Valentine’s Day may be over, but year-round, casual dating, hookup culture, and no-strings-attached relationships deserve their flowers too. In this new dating era, hookup apps are on just about everyone’s smartphone. And for good reason. You watch TV on demand (thank you, Netflix) and your food can be ordered and delivered to your door while you sit on the couch (hello DoorDash), so why would finding a potential hookup partner be any different?
UPDATE: Dec. 7, 2023, 2:33 p.m. EST We are in the process of reevaluating Feeld’s place among our recommendations after the app’s recent update arrived with bugs and location-related safety concerns.
What is hookup culture?
The phrase “hookup culture” refers to casual sex or uncommitted sexual encounters — you know, good old-fashioned consensual sex just for the sake of it.
Way back when, before dating apps became a thing, people would rely on chance encounters or social gatherings (mainly parties or bars) to meet someone new to have a casual fling with. But now, with the huge pool of dating and hookup apps available, we’ve found ourselves firmly in what we’d like to call our hookup culture era, and finding a partner is as easy as swiping right on a profile photo.
What makes a good hookup app?
There’s no one “best hookup app” you can use to find guaranteed partners, but you’ll probably want to skip any apps that feature a 10-minute questionnaire about romance, hopes of marriage, or expensive subscriptions (we’re looking at you, eharmony).
Instead, focus on apps that encourage users to have spontaneous casual sex, multiple communication features (like video chat), and fully functional memberships that let you connect with others without emptying your wallet.
Whether you want to pay for a hookup app is up to you, but we recommend starting with Tinder or Hinge; these apps have great free versions. You can likely find a hookup by the weekend without paying a cent.
Whether you’re looking for a one-night stand, want to exchange nudes with strangers, or have some phone sex before you doze off, we’ve rounded up the best hookup apps you can download (via Google Play or the App Store).
