Top 9 Casual Encounter Sites: Best Alternatives to Craigslist Personals
This post will show you the best sites to find casual sex after Craigslist shut down its personals section in 2018.
We include classified sites like Doublelist, hookup sites, swinger sites, and apps like Grindr (M4M/gay).
Best Sites to Use
Here is a list of sites we tested in our research. These sites are good and easy to use.
- Craigslist Activities
- Doublelist.com
- Adult Friend Finder
- Grindr (M4M)
- FetLife
- KinkyAds.org
- Reddit R4R
- Locanto
- 420Classified (Canada)
- Kijiji (Canada)
- Tinder
- Ashley Madison
- Want Ad Digest
- Free Hookup Search
- Oodle
- Bumble
- Blued (M4M)
- Bedpage
- Switter. at (Escorts)
- OkCupid
Reviews of the Top 10 Alternatives
Let’s look at the top 10 replacements for Craigslist personals. We intend to move down from #10 to #1.
Some sites, like Grindr, are for gay men (M4M).
#1 – Craigslist Activities – Easy to Use
Try Craigslist Activities in the upper left corner. After Craigslist shut down personals, many started using this section.
You can’t post pictures, so no nudes here. Also, the titles must be less sexual. This section is for anyone looking for a partner, not just sex. But in most cities, 95% of the posts are still for sex.
Once you exchange emails and phone numbers, you can chat like before.
Some cities still use this section heavily, so if you can’t find active personals, try the other sites below.
#2 – Adult Friend Finder
Adult Friend Finder is one of the biggest communities for casual sex. Like Craigslist personals, it has lots of ads with pictures or descriptions.
I’ve had great luck here after Craigslist shut down. Many people I meet were Craigslist users in the past. It’s not perfect, but it works.
They offer cam-to-cam chatting, voice chat, forums, and blogs.
What’s Good:
- Free version
- Easy to find sex
- Many active members
What’s Bad:
- Free members can only message paid users
- Subscription costs $30/month
#3 – FetLife Classifieds
FetLife has a classifieds section for kinky people. It’s like Craigslist, but the crowd is more into BDSM and fetishes.
Here, you’ll see ads for things like whips, chains, and bondage. If you like that, give it a try.
However, you must create a profile to use it, and it’s harder to find local ads because everything is mixed.
What’s Good:
- Free
- Kinky community
- Detailed profiles and pictures
What’s Bad:
- Listings aren’t local
- Requires registration
- About 100,000 active users
#4 – Locanto
Locanto has been around for a long time. After Craigslist took down its personals, Locanto became a popular choice for casual encounters.
You can search by city to find posts for M4M, trans, fetish, and couples. People can also post pictures.
Locanto isn’t as popular as Craigslist, but it’s still a good choice. The downside is that some ads are spam.
What’s Good:
- Free
- Search by city
- Similar to Craigslist
What’s Bad:
- Spam ads
- Fewer users than Craigslist
#5 – Grindr (M4M, Best Gay Personals)
If you liked M4M ads on Craigslist, Grindr is a great gay option. It’s free and works like Tinder, but for gay men.
Grindr shows users near you in a grid with profile pictures. You can quickly decide if you want to chat, or you can message people who are online for faster replies.
What’s Good:
- For gay men only
- Shows pictures
- Easy to message
What’s Bad:
- App only
- M4M only
#6 – Reddit R4R (Best Free Casual Encounters)
Reddit has a section called R4R (Redditor for Redditor). You can post casual encounter ads for free. You don’t even need an account to browse ads.
There are no spam posts because the sections are moderated.
However, R4R works best in larger cities. If you live in a smaller city, try posting in a nearby large city.
What’s Good:
- Free
- No spam
- Works in big cities
What’s Bad:
- Only works in large cities
- No escorts or sex work
- Not divided by type (F4M, M4M, etc.)
#7 – Switter
Switter is excellent for finding escorts. It’s a mix between Twitter and Craigslist personals. Escorts post about their services, rates, and even personal updates.
Once you sign up, you can find escorts by searching by city. Rates can range from $100/hour to $600/hour.
What’s Good:
- Good for escorts
- Free
- No spam
What’s Bad:
- Escorts charge high rates
- Not for free encounters
- Few M4M escorts
#8 – DoubleList.com (Similar to Craigslist)
DoubleList is an excellent alternative to Craigslist personals. You have to sign up and verify with your phone number, which keeps the site cleaner and safer.
You can post ads with or without pictures. You can also add your phone number and local info.
What’s Good:
- Free
- Good community
What’s Bad:
- Requires phone number
- No explicit pictures
- Some fake posts
#9 – KinkyAds.org
KinkyAds is for people who want something more than just regular sex. It’s for people into kinks like bondage, foot fetishes, and more.
You can search by city or kink. If you like specific fetishes, this is a good site to try.
What’s Good:
- Free
- Sort by kink or location
- Post explicit content
What’s Bad:
- Newer site
- Not for regular sex seekers
Best Gay M4M Alternatives
In addition to Adult Friend Finder and Reddit, there are good sites for gay personals. Here are some gay-only options:
- Grindr App
- Blued App
- DoubleList M4M section
- Adult Friend Finder M4M listings
If you want M4M casual encounters, Grindr is the best option.
Why Did Craigslist Personals Get Shut Down?
Craigslist removed personals after the government passed this law. This law requires sites to monitor their ads and take responsibility for illegal activities, like sex trafficking. Craigslist didn’t want to risk legal issues, so they shut down the casual encounters section.
Now, many other sites are also being forced to close because of the law. Only legal sites, like dating apps with real identities, are still running.
Bottom Line
What do you think of these alternatives to Craigslist personals? Let me know if you have any other suggestions for replacements!
