Sex, Dating & Relationships
Dating

If you like Pornhub, these raunchy dating sites are worthy alternatives

Porn feeling a bit one-sided? We got you.
By Caitlin McCormack and Elise Anderson  on 
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It’s no surprise porn consumption surged during the pandemic. In a 2020 report conducted and published by Pornhub, areas where the coronavirus hit the hardest saw the quickest increase in site activity, while worldwide traffic to Pornhub was up 11.6%(opens in a new tab) on March 17, 2020. 

Of course, this makes sense – strict lockdown orders combined with sheer boredom, loneliness(opens in a new tab), psychological distress(opens in a new tab), and coping(opens in a new tab) with the general state of America at the time could only lead to an increase in porn usage. 

Even though more and more people are becoming comfortable with the idea of going on IRL dates again, this newfound interest in porn hasn’t let up. According to SexualAlpha, every minute the world’s top three most popular porn sites (specifically Pornhub, XVideos, and XNXX) receive approximately 134,491 visits(opens in a new tab).

The moral of this story? If you like porn, you’re not alone! But if you’re interested in taking your porn consumption to the next level and/or adding some spice to your solo sessions, there are some popular dating sites that will help you achieve that.

Whether you’re looking to explore your kinky fantasies, make a lasting romantic connection, are looking for senior love, simply want to hook up, or want to keep things safely socially distanced and just cam and chat, there's a little something for everyone on this list. And, if free videos with easy-to-search categories (like the specialized categories that Pornhub offers) are what do it for you, we've included a few of those too!

While these sites are by no means perfect and some of them get pretty raunchy, here's the scoop on what you're getting yourself into.

The lowdown on NSFW dating sites

Keep in mind that “dating” on NSFW sites like Grindr and GetItOn is about as subtle as the platforms’ names: Users are there 99.9% of the time to find a one-night stand, a threesome, or an ongoing sex buddy situation — not a long-term partner.

Take note: NSFW dating sites don't operate without mutual consent, boundary-setting, and respect. When building out your profile, be specific and honest about your intentions and what you’re looking for so you can find people who genuinely match up with you and your interests or fetishes.

Should I use an NSFW site for dating?

If you’re looking for no-strings-attached sex, or just a sexting or Skype-sexing buddy for the evening, NSFW sites can be ideal for bypassing any dating formalities you and someone else aren't actually all that interested in and getting straight to the point. “Dating” here is a very loose term — think of these as sites and apps for hooking up.

Users on these apps tend to be fairly direct — don’t expect a dinner invitation before you get asked over to their apartment. If that’s not your cup of tea and you need a little more of the getting-to-know-someone before jumping into bed with them, these might not be the right sites for you.

What precautions to take when using an NSFW dating site

If you’re on a site where you need to share personal information or choose a username, be careful about the information you’re giving out — and about what kind of information it is. Things like credit card numbers are vulnerable to hackers, and using your real name on platforms like these can compromise your safety if you happen to stumble upon the wrong sort of people on the sites. Yes, you're there to get down and dirty, but using some discretion is never a bad idea. It can be a good idea to choose a username that doesn’t have a relationship to your first name and be careful about the personal information you share (like where you live, etc.).

What else is important to know when using an NSFW dating site?

Besides not giving away any personal information, especially for things like anonymous encounters on cam or sexting sites, know the risks when it comes to sending nude or partially nude photos containing identifying details like your face or tattoos. While it’s against the law in many places to circulate private sexual images, that doesn’t stop people from doing it.

Like Pornhub, all of these sites are free to use, with some offering various levels of paid membership fees to unlock bonus features.

Before clicking through consider yourself warned: NSFW content awaits.

Who it's for:

If you’re just in it for the virtual XXX-rated thrills and don’t really want the rigamarole of a dating site or experience, check out Cams.com as an alternative to PornHub. While it’s free to start, many have the best experience by buying credits or getting a membership: These allow you access to purchase tokens for unlimited viewing, chat with the models, play the director role in private shows, and receive special attention from models in the chat feature of the show.

Why we picked this:

Thanks to filters like show type (free and private, free with a tip, nude shows), body type, kinks, and hair color, you can easily narrow down cammers to exactly who you’re looking for that night. While it’s definitely geared toward straight cis men (the body type language only relates to women, for example), it still lives up to its billing — it's all about cams, cams, and more cams.

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Who it's for:

There’s a kinky community out there for everyone, and ALT’s site is perfect for people who are into bondage or BDSM.

ALT makes it easy to find a play partner, thanks to what they say is a large membership. But one major warning: fake profiles abound on this site, too, so although the site is generally free, think twice before handing over your money for any paid features. On the plus side, you can be super specific about who you’re looking to play with and what you want to do: cam, get together in person, or head out on a date.

Why we picked this:

If kink is your thing, there’s a lot of freedom to explore that on this site, too — it’s easy to find others who are into what you are. If you’re still testing the waters of these websites, start slow with chat rooms for Canada- and US-based adults — or check out amateur XXX videos other members have uploaded.

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Who it's for:

If hooking up or sexting with someone is your goal, Passion can deliver. While the site's functionality might not be nearly as romantic as its name implies, it’s a great place if you’re after the simplicity of a one-night stand with no strings attached.

Why we picked this:

It’s free to become a member, and signing up doesn’t take long. If you don’t want to chat with others right away, you can look through some sexy pics, check out videos members have made and live cams, and even explore your fantasies by posting about them on the site’s open chat feature.

The site says that it has more than 67 million members in the US, with more than 100,000 members online at any given time, so chances are you’ll find someone fun to interact with.  

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Who it's for:

Here for when you literally need to get it on, head to this site when you’re looking for people nearby who also want to get a little freaky. The site has millions of nude photos, adult personals for real-life encounters, and webcams, so there are virtual venues if you prefer those and the chance for IRL connections.

Why we picked this:

There’s a small questionnaire at the beginning to figure out your sexual preferences, which helps you match to other singles who are also after the same thing (you’ll get a percentage indicating how compatible you are with each).

If you want to chat, it’s a premium feature, so you have to pay extra for it, but most of the site’s “activities” are offered free up to a limit. It’s built for both singles and couples, so you can find a third in your local area if that’s your thing.

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Who it's for:

Calling all bears, twinks, otters, and more: While Grindr has been dominating the gay men’s app scene for a while now, OutPersonals is still a good option if you want a different experience or are more into camming than IRL meetups.

Why we picked this:

The free membership gives you instant access to thousands of gay and bi personal ads, photos, and chatrooms that take cruising into the virtual realm. And, if you want to filter, you can add criteria like sexual orientation (bicurious, etc.), smoking, religion, and more — then save any favorite matches to your personal hot list.

Remember: This isn’t a site for relationships — it's strictly casual and hook-up based, so if you’re looking for a little more, you might test the waters of dating-dating with Grindr.

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Who it's for:

Grindr is the dating app for gay men. It's specifically designed to cater to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, offering a safe and welcoming space for gay, bi, trans, and queer men to connect.

Why we picked this:

No. 1 gay app Grindr gives you instant access to hundreds of gay and bi profiles of guys in your nearby area — and since it’s one of the most popular gay and queer apps out there, there are a lot of members.

It works like Tinder in that you upload a profile with pics and a little bio, then you can see who’s closest to you and strike up a conversation and exchange pics — members can also leave voice messages in the in-app chat.

The filters are great, too: You can find only people who have uploaded photos with their faces and also filter by what other users are looking for. The site is as casual as you want it to be — while plenty of men use it for hookups, many have also found partners on it. 

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How we tested

To ensure we provide our readers with the most accurate and useful information possible, we put each dating site and adult entertainment platform through a rigorous testing process.

We did a lot of research to identify the most popular options out there. Then, we made a short list of sites that offered unique features or catered to specific niches. Once we had our list, we created accounts on each platform and started testing.

We wanted to make sure that each site was easy to use, safe, and had good customer support. We also looked at things like cost, quality of matches, and variety of content. Based on our testing and analysis, we compiled a list of the best dating sites and adult entertainment platforms to check out.

Nicole Cammorata
Nicole Cammorata

Nicole Cammorata is the Executive Commerce Editor at Mashable, where she helps to guide shopping coverage site-wide. She received a B.S. in Journalism with a minor in Anthropology from Boston University and has an MFA in fiction writing from The New School. She lives in Maine with her husband, daughter, and a backyard full of flowers.


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