Swipe, match, meet: 11 hookup apps that actually work

Read our full review of AdultFriendFinder.

Who it's for:

Bumble is great for women and non-binary people who are interested in making a quick connection, whether casual or more serious.

Though it can have much of the same crowd as Tinder, its Opening Moves feature (an upgrade to the women message first rule that made it popular) encourages users to actually communicate, helping you get fewer dead matches than you might with Tinder.

Why we picked this:

This app can be a great place to find something long-term. Still, Bumble profiles feature a setting for users to toggle what they're looking for, including "fun, casual dates" and "intimacy, without commitment. " This makes it easier to find someone who's on the same page with you while offering women and non-binary folks the opportunity to set the tone of your interaction.

“Bumble is a helpful app for women who want to avoid being creeped on and only hear from men they're interested in,” Suzannah Weiss, an author and resident sexologist for Fleshy, tells Mashable. “When women are looking for men, they send the first message. I recommend that women using Bumble take their time to craft an original first message because some women do complain about a lack of responses, which is more of an issue if your opening message is a basic ‘hey, how are you?”

Weiss added, “Thankfully, Bumble now lets people add ‘Opening Moves,’ which are questions you can respond to in your first message. This makes it easier to craft an initial message that’s original. Be as honest, forthcoming, and uniquely yourself in these responses as possible.”

With Bumble, you can chat via text, voice, or video without spending a dime. Of course, premium features are available for purchase (via Bumble Boost or premium membership) and offer the useful option to filter users by what they're looking for, but that's by no means necessary to find a potential hookup buddy. Plus, free users still have access to basic filtering features like age, distance, and toggling to see verified profiles only.

Who it's for:

Grindr is a popular hookup app for gay men. Correction: It's the hookup app for gay men. As one of the leading mainstream dating apps designed exclusively for the LGBTQ+ community, it offers a range of relationship possibilities, but it is a common spot to find a fast and casual hookup.

Why we picked this:

On the surface, Grindr is all about quick, casual connections. With its location-based matching, you can easily message nearby users and potentially meet up within the hour. It lives up to its tagline of getting "0 feet away from the queer world around you."

But Grindr is also evolving. This July, the company launched its first episode of its "Host or Travel" video series, where real Grindr users show us the ins and outs of their local gayborhoods. In a recent presentation at Grindr HQ, company heads said nearly 3.5 million people on the app already use it for travel purposes — getting restaurant recs, deets on LGBTQ+ events, finding a safe place to crash, etc. In addition to the series, Grindr plans to release a "Roam" feature that'll allow you to set your location to anywhere in the world for one hour.

While you can specify your preferences and comfort level with NSFW images, you may still want to brace yourself for unsolicited explicit photos, which can pop up regardless of your settings.

That's not to say that Grindr isn't also a place to find serious relationships, but that's not what you came here for. Grindr is technically for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, but you'll mostly find cis men on there. 

Who it's for:

HER is a platform created by and for queer women, providing a safe and inclusive space to connect with women and nonbinary folks without worrying about being sexualized by skeevy men. While HER isn't exclusively designed for hookups, it offers a vibrant community where you can explore casual encounters or even find meaningful relationships. With over four million active users, the app is brimming with opportunity.

Why we picked this:

If you're looking for a simple way to mention you're not springing to jump into anything long-term, the "Looking for" section of the profile provides a "something casual" tag that'll be displayed out in the open on your profile. To streamline your search, you can filter users by this tag (and more) if you're willing to pay for a membership. Adding it to your profile is completely free of charge, though, as is adding interests like "kink" or questions like "Top, bottom, or switch?" Basically, it's easy to send out and see indicators that someone is on the app for sex.

Beyond focusing on romantic and sexual relationships, HER has created an inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. This is an excellent breeding ground for friends with benefits. 

HER lets you use your phone number, email, Apple ID, or Facebook/Instagram account to sign up. Like other apps on this list, HER has added a check mark badge to photo-verified profiles. The app even runs like Facebook with a feed filled with events, media, and, more specifically, tailored to the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Read our full OkCupid review.  

Who it's for:

OkCupid isn't just for serious relationships. It's also a surprisingly solid option for finding casual hookups. Its unique matching algorithm goes beyond just looks, focusing on your interests, values, and even your stance on social issues. This means you can connect with people who vibe with your personality and lifestyle, leading to more meaningful (and potentially hotter) encounters.

Plus, it was ahead of the curve on gender identity, sexual orientation, and social issues before it was trendy.

Why we picked this:

This LGBTQ-friendly site has won the hearts of open-minded singles by dedicating a portion of its profile-building prompts to the current political climate: weed, guns, vaccinations, women's rights, and more topics are covered. This, coupled with a progressive attitude toward profile building, from open pronoun and orientation options, helps to reel in an informed, respectful, and sex-positive crowd. Plus, they were doing this before every other app decided to start including prompts and profile options about kink and ethical non-monogamy (OkCupid beat Hinge by about six years when it came to including options for polyamorous users).

While a paid plan offers the most extensive features, you can still use its search filters without ever paying a dime. In other words, you can literally search for the keyword "hookup" — or any other common interests that might be important to you — and see what users have those words in their profile. Even easier is marking down the type of connection you're looking for on profile preferences — both "new friends" and "hookups" are options.

On a website that can lean more relationship-oriented, it's still simple to find people looking for the same casual connection as you. And thanks to the app's brief questionnaire, which, according to Michael Kaye, Director of Brand Marketing and Communications at OkCupid, was updated at the beginning of last year by ChatGPT, you can hook up with someone you may actually connect with on a deeper level beyond just physical attraction.

Who it's for:

Don't let Hinge's "designed to be deleted" slogan fool you. While it might be geared toward relationships, the app's actually super hookup friendly, especially if you're in a bigger city.

Hinge combines the best of both worlds: the quick swiping of dating apps with a slightly more relationship-focused vibe. With Hinge, you get the ease of swiping without the superficiality, making it perfect for singles who are open to hooking up, but also wouldn't mind finding something more meaningful if the right person comes along.

Why we picked this:

With the free version, you can send up to eight likes per day (unlimited with the paid version) and set preferences based on age, ethnicity, and religion. If you're searching for a hookup, this level of compatibility might not be necessary, so you're probably good with the free version.

Though it may attract a relationship-seeking crowd, one of Hinge's newer features is your profile's "Dating Intentions" section. This feature lets you specify exactly what kind of connection you're looking for on your profile, alongside other key information like location and age. While it may not include explicit hookup-specific language, it sets the tone — and tells you probably not to send a message to the person looking for a "Life Partner."

In addition to its "Dating Intentions" section, Hinge released a "Hidden Words" feature in April that allows users to filter words, phrases, and emojis in their incoming Likes with Comments. The company says this new feature will help users "reduce unwanted interactions while increasing safety and confidence on their dating journey."

Who it's for:

Pure is the place to be if you're looking for uncomplicated, no-strings-attached hookups without the pressure to define the relationship. Say goodbye to mixed signals and awkward conversations about "What are we?" Pure is where you can find a booty call who won't try to text you earlier than midnight.

The app encourages users to maintain a sense of anonymity post-interaction or to "pretend like you're strangers afterward," making no-strings-attached sex the only name of the game.

Why we picked this:

Pure offers a unique and discreet approach to casual hookups. Write your ad, and the app does the rest. It uses your geolocation and sends out the sex version of an Uber request. If any users who meet your preferences like what they say, the app connects you. Using filters is also free, which makes searching for the right match much easier.

The app's self-destructing feature ensures that your uploaded selfies, personal information, and conversations disappear after 60 minutes, promoting spur-of-the-moment and borderline anonymous hookups.

Though you can find someone down for pretty much anything, Pure doesn't have that same sketchy vibe as AdultFriendFinder. If you receive a photo that looks like it might be a nude, for instance, the app will cover it with a filter that says, "Looks like a nude," so you can choose whether or not you want to see it.

"Some people also like the app Pure for finding hookups," says Weiss. "It’s a little less progressive than Feeld in that it’s not specifically for the non-monogamous, BDSM, or queer communities, so you will get more straight cis men who are looking for a conquest or don’t really understand good communication or consent practices," she adds. "[Despite] people like that, it is a space where you can be open and direct about your sexual fantasies and find someone to fulfill them without the frills of dating."

Basically, if you don't want to spend time setting up a lengthy profile or wading through a sea of users looking for something more serious, Pure lets you get to the point. The biggest trade off? The smaller user base compared to more general dating apps like Tinder. But hey, at least you know the person on the other end won't ask you to be a plus-one at their friend's wedding.

We're currently in the process of retesting Plenty of Fish after its rebrand to make sure it's still a great app for finding a hookup. Here's what we thought about it the last time we tried it out.

Who it's for:

Whether you're in the mood for a leisurely swiping session or ready to chat, this app offers the best of both worlds.

Although the initial sign-up questionnaire might suggest that Plenty of Fish (POF) is inclined toward more serious connections, the app's standout feature is its unrestricted chat capability. You can engage with any user, whether you've matched or not, and you have the option to connect with nearby and online users. While you might find more folks who are disenchanted with Tinder on here, this app isn't as well-known or as well-used, so it might be harder to find a hookup as quickly as you could with Tinder.

Why we picked this:

With POF, you can mark in your profile that you're looking for something casual, giving you an easy way to chat with someone a bit before deciding to meet up without giving the wrong impression. Unlike other apps, you can also filter your search for users by who's also looking for a more easy-going connection. And if you feel like doing a bit of screening before saying hello, there's a tab where you can swipe through potential matches. Plus, if you're more into exchanging steamy messages than meeting in person, you can set your search radius to a worldwide radius free of charge.

While the bones of a good app are there, POF isn't all great. It can be a little bot-filled and it doesn't have the user base of apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge. According to their FAQ, there's no real way to prevent the app from pulling users outside your designated search distance, which is annoying if you're only looking for in-person connections. Finally, they have a random live stream feature (that they're thankfully retiring at the end of August) that encourages weird microtransactions, which feels at odds with the whole idea of two people trying to meet each other on a level playing field.

Read our full review of Match.

Who it's for:

While Match is known for finding a long-term partner, its large and diverse user base also includes individuals who are open to other relationship dynamics, including casual hookups. We won't sugarcoat it — it will certainly be more difficult to find something no-strings-attached on here than if you were looking for a serious relationship.

But, if you belong to a slightly more mature demographic, have some patience, and maybe most importantly, the budget, Match could be a good fit for you.

Why we picked this:

We know Match isn't the raunchiest place (it's actually known for its relationship success rate), but its massive user base of over seven million people can't be ignored. Even if you're not looking for a long-term relationship like many members, there's a decent chance you'll find a ton of users also down for something risqué and casual.

One main difference between Match and most other sites we've listed is that Match sees a more diverse age range. Sure, there are large numbers 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.

The downside is that it tends to attract these users because it costs a pretty penny, and there's no functional free version of the site. Still, if you're at an age where you feel nothing but creepy on Tinder, Match is a nice alternative, especially if you could see a hookup leading to a relationship.

We've also seen the Match Group in the news lately for reportedly using misleading tactics to get users to subscribe to its apps' premium services. In addition to Match, the Match Group now owns popular dating apps, including Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, and Plenty of Fish. In February, Inc. reported that a group of people were suing the company for "employing psychologically manipulative features to ensure they remain on the app perpetually as paying subscribers." The lawsuit described the apps as addictive, like gambling.

Read our full review of Zoosk.

Who it's for:

In theory, Zoosk is an option for literally anyone. It's known for having a large user base, which should be great for finding a quick hookup, but in reality, the app is full of dead and fake profiles. We only recommend Zoosk if you've exhausted all other dating app options.

Why we don't recommend this:

Zoosk sports a flirty "pick up and go" philosophy when it comes to online dating, so they won't make you answer a torturous string of questions about yourself. Instead, Zoosk monitors your on-site activity and attempts to give you better matches based on what you already like, so if the idea of minimal effort appeals to you, in theory, Zoosk would be your place. There are, however, a few caveats.

Specifying the age range and gender you're looking for in a partner does little to narrow down your options. That might be fine for a strict hookup, but the app has some bigger problems. Zoosk may boast 40 million members, but it also has plenty of dead or fake profiles, so chances are you'll see some repeat users. It's also not uncommon for the site to show you people living thousands of miles away, so it might require more patience if you're looking for an in-person connection.

The other main drawback is, again, the amount of fake or dead profiles makes this place seems like the dating site version of The Last of Us. Of course, all dating sites have their fair share of duds, but Zoosk is just feeling that plague a bit more intensely (we've heard it's mostly female profiles).