Concerts

“Everyone knows him because of his glasses. He’s the kid.” 

Campaign volunteer Ava Gal gestured to William “The Kid” Guerrero, the 21-year-old artist running for a council seat in the 12th Chicago Police District. It was 6 PM on a Friday night in early February, and Guerrero’s supporters waited for guests to arrive at his fundraising party at Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez’s office. Once an accessory to an old Halloween costume, Guerrero’s thick, lensless frames now serve as both the focal point of his face and a political message. On the left side they’re painted white, with the words, “We are the Future” sprawling across the temples. Untouched, the right is black. 

A Pilsen native, Guerrero is the youngest person running for a Chicago Police District Council seat. The council is the product of a two-pronged city ordinance passed in July 2021. Centered on police oversight, accountability, and public safety, the initiative created two new bodies, the District Councils and the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Each of the city’s 22 police districts will house councils comprising of three people elected in regular municipal elections every four years. This February, Chicagoans can vote for the very first District Council representatives. 

Even with Pilsen’s population of 80,011, Gal says Guerrero has been a familiar face for years—around coffee shops, streets, and community events. When she saw that he was running for the 12th Police District Council in October, she reached out to him over Instagram. Now, months later, the Westinghouse College Prep senior volunteers for his campaign, trading Friday nights with friends for Guerrero’s fundraising party. 

“Public safety is a really big topic right now, but there are so many different opinions and outlooks, that you never really know what’s going to happen,” Gal says. “We’ll go down to Ukrainian Village, and there’ll be an old man with no shoes on yelling about property taxes, and then other places, we’ll have people who are super open and thankful to have these conversations.” 

Guerrero believes that Gen Z can help bridge this ideological divide. He says that police misconduct and brutality have poisoned the city, stewing bitterness and distrust among Chicagoans. Finding no alleviation to these problems in the current system, Guerrero sees infinite potential in youth voices. Although Chicago just witnessed its lowest voter turnout (46 percent) for a midterm election in the past 80 years, turnout for youth voters appears hopeful. In the 2018 midterm elections and for Illinois governor, youth voter turnout reached 40 percent. On a national level, 27 percent of young people, ages 18 to 29, turned out to vote in the 2022 midterm election—the second highest youth turnout rate for a midterm election in the past 30 years. 

Not only do young people have the innovation to create non policing alternatives, but also they have the bandwidth to, as he puts it, “reeducate people in order to pursue peace.” 

Though youth often comes with inexperience, Guerrero’s resume boasts local, community centered political experience. After a semester studying photography at Robert Morris University Illinois (prior to its 2020 merger with Roosevelt University), he dropped out and campaigned for Jon Ossoff in Georgia, seeking to boost Latinx civic engagement. In the city, he spends time studying up on the dark money problem. He also spearheads and photographs community events, such as Mural Movement. Moreover, he grew up in a single parent household, serving as a role model for his three younger siblings—the importance of strong leadership has “surrounded [him] from a very young age.” But Guerrero says his premature foray into municipal politics is not a choice. 

“If you’re part of the older generation, you’re responsible for making me run. I shouldn’t have to,” he says. “I’d rather be in college, having fun, partying, but I can’t. I have everything to lose because of the older generation.” 

William Guerrero speaks at a recent community meeting. Credit: Paul Goyette

Trailing behind the renewed Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, the city’s new Police District Councils are no coincidence. Communities of color often bear the burden of fatal police violence and brutality, with Black and Latinx Americans three times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans. If elected, Guerrero seeks to sever the vicious cycle of police brutality and back door deals that have affected him and his community. He is an advocate of Treatment not Trauma, a model for public mental health infrastructure that includes city-run mental health centers and a 24-hour crisis response hotline that dispatches mental health workers instead of police officers. According to Collaborative Community for Wellness, the risk of being killed by police is 16 times greater for individuals with untreated mental illness than for other residents. With a platform focused on de-escalation, Guerrero hopes to “bring humanity” to the table. 

Guerrero has secured multiple endorsements for his campaign, including that of Alderman Sigcho-Lopez of the 25th Ward, who lent Guerrero his office space for a recent fundraising party. 

“We need to empower young people because they’re the ones who are affected by police brutality,” Sigcho-Lopez tells the Reader over the phone. “[Guerrero] is well-qualified because he’s active, present, and listens to the youth—he is learning, empowering, and creating more spaces.” 

At the fundraiser on February 3, both Gal and Guerrero wrestled with Guerrero’s pit bull terrier Harley, mustering feeble attempts to keep her attached to her leash. She’s a former fighter dog and rescue that Guerrero adopted a month ago to keep him company.

As he slipped Harley a slice of pizza, Guerrero explained that his young age shouldn’t scare off voters. 

“Yeah, I might not have been here when all these politicians were corrupting Pilsen for the past 20-some years,” he quipped, “But I’m here now.”

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AdultFriendFinder: Scam or real? Does it work in 2023?

These are questions when signing up for a new hookup site. The goal is to find a legit hookup, not spend hours talking to bots.

Gather round kids, because here’s the tea: Thanks to AdultFriendFinder, also known as AFF, I now have two stable friends-with-benefits who I see on a regular basis. Both are babes and really open-minded. You could say I’ve tried some new things in the bedroom thanks to these women.

But that doesn’t mean that AdultFriendFinder is all rainbows and butterflies. I signed up for a premium membership to take it for a real test drive, and there were a few things to watch out for.

This review will show you all the good and bad that comes along with an AdultFriendFinder membership, and if it’s worth signing up for.

For the people who don’t want to read the full review, I’ve broken down some pros and cons. Keep reading to find out more details about these!

Pros

There are millions of users.
24/7 customer support
Registration is free.
The premium price is not bad.
Fetishes, kinks, and alt lifestyles are all welcome.
People are extremely willing and eager to meet up.
Due to the huge user base, there are lots of locals no matter your location.
Users are extremely open-minded.
You will find someone who wants to hang out immediately, even among some fake profiles.
You can enjoy the app version on your mobile divide.

Cons

Bots, fakes, inactive profiles, and scammers exist.
There are tons of ads.
You won’t get much out of the free version.
Some pages redirect to other companies.
There are plenty of users who aren’t easy on the eyes.
There was a security breach in 2015, but it’s been resolved.
Some argue that it was more effective when it first launched.

Ok, now for the real review…

What’s A Free AdultFriendFinder Membership Like?

I’m going to be honest here, you’re not going to be able to hook up with anyone by registering for a free membership. But because AdultFriendFinder is so much more than just a hookup site, there’s still a lot you can do.

For instance, you can join adult chat rooms or watch live sex cam girls. Just be advised that some of these “extra features” that AdultFriendFinder provides will just lead you to another website.

As a free member, you will also get a feel for the lay of the land and be able to receive messages. Find out who is online, who lives nearby, and who some of AdultFriendFinder’s hottest members are. You can also get detailed information from everyone’s profile and narrow your search by the age and gender filters.

I remained a free member for an hour and got some messages. Most of the women who sent the messages weren’t that hot. With 80 million members and counting, it’s no surprise that the users aren’t all supermodels. I’m not much of a looker either, though. Plus, I’d rather meet a DTF woman than one who isn’t but is walking down the runway. That’s where AdultFriendFinder can really deliver.

But there were a few profiles that really piqued my interest. I received messages like, “All I want is a nice bang and I’ll be on my way.” In order to message back, I had to upgrade my membership.

What’s A Gold Membership Like?

Yes, I bit the bullet and went Gold. Several friends told me it was a good idea because they actually found hookups through the site. For that reason, I bought the entire year because it was the best value. $14.95 per month comes to as little as $0.50 per day. It’s way less than a cup of joe and totally worth it. AdultFriendFinder doesn’t accept Paypal or cryptocurrency. You can use Mastercard, Discover, or Visa. Here’s the pricing breakdown:

$14.95 a month for 12 months or $180
$19.95 a month for six months or $90
$24.95 a month

The moment I signed up for AdultFriendFinder’s membership plan, I was introduced to hundreds of women who were nearby, online, and wanted some action. Again, they weren’t all gorgeous, but that’s OK with me. I started getting messages almost immediately.

Some also felt suspiciously like bots. You can tell that someone is a bot if they don’t speak naturally or respond insanely fast. But others were from actual real women who genuinely wanted to get off with a nearby stranger, and I wanted to be that stranger.

I have a pretty unique type. I love women who have a large bust, are thick, and have blue eyes. Ok, so not that unique. Luckily AdultFriendFinder has a very specific advanced search that makes finding someone who is your type very easy. You can also use it to find couples and groups to meet up with.

Here’s a snippet of how detailed you can get. . . and that’s not even half of it.

After selecting the traits that turned me on, I began my hunt for the perfect friend-with-benefits. This might come as a shock, but I’m not a one-night-stand type of guy. Don’t get me wrong, I love casual sex as much as the next person. But I like to have an ongoing sexual relationship because I like getting really comfortable with another person and experimenting with kinkier sex as time goes on. I hoped and prayed that AdultFriendFinder would grant me a compatible friend-with-benefits.

Guess what? Within a couple of days, I got two.

Using AdultFriendFinder To Actually Hook UpI’ll explain to you how it went down for me. I got a ton of messages from horny locals who weren’t really turning me on. There were some swingers thrown into the mix as well, but nothing that was really making me sweat (AFF does a double as a swingers site, but it’s not my thing). Until I came across a message from Jessica.

Before I could even meet up with her, I spotted another blue-eyed beauty named Whitegirldtfsum1. Spoiler alert: we hooked up the day after I had sex with Jessica.

Now I see Jessica and Whitegirldtfsum1 regularly. I am currently working towards getting them in bed with me at the same time. Fingers crossed!

So, Is It Legit?

I’m not surprised that some folks on the Internet are quick to call AdultFriendFinder a scam. With millions of members and new people joining by the minute, there are bound to be some unhappy customers. Not everyone knows how to use the Internet to get laid, or what to look out for from people who actually do use AdultFriendFinder to scam people.

There are certainly some misgivings and some people who use AdultFriendFinder for their own sick schemes. But if you’re smart, the site will get you laid. Again, AdultFriendFinder is not the holy grail of hookup sites, but it’s pretty darn close.

To get the most out of AdultFriendFinder, keep the following things in mind:

Look Out For Scammers: There will always be people on the Internet who want your money or information. They will try to take advantage of you when you are at your most vulnerable. . . like looking for a hookup. Don’t ever give personal information out to people on AdultFriendFinder. They have no use for it—unless they are trying to scam! If a match says any of the following, they are probably trying to scam you:
“I need money because I am sick.”
“I have legal issues, can you help me with those?”
“I have a ton of money in a secure account overseas, but I need a bit of money to get it out.”
“My friend died and I don’t know how to pay for the funeral.”
Beware Of Bots: The truth is, you’ll encounter a lot of bots with the free membership on AdultFriendFinder. They are easy to identify, but you want to stay away from them. They are a total waste of time. They will send you a generic opener like, “Hey big boy, looking for a good time?” It might be tempting, but there’s no point in entertaining this.
Ditch Dead Profiles: Dead profiles are abandoned or inactive profiles. AdultFriendFinder isn’t that good at getting rid of these, so keep that in mind when you’re fishing for a hottie.
Ignore The Ads: There are ads on AdultFriendFinder. If you ignore them and don’t click on them, you’ll have a smooth ride on the website!
Know What You Want: If what you want from AdultFriendFinder is a hookup, you’re in good hands. That’s what AdultFriendFinder does best—hook up two horny users! There are so many people using the site that finding a partner, companion, or quickie is as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
Educate Yourself On Catfishes: There are so many people who hop onto AdultFriendFinder regularly. There’s no major way to verify who is catfishing you and who isn’t. AdultFriendFinder does its best by requesting photo verification. That’s awesome! But people are smart. Through photoshop or sheer photo theft, someone can pretend to be much more attractive than they are in real life. We’ll be honest, not everyone who uses AdultFriendFinder is a supermodel, so keep an eye out for the catfishes. They are frequent on almost every dating site and hookup app. Also beware that adult sites like these can actually hire their own staff to act as models that live nearby. This is another form of a catfish. AdultFriendFinder has been known to do this in the past, but now they have so many users that they don’t have to. Here are some ways to tell if someone is a catfish:
They won’t video chat
Their photos are of different people
Their photos look fake or photoshopped
Understand Who The Models Are On AdultFriendFinder: If what you’re looking for is a model, then visit the Live-Action section of the site! This is where you can watch hot models perform for you in real time using their webcams.

Is AdultFriendFinder Safe?Back in 2015, AdultFriendFinder got into some trouble due to a large data breach. They have since implemented some of the best security systems offered and there have not been any privacy or security issues since that one in 2015. In fact, due to the stress caused by the 2015 breach, AdultFriendFinder has gone out of its way to make itself one of the safest and most secure hookup sites on the web, implementing the most secure encryption systems.

Final Thoughts About AdultFriendFinderHere’s the thing—no hookup site is perfect. AdultFriendFinder is almost there, but not quite. There are ads, there are some bots, and the users aren’t all smoke shows. But AdultFriendFinder is one of the best hookup sites because it works! Plus, it’s so quick and easy. The Gold membership is definitely worth two quarters a day for me. I am reminded of this with each casual hookup session that was brought to me by AdultFriendFinder.

What’s The Live-Action Section?

The Live-Action section on AdultFriendFinder is a whole lot of fun, but it won’t actually get you laid. This section is for webcam models who want to show you the goods, hoping you’ll pay so they can get a Chanel bag or pay their student loans. Many of the rooms are near empty, so you can definitely get the model’s attention without fighting through a ton of horny users, but these girls aren’t going to meet up with you.

The only chance you have at meeting any of these models in person is by following their social media pages that they’ve got outside of AdultFriendFinder. This is easy to do as many of the models list their socials right there on the page. If you aren’t a total ogre, you may as well try your luck!

The Live-Action section also doesn’t discriminate. You can view men, women, trans people, pansexual people, couples, threesomes, solo sessions, and more. The shows are of pretty high quality with a nice set and great production value.

The bottom line with webcam models is that they want to be paid, but they also love being showered with attention. If you play your cards right, you could get the webcam models to perform all sorts of seductive acts without dropping major stacks on the performance itself. But, it’s always worth paying the webcam model. They will work harder, utilize their skillset to the fullest potential, and it’s just the right thing to do.

How To Use AdultFriendFinder To Find A HookupFinding The Right Partner on AFF:

When you get your membership, you’ll be led through a series of questions that help AdultFriendFinder assess your personality and match you. It’s ideal for both short-term hookups and long-term partners. From there, you can make selections about your preference in a partner. Again, so many people use AdultFriendFinder, so narrowing down will help you save tremendous amounts of time. You will be shown profiles of folks who live in your area, so that you don’t have to buy a plane ticket or spend money on gas just to get your freak on.

AdultFriendFinder also has a Purity Test. This is a test that determines how “pure” (or prude) you are. It might seem like a lot of hooey, but this test will help you figure out how far you’ve gone sexually and how far you’re willing to go. It will then introduce you to folks who can satisfy your sexual urges.

Adult Dating Tips:Your hookup journey starts with a good conversation starter. If you aren’t sure what to talk about, take a look at our infographic helping you figure out what to say to actually get a sexy person in the bed with you! Don’t be too eager or creepy. The key is to find the balance between casual and sexual. If you’re too nervous to make the first chat or consider yourself an introvert, you can use AdultFriendFinder’s icebreaker messages or send a virtual gift! These can come in the form of everything from emojis to real gifts.

How To Meet In Person:Ok, so you’ve finally met someone who doesn’t look like a gremlin, who is horny, and who doesn’t have a personality that resembles stale toast. Congratulations! Now you’ve got to master that first date or first meetup. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of a first-time meet up!

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Are you a would-be sugar baby or sugar daddy? If so, you may have already explored some of the options out there when it comes to sugar sites and apps. But hey, there are a ton! This article is all about helping break them down for you so you can spend less time trying different sites and instead lock down one or two that are best for you.

As you might imagine, sugar sites have gained a ton in popularity in recent years. This is in part because society has become more accepting of sugar relationships, but also simply because of economic factors. There are many wealthy men out there who have gotten wealthier, and there are many young women out there who have taken on student loans or other forms of debt. These circumstances have created a ton of demand for sugar relationships.

Unfortunately, many of the sugar sites that have popped up are not at all worth your time. They’re absolutely full of bots and scammers and may not have any real customer service or support infrastructure to help you out if you have a problem.

So, read on to go through our brand new 2023 rankings of the very best sites for sugar babies and sugar daddies.

Best Sugar Baby Sites and Apps in 2023

RankSiteBest For1.Secret BenefitsBest for babies2.Ashley MadisonJudgement-free sugar dating3.SeekingMainstream, but best overall4.SugarDaddy.comLargest community5.SugarDaddyMeetVerifying someone’s wealth6.SugarDaddyForMeQuick matching7.What’s Your PriceMost transparent8.Sugar SearchBest search function9.R/SugarBabyBest free platform10.Elite SinglesMeet sophisticated babies11.Established MenBest for long-term arrangements12.RichMeetBeautifulMost secure13.Miss TravelBest for traveling14.Wealthy MenBest for rich daddies15.AgeMatchFind younger women16.SudyBest user interface17.SugarBookBest sugar app for babies

1. Secret Benefits – Best for sugar babies

Secret Benefits is an underrated sugar site. It has a more streamlined and modern look than many of its competitors. Plus, it’s been successful at attracting a large userbase for a relatively newer site. Since it’s popular in the sugar community, there are people constantly signing up, which can be done for free. Unlike Seeking, this site tends to be more of a 50/50 split, meaning it’s equally competitive among daddies and babies. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies get to use Secret Benefits for free, as they do with most other sites. One great aspect of Secret Benefits is they have robust security and moderation, which helps keep everything safe and secure. This means fewer bots and less time wasted. You can also verify your profile with a short video, which will also bring many more sugar daddies your way. Lots of babies have gotten the sugar relationship they were hoping to find with Secret Benefits, so it’s worth a shot!

From a daddy’s perspective:

Like most sugar sites, Secret Benefits requires daddies to purchase credits in order to communicate with babies. That said, it’s a really quick and easy sign-up process. You can create a simple profile and use their handy features to find babies right away. One neat feature is that you can hide your profile and browse profiles anonymously. These privacy features are much appreciated by many daddies who may want to be as discreet as possible.

Pros

Attractive and modern user interface
Top-notch search algorithm
Simple sign-up process

Cons

No app (browser only)
Very limited free option
Fake profiles (bots and scammers)

2.  Ashley Madison – Judgement-free sugar option

You’ve probably heard of Ashley Madison and maybe seen their ads on *those* sites: “Life is short. Have an affair.” So, right off the bat, you know what you’re getting into with Ashley Madison. It’s full of people who are looking for something casual (and often extra-marital). Although it has its affair angle, many people have begun using Ashley Madison for sugar relationships. It’s a very open-minded community that both sugar babies and daddies tend to love. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies like Ashley Madison because there are quite a lot of older, well-to-do men on there. It’s usually not too hard to find a good match. Plus, sugar babies can use Ashley Madison for free, meaning a lot of younger women have already signed up. Want to learn even more about Ashley Madison? Check out our full review.

From a daddy’s perspective:

There are quite a few sugar daddies on Ashley Madison. As is usually the case with these sites, the daddies will have to sign up in order to communicate with the women they’re interested in. Unfortunately, there’s no filtering on Ashley Madison to home in on sugar babies. So, sugar daddies will have to take their time and do some digging. You can sort by age preference, though, so there’s that. 

Pros

Low to no judgment from other users
Large userbase
More women than other sites

Cons

Not a sugar-only site
Filtering options somewhat lacking
Tends to be for cheating partners

3. Seeking – Best and most popular sugar dating platform

Seeking (formerly known as Seeking Arrangement) is likely the most popular and well-known sugar site around. It’s something like the Tinder of sugar dating sites. Seeking has rebranded to go a bit more mainstream, but it remains one of the most popular sugar sites. 

With over 10 million users in more than 130 countries, it’s never been easier to get into the sugar relationship of your dreams. Seeking wins points for having discreet billing and good cybersecurity, though scammers and bots may still manage to slip through the cracks. You can check out our full review here.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies also appreciate Seeking because it’s made it easier than ever for young people to find a daddy who will spoil them and make them feel like royalty. Seeking has a lot of transparency, so babies can even see the net worth of the various daddies they may be interested in. The site is also free for sugar babies (once again, it’s the daddies who pay!). 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Seeking is definitely a great site for sugar daddies or would-be sugar daddies. That’s because it features a very high female-to-male ratio, meaning that there’s more competition among the females than the males. Sugar daddies love Seeking because they can typically find women there who are totally open for low-key, no-strings-attached relationships. Daddies generally have to pay to use Seeking, like most sugar sites.

Pros

Most well-known sugar site (i.e. tons of members)
130+ countries
Discreet and secure

Cons

Can be difficult for babies since it’s saturated
A fair number of scammer and bot profiles
Gets expensive fast (for daddies)

4. SugarDaddy.com – Largest community

SugarDaddy.com has been around a long time and has earned a reputation as a reliable sugar site. They definitely made a move early to lock down that url! One thing that is appreciated by both daddies and babies is the fact that all members must get verified. With around ten million members, chances are you can find the kind of sugar relationship you’re hoping to find! The site is roughly one-third daddies and two-third babies. 

SugarDaddy.com has a lot of handy features, but memberships are pretty much required to properly use the site. The site is built around a credit system, and each credit costs $0.25. 

From a baby’s perspective:

As one of the biggest sugar sites, sugardaddy.com has attracted plenty of sugar babies. While some sugar sites look kind of sketchy or outdated, SugarDaddy.com has kept its site looking sleek and modern. This appeals to the younger generations who tend to be the babies on these sites. The only real downside for would-be sugar babies on SugarDaddy.com is that the site is full of competition with about 65% of the membership being sugar babies.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Since roughly two-thirds of the members on sugardaddy.com are sugar babies, this is a great site for daddies as they’ll have more than their pick of would-be babies. Daddies will need to shell out for credits, but they don’t cost a ton—and hey, you’re supposed to be well off anyway. Privacy is important to sugardaddy.com, so daddies can rest well knowing that it’s a relatively safe and secure site when it comes to privacy and scammers and the like. 

Pros

Solid reputation in the sugar community
Large userbase (millions)
Good daddy to baby ratio (about 2-1)

Cons

Extremely limited free version
Verification process can be slow

Check out our full SugarDaddy.com review for more information.

5.  SugarDaddyMeet – Best verification of daddies

SugarDaddyMeet is an exclusive sugar site that has been around for a while now. It limits its membership to the twenty wealthiest countries in the world, helping keep its sugar daddies desirable for would-be sugar babies. It also does this by verifying both overall wealth and annual income, helping ensure that sugar babies don’t get duped. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies appreciate SugarDaddyMeet because of its rigorous verification of daddies. This helps keep them from being duped by poor guys pretending to be rich. This helps the site feel more safe and secure. It also uses algorithms to help match you up based on the preferences that you provide. Plus, it’s free for sugar babies—what’s not to like?!

From a daddy’s perspective:

Since there’s thorough verification on SugarDaddyMeet, you can’t sign up for this site unless you have the legit qualifications to be a sugar daddy (i.e. be wealthy). The platform is streamlined and has the feel of most social media sites, making it easy to use and familiar even for first-time users. This is another great option for daddies looking for casual arrangements. 

Pros

Good verification system
Solid algorithm for matching
Free for sugar babies

Cons

Verification process may take longer than advertised
Smaller userbase than many other sites

5.  SugarDaddyForMe – Speedy matching process

SugarDaddyForMe, as you might guess from the name, is all about helping sugar babies find sugar daddies. It’s a well-designed site with a variety of useful features. While this site doesn’t quite have the userbase of the big names above, it’s growing fast. 

From a baby’s perspective:

SugarDaddyForMe is yet another sugar site that’s free for sugar babies, making it another nice option to explore. The sign-up process is simple and there’s no need to verify income like the sugar daddies have to do. That means it’s a reliable site, though. You’ll also get to specify your ideal arrangement, meaning less wasted time all the way around.

From a daddy’s perspective:

SugarDaddyForMe has a unique payment system. Instead of paying for access for various things, the different membership tiers give you a certain amount of time. Besides that, you’ll need to verify your income, which is fairly common for the better sugar sites. Once you’re all set up, you’ll be able to browse around right away. 

Pros

Simple, well-designed site
Discreet and secure (data encrypted)
Solid verification system

Cons

Verification can be slow
Relatively small userbase (but growing)

6.  What’s Your Price – Most transparent

What’s Your Price offers a very unique style of sugar site. As the name suggests, it’s quite transparent about establishing a financial arrangement. On many sugar sites it’s simply left to the sugar daddy and baby how they want to work it out. But on What’s Your Price, the two sides come to a formalized arrangement that can then make the whole question of finances more of a background thing. This site was also established by the people who created Seeking, which means they have plenty of experience in this domain.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies appreciated What’s Your Price because it lets them set their price—literally—and avoid sugar daddies who might end up wasting their time. The one downside is that there is plenty of competition among babies on What’s Your Price, with around 3 million members and more joining every day.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Depending on the person, sugar daddies may love or hate What’s Your Price. In many ways, it’s almost like online shopping. That sounds weird to say, but it’s true—and, after all, sugar relationships tend to have a prominent financial component. So, sugar daddies get to scroll attractive women and assess the price that they have listed. You can then bid on anyone you like. These bids are sometimes as low as $10, so you don’t necessarily have to be super wealthy or anything. 

Pros

Transparency (no beating around the bush)
Large userbase (3 million+)

Cons

The bidding might feel superficial/weird for some

8.  Sugar Search – Best search function

Sugar Search functions, as you might expect, as a way to easily search for a local sugar relationship. At the moment, there are only a handful of cities that are eligible, so you’ll have to check. Some of the more prominent cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Sugar Search verifies accounts, though it’s inevitable that there are some bots and scammers that make their way through. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar Search is a great way for sugar babies to find the sugar daddy they’re looking for wherever they live. Due to the site’s strict verification process, it’s much less likely that babies will end up getting ripped off by some dude pretending to be rich. There are a lot of options here and you’ll be finding someone locally, so there’s a lot to like here.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies will like Sugar Search’s simple sign-up process and the fact that it has a local focus. This greatly increases the chance of being able to meet in person sooner rather than later. There are nice features as well, including an intuitive chat. You can also opt for a pricier membership tier to stand out more when people search. There’s already a good ratio of sugar babies to sugar daddies, though, so competition isn’t too stiff. 

Pros

Ability to find people locally
Nice features
Good ratio of babies to daddies

Cons

Limited to a few prominent cities
Verification can take awhile

9.  Reddit (r/SugarBaby) – Best free platform

Reddit is one of the internet’s most popular forms of social media not named Instagram, Facebook, or Tiktok, and this is especially the case in North America. Whether you knew it or not, Reddit also has a sugar forum that can be a free way for you to find a sugar relationship. FYI, it tends to be an NSFW page. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies can post freely on r/SugarBaby and describe the kind of arrangement they’re looking for. Daddies will message you if they’re interested. There’s a verification process in order to post, but it isn’t that difficult or time-consuming. If you want to explore an alternative to other sugar sites, r/SugarBaby is worth a try.

From a daddy’s perspective:

There are more than 80,000 people on r/SugarBaby. So, while it might not compete with the likes of a Seeking, it can still get the job done. You’re not allowed to post as a sugar daddy, so you’ll have to browse through and DM the babies you’re interested in. One big plus is that it’s completely free to browse and message people, unlike most the sugar sites listed here. 

Pros

Completely free 
Easily accessible
Decently sized for an online forum

Cons

It can take awhile to actually get anywhere
Only babies can post (daddies have to DM)

10.  Elite Singles – Most sophisticated

Elite Singles is not technically a sugar site. Instead, it bills itself as a luxury dating site that focuses on a specific clientele, one that’s educated, successful, and chic. That said, it so happens that many people who are educated and successful are also looking for sugar relationships. So, Elite Singles may be worth a shot for those looking for that kind of arrangement. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies may benefit from Elite Singles but it’s important to keep in mind that it isn’t strictly a sugar site. So, well you may be able to find people who are looking for that kind of relationship, it’s no guarantee. Instead, you might find people who are looking for a more serious partner. To fit in on this site, it’s best that you’re educated and somewhat successful (or at least working hard to get there).

From a daddy’s perspective:

Elite Singles is perfect for people who are interested in finding other intelligent and independent people. The people here are not necessarily looking for sugar relationships, so you’ll have to keep that in mind. You may come across many people who are looking to find something serious, which means this may or may not be a good fit for you. 

Pros

Luxury dating means more desirable userbase
Easy to relate to other successful people

Cons

Not a sugar-only site
You may end up wasting time
There won’t necessarily be a lot of sugar babies

11.  Established Men – Best for long-term arrangements

Established Men isn’t all that different from Elite Singles in that it focuses on a certain kind of clientele. In this case, it’s all about successful men. On the other hand, there are a lot of people interested in sugar relationships, so it’s got that going for it. You may have to get to know a few people to see who works best for you, as there will be people looking for different things here.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies looking for daddies have a lot to like about Established Men. It does a good job of keeping its clientele to men who are legitimately successful. That said, there’s a fair amount of competition so you’ll have to do your best to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies have to pay to use Established Men, which is pretty normal for sugar sites. Assuming you are successful, however, it shouldn’t pose any real problem. The site lets you flirt with women and send them gifts. There’s not too much that sets Established Men apart from other sites.

Pros

Good for long-term relationships
Simple, straightforward interface

Cons

Can get expensive for daddies
Nothing special compared to other sugar sites

12.  RichMeetBeautiful – Most secure

RichMeetBeautiful has a name that gives away that it’s a sugar site pretty quickly. After all, the stereotype of sugar relationships is a young, beautiful woman and an older, wealthy man. That said, you don’t have to be outrageously wealthy to be a sugar daddy or use a site like RichMeetBeautiful. One big plus that this platform has going for it is its security as it uses top-of-the-line encryption. 

From a baby’s perspective:

RichMeetBeautiful is not necessarily only a sugar site but it definitely has that vibe. In general, it’s another good option for sugar babies to find sugar daddies, though there may be people who are looking for something more like a traditional relationship.

From a daddy’s perspective:

You can be “rich” in more ways than one on RichMeetBeautiful. For example, your experience, style, passion, romantic sensibilities, etc. all contribute to making you an attractive partner (in addition to your wealth). There are plenty of young women on here, making it a worthy platform for would-be sugar daddies to check out. It also sports an algorithm that does a good job of pairing people up by personal preferences. 

Pros

Security prioritized (state-of-the-art encryption)
Solid algorithm
Good ratio for daddies

Cons

Not explicitly a sugar site
Not necessarily a good ratio for babies

13.  Miss Travel – Best for the adventurous

Miss Travel revolves around a really cool concept. For people with the means and/or time/flexibility, it encourages you to travel to/with people who may be a good match for you. Travel is one of the perks that many sugar babies like best, so Miss Travel is a smart play on that aspect of sugar relationships. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies can generally count on a variety of perks: free dinners, gifts, even cash. Yet getting to travel is a unique perk that offers social and cultural opportunities as well. Miss Travel can help you see the world and get spoiled all at the same time by connecting you with a sugar daddy. The “Create a Trip” feature lets you plan everything out with ease. All in all, Miss Travel is definitely worth checking out if you’re a sugar baby who’s excited about travel or simply having sugar daddies come to you. 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies may be fans of Miss Travel if they are looking for relationships with a little bit of distance from their home base. For example, they could use it to check out areas where they will be traveling for business. It’s also possible to pay for women to come to you, making Miss Travel a really cool option that’s worth considering. 

Pros

Neat concept sets them apart
Who doesn’t like travel?
Strong features

Cons

May not be a good fit for everyone (e.g. people who can’t readily travel whenever)

14.  Wealthy Men – Most straightforward

Wealthy Men is just about what it sounds like. It’s a sugar site that features sugar daddies for sugar babies to find. It even has a guarantee for paying members that they will connect with someone within three months. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Wealthy Men is straightforward and lets sugar babies find a sugar daddy near them. Unfortunately, there isn’t a free version for sugar babies like there is with most other sugar sites, so this one might be worth skipping unless you get desperate.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Wealthy Men verifies income ($85k minimum), so that will be your first step. You also have to say how much you’re willing to spend on a given sugar baby, which can be a little awkward if you’re just getting into this or don’t have a ton of money. After that, though, the site is relatively straightforward and there are plenty of sugar babies here. 

Pros

Income verification
Straightforward interface

Cons

A bit run-of-the-mill
Daddies have to say how much they’re willing to spend (can be an issue for some daddies)

15.  AgeMatch – Best for large age gaps

AgeMatch isn’t explicitly a platform for sugar dating. It can easily function this way, however, as it’s specifically about matching people up with a large age gap. As many sugar relationships feature a significant age cap, this means there are plenty of sugar opportunities on AgeMatch if you want to explore that option. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies may like AgeMatch if they are generally into older men. The only thing is that it isn’t explicitly about setting up sugar arrangements, so you’ll need to be clear about that if that’s your expectation.

From a daddy’s perspective:

If you want a strictly sugar relationship, AgeMatch may not be the best platform for you as that’s not strictly the idea there. But if you like the idea of spoiling someone who simply likes you for who you are, this could be a great option to check out. 

Pros

Niche service means less wasted time
Simple to use

Cons

May not be for everyone
Relatively small userbase

16.  Sudy – Best sugar mobile app

Sudy is a newer sugar option that mainly focuses on its app. It has slick functionality and everything is set up quite intuitively. It’s straightforward in terms of how you find potential matches and talk with them. It’s toward the bottom of our list simply because it’s new and doesn’t yet have a large userbase. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sudy is like most sugar sites in that there are more women than men. What that means is that it can be competitive. Sugar babies do benefit from the fact that Sudy verifies the daddies, which helps keep everyone safer and less likely to be wasting their time. 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sudy verifies income of sugar daddies, and it’s a fairly steep minimum ($200k). There’s a ton of women on Sudy, though, so you should be in good shape so long as you meet that minimum. These women will know that you’re plenty wealthy to satisfy them (at least most of them), meaning that they’ll be looking forward to meeting you. There have been some complaints online about difficulty deleting profiles, so you may want to proceed carefully if privacy is a concern of yours. 

Pros

Slick features
Intuitive interface
Good ratio (for daddies)

Cons

New so smallish userbase
Fairly steep income verification ($200k)
May be difficult to delete your profile

17.  SugarBook – Best for alternative arrangements

SugarBook is yet another sugar site that focuses on pairing up daddies and babies. That said, it recognizes that arrangements don’t have to be purely financial (especially in terms of luxury gifts). There are some babies who may be looking for legitimate connections, business opportunities, help with paying their university tuition, etc. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies have to pay up for more access to the site and all its features, but you can get by decently without doing so. You might try it out free and see if you want to continue. After all, there are plenty of other sugar sites that are entirely free for the would-be babies. One plus of SugarBook is that it verifies income of daddies, which helps keep off scammers and fakes.

From a daddy’s perspective:

SugarBook verifies the income of sugar daddies, which is fairly standard of the more legitimate sugar sites. There’s even a free option for men, but, as you might expect, it’s quite limited. You’ll pretty much need to opt for the premium option to fully benefit from the site. 

Pros

Welcomes varying kinds of arrangements
Free version (even for daddies)

Cons

Free version won’t get you far (as a daddy)
Nothing really sets it apart from other sites

Tips for Finding A Sugar Baby

Flex your wallet  – Let’s be real, sugar babies are interested in money. If you don’t have any, well, it’s going to be tough for you. That said, if you do have it, don’t hesitate to show it off a little bit. We’re not talking about cheesily flashing your cash or trying to show off like a jabroni. Just be upfront about your wealth on your profiles, which will help attract sugar babies, and when it comes to your dates, be classy and generous.  
Be yourself – Building on that last point, don’t try to be someone you’re not. You may feel kind of uncomfortable about the sugar daddy role if you’ve never done it before. That’s fine! Just be yourself. Ultimately, you want to find sugar babies who like you not only for your money but also for your personality. This ensures that everyone gets along well. 
Spend time on your profile – You know what they say about first impressions, right? If you don’t spend any time on your profile, sugar babies will be getting a bad first impression. Take a few minutes to ensure your profile is filled out, that you have good photos (if you’re not being that level of discreet), and that your authentic self comes through. 
Clarify expectations early – If you want a sugar baby who will go above and beyond (yes, that), then make sure that’s clear in your profile and/or early on in your conversations. You’ll find people much more compatible with your vision of what you want your sugar relationship to be if you are upfront about your expectations. 

Sugar Baby Dating FAQ

Where Can I Find a Sugar Baby?

Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to find a sugar baby. Try out the sites reviewed above, and you shouldn’t have much trouble at all. That said, it can be competitive, and many babies won’t want to bother with you if you’re not prepared to spend lavishly. 

What’s the best site for sugar babies?

The best overall sugar site is Seeking (fka Seeking Arrangement). It’s one of the most popular sites, meaning that there are plenty of sugar daddies out there for you to find. It’s also free for sugar babies. Another good option is Ashley Madison, though it’s not exclusively for sugar relationships. 

What’s the best site for sugar daddies?

The best overall sugar site is Seeking (fka Seeking Arrangement). It’s well known in the sugar baby community, so as a daddy you’ll have plenty to choose from. That said, it can get a bit expensive. Unfortunately, most sugar sites charge a premium to sugar daddies. In theory, though, this shouldn’t be a problem as sugar daddies need to be prepared to spend in general. Two other sites that can be especially good for daddies are Established Men and Ashley Madison (though the latter isn’t a sugar-only site). 

What Does a Sugar Daddy Do?

Sugar daddies (or mommies) are the dominant figure in the relationship. They are usually older, more mature, and financially well-off. Typically, they will spoil sugar babies in return for companionship (and maybe more). 

What Does a Sugar Baby Do?

Sugar babies provide whatever a daddy is looking for in exchange for getting spoiled. This generally means some kind of companionship, like going out to fancy dinners, on vacations, etc. While it may also be sexual, that isn’t a given—it comes down to the arrangement that each couple agrees to. This should always be a consensual agreement, of course. 

Is It Ok to Have a Sugar Daddy?

Is it wrong to be a sugar daddy? Well, it depends on your perspective. People who think that “marriage is sacred” or that older men spoiling young women is wrong may take issue with it. But there’s nothing illegal or inherently immoral about it. As long as everything is consensual among adults, then it’s perfectly fine. 

Are Sugar Daddy Sites Legit?

Yes and no. Some of them may not be, but the ones reviewed above are all legitimate. If you stick to the top sites recommended (e.g. Seeking or Ashley Madison), then you’ll be in good shape.

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You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2023. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

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Dating is exhausting. We all know it. Luckily, there has been a surge of dating sites and apps offering more opportunities and options than ever for the LGBTQ+ community.

But with all good things, there comes a risk. Dating sites and apps are often misused. You might come across people that aren’t looking for the same things you are, and it’s hard to filter it out at first glance.

There has been a rise in gay dating apps and sites. In 2022, there are approximately 1,500 dating apps. And according to MarketWatch, online dating has become the most popular way for LGBTQ+ people to date. Still, many gay dating websites and apps are all about sex, sex, and more sex. It can be difficult to narrow down and find an app that caters more to your personal preference—maybe you’re looking for a long-term relationship or a companion.

If you’re gay and are struggling to find dating apps that accommodate all walks of LGBTQ+ life, you’re in the right spot. Don’t lose hope. Keep reading to discover the 20 best gay dating sites and apps in 2022 for men, women, and queer folk. There is a little something for everyone, so hopefully, you’ll find your perfect match on one of these gay dating apps.

Best Gay Dating Sites and Apps in 2023

Men Nation – Best for fun dates and casual hookups
Adam4Adam – Best guys and user experience
eHarmony – Best matchmaking algorithm
Zoosk– Best new generation Match.com
Scruff – Best for gay cubs and bears
Hornet – Best for international hookups
HER – Best for lesbians/gay women
Grindr – Best for sex and casual hookups
Elite Singles – Best for meeting professional singles
OkCupid – Best heterosexual app that is LGBTQ+ inclusive
Tinder – Best for an enormous user base
Hinge – Best for substantial relationships
Lex – Best for queer and nonbinary folks
Nuit – Best for folks into astrology
Jack’d – Best for diversity
Chappy – Best for meaningful connections
Silver Singles – Best for singles over 50
Our Time – Best for senior singles looking for companionship
BeNaughty – Best for kinky and casual physical relationships
Senior Match – Best for singles over 60

2.  Adam4Adam – Best Website Turned to App

Pros:

Successfully running since 2003
About 27 filter options to find your perfect match

Cons:

High number of fake profiles and bots
Interface is outdated and bland

Adam4Adam is good for gay singles because it’s similar to Grindr, but it’s been around for much longer and has been a pioneer for the gay online world. People usually use it for casual and sexual encounters, but there is a chance to meet a romantic match if that’s what you are searching for.

A4A offers an online sex shop and live cams that you can explore. But the only drawback of this website turned app is that there are many fake profiles, and its user base isn’t as high as apps like Grindr and Tinder.

3.  eHarmony – Best for Enhanced Matchmaking

Pros:

80-question personality quiz
Ideal for long-term relationships

Cons:

Expensive premium plans
Lengthy sign-up process

eHarmony is great for gay singles looking for serious relationships. This site launched in 2000, designed for straight Christians. But over the years, this site has become more inclusive and now accepts the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2009, many LGBTQ+ folks have been finding their perfect match thanks to its elite matchmaking.

If you’re serious about finding a long-term partner, paying for a premium plan will ensure you match with someone based on your values, ambitions, and dreams. It’s most definitely one of the best gay dating sites for finding real love, but it comes with an investment—so be ready to pay up.

4.  Zoosk – Best New Generation Match.com

Pros:

Very active users
Used in over 80 countries

Cons:

Have to pay extra for additional features

Zoosk is perfect for younger gay singles looking for relationships. If you’re in your early to mid-20s and not interested in casual hookups, this is the app you should be looking at. It’s designed in a unique cartoony UI to enjoy the dating process.

It is one of the most popular dating sites with a community of 35 million users in 80 different countries. It’s open to singles of all ages, races, religions, and sexual orientations. It also provides verified profiles so you can be assured that you’re not interested in pursuing a bot or troll account.

5.  Scruff – Best for Gay Cubs and Bears

Pros:

Specifically for gay men (GTBQ community)
Has a “Scruff Travel” feature available

Cons:

Free membership means dealing with ads
App crashes from time to time

Scruff is best suited for men in the GTBQ community looking for diverse types of men. It is one of the top-rated gay dating apps, and because it uses geolocation, it shows you hot singles near you. When searching for potential dates, it allows you to tick off one or multiple communities you are open to. These communities include bear, bisexual, cub, daddy, discreet, drag, jock, military, muscle, otter, poz, trans, and much more.

When you’re traveling, the app allows you to publish a travel agenda with your destination city, which means you can organize hookups when you arrive.

6.  Hornet – Best for International Hookups

Pros:

Lots of features available to free users
Huge user base

Cons:

You need a Facebook or Google account to log in

Hornet is geared toward international gay men because this dating app was designed to be used in countries that aren’t LGBTQ+-inclusive. It has a community of 25 million users worldwide and is known as the “digital home” for the gay network.

Since it’s used in countries that aren’t quite liberal, it’s a way to be discreet and careful. But that doesn’t mean it’s not popular or high in demand. Hornet is a great app to meet foreign travelers, to hook up while vacationing in another country, or to find the international love of your life.

7.  HER – Best for Lesbians / Gay women

Pros:

Messaging is all free and unlimited
Matches based on location

Cons:

App sometimes lags
You need a Facebook or Instagram account to sign up

HER is the best gay dating app for queer women. Unfortunately, men consistently bother queer women on dating apps. Even if you set your preferences to only women, there is a chance your potential may not be interested.

Enter HER. It gives the lesbian community an exclusive app. It’s designed solely for women, and the target audience is lesbian, queer, and bisexual women. It’s available in all major cities across 114 countries worldwide. This revolutionary app is for queer women tired of the other mainstream dating sites.

8.  Grindr – Best for Sex and Casual Hookups

Pros:

Over 6 million users
Free and widely known

Cons:

Not for those looking for long-term romance
App can lag

Grindr is the most popular gay dating app in the world. Even straight people have heard of it. Grindr is used in over 200 countries globally to find gay sex immediately. This app has gained a reputation for hooking up and casual sex and has become the go-to app for it.

The layout is geolocation-based, so you can instantly have access to sexy guys in your area, making quick sex easy to organize with the click of a few buttons. They’ve recently added sections for trans and nonbinary people. Unfortunately, Grindr is predominantly known for a certain type.

9.  Elite Singles – Best for Meeting Professional Singles

Pros:

In-depth personality test to find the perfect match
High-quality singles in the world

Cons:

Limited-time free trial
Website is more user-friendly than the app

Elite Singles is ideal for gay singles and is one of the top sites to find serious relationships between professionals. Since this site is a little high-end, it means you need to pay for its premium features. Most people on here are earning loads of money and looking for a serious long-term relationship.

Education is a crucial part of the personality test, and it has a direct bearing on who will contact you. For some, it may come off very snobby, but if we’re looking at the best dating sites and apps catered to every walk of life, this is the go-to for professionals.

10.  OkCupid – Best Heterosexual App That is LGBTQ+ Inclusive

Pros:

LGBTQ+ inclusive with a large database
Vast user base of people

Cons:

Chance of catfishes
Will only allow messaging if both people match

OkCupid is fantastic for gay singles that want to use a trustworthy dating app that is LGBTQ+ inclusive. Since OkCupid has been around since 2004 and has 30 million active users, it’s made many positive updates to cater to a wider range of people. Even though it was mainly designed for straight folks, it’s developed a strong following of LGBTQ+ people over the past few years. There are so many different pronouns and sexualities to choose from, giving you optimal choices that will meet your needs.

It just requires you to answer a lot of questions when you sign up to ensure that you match with someone who shares your exact values and ideals.

11.  Tinder – Best for Enormous User Base

Pros:

User pool is huge
Passport feature to change location—useful when traveling

Cons:

Might come across bots
76 percent of users live in urban areas, so if you live anywhere rural you may have a smaller match pool

Tinder is the best hookup app for singles, but it is also a choice for LGBTQ+ folks looking for hookups or love. The prime reason why Tinder is a good choice to find people is because of its ginormous user base. It’s so popular that you will most likely find something close to what you’re looking for.

There are many exclusively gay dating apps—like Scruff and HER—but nothing beats Tinder for popularity. Its target audience is singles in the 18-34 year age bracket, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of downloading this app.

12.  Hinge – Best for Substantial Relationships

Pros:

Popular with millennials
Matchmaking algorithm is top-notch

Cons:

Limited gay users

Hinge is great for the younger LGBTQ+ community. This app is focused more on finding real romance and actual relationships. Its motto is that Hinge is “designed to be deleted.” In terms of LGBTQ+ folk, this app is for long-term dating and relationships.

This one is a mainstream dating app, so if you’re LGBT, be aware that you might not find what you’re looking for. Although the app does have very diverse profiles located in your local vicinity, there is always a chance that you won’t find exactly your type because it does not specifically cater to the LGBTQ+ community.

13.  Lex – Best for Queer and Nonbinary Folks

Pros:

Many identities to browse from—including genderfluid
Unique interface

Cons:

Dated UI

Lex is great for queer and nonbinary folks who are nonconforming and looking for like-minds. While most dating apps are picture-focused, Lex is a unique experience altogether. It prides itself on an early 2000s interface with a Craigslist-style design to post your profile.

You can find people who care about the same things as you and are interested in similar things in your local area. Not only is it very inclusive, but this app also has a zero-tolerance policy towards hate speech or creepiness. If you’re interested in a unique interface and want to find nonconforming folks, similar to yourself, this app is the best gay dating app for that.

14.  Nuit – Best for LGBTQ+ Folks into Astrology

Pros:

Multiple pronouns and sexuality options
Great if you’re into birth charts and astrology

Cons:

No point if you are not interested in astrology

Nuit is the best dating app for gay folks who are into astrology. Zodiac, birth charts, cosmic energy, and astrology are a growing interest for many people in 2022, and this app is for them specifically.

It’s a great way to find gay friends and love interests in your area who share your love for astrology. This app is super inclusive and gives you so many options that you are bound to meet someone with the same energy and interests as you.

15.  Jack’d – Best for Diversity

Pros:

Worldwide community of 180 countries
Most inclusive for queer people of color

Cons:

Available only as a mobile app

Jack’d is the best diverse bi, gay, queer, and trans dating app. It has a global community of 5 million members in over 180 countries. The main goal of this gay app is inclusivity. It aims to create a community that brings together diverse LGBTQ+ members to meet, make friends, and develop deep connections, whether it be friendships or romantic relationships.

Similar to Tinder and Grindr, Jack’d is location-based. It offers a free version and also has a paid version. This app is globally the most diverse gay dating app.

16.  Chappy – Best for Meaningful Connections

Pros:

Free with no annoying trial periods
Adjust preferences to casual friendship or serious relationships

Cons:

Only available as an app

Chappy is wonderful for gay men looking for substantial connections. In 2018, the shareholders of Bumble—a popular mainstream dating app—took over Chappy, making Chappy Bumble’s certified counterpart for gay dating.

It was created to make a comfortable and safe dating space for gay men. In an attempt to add some type of vulnerability and emotional value, Chappy gives the members the freedom to choose their matches according to their interests. It’s only available in limited areas, and it has a 100 percent gay membership, with a vast majority of them between the ages of 18 to 34.

17.  Silver Singles – Best for Singles Over 50

Pros:

100 percent dedicated to singles that are 50 years and older
Easy-to-use interface

Cons:

Long questionnaire

Silver Singles is great for gay singles over 50 years old. It is one of the largest online dating websites for singles over this age group. It caters to people looking for new friendships, casual dating, or serious relationships. Whether you’re single, divorced, separated, or widowed, you’ll find singles with all types of life stories.

If you’re LGBTQ+ and over 50 years old, Silver Singles is a great dating app to find whatever you’re looking for. It offers more mature singles a platform to enjoy serious senior dating with no judgment or discrimination. And everything is available on a mobile app if you prefer your smartphone.

18.  Our Time – Best for Senior Singles Looking for Companionship

Pros:

Three-day free trial
14-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

You have to have a paid subscription to send messages

Our Time is best for senior gay or lesbian people looking for anything from friendships to relationships. Its main goal is to provide men and women in their 50s an opportunity to meet others for conversation and meaningful connections. You can also search for pen-pals, friends, or companionship.

Dating demographics suggest that adults over the age of 50 are becoming more active in the online dating world. But unfortunately, there aren’t too many dating apps that cater to their needs specifically. Our Time combats this by providing a comfortable and safe place for singles over 50 to find love or friendship.

19.  BeNaughty – Best for Kinky and Casual Physical Relationships

Pros:

Profiles explicitly state what people are looking for
Very user-friendly

Cons:

Men cannot reply to messages unless they have a paying account

BeNaughty is a great app for LGBTQ+ who are kinky and in search of casual physical relationships. It is different from other dating sites because of its transparency. With other dating sites and apps, a user’s intention may not always be clear. But with BeNaughty, every user’s intention is targeted towards casual fun.

It has a diverse range of members who are open-minded and non-judgmental. It caters towards LGBTQ+ folks by its search functions which help you narrow down your selections by adjusting your preferences. BeNaughty is a flirty, open, inclusive site that caters to all types of kinks and interests.

20. Senior Match – Best for Singles Over 60

Pros:

All user accounts monitored 24/7 to prevent bots
Easy to use

Cons:

Search results may show inactive profiles

Senior Match is ideal for LGBTQ+ seniors looking for a senior-friendly space to find local and worldwide matches. This dating service was specifically designed for singles who are 50+ but not specifically just for LGBTQ+ seniors. It is one of the easiest to use sites for senior folks who want to find love, meet new acquaintances, and hook up with mature singles.

It aims to create an inclusive and friendly online dating experience for senior people. Most of the people you will meet on this site are very inclusive and judgment-free. To prevent troll or bot accounts, Senior Match monitors all user accounts.

Gay Dating FAQ

What are the benefits of gay dating apps?

As stated by Pew Research Center, about 65 percent of people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual that have used online dating apps or sites say their experience was very or somewhat positive. Your odds should pretty much double for experiences on LGBTQ+-specific dating sites or apps.

Gay dating apps are a predominantly safe space to express yourself without any judgment—compared to generic dating apps.

And the best benefit is that there will be more LGBTQ+ people on gay dating apps, which means more of a chance to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Are gay dating sites and apps any different from heterosexual apps?

The only real (and important) difference is that gay dating sites have more features customized for LGBTQ+ people.

Examples of this are:

If you’re trans, gay dating apps usually have sections for trans and nonbinary people to help you stay from any harassment.
If you’re a gay woman, there is an app called HER designed solely for lesbians. You don’t have to worry about straight men pestering you needlessly.
If you’re a gay man, there are preferences on gay dating apps to filter guys according to your type.

How safe are gay dating apps?

Gay dating apps are, for the most part, safe. But as you should do for any dating website or app, always exercise caution when meeting someone new. You can’t be sure who you’re talking to online. Remember that catfishing (the act of using someone else’s photos to create a new identity) is still a very real problem in this digital age.

If you live in a predominantly homophobic city, be careful with how fast you trust someone.

The safest thing to do is arrange your first meet-up in public. Or arrange a video call before your official first date.

Gay dating sites and apps are mostly safe, but there is always a potential for something bad to occur.

Are there any mainstream dating apps or websites that are gay-friendly?

The most gay-friendly mainstream dating site is OkCupid. It has an option that says, “I don’t want to see or be seen by straight people,” which makes it safe and gay-friendly. It even gives its users the option to state their gender identity and sexuality—having a designated profile area to define your pronouns.

Which app is the best for gay relationships?If you’re gay, lesbian, or bisexual and looking for a healthy long-term relationship, the best gay dating site to try is eHarmony. It has a very unique algorithm that will match you to a near-perfect match, based on an 80-question personality quiz that you have to complete.

As you can tell from this review, there are so many gay dating apps and sites to choose from, but the best shot at finding true romance would be on eHarmony.

Gay Dating Tips

1.  Choose your dating app wisely.If you’re looking for a fast hookup tonight, you probably should not waste your time on a website like OkCupid or eHarmony. And similarly, if you are looking for a long-term relationship, you probably won’t find that on an app like Grindr.

2.  Be open to dating outside your “type.” People are picky when it comes to dating, but if there is one thing that is true in the dating world, it’s don’t judge a book by its cover. You don’t know what type of person has the keys to your heart—or your pants.

3.  It’s fine to be attracted to people who look or present themselves in a certain way.But just try not to rule out an entire group of people because they don’t fit what you usually go for. When you are open to different identities, you will widen your options drastically and have more potential to meet someone who just fits with you.

4.  Don’t be crude or hateful.You may not even realize it, but the amount of profiles that have such vile preferences listed in their bios is plentiful. Just because a certain race or body type is not your type, there is no need to be crude about it. Racism and body-shaming are a no-no in every space. In an LGBTQ+ space, people should be all the more inclusive. If someone isn’t your type, just be polite when shooting them down.

5.  Facetime or video call before you meet up for the first time. Some may think this defeats the purpose of a “first date.” But think about it. . . Do you want to spend hours getting ready, anticipating the first time you lay eyes on each other and driving to the date spot, only to realize that you have no attraction or chemistry to this person?

If dating apps have taught us one thing, it’s that photos sometimes can be very deceiving. To combat this frustration, we suggest Facetime or video call before your first date.

Having a quick video call before your first date will:

confirm they are who they say they are (safety first)
give you a taste of how your chemistry will be
reduce the stress—even if it’s a little—before meeting them in person
get you even more excited about meeting them in real life

6.  Consider stating your HIV status.Before things get more heated, consider telling your potential date about your HIV status. It’s something that everyone wants to know but is sometimes reluctant to say. Save yourself an awkward conversation later on and be honest about it. (Pro tip: Grindr has a section for HIV+ folks called “Poz.”)

7.  Discuss controversial topics on your first date.Save the mundane conversation and questions for your online chatting. When you’re meeting in person, don’t be scared to discuss interesting and even controversial topics. To get to know someone and create a strong sense of comfortability and vulnerability, getting raw and personal is key. Taking risks is what dating is all about.

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AdultFriendFinder: Scam or real? Does it work in 2023?

These are questions when signing up for a new hookup site. The goal is to find a legit hookup, not spend hours talking to bots.

Gather round kids, because here’s the tea: Thanks to AdultFriendFinder, also known as AFF, I now have two stable friends-with-benefits who I see on a regular basis. Both are babes and really open-minded. You could say I’ve tried some new things in the bedroom thanks to these women.

But that doesn’t mean that AdultFriendFinder is all rainbows and butterflies. I signed up for a premium membership to take it for a real test drive, and there were a few things to watch out for.

This review will show you all the good and bad that comes along with an AdultFriendFinder membership, and if it’s worth signing up for.

For the people who don’t want to read the full review, I’ve broken down some pros and cons. Keep reading to find out more details about these!

Pros

There are millions of users.
24/7 customer support
Registration is free.
The premium price is not bad.
Fetishes, kinks, and alt lifestyles are all welcome.
People are extremely willing and eager to meet up.
Due to the huge user base, there are lots of locals no matter your location.
Users are extremely open-minded.
You will find someone who wants to hang out immediately, even among some fake profiles.
You can enjoy the app version on your mobile divide.

Cons

Bots, fakes, inactive profiles, and scammers exist.
There are tons of ads.
You won’t get much out of the free version.
Some pages redirect to other companies.
There are plenty of users who aren’t easy on the eyes.
There was a security breach in 2015, but it’s been resolved.
Some argue that it was more effective when it first launched.

Ok, now for the real review…

What’s A Free AdultFriendFinder Membership Like?

I’m going to be honest here, you’re not going to be able to hook up with anyone by registering for a free membership. But because AdultFriendFinder is so much more than just a hookup site, there’s still a lot you can do.

For instance, you can join adult chat rooms or watch live sex cam girls. Just be advised that some of these “extra features” that AdultFriendFinder provides will just lead you to another website.

As a free member, you will also get a feel for the lay of the land and be able to receive messages. Find out who is online, who lives nearby, and who some of AdultFriendFinder’s hottest members are. You can also get detailed information from everyone’s profile and narrow your search by the age and gender filters.

I remained a free member for an hour and got some messages. Most of the women who sent the messages weren’t that hot. With 80 million members and counting, it’s no surprise that the users aren’t all supermodels. I’m not much of a looker either, though. Plus, I’d rather meet a DTF woman than one who isn’t but is walking down the runway. That’s where AdultFriendFinder can really deliver.

But there were a few profiles that really piqued my interest. I received messages like, “All I want is a nice bang and I’ll be on my way.” In order to message back, I had to upgrade my membership.

What’s A Gold Membership Like?

Yes, I bit the bullet and went Gold. Several friends told me it was a good idea because they actually found hookups through the site. For that reason, I bought the entire year because it was the best value. $14.95 per month comes to as little as $0.50 per day. It’s way less than a cup of joe and totally worth it. AdultFriendFinder doesn’t accept Paypal or cryptocurrency. You can use Mastercard, Discover, or Visa. Here’s the pricing breakdown:

$14.95 a month for 12 months or $180
$19.95 a month for six months or $90
$24.95 a month

The moment I signed up for AdultFriendFinder’s membership plan, I was introduced to hundreds of women who were nearby, online, and wanted some action. Again, they weren’t all gorgeous, but that’s OK with me. I started getting messages almost immediately.

Some also felt suspiciously like bots. You can tell that someone is a bot if they don’t speak naturally or respond insanely fast. But others were from actual real women who genuinely wanted to get off with a nearby stranger, and I wanted to be that stranger.

I have a pretty unique type. I love women who have a large bust, are thick, and have blue eyes. Ok, so not that unique. Luckily AdultFriendFinder has a very specific advanced search that makes finding someone who is your type very easy. You can also use it to find couples and groups to meet up with.

Here’s a snippet of how detailed you can get. . . and that’s not even half of it.

After selecting the traits that turned me on, I began my hunt for the perfect friend-with-benefits. This might come as a shock, but I’m not a one-night-stand type of guy. Don’t get me wrong, I love casual sex as much as the next person. But I like to have an ongoing sexual relationship because I like getting really comfortable with another person and experimenting with kinkier sex as time goes on. I hoped and prayed that AdultFriendFinder would grant me a compatible friend-with-benefits.

Guess what? Within a couple of days, I got two.

Using AdultFriendFinder To Actually Hook UpI’ll explain to you how it went down for me. I got a ton of messages from horny locals who weren’t really turning me on. There were some swingers thrown into the mix as well, but nothing that was really making me sweat (AFF does a double as a swingers site, but it’s not my thing). Until I came across a message from Jessica.

Before I could even meet up with her, I spotted another blue-eyed beauty named Whitegirldtfsum1. Spoiler alert: we hooked up the day after I had sex with Jessica.

Now I see Jessica and Whitegirldtfsum1 regularly. I am currently working towards getting them in bed with me at the same time. Fingers crossed!

So, Is It Legit?

I’m not surprised that some folks on the Internet are quick to call AdultFriendFinder a scam. With millions of members and new people joining by the minute, there are bound to be some unhappy customers. Not everyone knows how to use the Internet to get laid, or what to look out for from people who actually do use AdultFriendFinder to scam people.

There are certainly some misgivings and some people who use AdultFriendFinder for their own sick schemes. But if you’re smart, the site will get you laid. Again, AdultFriendFinder is not the holy grail of hookup sites, but it’s pretty darn close.

To get the most out of AdultFriendFinder, keep the following things in mind:

Look Out For Scammers: There will always be people on the Internet who want your money or information. They will try to take advantage of you when you are at your most vulnerable. . . like looking for a hookup. Don’t ever give personal information out to people on AdultFriendFinder. They have no use for it—unless they are trying to scam! If a match says any of the following, they are probably trying to scam you:
“I need money because I am sick.”
“I have legal issues, can you help me with those?”
“I have a ton of money in a secure account overseas, but I need a bit of money to get it out.”
“My friend died and I don’t know how to pay for the funeral.”
Beware Of Bots: The truth is, you’ll encounter a lot of bots with the free membership on AdultFriendFinder. They are easy to identify, but you want to stay away from them. They are a total waste of time. They will send you a generic opener like, “Hey big boy, looking for a good time?” It might be tempting, but there’s no point in entertaining this.
Ditch Dead Profiles: Dead profiles are abandoned or inactive profiles. AdultFriendFinder isn’t that good at getting rid of these, so keep that in mind when you’re fishing for a hottie.
Ignore The Ads: There are ads on AdultFriendFinder. If you ignore them and don’t click on them, you’ll have a smooth ride on the website!
Know What You Want: If what you want from AdultFriendFinder is a hookup, you’re in good hands. That’s what AdultFriendFinder does best—hook up two horny users! There are so many people using the site that finding a partner, companion, or quickie is as easy as stealing candy from a baby.
Educate Yourself On Catfishes: There are so many people who hop onto AdultFriendFinder regularly. There’s no major way to verify who is catfishing you and who isn’t. AdultFriendFinder does its best by requesting photo verification. That’s awesome! But people are smart. Through photoshop or sheer photo theft, someone can pretend to be much more attractive than they are in real life. We’ll be honest, not everyone who uses AdultFriendFinder is a supermodel, so keep an eye out for the catfishes. They are frequent on almost every dating site and hookup app. Also beware that adult sites like these can actually hire their own staff to act as models that live nearby. This is another form of a catfish. AdultFriendFinder has been known to do this in the past, but now they have so many users that they don’t have to. Here are some ways to tell if someone is a catfish:
They won’t video chat
Their photos are of different people
Their photos look fake or photoshopped
Understand Who The Models Are On AdultFriendFinder: If what you’re looking for is a model, then visit the Live-Action section of the site! This is where you can watch hot models perform for you in real time using their webcams.

Is AdultFriendFinder Safe?Back in 2015, AdultFriendFinder got into some trouble due to a large data breach. They have since implemented some of the best security systems offered and there have not been any privacy or security issues since that one in 2015. In fact, due to the stress caused by the 2015 breach, AdultFriendFinder has gone out of its way to make itself one of the safest and most secure hookup sites on the web, implementing the most secure encryption systems.

Final Thoughts About AdultFriendFinderHere’s the thing—no hookup site is perfect. AdultFriendFinder is almost there, but not quite. There are ads, there are some bots, and the users aren’t all smoke shows. But AdultFriendFinder is one of the best hookup sites because it works! Plus, it’s so quick and easy. The Gold membership is definitely worth two quarters a day for me. I am reminded of this with each casual hookup session that was brought to me by AdultFriendFinder.

What’s The Live-Action Section?

The Live-Action section on AdultFriendFinder is a whole lot of fun, but it won’t actually get you laid. This section is for webcam models who want to show you the goods, hoping you’ll pay so they can get a Chanel bag or pay their student loans. Many of the rooms are near empty, so you can definitely get the model’s attention without fighting through a ton of horny users, but these girls aren’t going to meet up with you.

The only chance you have at meeting any of these models in person is by following their social media pages that they’ve got outside of AdultFriendFinder. This is easy to do as many of the models list their socials right there on the page. If you aren’t a total ogre, you may as well try your luck!

The Live-Action section also doesn’t discriminate. You can view men, women, trans people, pansexual people, couples, threesomes, solo sessions, and more. The shows are of pretty high quality with a nice set and great production value.

The bottom line with webcam models is that they want to be paid, but they also love being showered with attention. If you play your cards right, you could get the webcam models to perform all sorts of seductive acts without dropping major stacks on the performance itself. But, it’s always worth paying the webcam model. They will work harder, utilize their skillset to the fullest potential, and it’s just the right thing to do.

How To Use AdultFriendFinder To Find A HookupFinding The Right Partner on AFF:

When you get your membership, you’ll be led through a series of questions that help AdultFriendFinder assess your personality and match you. It’s ideal for both short-term hookups and long-term partners. From there, you can make selections about your preference in a partner. Again, so many people use AdultFriendFinder, so narrowing down will help you save tremendous amounts of time. You will be shown profiles of folks who live in your area, so that you don’t have to buy a plane ticket or spend money on gas just to get your freak on.

AdultFriendFinder also has a Purity Test. This is a test that determines how “pure” (or prude) you are. It might seem like a lot of hooey, but this test will help you figure out how far you’ve gone sexually and how far you’re willing to go. It will then introduce you to folks who can satisfy your sexual urges.

Adult Dating Tips:Your hookup journey starts with a good conversation starter. If you aren’t sure what to talk about, take a look at our infographic helping you figure out what to say to actually get a sexy person in the bed with you! Don’t be too eager or creepy. The key is to find the balance between casual and sexual. If you’re too nervous to make the first chat or consider yourself an introvert, you can use AdultFriendFinder’s icebreaker messages or send a virtual gift! These can come in the form of everything from emojis to real gifts.

How To Meet In Person:Ok, so you’ve finally met someone who doesn’t look like a gremlin, who is horny, and who doesn’t have a personality that resembles stale toast. Congratulations! Now you’ve got to master that first date or first meetup. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of a first-time meet up!

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Are you a would-be sugar baby or sugar daddy? If so, you may have already explored some of the options out there when it comes to sugar sites and apps. But hey, there are a ton! This article is all about helping break them down for you so you can spend less time trying different sites and instead lock down one or two that are best for you.

As you might imagine, sugar sites have gained a ton in popularity in recent years. This is in part because society has become more accepting of sugar relationships, but also simply because of economic factors. There are many wealthy men out there who have gotten wealthier, and there are many young women out there who have taken on student loans or other forms of debt. These circumstances have created a ton of demand for sugar relationships.

Unfortunately, many of the sugar sites that have popped up are not at all worth your time. They’re absolutely full of bots and scammers and may not have any real customer service or support infrastructure to help you out if you have a problem.

So, read on to go through our brand new 2023 rankings of the very best sites for sugar babies and sugar daddies.

Best Sugar Baby Sites and Apps in 2023

RankSiteBest For1.Secret BenefitsBest for babies2.Ashley MadisonJudgement-free sugar dating3.SeekingMainstream, but best overall4.SugarDaddy.comLargest community5.SugarDaddyMeetVerifying someone’s wealth6.SugarDaddyForMeQuick matching7.What’s Your PriceMost transparent8.Sugar SearchBest search function9.R/SugarBabyBest free platform10.Elite SinglesMeet sophisticated babies11.Established MenBest for long-term arrangements12.RichMeetBeautifulMost secure13.Miss TravelBest for traveling14.Wealthy MenBest for rich daddies15.AgeMatchFind younger women16.SudyBest user interface17.SugarBookBest sugar app for babies

1. Secret Benefits – Best for sugar babies

Secret Benefits is an underrated sugar site. It has a more streamlined and modern look than many of its competitors. Plus, it’s been successful at attracting a large userbase for a relatively newer site. Since it’s popular in the sugar community, there are people constantly signing up, which can be done for free. Unlike Seeking, this site tends to be more of a 50/50 split, meaning it’s equally competitive among daddies and babies. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies get to use Secret Benefits for free, as they do with most other sites. One great aspect of Secret Benefits is they have robust security and moderation, which helps keep everything safe and secure. This means fewer bots and less time wasted. You can also verify your profile with a short video, which will also bring many more sugar daddies your way. Lots of babies have gotten the sugar relationship they were hoping to find with Secret Benefits, so it’s worth a shot!

From a daddy’s perspective:

Like most sugar sites, Secret Benefits requires daddies to purchase credits in order to communicate with babies. That said, it’s a really quick and easy sign-up process. You can create a simple profile and use their handy features to find babies right away. One neat feature is that you can hide your profile and browse profiles anonymously. These privacy features are much appreciated by many daddies who may want to be as discreet as possible.

Pros

Attractive and modern user interface
Top-notch search algorithm
Simple sign-up process

Cons

No app (browser only)
Very limited free option
Fake profiles (bots and scammers)

2.  Ashley Madison – Judgement-free sugar option

You’ve probably heard of Ashley Madison and maybe seen their ads on *those* sites: “Life is short. Have an affair.” So, right off the bat, you know what you’re getting into with Ashley Madison. It’s full of people who are looking for something casual (and often extra-marital). Although it has its affair angle, many people have begun using Ashley Madison for sugar relationships. It’s a very open-minded community that both sugar babies and daddies tend to love. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies like Ashley Madison because there are quite a lot of older, well-to-do men on there. It’s usually not too hard to find a good match. Plus, sugar babies can use Ashley Madison for free, meaning a lot of younger women have already signed up. Want to learn even more about Ashley Madison? Check out our full review.

From a daddy’s perspective:

There are quite a few sugar daddies on Ashley Madison. As is usually the case with these sites, the daddies will have to sign up in order to communicate with the women they’re interested in. Unfortunately, there’s no filtering on Ashley Madison to home in on sugar babies. So, sugar daddies will have to take their time and do some digging. You can sort by age preference, though, so there’s that. 

Pros

Low to no judgment from other users
Large userbase
More women than other sites

Cons

Not a sugar-only site
Filtering options somewhat lacking
Tends to be for cheating partners

3. Seeking – Best and most popular sugar dating platform

Seeking (formerly known as Seeking Arrangement) is likely the most popular and well-known sugar site around. It’s something like the Tinder of sugar dating sites. Seeking has rebranded to go a bit more mainstream, but it remains one of the most popular sugar sites. 

With over 10 million users in more than 130 countries, it’s never been easier to get into the sugar relationship of your dreams. Seeking wins points for having discreet billing and good cybersecurity, though scammers and bots may still manage to slip through the cracks. You can check out our full review here.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies also appreciate Seeking because it’s made it easier than ever for young people to find a daddy who will spoil them and make them feel like royalty. Seeking has a lot of transparency, so babies can even see the net worth of the various daddies they may be interested in. The site is also free for sugar babies (once again, it’s the daddies who pay!). 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Seeking is definitely a great site for sugar daddies or would-be sugar daddies. That’s because it features a very high female-to-male ratio, meaning that there’s more competition among the females than the males. Sugar daddies love Seeking because they can typically find women there who are totally open for low-key, no-strings-attached relationships. Daddies generally have to pay to use Seeking, like most sugar sites.

Pros

Most well-known sugar site (i.e. tons of members)
130+ countries
Discreet and secure

Cons

Can be difficult for babies since it’s saturated
A fair number of scammer and bot profiles
Gets expensive fast (for daddies)

4. SugarDaddy.com – Largest community

SugarDaddy.com has been around a long time and has earned a reputation as a reliable sugar site. They definitely made a move early to lock down that url! One thing that is appreciated by both daddies and babies is the fact that all members must get verified. With around ten million members, chances are you can find the kind of sugar relationship you’re hoping to find! The site is roughly one-third daddies and two-third babies. 

SugarDaddy.com has a lot of handy features, but memberships are pretty much required to properly use the site. The site is built around a credit system, and each credit costs $0.25. 

From a baby’s perspective:

As one of the biggest sugar sites, sugardaddy.com has attracted plenty of sugar babies. While some sugar sites look kind of sketchy or outdated, SugarDaddy.com has kept its site looking sleek and modern. This appeals to the younger generations who tend to be the babies on these sites. The only real downside for would-be sugar babies on SugarDaddy.com is that the site is full of competition with about 65% of the membership being sugar babies.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Since roughly two-thirds of the members on sugardaddy.com are sugar babies, this is a great site for daddies as they’ll have more than their pick of would-be babies. Daddies will need to shell out for credits, but they don’t cost a ton—and hey, you’re supposed to be well off anyway. Privacy is important to sugardaddy.com, so daddies can rest well knowing that it’s a relatively safe and secure site when it comes to privacy and scammers and the like. 

Pros

Solid reputation in the sugar community
Large userbase (millions)
Good daddy to baby ratio (about 2-1)

Cons

Extremely limited free version
Verification process can be slow

Check out our full SugarDaddy.com review for more information.

5.  SugarDaddyMeet – Best verification of daddies

SugarDaddyMeet is an exclusive sugar site that has been around for a while now. It limits its membership to the twenty wealthiest countries in the world, helping keep its sugar daddies desirable for would-be sugar babies. It also does this by verifying both overall wealth and annual income, helping ensure that sugar babies don’t get duped. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies appreciate SugarDaddyMeet because of its rigorous verification of daddies. This helps keep them from being duped by poor guys pretending to be rich. This helps the site feel more safe and secure. It also uses algorithms to help match you up based on the preferences that you provide. Plus, it’s free for sugar babies—what’s not to like?!

From a daddy’s perspective:

Since there’s thorough verification on SugarDaddyMeet, you can’t sign up for this site unless you have the legit qualifications to be a sugar daddy (i.e. be wealthy). The platform is streamlined and has the feel of most social media sites, making it easy to use and familiar even for first-time users. This is another great option for daddies looking for casual arrangements. 

Pros

Good verification system
Solid algorithm for matching
Free for sugar babies

Cons

Verification process may take longer than advertised
Smaller userbase than many other sites

5.  SugarDaddyForMe – Speedy matching process

SugarDaddyForMe, as you might guess from the name, is all about helping sugar babies find sugar daddies. It’s a well-designed site with a variety of useful features. While this site doesn’t quite have the userbase of the big names above, it’s growing fast. 

From a baby’s perspective:

SugarDaddyForMe is yet another sugar site that’s free for sugar babies, making it another nice option to explore. The sign-up process is simple and there’s no need to verify income like the sugar daddies have to do. That means it’s a reliable site, though. You’ll also get to specify your ideal arrangement, meaning less wasted time all the way around.

From a daddy’s perspective:

SugarDaddyForMe has a unique payment system. Instead of paying for access for various things, the different membership tiers give you a certain amount of time. Besides that, you’ll need to verify your income, which is fairly common for the better sugar sites. Once you’re all set up, you’ll be able to browse around right away. 

Pros

Simple, well-designed site
Discreet and secure (data encrypted)
Solid verification system

Cons

Verification can be slow
Relatively small userbase (but growing)

6.  What’s Your Price – Most transparent

What’s Your Price offers a very unique style of sugar site. As the name suggests, it’s quite transparent about establishing a financial arrangement. On many sugar sites it’s simply left to the sugar daddy and baby how they want to work it out. But on What’s Your Price, the two sides come to a formalized arrangement that can then make the whole question of finances more of a background thing. This site was also established by the people who created Seeking, which means they have plenty of experience in this domain.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies appreciated What’s Your Price because it lets them set their price—literally—and avoid sugar daddies who might end up wasting their time. The one downside is that there is plenty of competition among babies on What’s Your Price, with around 3 million members and more joining every day.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Depending on the person, sugar daddies may love or hate What’s Your Price. In many ways, it’s almost like online shopping. That sounds weird to say, but it’s true—and, after all, sugar relationships tend to have a prominent financial component. So, sugar daddies get to scroll attractive women and assess the price that they have listed. You can then bid on anyone you like. These bids are sometimes as low as $10, so you don’t necessarily have to be super wealthy or anything. 

Pros

Transparency (no beating around the bush)
Large userbase (3 million+)

Cons

The bidding might feel superficial/weird for some

8.  Sugar Search – Best search function

Sugar Search functions, as you might expect, as a way to easily search for a local sugar relationship. At the moment, there are only a handful of cities that are eligible, so you’ll have to check. Some of the more prominent cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. Sugar Search verifies accounts, though it’s inevitable that there are some bots and scammers that make their way through. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar Search is a great way for sugar babies to find the sugar daddy they’re looking for wherever they live. Due to the site’s strict verification process, it’s much less likely that babies will end up getting ripped off by some dude pretending to be rich. There are a lot of options here and you’ll be finding someone locally, so there’s a lot to like here.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies will like Sugar Search’s simple sign-up process and the fact that it has a local focus. This greatly increases the chance of being able to meet in person sooner rather than later. There are nice features as well, including an intuitive chat. You can also opt for a pricier membership tier to stand out more when people search. There’s already a good ratio of sugar babies to sugar daddies, though, so competition isn’t too stiff. 

Pros

Ability to find people locally
Nice features
Good ratio of babies to daddies

Cons

Limited to a few prominent cities
Verification can take awhile

9.  Reddit (r/SugarBaby) – Best free platform

Reddit is one of the internet’s most popular forms of social media not named Instagram, Facebook, or Tiktok, and this is especially the case in North America. Whether you knew it or not, Reddit also has a sugar forum that can be a free way for you to find a sugar relationship. FYI, it tends to be an NSFW page. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies can post freely on r/SugarBaby and describe the kind of arrangement they’re looking for. Daddies will message you if they’re interested. There’s a verification process in order to post, but it isn’t that difficult or time-consuming. If you want to explore an alternative to other sugar sites, r/SugarBaby is worth a try.

From a daddy’s perspective:

There are more than 80,000 people on r/SugarBaby. So, while it might not compete with the likes of a Seeking, it can still get the job done. You’re not allowed to post as a sugar daddy, so you’ll have to browse through and DM the babies you’re interested in. One big plus is that it’s completely free to browse and message people, unlike most the sugar sites listed here. 

Pros

Completely free 
Easily accessible
Decently sized for an online forum

Cons

It can take awhile to actually get anywhere
Only babies can post (daddies have to DM)

10.  Elite Singles – Most sophisticated

Elite Singles is not technically a sugar site. Instead, it bills itself as a luxury dating site that focuses on a specific clientele, one that’s educated, successful, and chic. That said, it so happens that many people who are educated and successful are also looking for sugar relationships. So, Elite Singles may be worth a shot for those looking for that kind of arrangement. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies may benefit from Elite Singles but it’s important to keep in mind that it isn’t strictly a sugar site. So, well you may be able to find people who are looking for that kind of relationship, it’s no guarantee. Instead, you might find people who are looking for a more serious partner. To fit in on this site, it’s best that you’re educated and somewhat successful (or at least working hard to get there).

From a daddy’s perspective:

Elite Singles is perfect for people who are interested in finding other intelligent and independent people. The people here are not necessarily looking for sugar relationships, so you’ll have to keep that in mind. You may come across many people who are looking to find something serious, which means this may or may not be a good fit for you. 

Pros

Luxury dating means more desirable userbase
Easy to relate to other successful people

Cons

Not a sugar-only site
You may end up wasting time
There won’t necessarily be a lot of sugar babies

11.  Established Men – Best for long-term arrangements

Established Men isn’t all that different from Elite Singles in that it focuses on a certain kind of clientele. In this case, it’s all about successful men. On the other hand, there are a lot of people interested in sugar relationships, so it’s got that going for it. You may have to get to know a few people to see who works best for you, as there will be people looking for different things here.

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies looking for daddies have a lot to like about Established Men. It does a good job of keeping its clientele to men who are legitimately successful. That said, there’s a fair amount of competition so you’ll have to do your best to stand out from the rest of the crowd.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies have to pay to use Established Men, which is pretty normal for sugar sites. Assuming you are successful, however, it shouldn’t pose any real problem. The site lets you flirt with women and send them gifts. There’s not too much that sets Established Men apart from other sites.

Pros

Good for long-term relationships
Simple, straightforward interface

Cons

Can get expensive for daddies
Nothing special compared to other sugar sites

12.  RichMeetBeautiful – Most secure

RichMeetBeautiful has a name that gives away that it’s a sugar site pretty quickly. After all, the stereotype of sugar relationships is a young, beautiful woman and an older, wealthy man. That said, you don’t have to be outrageously wealthy to be a sugar daddy or use a site like RichMeetBeautiful. One big plus that this platform has going for it is its security as it uses top-of-the-line encryption. 

From a baby’s perspective:

RichMeetBeautiful is not necessarily only a sugar site but it definitely has that vibe. In general, it’s another good option for sugar babies to find sugar daddies, though there may be people who are looking for something more like a traditional relationship.

From a daddy’s perspective:

You can be “rich” in more ways than one on RichMeetBeautiful. For example, your experience, style, passion, romantic sensibilities, etc. all contribute to making you an attractive partner (in addition to your wealth). There are plenty of young women on here, making it a worthy platform for would-be sugar daddies to check out. It also sports an algorithm that does a good job of pairing people up by personal preferences. 

Pros

Security prioritized (state-of-the-art encryption)
Solid algorithm
Good ratio for daddies

Cons

Not explicitly a sugar site
Not necessarily a good ratio for babies

13.  Miss Travel – Best for the adventurous

Miss Travel revolves around a really cool concept. For people with the means and/or time/flexibility, it encourages you to travel to/with people who may be a good match for you. Travel is one of the perks that many sugar babies like best, so Miss Travel is a smart play on that aspect of sugar relationships. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies can generally count on a variety of perks: free dinners, gifts, even cash. Yet getting to travel is a unique perk that offers social and cultural opportunities as well. Miss Travel can help you see the world and get spoiled all at the same time by connecting you with a sugar daddy. The “Create a Trip” feature lets you plan everything out with ease. All in all, Miss Travel is definitely worth checking out if you’re a sugar baby who’s excited about travel or simply having sugar daddies come to you. 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sugar daddies may be fans of Miss Travel if they are looking for relationships with a little bit of distance from their home base. For example, they could use it to check out areas where they will be traveling for business. It’s also possible to pay for women to come to you, making Miss Travel a really cool option that’s worth considering. 

Pros

Neat concept sets them apart
Who doesn’t like travel?
Strong features

Cons

May not be a good fit for everyone (e.g. people who can’t readily travel whenever)

14.  Wealthy Men – Most straightforward

Wealthy Men is just about what it sounds like. It’s a sugar site that features sugar daddies for sugar babies to find. It even has a guarantee for paying members that they will connect with someone within three months. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Wealthy Men is straightforward and lets sugar babies find a sugar daddy near them. Unfortunately, there isn’t a free version for sugar babies like there is with most other sugar sites, so this one might be worth skipping unless you get desperate.

From a daddy’s perspective:

Wealthy Men verifies income ($85k minimum), so that will be your first step. You also have to say how much you’re willing to spend on a given sugar baby, which can be a little awkward if you’re just getting into this or don’t have a ton of money. After that, though, the site is relatively straightforward and there are plenty of sugar babies here. 

Pros

Income verification
Straightforward interface

Cons

A bit run-of-the-mill
Daddies have to say how much they’re willing to spend (can be an issue for some daddies)

15.  AgeMatch – Best for large age gaps

AgeMatch isn’t explicitly a platform for sugar dating. It can easily function this way, however, as it’s specifically about matching people up with a large age gap. As many sugar relationships feature a significant age cap, this means there are plenty of sugar opportunities on AgeMatch if you want to explore that option. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies may like AgeMatch if they are generally into older men. The only thing is that it isn’t explicitly about setting up sugar arrangements, so you’ll need to be clear about that if that’s your expectation.

From a daddy’s perspective:

If you want a strictly sugar relationship, AgeMatch may not be the best platform for you as that’s not strictly the idea there. But if you like the idea of spoiling someone who simply likes you for who you are, this could be a great option to check out. 

Pros

Niche service means less wasted time
Simple to use

Cons

May not be for everyone
Relatively small userbase

16.  Sudy – Best sugar mobile app

Sudy is a newer sugar option that mainly focuses on its app. It has slick functionality and everything is set up quite intuitively. It’s straightforward in terms of how you find potential matches and talk with them. It’s toward the bottom of our list simply because it’s new and doesn’t yet have a large userbase. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sudy is like most sugar sites in that there are more women than men. What that means is that it can be competitive. Sugar babies do benefit from the fact that Sudy verifies the daddies, which helps keep everyone safer and less likely to be wasting their time. 

From a daddy’s perspective:

Sudy verifies income of sugar daddies, and it’s a fairly steep minimum ($200k). There’s a ton of women on Sudy, though, so you should be in good shape so long as you meet that minimum. These women will know that you’re plenty wealthy to satisfy them (at least most of them), meaning that they’ll be looking forward to meeting you. There have been some complaints online about difficulty deleting profiles, so you may want to proceed carefully if privacy is a concern of yours. 

Pros

Slick features
Intuitive interface
Good ratio (for daddies)

Cons

New so smallish userbase
Fairly steep income verification ($200k)
May be difficult to delete your profile

17.  SugarBook – Best for alternative arrangements

SugarBook is yet another sugar site that focuses on pairing up daddies and babies. That said, it recognizes that arrangements don’t have to be purely financial (especially in terms of luxury gifts). There are some babies who may be looking for legitimate connections, business opportunities, help with paying their university tuition, etc. 

From a baby’s perspective:

Sugar babies have to pay up for more access to the site and all its features, but you can get by decently without doing so. You might try it out free and see if you want to continue. After all, there are plenty of other sugar sites that are entirely free for the would-be babies. One plus of SugarBook is that it verifies income of daddies, which helps keep off scammers and fakes.

From a daddy’s perspective:

SugarBook verifies the income of sugar daddies, which is fairly standard of the more legitimate sugar sites. There’s even a free option for men, but, as you might expect, it’s quite limited. You’ll pretty much need to opt for the premium option to fully benefit from the site. 

Pros

Welcomes varying kinds of arrangements
Free version (even for daddies)

Cons

Free version won’t get you far (as a daddy)
Nothing really sets it apart from other sites

Tips for Finding A Sugar Baby

Flex your wallet  – Let’s be real, sugar babies are interested in money. If you don’t have any, well, it’s going to be tough for you. That said, if you do have it, don’t hesitate to show it off a little bit. We’re not talking about cheesily flashing your cash or trying to show off like a jabroni. Just be upfront about your wealth on your profiles, which will help attract sugar babies, and when it comes to your dates, be classy and generous.  
Be yourself – Building on that last point, don’t try to be someone you’re not. You may feel kind of uncomfortable about the sugar daddy role if you’ve never done it before. That’s fine! Just be yourself. Ultimately, you want to find sugar babies who like you not only for your money but also for your personality. This ensures that everyone gets along well. 
Spend time on your profile – You know what they say about first impressions, right? If you don’t spend any time on your profile, sugar babies will be getting a bad first impression. Take a few minutes to ensure your profile is filled out, that you have good photos (if you’re not being that level of discreet), and that your authentic self comes through. 
Clarify expectations early – If you want a sugar baby who will go above and beyond (yes, that), then make sure that’s clear in your profile and/or early on in your conversations. You’ll find people much more compatible with your vision of what you want your sugar relationship to be if you are upfront about your expectations. 

Sugar Baby Dating FAQ

Where Can I Find a Sugar Baby?

Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to find a sugar baby. Try out the sites reviewed above, and you shouldn’t have much trouble at all. That said, it can be competitive, and many babies won’t want to bother with you if you’re not prepared to spend lavishly. 

What’s the best site for sugar babies?

The best overall sugar site is Seeking (fka Seeking Arrangement). It’s one of the most popular sites, meaning that there are plenty of sugar daddies out there for you to find. It’s also free for sugar babies. Another good option is Ashley Madison, though it’s not exclusively for sugar relationships. 

What’s the best site for sugar daddies?

The best overall sugar site is Seeking (fka Seeking Arrangement). It’s well known in the sugar baby community, so as a daddy you’ll have plenty to choose from. That said, it can get a bit expensive. Unfortunately, most sugar sites charge a premium to sugar daddies. In theory, though, this shouldn’t be a problem as sugar daddies need to be prepared to spend in general. Two other sites that can be especially good for daddies are Established Men and Ashley Madison (though the latter isn’t a sugar-only site). 

What Does a Sugar Daddy Do?

Sugar daddies (or mommies) are the dominant figure in the relationship. They are usually older, more mature, and financially well-off. Typically, they will spoil sugar babies in return for companionship (and maybe more). 

What Does a Sugar Baby Do?

Sugar babies provide whatever a daddy is looking for in exchange for getting spoiled. This generally means some kind of companionship, like going out to fancy dinners, on vacations, etc. While it may also be sexual, that isn’t a given—it comes down to the arrangement that each couple agrees to. This should always be a consensual agreement, of course. 

Is It Ok to Have a Sugar Daddy?

Is it wrong to be a sugar daddy? Well, it depends on your perspective. People who think that “marriage is sacred” or that older men spoiling young women is wrong may take issue with it. But there’s nothing illegal or inherently immoral about it. As long as everything is consensual among adults, then it’s perfectly fine. 

Are Sugar Daddy Sites Legit?

Yes and no. Some of them may not be, but the ones reviewed above are all legitimate. If you stick to the top sites recommended (e.g. Seeking or Ashley Madison), then you’ll be in good shape.

Read More

You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2023. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

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Dating is exhausting. We all know it. Luckily, there has been a surge of dating sites and apps offering more opportunities and options than ever for the LGBTQ+ community.

But with all good things, there comes a risk. Dating sites and apps are often misused. You might come across people that aren’t looking for the same things you are, and it’s hard to filter it out at first glance.

There has been a rise in gay dating apps and sites. In 2022, there are approximately 1,500 dating apps. And according to MarketWatch, online dating has become the most popular way for LGBTQ+ people to date. Still, many gay dating websites and apps are all about sex, sex, and more sex. It can be difficult to narrow down and find an app that caters more to your personal preference—maybe you’re looking for a long-term relationship or a companion.

If you’re gay and are struggling to find dating apps that accommodate all walks of LGBTQ+ life, you’re in the right spot. Don’t lose hope. Keep reading to discover the 20 best gay dating sites and apps in 2022 for men, women, and queer folk. There is a little something for everyone, so hopefully, you’ll find your perfect match on one of these gay dating apps.

Best Gay Dating Sites and Apps in 2023

Men Nation – Best for fun dates and casual hookups
Adam4Adam – Best guys and user experience
eHarmony – Best matchmaking algorithm
Zoosk– Best new generation Match.com
Scruff – Best for gay cubs and bears
Hornet – Best for international hookups
HER – Best for lesbians/gay women
Grindr – Best for sex and casual hookups
Elite Singles – Best for meeting professional singles
OkCupid – Best heterosexual app that is LGBTQ+ inclusive
Tinder – Best for an enormous user base
Hinge – Best for substantial relationships
Lex – Best for queer and nonbinary folks
Nuit – Best for folks into astrology
Jack’d – Best for diversity
Chappy – Best for meaningful connections
Silver Singles – Best for singles over 50
Our Time – Best for senior singles looking for companionship
BeNaughty – Best for kinky and casual physical relationships
Senior Match – Best for singles over 60

2.  Adam4Adam – Best Website Turned to App

Pros:

Successfully running since 2003
About 27 filter options to find your perfect match

Cons:

High number of fake profiles and bots
Interface is outdated and bland

Adam4Adam is good for gay singles because it’s similar to Grindr, but it’s been around for much longer and has been a pioneer for the gay online world. People usually use it for casual and sexual encounters, but there is a chance to meet a romantic match if that’s what you are searching for.

A4A offers an online sex shop and live cams that you can explore. But the only drawback of this website turned app is that there are many fake profiles, and its user base isn’t as high as apps like Grindr and Tinder.

3.  eHarmony – Best for Enhanced Matchmaking

Pros:

80-question personality quiz
Ideal for long-term relationships

Cons:

Expensive premium plans
Lengthy sign-up process

eHarmony is great for gay singles looking for serious relationships. This site launched in 2000, designed for straight Christians. But over the years, this site has become more inclusive and now accepts the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2009, many LGBTQ+ folks have been finding their perfect match thanks to its elite matchmaking.

If you’re serious about finding a long-term partner, paying for a premium plan will ensure you match with someone based on your values, ambitions, and dreams. It’s most definitely one of the best gay dating sites for finding real love, but it comes with an investment—so be ready to pay up.

4.  Zoosk – Best New Generation Match.com

Pros:

Very active users
Used in over 80 countries

Cons:

Have to pay extra for additional features

Zoosk is perfect for younger gay singles looking for relationships. If you’re in your early to mid-20s and not interested in casual hookups, this is the app you should be looking at. It’s designed in a unique cartoony UI to enjoy the dating process.

It is one of the most popular dating sites with a community of 35 million users in 80 different countries. It’s open to singles of all ages, races, religions, and sexual orientations. It also provides verified profiles so you can be assured that you’re not interested in pursuing a bot or troll account.

5.  Scruff – Best for Gay Cubs and Bears

Pros:

Specifically for gay men (GTBQ community)
Has a “Scruff Travel” feature available

Cons:

Free membership means dealing with ads
App crashes from time to time

Scruff is best suited for men in the GTBQ community looking for diverse types of men. It is one of the top-rated gay dating apps, and because it uses geolocation, it shows you hot singles near you. When searching for potential dates, it allows you to tick off one or multiple communities you are open to. These communities include bear, bisexual, cub, daddy, discreet, drag, jock, military, muscle, otter, poz, trans, and much more.

When you’re traveling, the app allows you to publish a travel agenda with your destination city, which means you can organize hookups when you arrive.

6.  Hornet – Best for International Hookups

Pros:

Lots of features available to free users
Huge user base

Cons:

You need a Facebook or Google account to log in

Hornet is geared toward international gay men because this dating app was designed to be used in countries that aren’t LGBTQ+-inclusive. It has a community of 25 million users worldwide and is known as the “digital home” for the gay network.

Since it’s used in countries that aren’t quite liberal, it’s a way to be discreet and careful. But that doesn’t mean it’s not popular or high in demand. Hornet is a great app to meet foreign travelers, to hook up while vacationing in another country, or to find the international love of your life.

7.  HER – Best for Lesbians / Gay women

Pros:

Messaging is all free and unlimited
Matches based on location

Cons:

App sometimes lags
You need a Facebook or Instagram account to sign up

HER is the best gay dating app for queer women. Unfortunately, men consistently bother queer women on dating apps. Even if you set your preferences to only women, there is a chance your potential may not be interested.

Enter HER. It gives the lesbian community an exclusive app. It’s designed solely for women, and the target audience is lesbian, queer, and bisexual women. It’s available in all major cities across 114 countries worldwide. This revolutionary app is for queer women tired of the other mainstream dating sites.

8.  Grindr – Best for Sex and Casual Hookups

Pros:

Over 6 million users
Free and widely known

Cons:

Not for those looking for long-term romance
App can lag

Grindr is the most popular gay dating app in the world. Even straight people have heard of it. Grindr is used in over 200 countries globally to find gay sex immediately. This app has gained a reputation for hooking up and casual sex and has become the go-to app for it.

The layout is geolocation-based, so you can instantly have access to sexy guys in your area, making quick sex easy to organize with the click of a few buttons. They’ve recently added sections for trans and nonbinary people. Unfortunately, Grindr is predominantly known for a certain type.

9.  Elite Singles – Best for Meeting Professional Singles

Pros:

In-depth personality test to find the perfect match
High-quality singles in the world

Cons:

Limited-time free trial
Website is more user-friendly than the app

Elite Singles is ideal for gay singles and is one of the top sites to find serious relationships between professionals. Since this site is a little high-end, it means you need to pay for its premium features. Most people on here are earning loads of money and looking for a serious long-term relationship.

Education is a crucial part of the personality test, and it has a direct bearing on who will contact you. For some, it may come off very snobby, but if we’re looking at the best dating sites and apps catered to every walk of life, this is the go-to for professionals.

10.  OkCupid – Best Heterosexual App That is LGBTQ+ Inclusive

Pros:

LGBTQ+ inclusive with a large database
Vast user base of people

Cons:

Chance of catfishes
Will only allow messaging if both people match

OkCupid is fantastic for gay singles that want to use a trustworthy dating app that is LGBTQ+ inclusive. Since OkCupid has been around since 2004 and has 30 million active users, it’s made many positive updates to cater to a wider range of people. Even though it was mainly designed for straight folks, it’s developed a strong following of LGBTQ+ people over the past few years. There are so many different pronouns and sexualities to choose from, giving you optimal choices that will meet your needs.

It just requires you to answer a lot of questions when you sign up to ensure that you match with someone who shares your exact values and ideals.

11.  Tinder – Best for Enormous User Base

Pros:

User pool is huge
Passport feature to change location—useful when traveling

Cons:

Might come across bots
76 percent of users live in urban areas, so if you live anywhere rural you may have a smaller match pool

Tinder is the best hookup app for singles, but it is also a choice for LGBTQ+ folks looking for hookups or love. The prime reason why Tinder is a good choice to find people is because of its ginormous user base. It’s so popular that you will most likely find something close to what you’re looking for.

There are many exclusively gay dating apps—like Scruff and HER—but nothing beats Tinder for popularity. Its target audience is singles in the 18-34 year age bracket, so keep that in mind if you’re thinking of downloading this app.

12.  Hinge – Best for Substantial Relationships

Pros:

Popular with millennials
Matchmaking algorithm is top-notch

Cons:

Limited gay users

Hinge is great for the younger LGBTQ+ community. This app is focused more on finding real romance and actual relationships. Its motto is that Hinge is “designed to be deleted.” In terms of LGBTQ+ folk, this app is for long-term dating and relationships.

This one is a mainstream dating app, so if you’re LGBT, be aware that you might not find what you’re looking for. Although the app does have very diverse profiles located in your local vicinity, there is always a chance that you won’t find exactly your type because it does not specifically cater to the LGBTQ+ community.

13.  Lex – Best for Queer and Nonbinary Folks

Pros:

Many identities to browse from—including genderfluid
Unique interface

Cons:

Dated UI

Lex is great for queer and nonbinary folks who are nonconforming and looking for like-minds. While most dating apps are picture-focused, Lex is a unique experience altogether. It prides itself on an early 2000s interface with a Craigslist-style design to post your profile.

You can find people who care about the same things as you and are interested in similar things in your local area. Not only is it very inclusive, but this app also has a zero-tolerance policy towards hate speech or creepiness. If you’re interested in a unique interface and want to find nonconforming folks, similar to yourself, this app is the best gay dating app for that.

14.  Nuit – Best for LGBTQ+ Folks into Astrology

Pros:

Multiple pronouns and sexuality options
Great if you’re into birth charts and astrology

Cons:

No point if you are not interested in astrology

Nuit is the best dating app for gay folks who are into astrology. Zodiac, birth charts, cosmic energy, and astrology are a growing interest for many people in 2022, and this app is for them specifically.

It’s a great way to find gay friends and love interests in your area who share your love for astrology. This app is super inclusive and gives you so many options that you are bound to meet someone with the same energy and interests as you.

15.  Jack’d – Best for Diversity

Pros:

Worldwide community of 180 countries
Most inclusive for queer people of color

Cons:

Available only as a mobile app

Jack’d is the best diverse bi, gay, queer, and trans dating app. It has a global community of 5 million members in over 180 countries. The main goal of this gay app is inclusivity. It aims to create a community that brings together diverse LGBTQ+ members to meet, make friends, and develop deep connections, whether it be friendships or romantic relationships.

Similar to Tinder and Grindr, Jack’d is location-based. It offers a free version and also has a paid version. This app is globally the most diverse gay dating app.

16.  Chappy – Best for Meaningful Connections

Pros:

Free with no annoying trial periods
Adjust preferences to casual friendship or serious relationships

Cons:

Only available as an app

Chappy is wonderful for gay men looking for substantial connections. In 2018, the shareholders of Bumble—a popular mainstream dating app—took over Chappy, making Chappy Bumble’s certified counterpart for gay dating.

It was created to make a comfortable and safe dating space for gay men. In an attempt to add some type of vulnerability and emotional value, Chappy gives the members the freedom to choose their matches according to their interests. It’s only available in limited areas, and it has a 100 percent gay membership, with a vast majority of them between the ages of 18 to 34.

17.  Silver Singles – Best for Singles Over 50

Pros:

100 percent dedicated to singles that are 50 years and older
Easy-to-use interface

Cons:

Long questionnaire

Silver Singles is great for gay singles over 50 years old. It is one of the largest online dating websites for singles over this age group. It caters to people looking for new friendships, casual dating, or serious relationships. Whether you’re single, divorced, separated, or widowed, you’ll find singles with all types of life stories.

If you’re LGBTQ+ and over 50 years old, Silver Singles is a great dating app to find whatever you’re looking for. It offers more mature singles a platform to enjoy serious senior dating with no judgment or discrimination. And everything is available on a mobile app if you prefer your smartphone.

18.  Our Time – Best for Senior Singles Looking for Companionship

Pros:

Three-day free trial
14-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

You have to have a paid subscription to send messages

Our Time is best for senior gay or lesbian people looking for anything from friendships to relationships. Its main goal is to provide men and women in their 50s an opportunity to meet others for conversation and meaningful connections. You can also search for pen-pals, friends, or companionship.

Dating demographics suggest that adults over the age of 50 are becoming more active in the online dating world. But unfortunately, there aren’t too many dating apps that cater to their needs specifically. Our Time combats this by providing a comfortable and safe place for singles over 50 to find love or friendship.

19.  BeNaughty – Best for Kinky and Casual Physical Relationships

Pros:

Profiles explicitly state what people are looking for
Very user-friendly

Cons:

Men cannot reply to messages unless they have a paying account

BeNaughty is a great app for LGBTQ+ who are kinky and in search of casual physical relationships. It is different from other dating sites because of its transparency. With other dating sites and apps, a user’s intention may not always be clear. But with BeNaughty, every user’s intention is targeted towards casual fun.

It has a diverse range of members who are open-minded and non-judgmental. It caters towards LGBTQ+ folks by its search functions which help you narrow down your selections by adjusting your preferences. BeNaughty is a flirty, open, inclusive site that caters to all types of kinks and interests.

20. Senior Match – Best for Singles Over 60

Pros:

All user accounts monitored 24/7 to prevent bots
Easy to use

Cons:

Search results may show inactive profiles

Senior Match is ideal for LGBTQ+ seniors looking for a senior-friendly space to find local and worldwide matches. This dating service was specifically designed for singles who are 50+ but not specifically just for LGBTQ+ seniors. It is one of the easiest to use sites for senior folks who want to find love, meet new acquaintances, and hook up with mature singles.

It aims to create an inclusive and friendly online dating experience for senior people. Most of the people you will meet on this site are very inclusive and judgment-free. To prevent troll or bot accounts, Senior Match monitors all user accounts.

Gay Dating FAQ

What are the benefits of gay dating apps?

As stated by Pew Research Center, about 65 percent of people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual that have used online dating apps or sites say their experience was very or somewhat positive. Your odds should pretty much double for experiences on LGBTQ+-specific dating sites or apps.

Gay dating apps are a predominantly safe space to express yourself without any judgment—compared to generic dating apps.

And the best benefit is that there will be more LGBTQ+ people on gay dating apps, which means more of a chance to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Are gay dating sites and apps any different from heterosexual apps?

The only real (and important) difference is that gay dating sites have more features customized for LGBTQ+ people.

Examples of this are:

If you’re trans, gay dating apps usually have sections for trans and nonbinary people to help you stay from any harassment.
If you’re a gay woman, there is an app called HER designed solely for lesbians. You don’t have to worry about straight men pestering you needlessly.
If you’re a gay man, there are preferences on gay dating apps to filter guys according to your type.

How safe are gay dating apps?

Gay dating apps are, for the most part, safe. But as you should do for any dating website or app, always exercise caution when meeting someone new. You can’t be sure who you’re talking to online. Remember that catfishing (the act of using someone else’s photos to create a new identity) is still a very real problem in this digital age.

If you live in a predominantly homophobic city, be careful with how fast you trust someone.

The safest thing to do is arrange your first meet-up in public. Or arrange a video call before your official first date.

Gay dating sites and apps are mostly safe, but there is always a potential for something bad to occur.

Are there any mainstream dating apps or websites that are gay-friendly?

The most gay-friendly mainstream dating site is OkCupid. It has an option that says, “I don’t want to see or be seen by straight people,” which makes it safe and gay-friendly. It even gives its users the option to state their gender identity and sexuality—having a designated profile area to define your pronouns.

Which app is the best for gay relationships?If you’re gay, lesbian, or bisexual and looking for a healthy long-term relationship, the best gay dating site to try is eHarmony. It has a very unique algorithm that will match you to a near-perfect match, based on an 80-question personality quiz that you have to complete.

As you can tell from this review, there are so many gay dating apps and sites to choose from, but the best shot at finding true romance would be on eHarmony.

Gay Dating Tips

1.  Choose your dating app wisely.If you’re looking for a fast hookup tonight, you probably should not waste your time on a website like OkCupid or eHarmony. And similarly, if you are looking for a long-term relationship, you probably won’t find that on an app like Grindr.

2.  Be open to dating outside your “type.” People are picky when it comes to dating, but if there is one thing that is true in the dating world, it’s don’t judge a book by its cover. You don’t know what type of person has the keys to your heart—or your pants.

3.  It’s fine to be attracted to people who look or present themselves in a certain way.But just try not to rule out an entire group of people because they don’t fit what you usually go for. When you are open to different identities, you will widen your options drastically and have more potential to meet someone who just fits with you.

4.  Don’t be crude or hateful.You may not even realize it, but the amount of profiles that have such vile preferences listed in their bios is plentiful. Just because a certain race or body type is not your type, there is no need to be crude about it. Racism and body-shaming are a no-no in every space. In an LGBTQ+ space, people should be all the more inclusive. If someone isn’t your type, just be polite when shooting them down.

5.  Facetime or video call before you meet up for the first time. Some may think this defeats the purpose of a “first date.” But think about it. . . Do you want to spend hours getting ready, anticipating the first time you lay eyes on each other and driving to the date spot, only to realize that you have no attraction or chemistry to this person?

If dating apps have taught us one thing, it’s that photos sometimes can be very deceiving. To combat this frustration, we suggest Facetime or video call before your first date.

Having a quick video call before your first date will:

confirm they are who they say they are (safety first)
give you a taste of how your chemistry will be
reduce the stress—even if it’s a little—before meeting them in person
get you even more excited about meeting them in real life

6.  Consider stating your HIV status.Before things get more heated, consider telling your potential date about your HIV status. It’s something that everyone wants to know but is sometimes reluctant to say. Save yourself an awkward conversation later on and be honest about it. (Pro tip: Grindr has a section for HIV+ folks called “Poz.”)

7.  Discuss controversial topics on your first date.Save the mundane conversation and questions for your online chatting. When you’re meeting in person, don’t be scared to discuss interesting and even controversial topics. To get to know someone and create a strong sense of comfortability and vulnerability, getting raw and personal is key. Taking risks is what dating is all about.

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Life after prison is frequently an untold story, hidden behind the stigma of a criminal record. For thousands of people recently released from prison, this stigma dismisses their experiences and the challenges that accompany their reacclimatization to society. On the first day beyond the prison gates, they enter a world that’s changed around them and suddenly must assume responsibility for finding housing, health care, and a job with little to no help. This year, WTTW’s FIRSTHAND initiative showcases how real Chicagoans confront this uphill battle.

FIRSTHAND: Life After Prison offers audiences an intimate, compassionate look into the experiences of people attempting to restart their lives after incarceration. The documentary series—directed by Mario Tharpe, Resita Cox, Pat Odom, Teresa White, and Donna Wilson—illuminates the difficulties that obstruct rehabilitation while providing inspiring glimpses of the opportunities that can exist for ex-offenders. The Life After Prison project is the latest installment from the award-winning FIRSTHAND initiative. FIRSTHAND’s past projects addressed issues concerning poverty, gun violence, segregation, and coronavirus, focusing on perspectives from Chicago residents. 

The five episodes in the docuseries expose the fact that for people with criminal records, especially people of color and LGBTQ+ people, community support is rare and access to jobs is minimal, leading to higher recidivism rates and societal exclusion. Every year, more than 650,000 ex-offenders leave prison, but according to the Department of Justice, approximately two-thirds will likely be rearrested within three years’ time. This cyclical trajectory for ex-offenders is what inspired Tharpe to help produce the docuseries. 

“For me personally, signing on to produce and direct FIRSTHAND: Life After Prison was personal,” says Tharpe. “As a kid, I saw two of my four uncles struggle with drugs and occasional incarceration. Being young, I didn’t understand why they weren’t able to kick their drug habits. Their lifestyles were emotionally draining to my grandmother and other family members, all of whom loved my two uncles. Spending hours pre-interviewing and talking to our five documentary subjects was therapeutic for me and answered some questions I had about why people relapse and why so many use jail and prison as an unintended revolving door.”

The five Chicagoans featured in the documentary series include Nicholas Crayton, Paul S., Kyle Hilbert, Tawana Pope, and Marcelo de Jesus Velazquez. It shows them at different stages of their lives in and after prison, providing audiences an opportunity to understand reentry at every stage through firsthand accounts. For Tharpe, the up-close documentary series compels the audience to “walk in the shoes of the subject.” He anticipates that after watching, many will begin to believe that rehabilitation upon reentry can work if we help reduce the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated people.

“A large number of people return to prison because they can’t find a job,” Tharpe emphasizes. “Not having a job means you’re not in a position to support yourself or your family. Ultimately, returning to the streets to engage in illegal activities leads people back into the prison system. More employers have to give returning citizens an opportunity to succeed.”

Tharpe hopes that the docuseries will encourage more reentry programs to offer beneficial, sustainable assistance for those transitioning back into society. Tharpe believes that recidivism rates can be reduced with adjusted, individualized reentry programs and greater awareness of the struggles of life after prison. FIRSTHAND’s intimate perspective provides audiences with an accessible entry point. 

Alongside the film series, the FIRSTHAND project will also host community discussions, expert talks, and journalistic spotlights on PBS and Chicago Tonight. WTTW will host five Firsthand Talks that will begin streaming on February 13. The talks provide local insight and solutions concerning reentry, adding another personal level to the entire project. The initiative plans to become directly involved in the communities, working with leaders in Chicago neighborhoods and providing discussion guides for schools, libraries, and other community organizations. 

The speeches include: “The Hurt, the Harm, and the Healing” by Orlando Mayorga, the McCormick reentry policy coordinator for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor’s Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative; “Untangling the Path to Erasing Criminal Records” by Regina Hernandez, supervising attorney for Legal Aid Chicago; “No Place to Call Home” by Ahmadou Dramé, program director for the Illinois Justice Project; “The Humanity We Deserve” by Dr. Nneka Jones Tapia, managing director of justice initiatives for Chicago Beyond; and “Prison After Prison” by Marlon Chamberlain, manager for the Fully Free Campaign.

At 7 PM on February 13, WTTW’s news program Chicago Tonight will feature a WTTW News special episode dedicated to the topic of reentry. The project will continue for the rest of 2023, shedding light on life after prison and providing assistance to communities around Chicago.

“As a public media organization, it’s our role and responsibility to shine a light on vital issues that impact the people and communities in our city and region with trusted, essential content,” says president and CEO of WTTW Sandra Cordova Micek. “Each year, through the FIRSTHAND initiative, we identify a problem or issue that people in our city and region, and people around the country, are facing. Through personal stories and lived experiences, we share firsthand accounts from Chicagoans who are directly impacted.”

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