

As well as making it easy to land a hookup, Adult Friend Finder excels with its special features. You can watch live cam shows and adult movies, use blogs and forums, and a special Sex Academy feature that’s great for learning more about all different sexual kinks.

Free Features: Account registration, Like and view other profiles, Advanced search filter, Create a favorites list, Send winks

Paid Features: View full profiles, Add friends, send and receive messages, send virtual gifts, Watch members on a Livestream

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• 1 Month Gold Membership at $20
• 3 Months Gold Membership at $35
• 12 Months Gold Membership at $100

Pros

• Millions of active users
• Lots of special features 
• Super-effective for easy hookups
• Extremely detailed Search function & filters 

Cons

• Homepage design is NSFW. 

2. Ashley Madison – Best For Affair Hookups

Ashley Madison is a hookup site aimed at adulterous couples who want to put a bit of spice back into their sex life. Picture bored housewives or husbands who think a sexy cougar can give them more excitement than their wife is currently giving them.

But don’t worry – despite AshleyMadison being aimed at extramarital affairs, the site is super discreet, and there’s little chance of your details being exposed. Yes, there was a security breach a few years back, and yes, this is something I worried about. But the site has tightened things up since then, and it’s perfectly possible to remain anonymous.

Another thing that might irk some members is that while women get full access to the site for free, men have to pay. However, I quickly got over that and loved the fact that the community here is very active – there are 220,000 new members each month, and most of the users are around my age – between 35 and 50.

Profiles are a tad too basic, in my opinion, because people want to remain as anonymous as possible, but you can create a list of your favorite profiles, and sending messages is easy. You can also send virtual gifts, and I found that most people on Ashley Madison are friendly, up for conversation – and want to meet. 

Free Features: Account registration, Discreet photo feature, Like photos and videos, Create a Hotlist, Use search filters, Watch uploaded videos on the homepage.

Paid Features: Boost profile, Send personalized messages, Send virtual gifts, Travel Man feature.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• Basic plan for $59
• Classic plan for $169
• Elite plan for $289.

Pros

• Can remain anonymous 
• Slick design for an adult dating site
• Women can use this hookup site for free 
• Effective cougar dating site for hookups or extramarital affairs.

Cons

• No matchmaker feature 
• They had a Data Breach [1], but they have fixed their system since then and got approval from the security departments.

3. Down – Best For Casual Sex

To use Down, you need to have a Facebook account. Then, you have to link your profile to your Down account, and you’re free to make a start swiping on other users. It’s a simple enough concept, although Down has tweaked it slightly to add three swipe options: “Ignore,” “Date,” or “Hookup.”

Essentially, these options let you make your intentions are bit clearer with whoever you’re matching with. I think it works in theory, but it’s really difficult to gauge who you want to date and who you want to have a casual encounter with before you start talking.

That said, landing a match isn’t super easy on Down simply because its user base isn’t too high at the moment. So I found that the best way to increase my matches was to upgrade to the premium account. Then, I could swipe, match with other members – and start talking.

And because I swiped “Hookup” for most users, it wasn’t long before the person I’d matched with, and I were moving things along and meeting up. And that’s the best thing about Down – it encourages less small talk and more action. So if you want a hookup site that quickly gets to the point, this could be the one for you.

Free Features: Account registration, swipe up & down, Snap Match.

Paid Features: More matches & visibility, Hide your profile from Facebook friends, See who has liked you without having to match, DOWN Compass

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• Down VIP $14.99
• In-app purchases: Varying prices

Pros 

• Easy registration 
• Safe to use for casual dating
• Overall decent for hookups and dating if you're from main cities.

Cons

• Relatively small user base 
• Expensive membership prices for what they offer.

Sign-up For Down Dating on iOS or Google Play.

4. Tinder – Best Free Hookup App 

Tinder is one of the world’s most popular hookup apps that pretty much invented the “swipe” concept. Used by millions of people worldwide, there are lots of ways you can improve your match rate – and thus your chances of hooking up. And because there are so many users, it’s easy to find someone and reach your end goal. 

I found that signing up was super easy, and I didn’t need to add much to my profile. I just needed a pic, a brief bio – and then it was time to start swiping. You can swipe ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on profiles, and because there are millions of users, it’s easy to land matches without paying a dime. Plus, sending and receiving messages is completely free.

Once I optimized my profile, it wasn’t long before I started matching with girls who wanted the same thing I did – a hookup. That said, Tinder is also used by people who are looking for something more serious, so you need to use your bio to hint at what it is you’re looking for on here. This will save you time and prevent you from chatting with those who are incompatible with you.

Other than that, you can use Tinder to find local matches or matches from much further away – even those in different countries. You can also upgrade to see who’s “liked you” to quicken up your match rate, but it’s also worth mentioning that you can’t start a conversation with anyone until you’ve matched with them.

Free Features: Account registration, Left & right swipe, One super like per day, Match members near your location.

Paid Features: Match instantly, See members who like you, Unlimited likes and right swipes, Be on top of the line, Find members worldwide, Rewind your swipe, Access Top Picks.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One month of Tinder Gold: $29.99
• One month of Tinder Plus: $9.99

Pros

• Free to send and receive messages 
• Huge active user base
• Easy to use swipe app for one night stand
• A good hookup app for women

Cons

• Many people just use it for validation 
• Time-consuming

5. Seeking Arrangement – Best For Sugar Daddy Dating 

Seeking Arrangement is an adult dating site aimed at sugar daddies and sugar babies. The concept is simple: If you’re a sugar daddy, you can use the site to find sugar babies to splash your cash on. And if you’re a sugar baby, you can use it to find sugar daddies who will treat you well in exchange for your company.

We’ve listed it as a hookup site, but it’s not strictly a hookup site per se. Rather, Seeking Arrangement is strictly geared towards platonic relationships first and foremost. Therefore, it’s up to the two people involved to set the boundaries and decide whether or not they want their relationship to be sexual.

That all said, I signed up for the app and arranged a ‘Friends With Benefits’ relationship pretty quickly. The app is professional, smoothly designed, and safe and secure to use. The user base is good, too, with 10,000,000 active members worldwide. However, it’s also worth pointing out that just 20% are sugar daddies/mommas. The rest are sugar babies.

Other than that, you’re free to sign up to the site and flirt with other members. Few people who use Seeking Arrangement are looking for committed long-term relationships, which is why it’s great to use if you want to arrange one, two, or even 3 sugar relationships.

Free Features: Account registration, Profile creation, Match searching, Messaging services

Paid Features: More privacy options, Read message receipt, Inbox filters, No Ads, Advanced search filters.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One Month of Premium Membership: $99.99
• Three Months of Premium Membership: $269.99
• One Month of Diamond Membership: $249.99
• Premium (one-time): $269.99
• Diamond (one-time): $249.99

Pros 

• High user base
• Well-designed app
• Top-quality matches

Cons 

• Not cheap 
• Girls have reported being treated like pro-sti-tute so we would recommend girls to be careful (updated)

6. OkCupid – Best Combo of Serious & Casual Dating

OkCupid is great for hookups – but it’s also just as good for serious dating. So if you’re not 100% sure about what you’re looking for at the moment, it might be the app for you. Once your (free) profile is live, you’ll find that people list in their profile whether they want a hookup, new friends, something long term, something short term – or all four.

You can also stipulate your exact sexual preferences and whether or not you’re straight, gay, bisexual, or anything else on the sexual spectrum, such as demisexual, heteroflexible, and so on.

I found OkCupid to be very LGTBQ+ friendly. Most users – and millions worldwide – who use the app are open-minded, tolerant, and free from judgment. Indeed, the app represents a safe space for those who want to explore their desires and try new things.

OkCupid is free to sign up to, and it’s also free to send and receive messages. And perhaps one of the best things about the app is that it’s impossible to be harassed. Why? Because no one can message you until you’ve matched with them, and they can’t send a follow-up message unless you’ve replied to their first one.

Free Features: Account registration, Messaging other users, Match searching, Keeping track of who you like, basic search filters, Browse member profiles, Participate in Double Take.

Paid Features: No ads, See who likes you, Message read receipts, Use of advanced search filters, Daily auto boost, Message priority. See public question answers.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• Three months of OkCupid Basic: $89.99 ($29.99 per month)
• Three months of OkCupid Premium: $109.99 ($36.66 per month)

Pros 

• One of the best casual dating sites if you need a free alternative
• LGBTQ+ friendly 
• Detailed profiles 

Cons

• Very hard to see who’s liked you 
• A lot of work just for a one night stand
• Very ‘woke’ [2]- if that’s not your thing, look elsewhere. 

7. Hinge – Best For Ongoing Hookups

Hinge seems to be one of those hookup apps that somehow knows you’ve already crossed paths with someone and so puts them in front of you to swipe on. A few times once I created an account, this certainly happened to me – I came across a few profiles I’d already seen before, either on different dating apps or even in real life. 

Hinge works a lot like Tinder in that it’s a swipe app. You have to match with someone before you can chat with them, and it’s free to send and receive messages. However, where it differs from any other app I’ve seen is with its “prompts.” 

You can answer a series of prompts – such as ‘last Netflix boxset I binged on’ – and add them to your profile. Then, someone can come along and respond to your answer to get a conversation going. It’s ideal for anyone who never knows what to write in their profile bio. 

And with over 5,000,000 users (and counting) worldwide, Hinge is a popular app. That said, it’s not strictly just for hookups. People also use it for meeting new friends and serious dating. This is why you must specify what you’re looking for somewhere in your profile. 

Free Features: Account registration, View members complete profiles, Send messages to mutual matches, See who sent you likes

Paid Features: Send unlimited likes, See everyone who likes you in one place, Set advanced preferences.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One month of Preferred: $29.99
• Three months of Preferred: $59.99 ($19.99 per month)
• Six months of Preferred: $89.99 ($14.99 per month)

Pros

• Easy to use
• Most users are responsive 
• Free to send and receive messages 

Cons

• Premium packages are expensive 
• Most people use it for dating

8. Grindr – Best For Gay Men

Grindr is the world’s number one gay hookup app. It was launched way back in 2009 and can currently boast over 3,000,000 daily users. The app claims that around a million people are logged into Grindr at any one time. 

Catering to the whole gay demographic (gay, bi, bi-curious, and trans), Grindr is chock-full of guys looking for a hookup. The site is particularly aimed at those looking for casual encounters, and you may find that most users want to get straight to the point as quickly as possible.

Indeed, I noticed that most guys prefer to send you a pic rather than a text message first. This is their way of initiating a conversation. It’s free to create an account, but you will need to upgrade if you want to get the most out of the app.

However, even as a free member, there’s still a lot you can do on Grindr. You can send and receive messages, you can send one of more than 500 LGBTQ+- themed stickers, but your possible matches are strictly limited to 100. To get access to 600 matches, you’ll need to pay extra. 

Free Features: Account registration, View up to 100 matches, Send and receive messages, Select 1 tribe, Basic Filters, Explore profiles, Create a group chat.

Paid Features: Ad-free experience, View up to 600 matches, Online-only view, Select 3 tribes, Unlimited Blocks and Favorites, Save and send chat phrases

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One month of Grindr XTRA: $19.99
• One month of Grindr Unlimited: $39.99

Pros 

• Extremely high user base
• Great for hookups 
• Easy to use 

Cons

• Lots of time wasters 
• A lot of rude people

9. HER – Best For Queer Women 

HER has often been cited as the best hookup for queer women. It’s been around for almost a decade, it’s used by around 200,000 people each week, and it encourages inclusivity and acceptance among all its members.

Perhaps what helps HER stand out is how open it is to all types of relationships. You can use it to find hookups, dates, as well as just new friends. It’s a dating app, but it’s also a social media network of sorts that’s great for networking.

But while registration is free, you must sign up via either your Instagram or your Facebook account. The app automatically grabs your photos from whichever site you sign up from, but you can edit these later.

And like Tinder and Hinge, HER is a swipe app that doesn’t come with a manual search function. Instead, you have to swipe left or right on possible matches, and you can only chat to someone you’ve matched with or who’s your friend (you can send friend requests).

Free Features:

Account registration, View profiles, send and receive messages, Meet (Swiping), Feed

Paid Features: See who is online, Who has liked my profile, Change location, Unlimited swipes, Read receipts, Rewind profiles

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One month of HER Premium: Starting at $14.99
• Six months of HER Premium: Starting at $9.99 per month
• One year of HER Premium: Starting at $7.49 per month

Pros

• Very open-minded users
• Promotes inclusivity 
• Affordable 

Cons

• No search function 

10. Feeld – Best For Threesomes 

When I signed up to Feeld, I’d already been told that it’s a top-quality threesome dating app – and I found that to be largely the case. This is because there are numerous ways you can search for people and the fact that you can register as a single person or a couple. It’s also great that Feeld has more gender options than any other app I’ve used.

Indeed, most of Feeld’s 1,000,000+ users seem to be super open-minded about different relationship types. I would even say that over half of all members are couples who are looking for swinging and threesome opportunities.

To register, you need to connect your Facebook account. After that, you don’t have to do much else, and once your profile is live, Feeld displays a few free match suggestions. You can choose to chat to these or not, but Feeld does come with search functions (and these are free to use).

There’s a lot you can do as a free member, including sending messages, but no one will be able to reply to you unless you’ve liked them and they’ve liked you back. There’s also a chatroom where you can meet new people, and my overall experience of Feeld was positive.

Free Features: Account registration, Messaging, Liking other profiles, Search filters

Paid Features: Facebook profile hiding, Know when someone wants to connect with you, Know when someone was last active on Feeld.

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• One month of Majestic: $15.49
• Three months of Majestic: $30.99 ($10.33 per month)

Pros 

• Not many fake profiles 
• Detailed profiles 
• Great for Threesomes 

Cons

• Facebook registration only
• Not too many features

11. Pure – Best For Anonymous Hookups 

Pure is my top pick if you want a completely fuss-free and very straightforward hookup site. With minimal (if any) additional features, Pure is basic in its intent and design. All you have to do is create an account, and then you get an hour to chat to other people and arrange a “date” before your profile self-destructs.

What happens next? Well, you either go and meet up with someone for sex, or you start all over again. It’s an unusual concept that speeds things up, and I enjoyed it. Potential matches are available as soon as your “profile” is live, and you don’t even need to add anything to your profile – neither a bio nor a photo.

That said, it helps a lot if you state what you’re looking for and what sexual desires you have. After all, you get just an hour to land a hookup, so you may as well do what it takes to get what you want before your profile disappears. That doesn’t mean your whole account disappears, by the way – it doesn’t, but you’ll need to create a new profile once yours self destructs.

Users can remain anonymous, but Pure claims that they’ve worked extra hard to beef up security. However, it’s all on you to weigh up the risk of meeting someone you barely know. It’s also worth mentioning that while women get to use Pure for free.

Free Features: Account registration, A 3-day free trial, Women can use this app freely

Paid Features: Send geo-requests in your area, Instant messaging for an hour

Membership Price:

• Free Version Available
• Weekly Pure membership: $14.99
• Monthly Pure membership: $28.99
• In-app purchases: Varying prices

Pros 

• Minimal design 
• Minisicule inactive profiles 

Cons

• Only good for main cities
• Free trial but requires credit card information

Comparison Of The Best Hookup Apps & Sites

What Makes a Good Hookup Site?

We all must know what are the parameters to consider before signing up for any casual dating app. Of course, if you're on a dating app, you wouldn't mind answering the long questionnaires as you get on OkCupid or making in-depth profiles, but that is unnecessary when you're just looking for casual hookups on sex sites.

So, here is what to look for to find the best hookup site:

Hookup specific: First, let's get the obvious one out of our way. They end up signing on online dating sites such as Match.com, eHarmony and they get disappointed. You should know that every dating app or dating site has a different purpose. Since you just want to have casual sex, your best chances of success are with hook up apps like Adult Friend Finder and Ashley Madison.

Security: We have seen time and time again that it's necessary to stay cautious about what site or app we spend our time on. However, we are always at some level of risk. Even popular adult dating sites like Adultfriendfinder, AshleyMadison, Grindr, and Tinder had a data breach. However, we talked with managers from AFF and Ashley Madison they have told us that they have hired security experts to make sure it never happens again. It's been a little over five years, and they have redeemed themselves in the market.

Popularity: The one easiest way to not get scammed is just to sign-up for popular online dating sites. The popular the dating site is, the more responsibility they have to make sure they don't fall off the business. Also, using popular dating apps ensures better success chances because of their huge user-base.

Do Free Hookup Sites Work?

No, free hookup sites don't work. Almost all adult dating sites have premium features locked that are the key to landing a hookup or date. It's certainly a hard pill to swallow, but we wouldn't want you to be wasting your time on sites or apps that scream free.

If you've no budget at all, then we would recommend trying your luck on Tinder, OkCupid, or POF. These are the best options you've. If you create an outstanding dating profile and learn to have a good conversation (that's a skillset on its own), then you can land a hookup. However, it will be time-consuming with no hookup guarantee. 

However, if you've got the budget, we recommend Adult Friend Finder or Ashley Madison. These two work the best with minimal efforts because their user base is huge, and everyone is looking for the same thing, i.e., hot steamy casual sex. Yes, you might spot a few fake profiles there, just like on any other popular dating site, but results are pretty much guaranteed.

Are These Hookup Sites Scam?

Yes, there are scam sites out there but the hookup sites mentioned in our articles are not a scam. We've tested all these apps and sites ourselves and shared the pros and cons of each app. During our review, we tested each app for at least three months to weed out the apps that work.

However, there is a catch. In our reviewing period, we came across fake profiles on every single app. We also noticed that without unlocking the premium features, most of the hookup-specific apps are not helpful. And, free dating apps like Tinder require so much effort. 

Is OkCupid a Hookup Site?

OkCupid is one of the most recognized online dating sites in the world. OkCupid is not strictly for one night stands; it's more of an all-rounder that's aimed at the short and long-term dating game, as well as friendships. However, according to a recent survey, 46% of their users voted to consider sleeping with their date on their first date out. It's one of the best hookup sites if you want to test your luck with free alternatives.

Inside Scoop: How to Hookup on OkCupid

Is Tinder a Hookup App?

Tinder has gained a reputation for being a hookup app. Unfortunately, Tinder hasn't conducted any survey either, so we wouldn't know for sure how many people on Tinder are looking just for hookups. Tinder itself claims to be a dating app, but it would be a fair statement to make “Anything goes on Tinder.” Either you're looking for a serious relationship, or you're just DTF; you're most likely to find someone.

Inside Scoop: How To Hookup On Tinder

What Are The Alternative To Craigslist Personals?

The personals were a very popular section on Craigslist where people could see “personal ads” from people looking for casual sex partners, dates, and friendships. It was specifically popular among the LGBT community because, at the time, it was one of the only sites where gay and lesbian people could freely make contacts, particularly in more conservative regions.

However, Craiglist Personals was banned when Congress passed a bill [3] to stop sex traffickers by holding sites liable for hosting sex trafficking content. However, other sites like craigslist, such as Pernals, CasualX, and Adult Friend Finder, are good Craiglist Personals alternatives.

FAQs: