In the first “Sex and the City” movie, Samantha Jones famously says about sex: “I can’t color enough. I would color all day every day if I had my way. I would use every crayon in my box.” Samantha was never one to hide her desires, and she’s exactly the type of person you’d find on a sex app.
Samantha, like many of today’s empowered and sex-positive women, enjoys playing the field and not being tied to one person. In the end, that committed relationship life just wasn’t for her. That’s true for so many other sex-driven people. 12% of Americans say they have engaged in sexual activity with someone other than their primary partner — with their primary partner’s permission, and 50% say “society is just as well off if people have priorities other than marriage and children.”
Modern dating apps are striving to meet the moment and serve casual dating needs. Below we’ve ranked the best sex apps based on popularity, reputation, price, and sexual orientation options.
Best Overall Sex Apps (#1-7)
We’re “dessert first” kind of people, so let’s dive into our favorite hookup apps of all time. Whatever kind of sexual encounter you’re interested in, you can use these casual dating platforms to connect with someone who shares your kinks, fetishes, and romps.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
On Adult Friend Finder, if it’s a hookup you want, you don’t have to dance around the idea as you might on general dating apps.
As an AFF member, you can be as upfront as you want about where and how you like having sex. It doesn’t just have to be a one-time hookup, either. If you’re looking for an affair or you’re part of a couple and are looking for a threesome, Adult Friend Finder can help you find a partner who’s up for anything.
| Pros: | Anonymous browsing, live video, online chat forums. |
| Cons: | Email required for website, must download app manually. |
Adult Friend Finder used to be available as a free app, but it was too X-rated for the App Store and Google Play, so now mobile users can either access the website on their phones or take the extra step to manually download the application directly from the dating service.
If you create an AFF account, you’ll be joining more than 104 million frisky singles and swingers who can’t wait to meet, chat, and share videos with you. It won’t cost you anything to browse profiles, so nothing holds you back from finding a casual connection on one of the best adult dating apps on the market.
- Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs
- Match System: Search by age, location, appearance, and more
- Our Experts Say: With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Ashley Madison is on a mission to help all types of people (yes, including cheaters) make the most of their dating experiences.
Ashley Madison is well-known as a low-key place to find affairs, but many casual daters also capitalize on its secretive features. As the dating website says, “Where discretion meets desire.” The app offers a 100% free membership for women, and men can choose between a free or premium membership to get their flirt on.
| Pros: | Discreet billing, photo face masks, first names only. |
| Cons: | Not very many filter options, no video. |
Ashley Madison lets you explore the dating scene anonymously by masking or blurring your photos. This way, you can enjoy an exciting sex life without disrupting your home life.
No matter what your age or relationship status is, you can use Ashley Madison to relieve stress, start an adventure, find a distraction, and enjoy casual sex with a stranger. Who knows — you may even find a new partner.
NaughtyCharm
- Relationships: Hookups, Chats
- Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more
- Our Experts Say: NaughtyCharm is a premier hookup app where you can feel comfortable expressing your desires. Plus, it's free to join, browse, and flirt.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
NaughtyCharm has been matching sexy people on the down low for many years. Over 13.3 million users log into NaughtyCharm every month, and they are all looking for casual dating opportunities. You won’t have to pay to create a dating profile, browse other members’ profiles, or send pre-written messages, and your personal information is protected by SSL encryption technology.
| Pros: | Anonymous browsing, profile filters, photo blurring. |
| Cons: | More male members than female members. |
Women can chat with anyone on NaughtyCharm for free, and men have the chance to send five free messages before deciding to upgrade and enhance their experience.
All in all, NaughtyCharm is a great dating service for finding a match with similar interests and fetishes.
If you’re an Android user, NaughtyCharm is ready to be your trusty wingman on Google Play. Just upload a flirty photo, and you’re all set!
- Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dating, Kinky Chats
- Match System: Search by age, location, gender, kinks, and appearance
- Our Experts Say: KinkyPeopleMeet is a sex-driven site where kinksters share their fantasies without shame. It’s a dynamic community for hooking up. And the photo and video galleries offer plenty of titillating inspiration as well. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
KinkyPeopleMeet has a domain name that tells you everything you need to know about this kinky sex site, which comes as an app too. Adults can register a dating account for free and start sending raunchy, silly, and flirty messages to any person they desire.
| Pros: | Straightforward chats, messaging assistance, video streaming. |
| Cons: | Little verification, overwhelming interface. |
This fetish network is one of the largest and most active places to seek a sexual partner. The team is proactive about finding and deleting fake profiles and offers safety warnings about suspicious activity, such as asking for money.
Individuals can help the moderators by providing feedback marking messages as Rude or Nice. This helps screen out undesirables in the sex scene.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: A hookup site specializing in casual encounters, secret affairs, live chats, and member videos, FriendFinder-X skips the awkward "dating" stage of a relationship and fast-forwards straight to the sex. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
It doesn’t matter if you have an iPhone or Android — FriendFinder-X is compatible with both as a mobile-friendly dating site, so you can connect with adult singles and couples while in line for coffee, or during your commute, or at home on your couch, or anywhere else in the world. Let’s break down the casual dating service a little more:
| Pros: | Strip teases, nude photos, erotica forums. |
| Cons: | Limits on private messaging. |
You can put your credit or debit card away because FriendFinder-X is absolutely free to try. No need to download anything, either! Once you specify your desired age, gender, location, and sexual interests, you can browse through the user base and get your flirt on by sending likes and favorites to singles who catch your eye.
FriendFinder-X uses location-based matching to make it simpler to set up a casual encounter with someone attractive nearby.
Pure.app
- Relationships: Casual Dating, Sexting, Hookups, Friends with Benefits
- Match System: Search filters, Suggested matches
- Our Experts Say: Pure is a straightforward hookup app designed to make immediate connections. Profiles are only live as long as the person is actively on the app looking for dates. So, basically, everyone you see is available.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Pure is one of the best sex dating apps on the market because it focuses on anonymity and spontaneity, arguably two of the most important things to look for in a sex app. Women never have to provide their credit card info to use the Pure app, and the process is really simple and quick. Which is what singles love.
| Pros: | Sexy profiles, kink tags, location-based matches. |
| Cons: | 24-hour time limit on matches. |
Once you add your photo, it’ll appear in the app’s feed to people in your area. You’ll also be shown photos of people who want to meet up. If you make a match, you’ll have 24 hours to get in contact and set up a date. All matches and messages disappear after a day!
When you see a new person you’re attracted to on the Pure app, hit Yes. If they’re attracted to you, too, a chat window will pop up. You have a day to talk and arrange a meeting before the correspondence disappears. So you better move quickly!
7. Wild
Wild promotes itself as “the fastest way to meet and date with hot singles nearby,” and from what we can tell, they’re spot on. This hookup app features an easy sign-up, advanced search filters (covering age, distance, intentions, body type, among others), free messaging, and a sex-positive environment for exploration.
Much like Tinder, the Wild dating app uses a swipe-based liking system to generate matches and spark connections. The app allows sexy singles to follow their desires without judgment.
| Pros: | Free chatting with matches, verified photos. |
| Cons: | Small user base, expensive memberships with auto-renewal. |
The Wild dating app welcomes over 1 million daily active users. While it may not be the largest, it’s still quite significant. Impressively, around 65% of users have verified their photos with a selfie on the app. With more than 63,000 reviews, Wild boasts a strong 4.4-star rating on iTunes.
The app’s testimonials speak to its success in pairing up sexually active and kinky singles. One satisfied customer under the username BigBuckKiller365 said Wild is “an amazing app” that everyone should try because it has lots of “very nice and beautiful girls/ladies.”
Best Gay Sex Apps (#8-9)
Most sex apps welcome singles of every sexual orientation, but if you’re a gay or bisexual man, you may want to narrow down the field even further by choosing a dating service that has a significant number of gay men. That’s what this section is dedicated to. On the following sex sites, gay men can search profiles with confidence, and they’ll locate a hookup buddy in no time.
MenNation
- Relationships: Daters & Hookups
- Match System: Search by age, zip code, more
- Our Experts Say: With more than 79 million users, MenNation is among the largest gay and bisexual dating and hookup sites in the world. A basic membership is 100% free, and it allows you to upload info and photos, browse, and chat. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over 90 million users, video livestreaming, and quick signup — there’s a lot to like about MenNation. This men-only dating site is perfect for users seeking a casual hookup, a threesome, or gay sex. It takes the slot as the best adult dating site for men seeking men.
To help gay men figure things out, we’ve broken MenNation down into the most important factors:
| Pros: | Fast registration, anonymous browsing, erotic blogs, video features. |
| Cons: | No app, free membership has limits. |
MenNation can help gay, bisexual, and queer men all around the world have better sex because they can, at last, be honest about what they want and what type of partner they’re looking for.
Even though the MenNation app was discontinued a few years back, its website continues to flourish after more than two decades! That’s why we see it as one of the most successful adult dating services in this niche.
9. Grindr
Known as the first and largest mobile community for gay dating, Grindr maintains an active community of gay, bisexual, queer, and trans men. The dating app’s members tend to be forthright about wanting sex.
Android and iPhone users can get the hookup app for free, and it should only take a minute or two to create a Grindr profile.
Pretty much anything goes on Grindr, and single men can usually find a local lover with a few swipes.
Grindr brings a host of great features your way, from the familiar swiping to video chat and private photo albums. Opt for Grindr Xtra, and you’ll unlock even more perks like advanced filters and the ability to swipe beyond your local area.
| Pros: | Photo swiping, advanced filters, tons of local profiles. |
| Cons: | Superficial matches, video pop-up ads. |
You should join Grindr if you’re a queer guy hoping to start a casual relationship with an attractive single man. You never know what could happen while swiping on this popular app! It could lead to nights filled with pleasure and romance with a partner who wants the same things as you.
Best Lesbian Sex Apps (#10-11)
Now, it’s time to help the lesbian women of the online dating world. On the next two apps, you don’t have to worry so much about men showing up in your search results when they’re not supposed to. These apps have some of the largest concentrations of lesbian women, and they take your dating criteria seriously.
LesbianPersonals is a leading casual sex app for gay and bisexual women. You could be a CEO in New York City or a graphic designer in London — the app is open to everyone everywhere. Take a peek at what else LesbianPersonals has to offer:
| Pros: | X-rated videos, fast signup, no real names required. |
| Cons: | Unicorn hunters, lurkers. |
To join the 30 million+ members on LesbianPersonals, you’ll need to provide your relationship status (single or couple), age, country, state, and zip or postal code. You can be a single woman, a lesbian couple, a straight couple, or a group, but the key is seeking a female sexual partner to fully enjoy this unique, sexy community.
NaughtyCharm
- Relationships: Hookups, Chats
- Match System: Search by encounter, location, and more
- Our Experts Say: Lesbian women love NaughtyCharm for many reasons, including it's large user base, free membership, and extensive search filters.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Yes, this is the second time we’ve mentioned NaughtyCharm on this list, but the app really is that good, especially for frisky lesbian singles and couples.
| Pros: | Sexy photos, incognito mode, icebreaker suggestions. |
| Cons: | Few profile verification tools |
Forget having to sort through incompatible profiles like you might have to do on other sex apps — If you’re looking for lesbian women, NaughtyCharm will only show you lesbian women. You can also specify your preferred mile range (e.g., five, 10, or 20), which comes in handy if you’re not into long distance.
NaughtyCharm doesn’t charge for registration, photo uploads, search, potential match recommendations, and online communication, so you won’t break the bank while trying to find that perfect one-night stand, threesome, or other sexual encounter.
Best “Free” Sex Apps (#12-14)
Let’s face it, everything feels better when it’s free, especially if you’re a single on a budget. If you’re looking to save some cash for your date, we’ve found the sex apps that perfectly match your lifestyle. You won’t have to overspend on any of them though, as Colin from “Love Actually” might joke, the only thing that could end up breaking is your back from too much fun.
Here are the top free casual hookup apps for singles on a budget.
Ashley Madison
- Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dates, Affairs
- Match System: Search by age, location, appearance, and more
- Our Experts Say: With its massive user base and advanced privacy features, Ashley Madison is the #1 site for discreet hookups, dates, or relationships. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over the last two decades, Ashley Madison has gained a reputation as the best hookup site for discreet encounters. The affair dating app has 80 million members around the world, and many of them are not exactly single, but they’re still ready to mingle.
| Pros: | Affordability, popularity, photo blurring, profile verification. |
| Cons: | No video features. |
Ashley Madison is a dating app for sexy people of all types. The network welcomes people of various ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, religions, cultures, and backgrounds.
This free hookup app is all about breaking the ice and making romantic connections in an anonymous space. So, part of the introduction phase includes virtual likes and instant messaging. Don’t worry, you don’t have to use your real name or post a photo showing your face. It’s OK to keep some mystery on Ashley Madison.
SparkMeets
- Relationships: Hookups, Casual Dating, Chats
- Match System: Search by location, age, and appearance.
- Our Experts Say: SparkMeets is a dating website that provides a fast track to a romance with a flirty partner. The network has private chats, search filters, and safety features to help spark real connections. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
SparkMeets gives you three reasons why you should join: 1) It does all the hard work for you. 2) Memberships are 100% free for women. 3) Local search filters help you connect with hot singles within seconds. That all sounds like a pretty sweet deal for a person seeking companionship for the night.
This hookup site is all about helping you discover intimacy and indulge in some online naughtiness, so feel free to be bold when sliding into someone’s DMs.
| Pros: | Sex-driven membership, filters by physical type, photo swiping. |
| Cons: | Inactive accounts, long-distance matches. |
Created by the team behind NaughtyCharm, SparkMeets shines as a top pick for casual dating, embracing singles of every sexual orientation. Queer women, straight men, bisexual folks, and everyone in between can relish the excitement of meeting a potential match and maybe even sparking a romance, even if it lasts just one night.
For even more customer support, SparkMeets offers a sexual wellness blog that covers every topic you could imagine — from whether you should have morning sex to how to incorporate kink activities into the bedroom.
14. DOWN
For those who are down for getting down, we highly recommend DOWN (formerly Bang With Friends). The hookup app couldn’t be any simpler:
1. Download for free.
2. Create a sexy profile.
3. Swipe up on profiles you want to date and down if your desires are more carnal.
4. Receive a notification when the feeling is mutual and start chatting or exchanging pics.
If you want to stay anonymous, this dating service can help you keep a low profile. You don’t have to give your real name, and DOWN only displays basic information about you, nothing too invasive!
| Pros: | Fast signup, flirty stickers, verified profiles, clear intentions. |
| Cons: | Smaller user base, paywall on certain features. |
Note: Just because DOWN asks you to sign up through Facebook doesn’t mean your friends will know you’re on the app. DOWN will never post on social media on your behalf. It is an anonymous hookup app that takes personal privacy and security seriously.
FAQs: What’s a Good Sex App for Couples?
Feeld and 3Fun are both sex apps geared toward polyamorous dating, so couples can sign up and explore potential matches without hiding their relationship status.
To spice things up without adding a third, our experts recommend couples play sex games on an app like Dirty Game — Hot Truth or Dare. It claims to have the biggest collection of dirty truth questions and dares — with new ones showing up every time you play.
You can search by categories, including sex positions, foreplay, classic, icebreaker, romantic, and flirt, as well as choose the intensity level. Couples and groups can use the app to build intimacy with a sex partner.
If you’re eager to learn more about your partner, this app is just right for you. It might encourage you to try a sex toy or find new ways to delight your partner.
Which Apps Are Best for Hidden Chats & Anonymous Browsing?
Some apps allow you to remain completely anonymous while chatting with others. Although, fair warning, this dynamic can also make it more difficult to know if an online match is who they say they are.
With the Pure app, you’ve got just 24 hours to reach out to a match before the chat window vanishes. For added privacy, you can blur your face in photos and send sexting messages, knowing they’ll disappear after a day.
What’s the Best Dating App for a Local Hookup?
As far as local hookups go, it’s hard to beat Tinder, the app that invented swiping and changed online dating as we know it. Some other apps like DOWN and Pure are growing more popular all the time, but they still don’t have the numbers that the Tinder app has.
According to Tinder’s stats, the app is responsible for over 1.5 million first dates every week, and it has created over 97 billion matches worldwide!
Are Adult Dating Apps Safe to Use?
Online safety is a major issue that companies like Match Group are tackling by partnering with background check services and other screening or verification tools. Many dating platforms have set up systems to remove fake profiles and flag inappropriate behavior, but hookup sites do tend to be more lax when it comes to X-rated photos and ID authentication.
It just makes sense that if you want total anonymity on a hookup app, you’re going to lose some security features that you’d have on apps like Tinder or OkCupid.
Scam artists often lurk on websites with free messaging and less verification, so have your guard up if someone starts love bombing or making odd requests in your chats.
It’s up to you to trust your instincts and thoroughly check out potential dates. Take dating profile details with a pinch of skepticism, and think about setting up a video date before meeting face-to-face.
One last note on safety: Remember to look out for your sexual health as well. Get tested at least twice a year for STIs. You may also want to think about therapy sessions to look after your well-being on an emotional front.
A Good Sex App Can Come in Handy!
Samantha Jones is a favorite character from “Sex and the City,” and it’s easy to see why. She championed sex positivity long before it became a social media trend. What a true #bossbabe!
Samantha expressed her sexuality openly and honestly at a time when that kind of attitude was stigmatized. She empowered a generation of young women (and men, too!) to stop slut-shaming and start seeking pleasure using all the crayons at their disposal. Today, sex apps and hookup sites are at your service without social stigma.
If you want to focus on having a great sex life, and not on finding a relationship, the sex apps on this list have got your back. You can use these online dating tools to build intimacy and have hot sex with a whole slew of romantic partners. Enjoy!
