Remember the famous Craigslist that filled the minds of Generation X and some Baby Boomers in the late 90s and early 2000s? If you are a millennial, chances are that you might not know how popular they used to be. Craigslist used to be the master of many things, and one of them is the easiest place online to find a hookup.
Over the years, things have evolved and many great web-based hook-up services have surfaced. Just recently, the “Personals” section of Craigslist was removed following the passing of a sex trafficking bill by the US Senate.
This article is about some of the top alternatives to Craigslist Personals for those looking for casual sex, same-sex relationships and the like.
Most of the hookup apps or Wild dating app featured in this post offer almost the same service provided by Craigslist on its defunct “Personals” section.
Wild
First on the list is the Wild dating app. In simple terms, this app is for singles looking for someone to hook up with. Wild is a safe dating app as it has a photo verification system to ensure that you don’t meet a different person.
Wild is open for everyone and doesn’t discriminate whether you are bisexual, gay or heterosexual. For statistics, it is the fastest growing free online dating app in the Apple App store.
3Fun
Moving on, we have 3Fun. Wild dating app is basically another dating service, but with a twist: it is solely for those looking for a threesome or just casual sex partners. Also, it doesn’t discriminate; whether you are married or single, you are welcome. It allows couples to connect with singles allowing for users to form “ménage à trios.”
Just like Wild, 3Fun is open to everyone [regardless of their sexual preferences] and uses a photo verification system to ensure that you are meeting the same person as the photo shows. The service allows users to send an unlimited number of private messages with their matches and has a VIP service that costs $19.99 per month.
SeekingArrangement
Next is SeekingArrangement. This is a hookup service for connecting sugar babies with sugar daddies and vice-versa. With a membership base of more than 2 million, SeekingArrangement also offers a great matchmaking service for its users.
To use this service, users need to join as either a Sugar Baby or a Sugar Daddy/Momma. Although membership is free for all, there is a premium service where Sugar Babies get automatic approval on presenting their university email address. For the Sugar Daddys/Mommas, they get to use the premium service freely for a trial period after which they have to subscribe – monthly or yearly.
Grindr
Grindr is a hookup application for connecting homosexual men. It creates a free and safe platform for gay and bisexual men to connect. The app makes use of the user’s smartphone’s geolocation feature to connect with other nearby users.
Her
Lastly, we have “Her.” This is a one-of-its-kind dating service. It is made for lesbians and bisexual women seeking to have casual encounters with other lesbians and other bisexuals. The app is available on both iOS and Android platforms. Since this is a strictly female affair, men are not allowed to join.
Conclusion
While there are so many online dating/hookup services these days, the few listed in this post are some of the best alternatives to Craigslist. So if you are looking for a place for “casual encounters”, the list above should come in handy.