Top Backpage Alternatives - Popular Sites To Find Dates Online Right Now

Backpage has become a thing of the past due to some unfortunate circumstances involving unsavory characters using it for less than legal purposes. Too bad, considering it was arguably the top personal classifieds site where you could meet people and find dates.

Wipe those tears, though, because there are sites similar to Backpage that you can use. And actually, the Backpage alternatives we list in this article might even be better!

From classified ads sites similar to Backpage to bona fide dating hotspots on the internet, we give you the lowdown of some of the best Backpage alternatives available.

1. AdultFriendFinder - Best Backpage Alternative Overall

AdultFriendFinder might be the largest casual dating site for adults. But one thing you might not immediately notice is how it’s also one of the top Backpage alternatives.

AFF also takes the cake when it comes to the diversity of members on the site! The community is humongous and active, providing plenty of people to meet and connect with, regardless of your preferences.

2. Ashley Madison - Discreet and Secure Backpage Alternative

Ashley Madison is notorious for being a website targeted at helping married people cheat on their partners, but that’s selling it short. As a top Backpage alternative, you’re going to appreciate how active the community on AM really is.

To dispel any stigma against it, it’s not exclusively made for cheating.

The best part, though, is how AM has an app that’s available worldwide, in addition to their website. This technically allows you to post your personal ads regardless of where you are, whether it’s a major city like Tokyo or a backwoods town like Potatoville, Idaho.

3. Seeking - Top Sugar Dating Site Like Backpage

Seeking is the kind of alternative to Backpage that you need in your life if you’re tired of striking out. Just think about it: not only will you be getting a 100 percent batting average from this site, but you’re even getting the chance to date a professional.

That’s because Seeking was made for sugar dating: it’s a place where sugar daddies and sugar babies can meet, connect, and transact with one another through a variety of communication channels within the site.

Speaking of communication, one of the most popular ways to meet people for a date is by posting your own classifieds. Another option is responding to the numerous personal ads that both sugar daddies and sugar babies on Seeking put up on a daily basis.

Female members get to sign up for free here, which is the primary reason that the site has a great female to male ratio.

4. Senior Sizzle - Alternative to Backpage for Older People

Hey, the need for human intimacy doesn’t slow down as you get older.

This is why a Backpage alternative site like Senior Sizzle is an invaluable resource for mature ladies and gentlemen to connect with one another and find a bit of romance.

From private messaging to posting your personal ads, SS helps you find love easily and conveniently. Adding to that is the fact that SS developers had efficiency in mind when creating this platform!

The site boasts a user-friendly site design and interface that even the most novice user can grasp in no time.

It’s also sweet that seniors can literally get around using SS services, since premium members can download the useful app. It contains all the same features the site has, except you can store it in your pocket!

5. Fetlife - Best Fetish Site like Backpage

Fetlife is one of those fine Backpage alternatives that cut to the chase: what it lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up for with amazing features that not even the real Backpage could muster when it was around.

The thing is, Fetlife isn’t your ordinary classifieds site. It’s an active social media scene where you can meet and connect with millions of available members.

As for the crowd on Fetlife, you’re going to find they’re perfect if you’re into alternative dating and sexual preferenceslike BDSM or other fetishes and kinks.

But one of the best things about FL is how the site is almost entirely made up of 100 percent legit accounts. Sure, you’ll find the occasional troll here, but these fakers are definitely in the minority on the site.

So much so that it’s almost a non-issue when looking for a date, booyah!

Regardless if you’re replying to a classified ad or posting your own personals on FL, you can rest assured that the people you connect with here are mostly like-minded individuals looking for some intimacy and fun!

6. Out Personals - Best Backpage Alternative for Gays

Out Personals is a site that’s similar to Backpage in that it almost exclusively focuses on personal ads to help gay people connect with one another and find a casual date.

With a gay dating community that’s fun, supportive, and reasonably large, you’ll discover that using this Backpage alternative to post your own personal ads or reply to others is undeniably useful.

Plus, if you’re a bit rusty on your classified ads game, you can take advantage of OP’s online magazine feature!

It contains useful guides and articles posted by both the site’s staff and other community members, designed to help you brush up on your skills and turn you into a regular Casanova.

7. WellHello - Best Backpage Alternative for Swingers

WellHello is the Backpage alternative to check out if you’re a single person looking to date couples for some fun group activities or you’re a couple looking for other couples to have fun with!

Made specifically with swingers in mind, WH makes sure that you spend less time with the site’s technicalities—like setting up your profile or finding ways to connect—by basically streamlining everything.

Yes, please.

The user interface is one of the best around, too, allowing you to meet more people quickly and conveniently. It’s also great that this Backpage alternative is open to any and all genders, so this is definitely something that LGBTQ+ folks should know.

And even if there isn’t a free basic account option or trial period available, you’re going to find that the overall membership rates on WH are some of the most affordable among all Backpage alternatives right now.

8. Reddit Dirty R4R - Top Free Backpage Alternative

Reddit Dirty R4R is available all over the world, but the best part is how the discussions and subforums on this particular subreddit are properly organized. Redditors have managed to divvy up the discussions based on location, allowing you to find the perfect partner near you.

It also doesn’t hurt that you can easily visit and check out the numerous discussion threads on this subreddit without even the need for an account.

9. Doublelist - Versatile Backpage Alternative Site

This gives members a much clearer idea on who or what they’re browsing, instead of just relying on written descriptions of someone’s personals.

It’s also free to use!

This means anyone can get on DL and start replying to member classifieds or posting their own. As with all free sites, though, you can expect there to be trolls floating around here. But it’s easily manageable when you exercise some caution while dealing with online classifieds.

10. Locanto - Variety of Categories and Dating Preferences

But focusing on its dating scene, you’re going to find the community on this personal ad website is wide. No surprise there, since it’s available all over the world and has millions of members from different continents.

However, where Locanto’s dating community really shines is with its diversity: you have a great mix of casual dating aficionados here that range from people looking for friends with benefits to fetish and kink fans, and even couples looking to swing.

11. Be Naughty - A Top Fun Alternative to Backpage

It basically works like BN’s very own pairing algorithm, except it's way more fun than just swiping left or right.

BN is also optimized for mobile users with an app that you can download for free. And regardless if you’re breaking the ice on your desktop or mobile device, you’re going to find that BN’s user interface is simply amazing!

12. Reddit Personals R4R - Closest Backpage Alternative Today

As with its dirty counterpart, you’re going to be happy that this subreddit has members from all over the world and can be used by anyone. So much so, that you won’t even need to sign up for an account to visit the site and check out all the available classifieds.

It’s also a nice surprise that for a free site like Backpage, this is one of the more organized ones. You have further subforums on this subreddit that are based on stuff like location, gender, and dating preferences.

13. Craigslist Events - Exclusively Made for Classifieds

But whereas Backpage wasn’t exactly revived in any way, the folks at CL managed to transform their now-defunct personal ads category to something that’s geared more towards social gatherings.

Well, that’s the reasoning behind it anyway.

In reality, you’re going to enjoy Craigslist Events because it’s a near-100 percent copy of Craigslist Personals.

You basically get the same features as before, which allows you to use it like Backpage and post your personal ads for some fun tete a tete with the millions of other CL users out there.

14. Gumtree - Perfect for Rekindling Connections

Gumtree is another jack of all trades when it comes to Backpage alternatives. You can definitely find a nice date here using a personal ad that you either post yourself or reply to.

Much like other classified ads sites out there, GT doesn’t just stick to one particular niche or category. You’ll notice they also have one of the busiest online marketplaces where people buy and sell stuff. These range from gadgets to cars and even real estate.

Our favorite GT section, though, is their Lost and Found where members are able to communicate with one another to help discover things that have been misplaced.

Whether it’s a laptop, a pet, or a previous date who you’ve lost contact with, there’s a chance GT’s Lost and Found section can help you find them!

15. Kijiji - Best Alternative To Backpage in Canada

It’s exclusively made for classified ads, and you’ll find it’s very useful if you’re a Canuck who’s looking to buy or sell some stuff over the internet, or if you’re trying to find a date.

When it comes to the latter, there’s no better section on Kijiji to find a potential partner than Kijiji Community. It’s not exclusively made for dating, but the majority of users in this section post personal ads for casual dates and companionship.

Although we believe you’re going to easily find your next go-to personal ad site using our top picks, we’ve also taken it upon ourselves to provide a list of runner-ups just in case. These sites didn’t quite break our top 15 but are nevertheless some useful online classifieds sites you can check out:

FAQs - Top Backpage Alternative Websites

The best Backpage alternative you can use depends on your exact needs.

Each one of the 15 entries in our top picks are bona fide alternatives to Backpage that can help you with anything, from finding a hot, casual date to selling your old stuff online.

If you’re specifically looking to date, we have three favorites that are a step above the rest:

Yes, there are free Backpage alternatives you can use.

Sites like AdultFriendFinder and Ashley Madison give you a free basic account, although there are certain restrictions that can only be unlocked with a paid membership.

Seeking is a different case, though, since all female members can use it for free while guys have to pay for a membership right out the gate.

In addition to those, there are other 100 percent free sites similar to Backpage. Reddit Personals R4R and Doublelist, for example, are sites that you can participate in without the need to pay for a membership.

Yes, it is safe to use these Backpage alternatives if you’re strictly referring to the sites and apps themselves.

These platforms are legitimate online dating and classified ads sites that keep your information safe within their respective databases. Also, they provide legit payment methods like Visa, Mastercard, or PayPal to name a few.

But...

As with any other form of socialization, you have to keep in mind there are precautions to observe to stay safe at all times (especially if you’re using a 100 percent free site similar to Backpage, because pretty much anyone has access to those):

Don’t give out your personal information to strangers online (real name, home address, office address, etc.)