Hookup culture and casual dating have been on a steady rise ever since the early ’00s. What’s more, online dating and casual relationships have almost completely replaced traditional dating entirely.
Thanks to the perfect combo of online dating and dating apps, getting laid has become easier than ever.
Before we get any deeper into the matter, we have to define what a hookup site is.
When you think of dating sites, your mind immediately jumps to websites that are catering to those that are looking for a long-term relationship. A hookup app is very different from traditional matching sites and apps. They’re designed to provide an easy-to-use service for anyone looking for a casual hookup.
If you’re between relationships, or just want some excitement in your life with a passion-filled no-strings-attached adventure – installing a dating app is an excellent idea.
Unfortunately, there are countless options out there. You have mainstream apps like Tinder or Grindr, but there are also other apps and sites that cater to a more specific user base.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best hookup sites you’ll want to check out if you want the right person for a night (or day) of casual sex.
How do I Rate Hook Up Apps?
When it comes to dating apps, to find the best match you have to fill out long questionnaires and forms. But when you’re looking for casual hookups, there’s no need for that. Of course, you want to make sure your online dating adventures don’t lead you into dangerous situations.
This is why most hook-up apps feature bios and prompts that give you an insight into what’re you’re getting into when matching with a specific person.
Of course, since it’s all about one-night stands – photos are an essential part of the experience. Some hookup sites and apps gatekeep user pictures unless you get a subscription – and this is something we don’t like. An ideal hookup app doesn’t gatekeep essential features from its user base.
One thing even the best hookup apps can’t completely weed out is the problem of catfishing. Catfishing is one thing that can ruin the experience.
There’s nothing worse than the feeling of shame when you find out that after days of chat messages, the person on the other side was pulling your strings just for laughs. All the most popular hookup apps are working on resolving the problem, but there is still a risk you’ll get catfished.
We recommend you use hookup sites that have a strict no-catfishing policy so even if you end up being catfished, one quick report will get that person banned.
Top 10 Hook Up Apps
Now that we’ve set the groundwork, it’s time to jump into the meat of the matter.
If you’re not ready for a serious relationship and just one some casual hookups with like-minded people, trying out any of the hook-up sites and apps below is an excellent idea.
We didn’t bother ranking these services since each one caters to a different niche. Instead, we’ve scoured the internet for the best and most popular hookup sites and apps and compiled a list breaking them down and showing you the good and the bad they have to offer.
Ashley Madison
We’re pretty sure you’ve already familiar with Ashley Madison. Over the past decade, this dating app/website has made quite a reputation for itself as one of the best places for a one-night stand.
If you’re unfamiliar with this hookup site, Ashley Madison made a name for itself as a place where married people can find discreet relationships. Although incredibly controversial, this approach to hookup sites proved to be incredibly popular.
Today, Ashley Madison still has a reputation for marital affairs, but it’s also an excellent place for no-strings-attached one-night stands and casual relationships.
The reason why this hookup app is so popular is because of its open-minded members. Almost all members of Ashley Madison are open-minded and won’t judge you for your kinks. Everyone on this dating site is looking for a casual hookup or a one-night stand.
Registering on this dating app is pretty straightforward. You can either download the app on your mobile phone or visit the website with your computer and fill out a few forms so you can find a match easier, and you’re done.
And since everything about this website is catering towards more discreet users, it has an excellent feature that allows you to alter the photos after uploading and mask your face so it’s harder for someone you know from identifying you.
When it comes to communicating with your potential matches, you have quite a few options. Just like on all social media, you can use the chat feature, but there are also voice and video calls. On top of that, you can also send winks to other users to spice things up.
The free version is pretty restrictive in the sense you won’t find matches that easily, but you’ll get a few free credits you can use to send gifts to your matches.
Ashely Madison is an excellent place to visit if you’re looking for a one-night stand, or if you’re looking for a discreet getting together. It has more than 10 million users worldwide, so finding a match won’t be that hard.
The Good
- The registration is completely free
- Strictly caters to hookups
- Lots of communication features
- An excellent place to find men and women that just one to have fun
- The user base is almost half men and half women
The Bad
- Not many matching questions for a dating site
- Out of date design
- Had a few security breaches in the past
Tinder
Out of all dating sites and hookup apps out there, Tinder is probably the most well-known. Most people would consider Tinder to be the best dating site in the world. And when you consider how many members are active, it’s hard to dispute that fact.
Tinder came out to the scene in 2012 and immediately gained massive popularity. Tinder stands out from other dating sites because most members can find no-strings-attached dates without a feeling of shame.
The other reason why this hookup site is so popular is that it’s completely free. Of course, there is a premium membership subscription, but you can enjoy most of the features without paying a single cent. If you’re single and looking to get laid, Tinder is your best choice.
TO get started on this dating app, all you need is a valid email address and a user name. Once you sign up, you can add photos and a simple bio. After that, you can set the range for potential matches and you’re ready to go.
If you’re unfamiliar, this app works by finding other Tinder members around you and compiles them into a list of matches. You swipe through the list of men and women in your area and once you and another user like each other’s profile you can chat with each other.
Like we mentioned at the beginning, thanks to pretty active members, you’ll be able to match with someone that’s into you. You can only use chat to communicate, but that’s more than enough to connect with your match, plan a date, and have fun.
If you subscribe to a premium version of this app, you’ll be able to search for other users and even give them a super like. Super like allows you to connect with the match immediately without them having to like your profile as well.
The Good
- Easy to sign up
- Excellent free user experience
- The free version of the app isn’t restrictive
- Excellent hookup site for those seeking casual hookups and one-night stands
- An even split between women and men
The Bad
- Lot’s of catfish user profiles
- Caters toward younger users
Facebook Dating
Facebook has been around for a long time now. This social media website changed the internet landscape forever thanks to how easy it made to connect with people all around the world.
In recent years, this internet giant started dabbling with other things than just connecting with people. If you’ve been following the news, they acquired the streaming platform Mixer as well as buying Oculus Rift. This internet giant is slowly diversifying its service.
A couple of months ago, this company also launched a dating app. Although it’s currently only available in the US, the Facebook Dating site will become available for other parts of the world in the following months.
To sign up for this dating site, all you need is a Facebook profile. You have to opt-in for this service and the best thing about it is that it won’t be visible on your feed. The registration is totally free and takes up only a couple of minutes.
What makes this app better than other dating apps on the market is that it uses a state-of-the-art algorithm to match you with other uses. The algorithm will find a match for you based on the interests, hobbies, and groups you’re a member of.
Another thing that makes this app stand out from the rest is its catering to long-term relationships.
You can’t simply send a chat message to other users, rather you have to pick a question or a photo from a user’s profile and ask them a question related to it. Once you’ve sent the message, you can’t see that user’s profile until they respond.
Although this app caters to users that want to find someone for a long-term relationship, because of the young user base, you won’t have much trouble finding matches that just one to have some fun.
The Good
- Features a pretty robust free version of the site
- Completely free
- Millions of active members
- Features a sophisticated match-finding algorithm
The Bad
- You can only look for members in a 100-mile radius
- Caters towards those who seek a more meaningful relationship and not hookups
Grindr
Let’s face it, most dating sites cater to straight women and men. Of course, most dating apps have an option for LGBTQ folk, but there aren’t many active users. This is the reason why Grindr is so popular, it’s one of few dating sites that strictly caters to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people.
Users on Grindr can find like-minded members to hook up with or go on casual dates. Grindr should be your go-to hookup site if you can’t find someone that shares your sexuality. The site has a large member base and everyone is seeking fun dates and casual sex.
Grindr is set up a bit differently than other dating sites such as Tinder. Instead of swiping right or left, you will be presented with a grid of thumbnails. Each thumbnail is a different user profile you can freely check out.
You don’t have to match with other members that are online. You can start chatting right away and move on to dates if you feel a connection.
If you’re looking to get laid, Grindr is an excellent place to find other like-minded LGBTQ folk. Most users on this hookup site aren’t seeking anything serious, they just want to find a hookup.
Besides the free version, Grindr also offers a premium subscription. If you sign up for Grindr XTRA you’ll get an ad-free experience, access to more matches, as well as some premium filters that allow you to browse users based on their online status, photos, height, weight, etc.
The only downside to the site is that there are way more gay men than lesbian women on it. Lesbian women will have a hard time finding a hookup unless they pay for the premium version. This is not the problem with the app, rather with the user base. Gay men like using hookup applications more than lesbian women.
The Good
- An excellent free version
- Millions of users worldwide
- An excellent place to find a hookup if you’re LGBTQ
- Excellent UI design
The Bad
- Not the best place for lesbian/queer women
- The premium version is very pricey
- No search feature
Feeld
If you have specific kinks or are into alternative relationships, finding the right hookup app can be incredibly difficult. Of course, there are quite a few people on Tinder, Ashley Madison, and Grindr that are into kinky stuff, but because of the large user base, it’s incredibly hard to find matches.
This is where Feeld comes in. This dating site was specifically made for people who are seeking alternative relationships.
What alternative relationships are we talking about? Well, we’re talking about threesomes, polyamory, open relationships, BDSM, and much more.
What’s more, Feeld markets itself as a go-to option for couples and singles in search of other like-minded people.
You can find anything from casual dating to full-blown orgies on this site. If you’re seeking more kinky hookups, or just want to spice up your sex=life, Feeld is an excellent place to do that.
The users on this site are incredibly open-minded, and you can enjoy a space that’s totally free of any kink-shaming. No matter what gets your boat rocking, you can rest assured other members won’t shame you for it.
Just like with most hookup sites, there is a free and a paid version. Signing up is totally free and incredibly quick. All you need is a valid email address and a user name, and you’re ready to go.
The premium version gives you quite a few features on this site. With a paid subscription you’ll be able to know when someone has liked your profile, you can filter users based on their kinks, and you even get an incognito mode that will hide your profile from people you know.
The site is full of men and women looking for kinky hookups, and we’re pretty sure you’ll find someone that shares your kinks pretty quickly.
The Good
- The site is dedicated to non-traditional relationships and kinks
- An excellent site to find a threesome date
- Superb user support
The Bad
- The app is glitchy
AdultFriendFinder
Although most young people use Tinder to find casual sex, AdultFriendFinder is a bit more mature. AFF is more like a porn site you can actually interact with.
Whether you’re looking for easy hookups, or want to blow off some steam with sexting or exchanging explicit videos, AFF has everything your dirty mind can think of and more.
With more than 20 million members worldwide as well as video chatting features, chat rooms. groups for specific kinks, you can assume how wild the user base of this sit is.
Unlike other dating sites, AdultFriendFinder doesn’t match you with other users like most other dating sites do. Instead, the site leaves it up to you to find singles or couples who are in search of hookups, dates, most importantly, sex.
The registration process on this site is pretty straightforward. All you need is a valid email address and username. When signing up, you will have to answer a few basic questions as well as enter your sexual preferences. Once that’s done, you’re free to search for men and women that share your kinks.
Unfortunately, the free version is pretty limited. You won’t be able to send instant messages or leave comments. Thankfully, you will still be able to find matches and give them likes so they can connect with you.
If you sign up for the premium membership, you’ll be able to send instant messages, leave comments on videos and photos, and even start your own vlog about your sexcapades.
If you can get past the shady marketing and somewhat outdated design, you will have a blast finding a date on this site.
The Good
- You can register for free
- An excellent platform for sexting
- Stricly designed for hooking up
The Bad
- Not many matching questions during registration
- Outdated user interface design
Her
Like we mentioned in our Grindr review, it’s incredibly hard for the LGBTQ folk to find like-minded people using traditional dating sites.
While Grindr is a great place for LGBTQ men to find a date, the story is quite different for LGBTQ women.
Thankfully, there’s is a hookup app that caters specifically to LGBTQ women.
Her is an app/site that is specifically made for gay, bisexual, and transgender women. With this app, you won’t have any trouble finding and matching with other LGBTQ women in your area.
Her is much more than just a mere dating app – it also functions as a social media platform. This means you’re not just limited to hookups – you can also make new friends, go on relaxed dates, and even find someone for a long-term relationship.
With more than 4 million women worldwide using this platform, it should be a problem finding new people. What’s more, you’ll also be able to discover LGBTQ events that are going on in your area.
Just like all hookup sites, Her features free and premium accounts. With a free account, you’ll be able to match with other women in your area, chat with them, view photos and videos, and more.
With a Gold or Platinum membership, you’ll get access to premium filters, incognito mode, see who’s online, and much more.
The Good
- Specifically designed for LGBTQ women
- Easy to find a hookup or a relationship
- Excellent free features
The Bad
- The app is prone to glitches
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for no-strings-attached sex, or you just want to find people that share your kinks – hookup applications and sites are an excellent choice. We hope our article managed to give you a more clear picture of what to expect from different platforms.