A lot of contenders have come and gone in the dating app world. Only a handful have stood the test of time, and those that have survived did so because word spread that they worked. In other words, they deliver the promise of a hookup and possibly a little more.
If you’re new to the world of online dating, or don’t know which app to trust, here’s a list of five hookup platforms that are extremely popular among their users, along with a quick guide to what makes them special:
adult friend finder
—
Readers’ Choice for Casual Connections
tinder
—
Top picks for finding hookups
Hinge
—
Popular choice for regular appointments
Tinder is obviously extremely popular. with some 75 million monthly users in 190 countriesTinder is still the popular app for swiping your way to a fun connection.
It’s also worth a premium membership, as it unlocks unlimited likes, profile boosting, and the ability to swipe through singles worldwide, making it much easier to plan your future vacation or spring break fling.
Adult Friend Finder vs. Tinder: How They Compare as Hookup Apps
And if you’re one of the many people complaining that Tinder isn’t working for you, do us all a favor: spend some time and energy taking quality photos of yourself in good lighting, instead of mirror selfies or grainy, low-resolution photos pulled from Facebook. This helps a lot to get Tinder “working” again.
The world’s largest gay dating app continues to improve, recently hitting a milestone 15 million active users. If you’re in the LGBTQ community and looking for some short-term fun, Grindr should be your first foray into the world of app-based hookups.
Mashable Trend Report
Exclusive features for fun-seekers include a grid-based location system that shows you how far or close your potential hookup is, as well as the ability to leave a geo-tagged pin in chat, sharing your location with your prospective partner. We’re also big fans of the Taps feature, which enables some suggestive, non-verbal flirting and makes breaking the ice easier than ever.
AFF has been around forever – 30 years to be exact – and there’s power in longevity. This is arguably the sexiest hookup site with mainstream appeal – you just have to spend a few minutes browsing the homepage, which is packed with nude photos and live webcam shows, to see what we mean.
Sure, that’s not right. For example, you have to wade through a lot of inactive or fake profiles, and some of the best features are locked behind paywalls, but if you spend some time exploring the free public areas of the site, from webcam shows to discussion boards, you’ll quickly see why it’s endured for three decades.
3 Special Features for AdultFriendFinder Paid Users
By 2026, it claims Two million weekly active usersmost of which fall 30-38 age groupSo if you’re feeling a little old for Tinder but too young for SilverSingles – or you’re just too horny right now – give AFF a try.
If you haven’t heard PureYou’re not alone: The app is a favorite of young people, having recently Most used app among Gen ZAnd it’s easily the most unconventional app on this list.
Designed specifically for hookups, Pure has advanced security features, including both age and photo verification, as well as what they call Safety Signal, a feature that enables users to share the location and time of their meetup with a trusted third party, helping everyone involved feel more secure.
When it comes to matchmaking, Pure users get three photos and a 350-word bio, plus a dedicated turn-ons section where you can list your kinks, including everything from types of communication to wax play. And if you really want to have a fun time gambling, you can test your luck with them devil’s bones feature that randomly connects you with another Pure user in voice chat.
Feeld is beloved by its users for providing a safe space for gay, polyamorous, and kink-based dating and hookups. It has been around for over a decade, was founded in 2014, but is now defunct Explosive growth in the last few yearsAs more and more people discover its charm every day.
If you’re looking for a non-judgmental place to explore your differences, and perhaps especially if you and a significant other are testing ethical non-monogamy and want to find partners with similar interests, then Feeld should be at the top of your list. Its constellation The feature, for example, links your profile to up to five other member profiles, allowing people to see your profile when searching for couples or groups.
And while Feeld employs a carousel-style swiping system, left and right swipes don’t automatically like or dislike a profile. In fact, unless you actively press the like or dislike button, the same profile will continue to appear in your search, encouraging you to spend more than a few seconds evaluating potential matches. This is a refreshing change from the usual system which can cause severe fatigue.
<a href