The now defunct Craigslist Personals made history as the biggest and best classifieds page for finding hookups. Sure, there were plenty of fake accounts on the platform, but it still held a special place in our hearts.
Call us nostalgic?
Anyway, we’re not against the times changing and indeed they have because there are now multiple sites that function as great places for Craigslist Personals alternatives in 2023.
Many are 100% free to use and your chances of finding a connection are high – from one-night stands to serious, long-term relationships. We review them here so you don’t have to…
Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives Reviewed
We’ll be reviewing these sites like Craigslist Personals and more in this article, so do read on below this first look:
Our best sites similar to Craigslist aren’t overrun with spam, fake ads, or catfishers on the hunt for an easy payday. Plus, they all have a free membership option, so you can start posting personal ads today.
1. Ashley Madison – Best Craigslist Personals Alternative Overall
Pros
- Discretion is priority
- Quick & easy hookups
- 70+ million members
- Free for women
Cons
- History of data leaks
Ashley Madison became infamous after that data leak happened in 2015, but we believe in second chances. Over the last 7 years, they’ve built back better than before. Currently, they’re the leading site for married individuals in search of an AP.
While they’re not technically a classifieds site, they’ve got 70+ million members globally. Plenty of users are searching for a long-term FWB or ONS. Men and women can create their account for free, but men need to purchase tokens before messaging other members.
You can use PayPal, a credit card, or paper check to purchase credits for $0.25 each!
2. AdultFriendFinder – Top Craigslist Personals Ad Site for Variety
Pros
- 8+ million active users
- Find hookups that share your interests
- Affordable subscription pricing
- Loads of cool features
Cons
- Must pay for interactions
If you’re on the lookout for diverse dating opportunities, consider AFF your premier destination. With 8+ million active men, women, couples, and trans folk using the platform, it’s easy to find hookups that share your preferences and interests.
They’ve been around since 1996, putting them on par with CL Personals in terms of reliability.
You can create your account and browse through profiles for free, but you’ll need to purchase messages, likes and interactions. Luckily, their affordable subscription pricing begins at $10/month.
This is a small price to pay for access to their evenly gendered and open-minded dating pool!
AFF also has unique community-building features like forums, a magazine and more.
3. Seeking – Luxury Dating Craigslist Personals Alternative Website
Pros
- Built for luxury arrangements
- Women get free accounts
- Sugar dating opportunities
- Well-reputed site
Cons
- Men have to pay for registration
With 20+ million active users, luxury babies are well-served with Seeking. Formerly known as Seeking Arrangements, they earned a reputation for catering towards men and women who skip the games.
Plus, women get to sign up for free.
Subscriptions for guys start from $100/month, but Seeking promises access to a world filled with luxury dating opportunities for attractive women and successful men. Punching up has never been easier.
If you’re an educated and successful professional, consider their Diamond membership. For $250/month, you’ll show a vast array of women that you’re serious about finding the perfect arrangement.
4. NoStringsAttached – Top Craigslist Personals Site for Casual Dating
Pros
- Best-in-class privacy features
- Filter hookups by preference
- Meant for affairs & casual encounters
- No beating around the proverbial bush
Cons
- Can’t send messages for free
It’s in the name – NoStringsAttached is the best hookup site for casual dating and NSA encounters. They implement best-in-class privacy features that protect your anonymity, and you can filter through potential hookups according to your dating preferences.
Much like Ashley Madison, they’re built for married individuals and users seeking a one-night-stand. 2+ million active members occupy the site, and their dating pool appears evenly gendered at first glance.
You’ll have to become a VIP member in order to send messages. Subscriptions begin from $29.95/month, so you’ll enjoy unlimited messaging at an affordable price point.
5. Reddit R4R – 100% Free Craigslist Personals Alternatives
Pros
- 400,000+ active members
- Post ads & send messages for free
- Can filter by location, age & gender
Cons
- Can only post ads once per day
Like Craigslist Personals, Reddit R4R is a tried-and-true classifieds site. Their “Personals” section is filled with 400,000+ men, women, and trans folk searching for their next fling. Here’s the best part – you can post ads, respond to classifieds, and send messages for free.
It’s worth noting that different R4R subreddits exist for each city.
There’s no paid membership here, but you can only post one advertisement every 24 hours. On the bright side, there are no limitations on the number of messages (or comments) you can send.
6. Tinder – Original “Swipe-to-Match” Hookup Personals App
Pros
- Send 100 free likes every day
- Find local singles with ease
- 75+ million active users
Cons
- Some features are paid
As the original “swipe-to-match” hookup site, Tinder pioneered the rise of duplicate dating apps. But, you know what they say – the sequel is never better than the original! Currently, Tinder is filled with 75+ million active users from across the globe.
Their quick-fire swiping allows members to find local singles in minutes, and you can send out 100 free likes daily. However, some of their best features are paid.
Starting from $30/month, a Tinder Gold subscription lets you view people who’ve liked your profile. You’ll also get “Boosts”, which skyrocket your profile to the top of Tinder’s charts.
7. Hinge – Craigslist Personals Alternative for Serious Relationships
Pros
- Personal, in-depth dating profiles
- Find meaningful connections
- Unique voice prompts
Cons
- Restrictive swipe limits for free members
Hinge is the dating app that’s designed to be deleted. Their platform facilitates long-term relationships with 20+ million personal dating profiles. If you’re looking for true love, their “voice prompts” add another layer of depth and personality to your matches.
Although many users are searching for something casual, Hinge’s search filters work to your advantage. You can filter by religion, intention, ethnicity, height, location, gender, and age to find people who suit your preferences.
You’ll even get curated match recommendations for free. However, you’ll have to pay $12.99/month to bypass their restrictive like limits.
8. Craigslist Missed Connections – New Craigslist Personal Forum
Pros
- Completely free-to-use
- Replicates CL’s “Personals” section
- Rekindle missed connections
Cons
- Not specifically for dating
Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” cropped up immediately after their “Personals” section was shut down. It’s clear they underwent a rebranding, but they’re still a virtual replica of their predecessor. As you might expect, you can post and respond to personals for free.
There is one noteworthy difference to mention.
Unlike the old CL Personals, “Missed Connections” focuses on connecting people who’ve already crossed paths. That said, you won’t find a lot of people that want to meet a total stranger.
However, you can use “Missed Connections” to reach out and connect with new people!
9. Zoosk – Craigslist Alternative for Verified Dating
Pros
- Sign up with Facebook
- 3+ million active users
- Find local singles for free
Cons
- Must pay for messages
Zoosk is known for their integration with Facebook!
In fact, you can import your Facebook profile to Zoosk’s application with a single tap. Their focus lies on connecting local singles, using Facebook as a way to measure the distance between potential matches.
They’ve got 3+ million active members, so you can consider Zoosk the better version of FB Dating. That said, we’re not fans of their subscription pricing. In order to send or receive messages on the platform, you’ll have to pay $34.99/month.
Quite frankly, we’d suggest using FB Messenger after you’ve matched with someone on Zoosk. It’s still one of the greatest craigslist personals alternatives out there, just a tad expensive to pay for messages.
10. Grindr – Best Craigslist Personals Alternative for Gay Dating
Pros
- 11+ million active users
- Focus on casual sex
- Unlimited free messages
Cons
- Can only see 9-12 profiles for free
Grindr was founded in 2009, but they’ve skyrocketed to popularity over the last 13 years. As of right now, 11+ million active users flood the site. If you’re looking for a no-frills fling with another dude, Grindr is filled with like-minded people.
They have tens of kink-friendly search categories, and you can send unlimited messages for free. That said, you can only view 9-12 profiles in each category until you pay for their “XTRA” subscription.
For $19.99/month, you’ll gain access to 600+ profiles and unlock advanced search filters that let you sort by location, age, and tribe.
11. Victoria Milan – Casual Craigslist Alternative To Meet Local Singles
Pros
- Keep your profile anonymous
- 6.2+ million members
- Find local singles for free
Cons
- Expensive subscription pricing
Victoria Milan and Ashley Madison serve the same purpose. However, Victoria Milan gives their users the option to exercise complete anonymity. You can blur your profile photo or push their “Panic” button to immediately close the website.
If you can’t afford to get caught indulging in your unsavory side, Victoria Milan has your back.
They also have 6.2+ million members looking for NSA fun. There’s a 51% / 49% split between men and women, which is virtually impossible to find with other sites. However, for all these perks, you’ll have to pay an expensive monthly subscription.
At its cheapest, their yearly subscription is priced at $29.99 per month.
12. Feeld – LGBTQ+ & Poly-Friendly Craigslist Personals Alternative
Pros
- LGBTQ+ focused dating
- Perfect for couples & swingers
- Post personal ads for free
Cons
- Men noticeably outnumber women
In 2014, Feeld’s creators noticed the startling lack of LGBTQ+ representation among mainstream dating apps. Over the last 8 years, they’ve focused on LGBTQ+ daters, couples, swingers, throuples, and kink-friendly matchmaking.
They give users the option to select from 20+ identities and sexual orientations, which solidifies their reputation as a safe haven for gender-non-conforming users.
Currently, they boast 1.3 million active members, but men outnumber women here. That said, it’s hard to find the perfect gender balance no matter where you go. On the bright side, you can post and respond to detailed classifieds for free!
13. Plenty of Fish – Craigslist Alternative With Video Chat
Pros
- Native video chat feature
- 150+ million active members
- Casual dating on a global scale
Cons
- Must pay to bypass like limits
Plenty of Fish boasts upwards of 150 million members from all corners of the world, but they focus on connecting local singles for free.
POF uses the same “swipe-to-match” functionality as Tinder, but they tailor your potential connections based on your interests and preferences. Additionally, they have a native video chat function that lets you verify your date’s looks before meeting with them in-person.
You won’t have to pay for their video chat feature, but you will have to pay $19.99/month if you want to surpass POF’s swipe limits.
14. Happn – Find Personal Ads From People You’ve Seen IRL
Pros
- Connect with people you’ve seen IRL
- See your crush’s profile & interests
- Best-in-class security features
Cons
- Matches are solely location-based
Happn presents a refreshing change from the endless swiping that apps like Tinder and Hinge are famous for. Instead of showing you a smattering of local profiles, Happn curates your matches based on who you’ve already crossed paths with.
For example, if you didn’t have the confidence to approach that girl (or guy) at the coffee shop, you’ll have an opportunity to rekindle missed connections. You can see a detailed profile of that mystery person who caught your eye before giving fate a push in the right direction.
Matches are solely location-based, which doesn’t leave much room for your personal preferences. That said, they’ve got 100+ million users worldwide!
15. Tryst.link (formerly Switter) – Sex-Worker Friendly Craigslist Alternative
Pros
- No fees or subscriptions
- By sex workers, for sex workers
- Sift through classifieds to find your match
Cons
- Finding love-term love isn’t ideal here
As you might expect from the name, Switter was the escort-friendly version of Twitter.
Made by sex workers for sex workers, people can post their wares along with profile photos. However, due to impending legal pressure, they changed their domain name to Tryst.link.
Neither users or workers have to pay any subscription fees to conduct business as usual, but they don’t discriminate based on region. That being said, the onus is on you to make sure you’re acting legally in your particular region or country.
16. DoubleList – Fully Dedicated to Personal Ads Like Craigslist
Pros
- Sign up and interact for free
- Fully dedicated to personal ads
- Plenty of inclusive search categories
Cons
- Must sign up with email & phone
DoubleList is the new Craigslist Personals! You will have to sign up using your email and mobile phone number, but you can say goodbye to monthly subscription fees. They’re active in 248 locations, and users can post their sexiest classifieds for free.
Plus, they’ve got plenty of inclusive search categories. Their “Let’s Date” section is categorized into M4M, F4F, M4F, and “dating misc” sections, which covers the bases for longer-term relationships.
Their “Connect Now” section uses the same categories, but the implication is definitely casual.
17. Locanto Personals – Free Dating Platform With Personal Ads
Pros
- Easy, quick sign-up
- Can post and interact with ads for free
- 2+ million monthly visits
Cons
- Be wary of fake ads
Locanto Personals is 100% free-to-use, and you can get started with just your email. Although you don’t need to create an account to browse through personals, you need to be signed up before you can message anybody on their site.
With 2+ million monthly visitors on average, they’re giving sites like DoubleList and Reddit R4R a run for their money. However, you should be wary of fake advertisements. Because it’s so easy to sign up, scammers have flocked to the site in hopes of conning their next victim.
Even still, plenty of real users are posting legitimate ads every single day!
Choosing The Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives
Variety of Members
What good is a Craigslist alternative that’s deader than a bar on Sunday morning? Any good Craigslist Personals alternative needs to have enough members (and daily activity) to make your time worthwhile. Our top picks have millions of active members to choose from.
Site Features
The best Craigslist alternatives should replicate the original’s functionality. Whether you’re into old-school or modern site design, you’ll have a suite of high-powered search tools at your fingertips. This makes it easy to find the casual hookups you’re looking for in a hurry.
Pricing & Membership
Most dating sites have a free version and an optional paid membership. We gave higher priority to classified sites that are 100% free-to-use, but we paid special attention to online personals that deliver exceptional value for your hard-earned money.
Anonymity & Security
When you’re surfing through Craigslist personal ads, you should feel safe and secure by default. You shouldn’t have to reveal your personal information to find Craigslist casual encounters. We gave a higher ranking to classified ads sites that let their users remain anonymous.
FYI: Our Best Backpage Alternatives feature even more sites that share these benchmarks.
Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives – FAQs
What Replaced Craigslist for Hooking Up?
Online personals sites like Ashley Madison replaced Craigslist for hooking up. When Craigslist Personals shut down in 2018, numerous dating sites and classified ads sites rushed to fill the power vacuum left behind.
As the U.S. government continues to play Whack-A-Mole, five more online personals sites replace every one that shuts down. However, sites like Ashley Madison, Seeking, and Adult Friend Finder are here to stay.
Our sites have decades of combined longevity, and they’re all better than ever in 2023.
Can You Still Hook Up on Craigslist?
Yes, you can still hook up on Craigslist. Even though their infamous “Personals” section shut down in 2018, their in-house replacement picks up the slack.
You can use a section of their website called “Missed Connections”, which attempts to connect local singles who didn’t get a chance to say hello. Like Craigslist Personals, it’s 100% free to post classified ads on their “Missed Connections” board.
Craigslist’s “Personals” and “Missed Connections” departments are virtual duplicates of each other, and you can post a skillfully worded ad in hopes of finding that one-night stand.
What Happened to Craigslist Personals Alternatives?
Although many online personals sites went into hiding when the government cracked down on illegal stuff and online sex trafficking, nothing happened to Craigslist Personals alternatives.
After tightening up their security protocols, they’re back and better than ever in 2023.
Keep in mind that the best personal ad sites are here to stay. Sites like Ashley Madison and Adult Friend Finder have been around for decades, and they’re not going anywhere in the near future.
What are the Best Craigslist Personals Alternatives for Women?
Hinge is the best Craigslist Personals alternative for women. If you’re not interested in receiving hundreds of messages from tons of dudes, Hinge is your best bet.
Because you have to match with somebody before sending a message, Hinge gives women control over their dating experience. Additionally, it’s easy to set your search filters by height, intentions, location, ethnicity, and religion.
Every member is required to upload 6 or more profile pictures before reaching out, so you’ll be able to avoid catfishers and time-wasters more easily.
Are There Any 100% Free Craigslist Personals Alternatives?
Yes, there are plenty of 100% free CL Personals alternatives. Sites like Reddit R4R, Craigslist Missed Connections, Locanto Personals, and DoubleList don’t require any form of payment. You’ll enjoy full functionality in that you can post and respond to classified ads for free.
Hookup sites like Grindr, Hinge, AdultFriendFinder, Zoosk, Tinder, Plenty of Fish (POF), and Happn are “freemium” platforms.
While you can get started and browse through profiles for free, you’ll have to pay a monthly subscription fee to unlock features like unlimited messaging, unlimited likes, and access to a broader range of users.
It’s worth noting that “freemium” sites give you more control over your dating experience than authentic online personals sites, but any classified site allows you to maintain true anonymity.
Tip: The Best Free OnlyFans accounts feature girls you can connect with too, for zero cost.
How To Stay Safe With New Craigslist Personal Sites
Before you embark on your first casual encounter, remember that you’re essentially meeting up with a stranger. If you’re new to the realm of online personals, you should be on the lookout for fake ads, scammers, and catfishers.
We have a few tips to enjoy online personals and Craigslist hookups safely!
- If you choose to meet up with somebody online; FaceTime or video chat them beforehand. This gives you proof that somebody isn’t a catfisher ahead of time.
- Never give out your financial information, work details, or personal information to strangers online! If possible, use a Google Voice number to contact your date.
- Don’t go straight to a stranger’s house. Be sure to meet up in a coffee shop, movie theater, local park, or another public place to feel each other out before taking things to the next level.
- Don’t let your date pick you up or drive you home. Always take public or personal transportation so you can leave if you get a bad feeling about your first encounter.
- Tell your friends or family that you’re going on a date, and tell them when you expect to be back home.
- Always trust your gut! If something appears too good to be true, it usually is.
Who’s The Best Craigslist Personals Alternative?
The best online personals sites rival or exceed the original Craigslist Personals.
Unlike other sites, our top picks are filled with millions of active members, plenty of “free-to-use” features, and security enhancements that prioritize your personal safety above all else.
We discussed a mixture of tried-and-true personals sites, modern dating apps, and Craigslist replicas that preserve the thrill of finding an anonymous casual encounter online.
LGBTQ+ members are sure to find casual encounters just as easily as men seeking women.
Ashley Madison was our top choice, but you’d be well-served with any of our best Craigslist alternatives! Always remember to trust your gut and stay safe online.
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