The best sex and dating apps for finding a hookup

Looking for no strings attached sex? These are the best apps for hooking up.
By Joseph Green and Miller Kern  on 
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Overview

PROMOTED
Best For Quick Meetups

AdultFriendFinder

Jump to Details
Best For Sexting

iHookup

Jump to Details
Best For Mature Users

Match

Jump to Details
Best For Profiles

XMatch

Jump to Details
Best For Sexual Compatibility

GetItOn

Jump to Details
Best For Travelling

Tinder

Jump to Details
Best For Social Interaction

GayFriendFinder

Jump to Details
See 2 More

Table of Contents

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Hookup culture is all about keeping things casual, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. We can all get stuck in a sexual rut from time to time, and trying to take strangers home from a bar or constantly texting your ex can be exhausting. If you're struggling to find a match in the real world, it might be time to put your faith in dating sites.

When we think about these sites, it's normal to go straight to the likes of Match, eharmony, EliteSingles, and other marriage-minded options, but not everyone is thinking about something so serious. Sometimes all you want is a little fun, and you best believe that there's an app for that.

How do you find a hookup?

It's still possible to find a connection in the real world, because meeting in bars, clubs, parks, and other real-life locations still happens on a regular basis. You're simply shortening your odds by subscribing to a dating site. Why not give yourself the best chance of success?

Dating sites and sex apps allow you to get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals. Plus, you can save a lot of time, energy, and cash by testing out a potential relationship on an app before meeting up. We know that some dating apps can be expensive, but just think about all those wasted coffees you could avoid by chatting through an app first.

Lastly, using dating apps and sites is a whole lot less intimidating than meeting someone face to face. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you dip your toe into the world of dating from the comfort of your own home.

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are popular options with massive networks of users. Plus, most of the biggest and best dating sites have free versions with limitations on certain features. So yes, you can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything. However, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with dating apps. And sometimes free apps just don't cut it.

For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up some cash. We're sorry to break it to you, but the best dating sites don't come cheap. It all comes down to access to advanced and premium features. You can still find a hookup with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading.

What makes an app good for hooking up?

When it comes to sex apps, you probably don't mind long questionnaires or in-depth profiles, but when you're just looking for a casual hookup, that all seems unnecessary. Sure, you want to gauge that you're at least a little compatible and not hooking up with a complete psychopath. The best hookup apps have quick and easy bios or prompts that give you an insight into who you'd be getting down and dirty with.

Photos are also a huge factor in good hookup apps. Some sex apps and dating sites gatekeep people's pics unless you have a paid subscription, and we don't really love that. Apps that show the full view of someone's profile are the way to go. You definitely want to make sure you're physically attracted to the person you're going to be having sex with.

What is the best sex and dating app for hooking up?

The good news is that there are absolutely loads of dating sites and sex apps out there for every type of dater and dating situation. The problem with this wealth of options is that deciding on the right site for you can be difficult. This is where we can help.

We have tracked down a strong selection of your best options for hooking up, with sites like AdultFriendFinder and iHookup making the cut. There should be something for everyone in this list, so what do you have to lose?

These are the best hookup sites and apps in 2024.

AFF logo
PROMOTED

AdultFriendFinder

Best For Quick Meetups

The Good

The Bad

Details

ihookup logo

iHookup

Best For Sexting

The site is literally called iHookup and it's used for exactly what it sounds like — need we say anything else? 

It's slightly less risqué than its main competitor AdultFriendFinder, but still clearly used for the same thing. One of the main differences between iHookup and the numerous other sites used for hookups is that your feed won't make you feel like you've been violated. Members actually post pictures of their faces (instead of their nether regions) and put effort into their profiles. It's a really nice change of pace for people who are in the mood, but not so in the mood that they need porn shoved in their face. (It's still X-rated though, don't you worry — you'll realise that when you're bombarded by gross ads.)

On the downside, the website is more of a Facebook for horny people than an all-encompassing hookup site. There aren't nearly as many ways to get involved with other horny members, and that might just be because the user base simply isn't as big (however, give it a year or two and we wouldn't be surprised if it competed with the ranks of eharmony). iHookup also offers many "what are you like?" and "what are you looking for?" questions that can be displayed on your profile, and they even give you a "between the sheets" sex compatibility ranking for each user you come across. To see everything the site has to offer, you will have to dig a bit deeper. It seems kind of pricey for a site that hasn't yet made its mark on the world, but they guarantee that if you don't get a hookup in your first three months, they'll give you three months for free. 

Because the member base isn't as robust and is more spread out geographically, you might want to be a little more lenient with your mile radius when it comes to the matches they suggest. You'll probably be able to find a nearby hookup, but iHookup is a way better place for someone looking for a cute sexting partner from another country. Which is totally fine — sometimes you just don't feel like leaving the house. 

The Good

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Details

Match logo

Match

Best For Mature Users

We know what you're thinking: "How am I going to find a hookup on a relationship site?" Yes, we know Match isn't the raunchiest place, but it also has a massive user base (7.4 million paid users, to be exact) so even if you're not looking for a long-term relationship like many members, there's a pretty high chance you'll find a users also looking for something risqué (anything can be a hookup app if you want it to be, right?).

One main difference between Match and most of the other sites we've listed (other than AdultFriendFinder maybe) is that Match sees a way more diverse age range. Sure, there are loads of young people on Match who are probably on Tinder as well, but Match also attracts significantly older, more mature (and probably more experienced in bed) users. If you're at an age where you feel nothing but creepy on Tinder, Match is a perfect alternative. You'll obviously have to fill out some survey questions about your likes and dislikes, so this isn't the place for impatient people. However, it would be a good idea to let the public know exactly the type of relationship you're looking for in your bio, just to make sure it doesn't get awkward if someone wants a second date. Don't worry, it's less serious than eharmony and gives you much more freedom to clown around — we'd just suggest that you at least be open to the idea of a serious relationship after a hookup if you're going to be on Match. You have to test drive the car before you buy it, right?

Match is also great because you're pretty much in control: You'll get a certain number of matches that they think you'll like per day, but you also have free reign over the search bar and can see who's nearby. This means you're able to feel out the selection and see if there are any certified hotties in your area, rather than waiting for them to give you choices or going one by one (like on Tinder). They might not have as much in common with you as your suggested matches would, but hey, does that really matter when it comes to a one-night stand?

The Good

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XMatch logo

XMatch

Best For Profiles

With an absolutely massive member base and unique features, XMatch is one of the top sites out there offering all kinds of sex. 

XMatch caters to users seeking sexual encounters of every variety, making hooking up easier than ever before. It’s the epitome of an adult dating website, and in many ways, the hookup site more closely resembles a porn site with an extra layer of social networking thrown in. 

Like much of the activity (and users) on the site, registration is easy, allowing members to dive into their sexual fantasies in under a minute. The site is widely uncensored, so it’s not exactly one you’d want to open on your work computer, but behind all the overt sexual expression lies a dating platform that provides hand-picked matches, a way to discover others based on similar sexual interests, and seemingly endless opportunities to network while turning yourself and others on. 

The Good

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Details

GetItOn logo

GetItOn

Best For Sexual Compatibility

GetitOn is all about helping adults meet their sexual equal, and that's really what hooking up is all about, isn't it?

GetitOn includes everything you would expect from a dating site, with one major extra. The site goes beyond the basic format of most hookup sites and offers an adult compatibility test to help you find a partner who is compatible in bed. 

The idea behind the sexual compatibility test is to enable you to specify your sexual chemistry in terms of likes, dislikes, fetishes, and fantasies. The result is that you (hopefully) find someone who gets your motor running, and vice versa.

There is a free version to try out the site, but most of the features are blocked. So if you really do want to find your sexual equal, you'll have to dig deep.

The Good

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Details

Tinder logo

Tinder

Best For Travelling

Tinder may not want to advertise as such, but we all know what it's mostly used for. Yeah yeah, we know the amount of success stories of happy couples who met on Tinder is growing rapidly, but it's way easier to find a date for the night than it is to find someone looking for a long term relationship. Using Tinder for the latter includes deciding if you want to interact with someone based on nothing but profile pictures and a quote, so you can see how getting laid would be the main goal of most users. 

It's fast, easy, and if there's one app that even the shyest, most skeptical people will be on, it's Tinder. Sure, you may get carpal tunnel from swiping so much, but I guess that also means that it's nearly impossible to not find like-minded people who are also DTF.

Though it's pretty much free for general use, Tinder does offer three upgrades: Tinder Plus, Tinder Gold, and Tinder Platinum. These include extras like the opportunity to undo a left swipe, send "Super Likes" to people you're really into, see who has swiped right on your profile, and in the case of Tinder Platinum, message users before they've even matched with you. 

The Good

The Bad

Details

GayFriendFinder logo

GayFriendFinder

Best For Social Interaction

GayFriendFinder is a gay community where single men meet other men for chat, dating, and hook-ups. So pretty much anything you could want.

The site has great chat and forum features to help you get to know your potential connection. You'll be encouraged to upload photos to make your profile more attractive but you are under no obligation to do so. Joining is completely free but most communication as well as viewing full profiles requires paid membership, so if you want to find a match then you kind of need to stump up the cash. 

After you've signed up, you can browse the many profiles that have a truly global feel. Even as a standard member you can create hot-lists and send ice-breakers to guys that take your fancy, but to initiate contact via email or chat you'll need to upgrade.

The Good

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Details

Photo of Joseph Green
Joseph Green
Global Shopping Editor

Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming services, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.

Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.

woman with short blonde hair smilling
Miller Kern
Deputy Editor, Shopping and Reviews

Based in New York City, Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor, Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, and deals about tech products including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She has five years of experience writing buying guides, gift guides, and deals, and covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.

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