Best Dating Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Not sure where to look for dates? Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top options for those who miss the convenience of the free Backpage personals. But first, here’s a look at the website’s controversial backstory.
Backpage was a classified ad website that was founded in 2004. However, US authorities, including the FBI and Department of Justice, seized control of the site in April 2018 after an investigation found that Backpage allowed — and even encouraged — people to post ads related to prostitution and human trafficking. Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering.
Since then, former Backpage users have been scrambling to find a more trustworthy alternative, so we decided to compile a list of nine sites we think can provide an experience like Backpage used to — but without the deceit, untrustworthiness, and horrible crimes.
1. Flirt.com
BEST
OF
Flirt.com is similar to Backpage because it’s free to join and doesn’t require people to browse under their real names. You don’t even need to upload a photo if they don’t want to.
The casual dating site keeps things as anonymous as possible — by asking for an age instead of a birthdate, for example — so that singles feel comfortable seeking sex in this online forum. It won’t cost you anything to take a look around the hookup site and create an account if you want to start chatting with sexually active people.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
1 million* | Browse profiles for free |
BEST
OF
They say you can never have too many friends, and AdultFriendFinder can definitely help you find some, if by “friends” you mean “sex buddies.” The company was founded in 1996, and it’s always been about allowing people to express their desires without feeling shame. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a one-time hookup, long-term affair, swinging relationship, or any other casual encounter — you can be yourself on AdultFriendFinder.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
65%*
35%*
|
25.5 Million* | 3 Months @ $19.95/Mo |
3. BeNaughty
BEST
OF
BeNaughty has been around for years and has mastered the art of hookup matching. The site uses your location and preferences and scours its user base for compatible people, and then it sends them to your inbox every day. If you’re interested, you can send flirty winks, suggestive icebreakers, or private messages (more than 8.5 million messages are sent on BeNaughty every day).
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
48%*
52%*
|
13.3 Million* | Browse Profiles Free |
BEST
OF
FriendFinder-X is one of the largest Backpage alternatives in the world, and you can join the community in just a few steps: 1) Select your gender and relationship status (couples are welcome, too). 2) Choose the gender and relationship status you’re interested in. 3) Upload a photo or two. You can then fill out more information, or you can get right to browsing. The whole journey is up to you!
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| Singles & Couples* |
64%*
36%*
|
1.2 Million* | Browse Members Free |
5. MenNation
BEST
OF
For horny gay, bisexual, and sexually curious men, it doesn’t really get any better than MenNation. Not only is the site free to use, but your communication options include live chat, videos, groups, voice introductions, and private messages. You can find new matches every day in the My New Member Matches section, and MenNation allows you to see who’s online when you are and who’s viewed your profile.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| Singles & Couples* |
95%*
5%*
|
780,000* | Start for Free |
6. SaucyDates
BEST
OF
SaucyDates, as you can probably tell by the name, doesn’t mind things getting a little raunchy in chats. It’s all about quick, casual connections — nothing serious. Singles of varying ages and backgrounds, hailing from all over the world, have signed up for the site — and more are signing up every day. You can sort through them by age, background, type of encounter, location, appearance, and many other identifiers. SaucyDates verifies photos and profiles to ensure a positive dating experience, free of the types of scams that brought Backpage down.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
67%*
33%*
|
46,500* | Download FREE |
7. Match
BEST
OF
Backpage wasn’t all about hooking up. If you’re interested in dates that could lead to relationships, I would definitely suggest giving Match a try. Launched in 1995, Match was one of the first dating sites to exist, and it’s led to more romantic connections than every other dating site out there. Once you post your profile, which is free to do, you can start looking for matches based on criteria that matter to you (education, looks, lifestyle, etc.), and Match will recommend Top Picks who can chat for free.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles* |
49%*
51%*
|
39.7 Million* | Get 3 Days FREE |
BEST
OF
Ashley Madison is a global dating site that helps you not only find affairs but also threesomes and other exciting sexual and romantic encounters. It’s very popular (over 80 million users), and it’s free to sign up and browse profiles. A variety of features are free for men to use, and all the features are free for women to use. Your safety is a top priority at Ashley Madison, and it has been encrypted to help protect your personal information. You can also blur or mask your face in photos if you wish.
| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) |
Today's Deal
|
| All Singles & Attached* |
71%*
29%*
|
65 Million* | Browse FREE |
Head to the Personals section of ClassifiedAds, and from there you can choose Casual Dating, Men Seeking Men, Men Seeking Women, Missed Connections, Women Seeking Men, or Women Seeking Women. Browse through the listings until someone catches your eye. Then you can see when they created their listing, when it was last updated, when it expires, and how many times it’s been viewed. You won’t have to pay to send a response, either.
What Do People Use Now That Backpage Is Gone?
Any of the sites on this list would be a good Backpage alternative for dating, but if you’re looking for more of a chat room experience, here are some additional options:
- Chatlib
- 321Chat
- YesIChat
I’d also suggest trying to use apps to meet people. Apps benefit from the use of text verification to eliminate fake profiles. You’re unlikely to see phony accounts on Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, all of which are very popular dating tools.
What Happened to Craigslist Personals?
Craigslist Personals was another casualty in the 2018 government crackdown on online sex trafficking. Craigslist saw what happened to Backpage’s team and chose to take down their personals for dating. The official statement claimed they couldn’t control what their users did, nor take responsibility for any of the bad actors misusing the site. RIP.
If you’re looking for a site like Craigslist Personals or Backpage though, you can find plenty on the web. Bedpage, Oodle, Classified Ads, Pernals, and Doublelist are all vying to be the top replacement for dating classifieds online.
I’d recommend Doublelist as the best option in the bunch because it has a two-factor profile verification built into it (hence the name Doublelist), so it offers more security than the typical classifieds.
What Is Bedpage?
Bedpage probably looks pretty familiar to those of you who used to frequent Backpage’s listings. The setup is basically a copy/paste job, but what’s different is the security behind the scenes to root out bad behavior. Bedpage promises to keep watch for criminal activity and boot anyone behaving inappropriately.
We’re All Better Off Without Backpage
What Backpage’s team did was despicable, and we’re all in a better place now that the government got involved. However, if you’re missing some of the genuine resources Backpage provided, like adult-focused personals, you’ve come to the right place. The hookup sites in this article can help with that department, and they promise to have your safety and best interest at heart.
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