The REAL Instabang Review (DON’T MAKE THIS MISTAKE.)

In this review, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at this dating site to help you decide whether or not it’s the right one for you.

Before we signed up for the site, we were already aware that there had been several user complaints about the number of fake profiles here, so we wanted to test how legit and useful Instabang really is. 

Read on to find out what we learned, including why we might recommend it – and why we might not. 

What Is Instabang?

Then, I logged in, explored the site, messaged a few people, and wrote this Instabang review that details

a) what Instabang is all about, including its signup process and features.
b) my personal experiences using the site. 

Let’s take a look at what I learned. 

What Is Instabang? 

Instabang is a basic casual dating site – no more, no less. It’s here to do one thing and one thing only: Help you get laid tonight. It was created by the parent company Global Personals, who are the same people behind the sister site UberHorny. This is why, if you’ve tried both sites, you’ll notice that they look very similar. As well as helping you land a hookup, both sites also let you watch live cam girls – although you’re taken to another website whenever you click on the “live girls” tab.

Ultimately, Instabang website caters to singles and couples who want less talk and more action. It’s been around for 11+ years now, it’s moderated (to a degree), and nudity is permitted. The premise is simple, too: You create an account, browse profiles, fire off messages – and meet up for sex. 

Instabang Review

Pros of Instabang 

  • Affordable 

Cons of Instabang

  • Too many fake profiles 
  • Automatically upgrades your account

Our Recommendation

On the face of it, Instabang seems like an easy-to-use free hookup site where singles and couples flirt, sext – and meet up for sex.

In a nutshell, that’s exactly what it is. It even has a decent user base, too.

However, the problem is that Instabang – like its sister site of UberHorny (which we don't rate at all) – is beset by several shortcomings that make it hard to recommend.

One of these is the high volume of fake profiles. Instabang says they moderate the site 24/7. But they clearly aren’t able to eliminate all fakes, and this is evident as soon as you create an account because – within seconds – you’re swamped by messages and notifications. There’s no way that so many “real people” will be dying to shoot you a message as soon as you sign up.

Secondly, there are a worrying number of customer complaints and reviews about upselling tactics employed by Instabang. Whilst we haven’t been able to verify one way or another, several people have suggested that Instabang automatically upgrades your account without warning. For users who are “trying before they buy,” this kind of thing is deeply upsetting. 

Instead, a better option for hookups and other kinds of casual sex (including orgies, fuck buddies, and dogging) is AdultFriendFinder. Like Instabang, AFF permits nudity. It has millions of more users and extra features, including adult movies, onsite webcams, forums, educational material, and more. 

Is There a Better Alternative to Instabang?

Instabang and AdultFriendFinder are both casual dating sites. They both present you with lots of hookup opportunities, they both allow nudity, and they both have cam shows. They also look the same with a basic web design.

So, where do they differ? 

AFF is older than Instabang, having been around for 10+ years longer. However, it can also boast way more members. Indeed, AFF is used by over 20,000,000 people each week, while Instabang is currently adding 8,000 new members each month. 

That said, everyday activity on both dating sites is fairly high. Moreover, both sites cater to all kinds of sexual interests, ranging from kink to BDSM, fuck buddies to swingers. 

AFF stands out, though, thanks to its higher user base and the fact that it doesn’t generate as many negative complaints as Instabang. As mentioned earlier, Instabang’s users have complained that the site sometimes upgrades their accounts without warning and that there are overwhelming fake accounts here. 

For more info, read our in-depth review of AdultFriendFinder.

Getting Started on Instabang

instabang signup

The sign-up process is very easy at Instabang. First of all, you need to specify your gender before specifying the gender you’re looking for. Alternatively, you can say that you’re a couple looking for other couples – or a single person looking for couples (or vice versa).

Then, you just need to confirm your age before entering a valid email address. Once your email address has been verified, that’s it – Instabang will send you a verification link which you need to click. After you’ve clicked it, your profile is live. 

It’s then up to you to decide whether or not to add filler to your profile, including pics and a few lines about yourself and what you’re looking for.  

That said, you can’t do anything on Instabang until you’ve completed the next step. Basically, the site displays a pop-up that contains around 20 different profile pictures of other users. So you need to tick off the ones you like the look of. Instabang will then send winks to each of these profiles – and then your profile is finally properly live.

Are Instabang Profiles Real? 

Like many premium membership dating sites, Instabang doesn’t let you check someone’s complete profile until you’ve upgraded your account. So whilst you’re a free member, the most you can do is view someone’s profile picture, as well as their blurb (if they have one), which shows up in the search results.

Once you’ve upgraded your account, you’ll find that – for the most part – Instabang profiles are rather sparse. They’re most definitely not heavily detailed, although maybe that’s all we can expect of a basic casual sex dating site.

Instabang Profiles Quality

What do most profiles contain? There are three sections – a profile pic, some basic information about the person (or the couple), and public media. Each section is neatly arranged inside its own separate box, and it looks easy on the eyes. 

messaging on Instabang

Moreover, most people at least take the time to fill out their profile (even if there isn’t much to fill out). That said, most profiles contain lots of photos and videos (and lots of nude media) but very little information about their personality. Still, you should be able to find all you need to know about a person’s appearance, location, sexuality and what they’re looking for here. 

Contacting & Messaging on Instabang

instabang search filters

Whilst you need to upgrade your account to view full profiles, you can at least send messages for free. The downside is that you can’t reply to messages until you’re a premium member.

Making contact, then, is far better if you’re paying for Instabang. It’s easy to do, too. You just need to click on someone’s profile and shoot them a message.

Alternatively, you can send them a wink or a “like”, and you can also add them to your list of favorites if you perhaps want to message them later instead. And each time someone sends you a wink or a like, you get a notification. You can then decide whether or not you want to make the first move and send them a message or wait for them to send you one. “

Another way of making contact with someone is on the “Trending Now page.” Here, you can update your status or post a new photo, and anyone can come along and leave a comment or a “like.” Indeed, comments and likes on this page are available to free members. It’s also worth mentioning that Instabang’s search function is pretty advanced and makes it easy for you to find what you’re looking for. 

Instabang Features 

Instabang Features

Instabang's Free Membership Features:

  • Send messages – Free users can send messages, but the catch is that they can’t reply to messages. 
  • List of favorites – As a free user, you can add people you’re interested in to your list of favorites. If you decide to upgrade your account later, you can then send them a message.  
  • Send likes – Each time you send a like, the other person gets notified. They’re, therefore, a great way to catch someone’s attention. 
  • Search function – Instabang has multiple filters and is entirely free to use. 
  • Trending Now Page– The “Trending Now” feature lets you catch up with other users’ latest posts and photos. You can leave comments, as well as update your status and upload public photos. 

Instabang's Paid Membership Features:

  • Reply to messages – As a premium membership, you get to send and receive messages. 
  • View profiles – Only premium account members can take a complete look at someone else’s profile. 
  • See who’s viewed your profile – This feature lets you know exactly who’s been checking you out (and you can check them right back). 
  • Group chats – Group chats are a great way to meet new people. You can flirt, sext, and take things into a private chat. 
  • Swipe game – The swipe game works a lot like Tinder in that a series of profiles are queued up for you, and you just need to choose whether you want to swipe left or right on them. 
  • Premium Membership content – This is a photo gallery that contains private photos uploaded and shared by other instabang members. Usually, the photos here are much naughtier than they are elsewhere on the dating site. 
  • Premium live cams – Instabang has several private live cam shows that are only available to paying instabang members. 
  • Who is cute game – This is just a fun game that can be played every day. All you have to do is decide who you think is cute and who you don’t think is cute. 

How Much Does Premium Membership Cost? 

  • 1 week – $9.95 per week
  • 1 month – $34.95 per month
  • 6 months – $11.66 per month
  • 12 months – $6.67 per month
what does Instabang Membership Price cost

As well as the regular prices listed above, Instabang also offers Gold membership:

  • Gold 2-day trial – $0.95
  • Gold 7-day trial – $9.95
  • 1 month Gold – $34.95
  • 6 months Gold – $11.65 per month
  • 12 months Gold – $6.67 per month

Is It Worth Paying For Instabang? 

No, based on our testing of Instabang and public reviews, it's not worth paying a cent for this site. First, it's filled with bot profiles that are there to lure you to subscribe to their premium services. Second, they don't have enough girl members to make up for their shady practice resulting in you getting no success at all. No to mention, they automatically renew your subscription to take money from you. So, all in all, you will be paying for nothing.

How are Instabang's Privacy, Security & Customer Support?

Instabang claims to have a team of moderators available 24/7 to deal with shady profiles, but they also advise that you use your common sense when dealing with other users. For example, if someone is asking for money, or is otherwise behaving suspiciously, report them to the team as soon as possible. 

Real Life Instabang Review 

I signed up to Instabang to see what it’s all about myself. The signup process was a breeze, and once I’d verified my email address, my profile was live. 

I was then met with a very basic homepage. Compared to sites like Ashley Madison, Instabang is very stripped back and to the point. I didn’t mind that too much – after all, I was here for sex and nothing more. 

Within minutes, I was already receiving notifications to let me know that multiple users had visited my profile and sent me a message. Naturally, this put me on my guard because I suspected they were all fake and perhaps generated by the site itself to persuade me to upgrade my account.

who visited instabang profile

Either way, I upgraded to the 7-day Gold trial and tested out the features. The search filters were advanced and valuable, the Swipe feature helped me meet more people, and in general, I found that people were open to chatting and flirting. 

Ultimately, Instabang seems way too populated with either fakes or users who simply don’t respond, though. So, all in all, while it was nice seeing those profiles but I didn't land any hookups.

FAQs About Instabang

How To Delete An Instabang Account? 

If you no longer wish to use Instabang, you can delete your account by heading into your account settings and clicking “Make My Profile Inactive.” 

Is Instabang Membership Auto-renewed? 

Yes. Unless you cancel your membership before it’s due to be renewed, it will be auto-renewed. 

How Do I Cancel My Instabang Premium Membership?

You must disable the auto-renew function. 

Does Instabang Give Refunds For Unused Time? 

Instabang gives no refunds for any reason. 

About Will Titterington

Will is a writer, coach and life lover who enjoys helping people reach their potential. Will has plenty of experience with Online Dating. He loves to test different apps and sites and share his experience on DatingXP. He loves art, sports, connecting with new people from all over the world, and making people laugh.