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Adult Friend Finder has been undeniably popular in the online hookup space. I’m talking millions of profiles, photos, and videos attracting sexy users worldwide. The casual encounter platform has been going strong since the 1990s, enduring a global recession and pandemic, so I’d say it’s here to stay.
I scanned through the online discussions about how Adult Friend Finder works, and the one thing people kept talking about was its pricing. Can the free membership help regular people meet each other? Are the paid features going to actually make something happen? Is AFF Gold worth it?
The premium membership level isn’t exactly cheap, but you get a lot for that monthly fee. I’ll give you the full details, so you can decide for yourself if AFF Gold can take your hookup game to the next level!
AFF Gold Has Many Perks & Privileges
Adult Friend Finder packs its Gold membership tier with lots of perks and privileges. The AFF team boasts that Gold members see an average of 10 times more responses than basic members. That means more conversations, more connections, and, ultimately, more chances to hook up.
The most obvious benefit that AFF Gold offers users is unlimited private communication. While all users can chat in the “public” areas of the site like forums and chats, AFF Gold members can send and receive private messages, and get expanded chat access as well.
Signing up to Adult Friend Finder is totally free and takes under five minutes, so you can always visit the website and explore your options anonymously before deciding to take the plunge into a paid plan.
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…”
Browse Free:
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User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Free Trial
All Singles*
65%*
35%*
25.5 Million*
3 Months @ $19.95/Mo
If you want to plan your hookup discreetly and efficiently, a paid membership could be the way to go.
Beyond communication options, AFF Gold makes searching for the right hookup partner more streamlined by adding special features to the mix. Gold membership grants users access to more expanded profile details as well as premium search filters to refine your browsing as you look for the user that gets your motor running.
Speaking of which, AFF Gold users also get expanded access to adult content on the site. While anyone can read and post erotic content in blogs and forums, participate in sexting in the chats, and view photos and videos, only AFF Gold users gain access to livestreaming adult content produced by AFF members. You’ll also get access to an expanded library of photos and videos, so you’ll have your pick of the content that gets you going.
AFF Gold also grants users access to Sex Academy, AFF’s resource full of videos, articles, and other content geared at helping sexual adventure seekers get more from their hookups. You’ll find how-to content and tips and tricks to enhance your bedroom game, as well as information on improving your profile, giving yourself better odds when you reach out and connect with a potential partner.
All in all, AFF Gold provides plenty of benefits in many different areas, all geared at providing a truly premium experience for users who pay the monthly fee. The premium membership fee also helps pay for overall site upkeep, and helps AFF improve the security features and tools behind the scenes, making the platform safer and more secure for all users.
How Much Does AFF Gold Cost?
All the premium features that AFF Gold provides are certainly flashy, but access to the improved tools, expanded content, and perks doesn’t come cheap. If you want to be able to watch live adult content, send and receive unlimited messages, and partake in all the fun that Gold Membership can offer, you’ll need to get out the credit card.
Prices for AFF Gold depend on how long you want to be a member. Like many dating sites and apps that operate on the freemium model, AFF rewards users who are willing to sign up for longer periods of time with a lower monthly fee. That means if you’re willing to commit to a year, you’ll get a great deal.
- One-month membership costs $34.95
- Three-month membership costs $19.95 per month
- One-year membership costs $7.95 per month
If you just want to dip your toe in and see what the membership is like, one month of AFF Gold will set you back $34.95. That’s a pretty reasonable price to pay for full access to the adult content and premium features, which include direct messaging anyone anytime.
If you’re willing to commit to three months of membership, the monthly rate goes down to $19.95, billed upfront as a single payment. While around $60 all at once is a substantial charge for a dating site, it’s like getting one month free in comparison to the one-month rate.
Finally, if you’ve got the cash to pay for a full year of Gold Membership in one go, the rate goes all the way down to $7.95/month (or $95.40 total). That’s a fraction of the price that you’d pay if you decided to renew your AFF Gold membership on a month-to-month basis!
While that’s a lot of money to pay in a lump sum, it comes out to about the same amount that many dating sites and apps charge for a premium membership.
Some Drawbacks to Consider
While AFF Gold offers a lot of benefits and perks compared to the basic membership level, there are some drawbacks to keep in mind before you take the plunge to become a premium user.
For one thing, AFF Gold access to unlimited messaging doesn’t extend to free users. Of course, you can send private messages to anyone on the platform you find, but to allow basic members to read and respond to your messages, you’ll have to take on a higher upgrade to Gold Plus. With just the standard AFF Gold, only other Gold and Gold Plus users can reply to your messages.
Another drawback to keep in mind is that the membership fee automatically renews by default, so you could end up getting charged for another month, three months, or a year without much warning. You can turn off auto-renewal, but you’ll lose the 20% discount that comes with it.
The slightly higher bill might be worth it though because automatic renewals increase the chance you’ll get a surprise billing.
What Reviews From Users Say
Adult Friend Finder is such a popular, go-to platform for finding hookups that it’s inevitable that reviews of the site span the internet. From Reddit and Quora to Trustpilot and beyond, people around the world have plenty to say about the site.
In a Reddit thread asking for honest reviews of AFF Gold, users provided a wealth of different perspectives. User Great_Pair6218 wrote that “Aff used to be f***ing awesome!! They literally just changed it this month and now you have to pay for every little individual thing.”
“Honestly, my opinion is that no matter if you pay ANY app out there, the matches are the same.” –BeneficialTeaching10 on Reddit
On the other hand, RMB_OurLife wrote that, as a husband-and-wife pair, they still found success with AFF Gold membership on a fairly regular basis. He offered the advice that a strong user profile and a respectful approach, in addition to the Gold membership, made the difference.
Quora users like Giles Lambert, replying to the question of whether AFF Gold was worth the monthly price, took a fairly philosophical approach: “All hook up/swinger sites have their own controversies, despite this we’ve seen AFF get bigger year by year which means it can be worth it. So called fake accounts are everywhere, obviously on the largest hookup site they’re going to have them too and there’s probably nothing AFF can do about it.”
“If you find the kind of sex partner you are looking for, Adult Friend Finder will be worth the price. Otherwise, it will obviously be very expensive.” — anonymous Quora member
Another user, Jose Arteaga, recommended exploring the free membership features to the hilt before signing up for the premium version. Still others in the thread suggested that AFF had the same kind of issues as many online dating sites, and that despite its massive popularity, odds are no better or worse compared to other hookup platforms.
FAQs: Is Adult Friend Finder Safe?
Overall, AFF is as safe as most mainstream dating sites, although I’d make a few caveats given its history. The data breaches on the site membership are certainly cause for concern. But those slips actually led to increased safety and security measures behind the scenes, including data encryption and certified ID procedures to keep fake profiles to a minimum.
Cyber security sites have awarded AFF a “B” grade when it comes to online security. Now, I know it’d be more comforting to see an A+ grade, but a B isn’t too bad when you think about the difficulty involved in keeping an army of bots and scammers at bay.
The Adult Friend Finder team puts incredible effort into keeping all security features up to date so it can prevent fraudulent users and fake profiles from causing problems.
Adult Friend Finder isn’t without hazards – honestly, no meeting place is – but users should feel safe on the platform. And if someone makes you feel unsafe, you can always hit that block button.
Does AFF Work for Couples Seeking a Threesome?
Experiences can vary a lot from one couple to another, but I’d say AFF is one of the better places to seek a threesome. At least you won’t be booted for talking about poly dating. Adult Friend Finder stands apart from other casual dating sites in no small part because it allows couples to openly seek out sexual partners.
Most dating sites and apps cater to singles. Tinder explicitly states that people who are already married or in relationships will be banned from the platform if they’re discovered. Ouch.
Ethical non-monogamy still isn’t recognized on the mainstream apps, but it’s positively thriving on sex sites like AFF.
AFF allows couples to join together or as two separate users, making it easier to seek out a third—or even a whole group of people—for your sexual adventures.
What are Some Free Alternatives to AFF Gold?
More and more online dating platforms continue to move to a “freemium” model, much like the one AFF uses, which means finding a site or app where you can access all the core features for free is harder and harder. But there are still a few options out there for budget-friendly hookups.
Ashley Madison is completely free for women on the platform, with all features and tools open and accessible without the need to pay for credits. For men on the affair dating site, the situation is a bit more complicated: it’s free to sign up, browse matches, and you can even signal your interest in another user without paying any fees. However, you’ll need to buy credits to send and receive messages, or to enjoy many of the perks the site and app have to offer.
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…”
Full Review »
Browse Free:
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User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Free Trial
All Singles & Attached*
71%*
29%*
65 Million*
Browse FREE
BeNaughty also offers a free premium membership for all women on the site, with access to a bevy of special tools and features to make finding a hookup easy. For men on BeNaughty, the site offers a choice between three premium membership options.
Chataholic provides unlimited messaging, read receipts, and other tools for enhanced communication, while Extra Security offers automatic browser history clearing, incognito mode, and other heightened security features. The Premium Dater gives you the best of both worlds, combining flexible communication with high-quality cyber security.
Relationships:
Hookups, Chats
Match System:
Search by encounter, location, and more
Our Experts Say:
“Absolutely free to sign up and browse profiles, BeNaughty is the top pick of millions for local “adult dating.” If you are looking for sex only — straight, swinger, gay, lesbian — this is your site…”
Full Review »
Browse Free:
View Photos Now
User Base
Gender Ratio
Popularity (Visits/Mo.)
Free Trial
All Singles*
48%*
52%*
13.3 Million*
Browse Profiles Free
Even if you don’t choose one of the premium membership options, BeNaughty provides a few simple ways to make connections, including “public” areas of the site where you can mingle and communicate with potential hookups.
Last but not least, OkCupid made a commitment to stay forever free when the site launched in 2004. And, believe it or not, that pledge is still going strong 20+ years later.
The dating platform has kept all core features free of charge, including unlimited private messages and matchmaking tools. OkCupid does provide more filters and visibility boosts for A-List members, but you don’t need those tools to successfully find a hookup.
Is There an Adult Friend Finder App?
Yes! There is an AFF app, but unfortunately, you won’t find it in the App Store or Google Play. The Adult Friend Finder App was removed from both platforms following crackdowns on adult content in mobile app markets starting in 2010.
Getting access to the AFF app is a little complicated, but the website walks you through it. You’ll have to download the application directly from the website rather than going through the mobile app stores.
Of course, downloading the app isn’t a requirement for membership. The AFF site is mobile-friendly and uses responsive design, so you can go from your computer to your phone or your tablet without missing a beat. All the same features are available no matter what device you use for access. You’ll get the same experience from the browser on your phone as you do from your preferred browser on your laptop or desktop.
AFF Has Plenty of Free & Paid Features Worth Exploring
Whether you decide to sign up for AFF Gold or stick with the free membership, Adult Friend Finder has a lot of features to help you find your next hookup. Public areas of the site make it easy to mingle with potential partners on the down low, and the massive popularity of the platform means that you can find plenty of candidates that fit your desires.
If you want to make the most out of your membership, AFF Gold can help you expand your communication options, gain access to more adult content, and improve your visibility on the platform. If it fits your budget and goals, it’s definitely fair to say that AFF Gold is worth it.
Check out your options and get started on your next sexy adventure!
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