15 Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives, Sites Like Craigslist Personals
Dec. 7 2021, Published 3:06 p.m. ET
Craigslist Personals has been long gone for a few years now. For many, this was quite an unfortunate move. But thankfully, there are many other classified websites that provide “personals” sections for individuals seeking sexual encounters. You might call them Craigslist Personals Alternatives!
There is also a treasure trove of dating apps available now, as well.
The purpose of this article is to lay out the details of the best Craigslist Personals alternatives from long-running dating websites to more obscure classified options.
Let’s go!
First Look
Great for casual relationships - Adult Friend Finder
Good for Craigslist users - Craigslist Activities
Cool option for females - Be Naughty
Best for discreet affairs - Ashley Madison
Best M4M personals site - Outpersonals
Good choice for Reddit users - Reddit R4R
For sugar babies and sugar daddies - Seeking
Best for kinks - Alt.com
Similar to Craigslist Personals - Locanto
Inclusive and sex-friendly classifieds - Doublelist
How These Sites Were Evaluated
User experience - For sites similar to Craigslist Personals, we scanned forums, legitimate review sites, and spoke to real-life individuals to find the highest rated sites for each category.
Variety of people - The best sites offer a variety of individuals to match with, from all walks of life seeking many styles of relationships and differing compatibility factors. The more there is to choose from, the better one’s chances will be at meeting the person they desire.
Security features - It is no secret that there are horrific scenarios that play out in the online dating world. Each individual is responsible for him/herself, but the top sites also feature safety measures to protect users. This may include guidelines for conduct.
15 Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives for 2021
1. Adult Friend Finder - Great for Casual Relationships
Pros
Large community
Sex-positive atmosphere
Different payment options
Cons
Male members heavily outweigh the females
2. Craigslist Activities & Missed Encounters - Good for Craigslist Users
Pros
Easy to use
Free of charge
Convenient for Craigslist users
Cons
Postings must remain clean
Limited selection
3. Be Naughty - Cool Option for Females
Pros
Promos available from time to time
Search filters based on individual criteria
Cons
No free trial available
4. Ashley Madison - Best for Discreet Affairs
Pros
Swinger-friendly
Highly secure
Cons
Males greatly outnumber females members
Fake profiles pop up from time to time
5. Outpersonals - Best M4M Personals Site
Pros
Great option for males
Many professional profiles
Friendly environment
Cons
Long-term matchups are not frequent
The server crashed every now and then
6. Reddit R4R - Good Choice for Reddit Users
Pros
NSFW-related posts permissible
No cost for members
Sex-positive and hookup-friendly
Cons
Long term connections are rarely established
7. Seeking - For Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddies
Pros
Many daddies and babies available
Various filtering options
Cons
Men have to be rich to join
Long signup process
8. Alt.com - Best for Kinks
Pros
Kink specific
Couples and trans welcome
Cons
Males outnumber women four-to-one
9. Locanto - Similar to Craigslist Personals
Pros
Free of charge
Uncensored, so anything goes.
Cons
Frequent spam
Bots present
10. Doublelist - Inclusive and Sex-Friendly Classifieds
Pros
Inclusive
Easy sign-up process
Free to use
Cons
High amount of spam and trolls
11. Fetlife - Best for Fetishes
This is a social media website geared toward individuals who desire to participate in fetish play. It works similar to a blog where users can post accordingly.The Fetlife Partner Finder group is where individuals go for a hookup and other sexual experiences. There are photo, video, and other viewing restrictions unless the user buys a membership plan. Six months will run someone $30, one year is $60, and two years costs $120.
Pros
Great place for fringe and freaks
Kink groups available
Local group meetups
Cons
Predators, bots, and escorts on the site
12. Switter - Sex Worker-Friendly
This free social media site is very similar to Twitter. It is a platform on which sex workers and their fans engage. Tweets are referred to as “toots” with Switter, and users will find many toots that are advertisements from workers. Some consider this site as a prostitute directory.Moderators do their best to remove any spam or advertisements promptly, so the community, which has over 400,000 people, can continue enjoying the site.
Pros
Large user base
Free to use
Uncensored
Cons
Not for dating or longer-term relationships
13. Grindr - Social App for Gay Hookups
Grindr is well-known in the LGBTQ+ community as the number one spot for hookups, even though the app is also intended for more serious dating purposes. It is often called the “gay Tinder.”
Users sign-up for free but certain features require a membership plan. A one-year membership ($300) comes with six months for free. Otherwise, one month costs $49.99. Features include the ability to unsend messages, browse incognito, and see who last viewed one’s profile.
Pros
Very popular
Easy to use
High rate of hookups
Cons
Police interference in anti-gay countries
14. Adult Search - Adult Personals and Swinger Site
The majority of posts on Adult Search are from erotic entertainers looking for loyal clients. They often have phone numbers listed for convenience. This free site has regional, state, and city filters. Adult Search also has listings for local strips bars, massage parlors, swingers clubs, and sex stores. It is a one-stop shop for all things sex-friendly in a given area.
Pros
Uncensored
Free features
Cons
Low dating potential
Mostly for sex work
15. Classified Ads - Another Craigslist Lookalike
Classified Ads became popular when Craigslist Personals disappeared from the map. Users can share the ads on Facebook and Pinterest, too. There is a pull-down search available for common dating categories, including WSW, WSM, MSM, and MSW.
Unfortunately, users might find loads of spam and bots on this site as the posts are not monitored or moderated in any way.
Pros
A ‘missed connections’ feature
Popular Craigslist alternative
Free to use
Cons
Frequent trolling
FAQs on Craigslist Personals Replacements
What Was Craigslist Personals?
The globe’s largest classified site, Craigslist, once had a section titled “Personals.” It could be compared to an online matchmaking service, where the users did the work. This existed long before some of the more famous dating apps became so popular.
People frequently posted explaining what they wanted and received replies from people who fit their requirements.
What Exactly Happened to Craigslist Personals?
Overtime, predators and sex offenders started taking advantage of the personals section. Since there was no way to screen users and the U.S. Senate passed the HR 1865 bill, which is the Fight Online Sex Traffic Act, Craigslist Personals was taken down in 2018. This act holds personals’ websites liable when services are abused by third parties.
Taking down the personals’ section was a no-brainer to protect the site’s other sections and prevent an entire shutdown of the site. Other alternatives soon began to emerge.
Will Craigslist Personals Make a Comeback?
It appears that it will not return due to lacking adequate resources to eliminate third-party abuse. Fortunately, there are other sites, such as Ashley Madison and AFF, that are adequately equipped to deal with this type of abuse.
How Is Craigslist Activities Used?
Some people are using this section for dating, but a lot of people are using it for hookups, even though it is not intended for that.
What Is the Ideal Site for M4M and Gay Personals?
At the moment, Outpersonals is considered to be the best site for M4M and gay personals. People can actually meet potential partners on it. For those individuals who want to have fun, there is an active BDSM section.
What Is the Ideal Alternative for MF4M?
If having a threesome is the goal, Adult Friend Finder, Alt.com, and Fetlife are the best alternatives. For kinky adventures, couples tend to visit Alt and Fetlife.
What Is the Ideal Alternative for M4F?
Adult Friend Finder is the ideal substitute for this due to being highly visited. With more than 80 million members, it is easy to find someone from any walk of life.
Craigslist Personals Alternatives in Conclusion
This list of alternatives to Craigslist Personals has a little something to offer everyone, whether an individual is after a stable relationship or a kinky, fun time with no strings attached.
Still, one must use caution when perusing these alternatives and keep their safety in mind at all times. Try meeting new people in public areas and avoid giving out too much personal information upfront.