12 Best Free Hookup Apps of 2021: Key Features, Pros and Cons

Key Takeaway: These 12 Top Hookup Apps are the best for skipping dinner and drinks, and going straight to getting laid.

1. Best Hookup App for its Free version: Pure – Posting ads for free to score a quick hookup while not forking out for it.
2. Best Hookup App for Inclusivity: Feeld – Don’t feel left out from the game. Feeld has over 20 gender and sexual identities to fit right in.
3. Best Hookup App for the Most Options in Matches: Tinder – Whether you love or hate it, Tinder does have more than 57 mil users worth tapping into.
4. Best Hookup App for Unconventional Hookups: Whiplr – If you have specific kinks or fetish you want to put to bed, Whiplr will give you that satisfaction.
5. Best Hookup App for Missed Opportunities: Happn – Missed the chance to talk to the cute one you locked eyes with at the bar? Happn could help you recapture the moment.
6. Best Hookup App for Women: Bumble – Take charge of your dating life with Bumble. Women make the moves first in heterosexual matches.
7. Best Hookup App for Compatible Hookups: OkCupid – The app gets specific if you want certain compatibility and chemistry before hooking up.
8. Best Hookup App for Conversations: HUD – With the pandemic, this will allow you to make video calls safely, without giving out your number.
9. Best Hookup App for Gay Men: Grindr – Even heterosexual friends talk about it. It’s the largest gay hookup app that are filled with options.
10. Best Hookup App for Lesbians: HER – Offers more than a space to hookup, you’ll feel supported with its community features.
11. Best Hookup App for Hookups You Can Vibe With: Zoosk – Its Behavioral Matchmaking tech will do the dirty work for you, while you sit back and sift through people you could vibe with.
12. Best Hookup App for Local Singles: CasualX – Designed specifically for hookups and NSAs, you don’t waste time second-guessing their intentions.

Table of Contents:

1. Pure: The Best Hookup App for its Free Version
2. Feeld: Best Hookup App for Inclusivity
3. Tinder: Tinder: Best Hookup App for the Most Options in Matches
4. Whiplr: Best Hookup App for Unconventional Hookups
5. Happn: Best Hookup App for Missed Opportunities
6. Bumble: Best Hookup App for Women
7. OkCupid: Best Hookup App for Compatible Hookups
8. HUD: Best Hookup App for Conversations
9. Grindr: Best Hookup App for Gay Men
10. HER: Best Hookup App for Lesbians
11. Zoosk: Best Hookup App for Hookups You Can Vibe With
12. CasualX: Best Hookup App for Local Singles

Let’s be real.

Not all of us are looking to cuddle up and have candlelight dinners or even looking for something remotely serious.

Sometimes it’s about scratching an itch.

And while the pickup lines at the bar were working for awhile, the game may not be the same anymore and with the pandemic, you’ll want to be able to filter your selections in the comfort and safety of your own home.

For obvious reasons, you’ll want the best of the best within your vicinity and keep things as uncomplicated as possible.

Plus, picking up someone at a bar always has a big chance of rejection because you have no idea if the person wants to have a romp or something more in mind.

Thank God for hookup apps.

While dating sites like eharmony are great for racing against time to the altar, you’re avoiding it altogether and want to meet like-minded people, rather than be squeezed between people who have only romance in mind.

With more young adults looking for hookups, time to get on board hookup apps to find people who are also looking for casual sex.

If you are on of those typing “free hookup apps” on their Google search, you’ll want this list your back pocket lock and loaded.

After trying out each app on our own, we have curated our best hookup apps that actually work.

Soon enough, you’ll be on the way to your first online hookup!

1. Pure: The Best Hookup App for its Free Version

Source: Pure/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes

With a name like Pure with its naughty illustrations on its layout, you know you’re in for some devilish fun here.

This piqued our team’s curiosity after friends have been raving about it saying it’s THE best hookup app or one of the best hookup apps out there, so of course we had to take it out for a test drive.

If you’re looking to not get into a whole lot of mess with signals getting crossed, then Pure is the hookup app you need in your life.

Its users are clear about everyone here is looking for some “Shameless Hookups”.

Taking a page from ads to find penpals in the good old days, Pure uses a digital ad board where people can set up an ad about themselves and what they’re looking for.

Don’t hit the brakes with this one.

Be straight up (but respectful of course) with your ads and be real creative to find hot and spicy hookups.

To give you a taste for what you’re in for, the ads we encountered included included “Come find out what my tongue can do”, “An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away!” and “Pizza is my second favorite thing to eat in bed”

No lengthy sign ups and you don’t have to post a picture of yourself while being true to yourself and publicize your fantasies and desires without worries of people judging you.

With its video chat, you can arrange a nearby hookup easily to get to know the person a little before proceeding to meet and hookup.

Here, no cat and mouse chase and Pure cuts out the bullshit so quick hookups FTW.

The conversations only last for 24 hours before it self-destructs unless both parties agree to disable it and you can set your pictures to destruct as well upon opening (Mission Impossible much?).

So if you do send nudes (after permission of course), it’ll be deleted as well and if someone takes a screenshot, you will be notified.

And because the app gives you matches that are nearby, you won’t need to deal with people who are on the other end of the world.

No blatant nude pictures flashing everywhere so you don’t have to look over your shoulder when browsing publicly on your phone.

And the best part is no payment or memberships required to chat and connect with one another.

This is definitely one of the best free hookup apps out there.

You can opt to get in-app purchases like sending a virtual gift of a pineapple or a drink, to gain attention from a guy and flowers or a cocktail for a girl.

Another purchase you can make is to become “King of the Hill” to be at the top of the feed for all the girls nearby until another guy beats you. Both would set you back for USD1.99 each.

Pure is the refreshing hookup app we all needed, but never knew we had and deserved.

2. Feeld: Best Hookup App for Inclusivity

Source: Feeld/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 month premium: USD 15.49
3 month premium: USD 30.99

With 20 plus sexual identities and gender, you won’t feel left out from the hookup game.

Heteroflexible, bixesual, polysexual and pansexual.

You name it. It’s all there.

Previously called “3nder”, the threesome app, Feeld focuses on creating a sex positive space for people to explore their sexual desires in a safe, private and respectful space.

Here’s the great part.

It’s not only for singles.

If you’re with someone who’s into joining the fun, you can link your profiles.

Finding people who are into threesomes can be pretty tough as you don’t know if their partners are cool with it, so this app really simplifies the search.

So if you’ve been wanting to unleash and explore your kinks and fetishes with or without a partner, this is the app you need to download.

You can add your desires as tags such as threesome”, “dominant”, “bdsm” “threesome” and “mmf” so both parties who are into the same things can match with one another!

The app navigation is a breeze for those already in tune with Tinder’s art of swiping.

You can come up with an imaginary name to go with your naughty side and upload of a real photo, or use a general photo to represent yourself if you prefer to keep your identity under wraps until you connect.

If you find this app satisfying and want to take on their Majestic Membership, you’ll be able to access their “Incognito” feature where people will not see you on Discover until you like them first and hide from your Facebook friends, for that extra privacy.

Having a membership also means you find others with specific desires and show people who were active in the last 7 days.

No fuss and no mess when it comes to this app.

This is definitely one of those quick hookup apps out there.

3. Tinder: Best Hookup App for the Most Options in Matches

Source: Tinder/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
Tinder Gold: USD 29.99 per month

Whether you love it or hate it or maybe both, Tinder is the app to swipe for hookups, especially if variety is what you’re aiming for.

It has cemented the swipe culture in the dating app world so much, that there are songs made about it (Cue for Miracles of Modern Science’s “Swipe” song).

It prides itself as the world’s most popular app for meeting new people and sparking more than 26 million matches per day.

It has earned the #5 spot in Lifestyle on App Store to date.

Since its launch in 2012, Tinder has been constantly featured and discussed as being one of the best Hookup Apps in the world, a shinning feather to its cap which it has maintained until today.

While we’ve all heard the success stories of couples meeting on Tinder, we all also know it’s easier to get a one night stand here, rather than a long-term relationship.

There’s a reason why you hear “Tinder sex” often enough among friends.

Its ease of use to swipe left or right is what makes this app addictive.

Although they’ve never admitted to being a “hookup app”, its short profile space with pictures being the main highlight, reads hookup all over it.

It’s real quick and straightforward to get matches and has tons of people on it, thanks to its huge userbase.

If you’re not on Tinder already, better get to it and start swiping.

4. Whiplr: Best Hookup App for Unconventional Hookups

Source: Whiplr/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
Lifetime premium: USD 9.95

If BDSM strikes a cord with you, then Whiplr is calling your name.

A full platter of kinks and roles for you to choose from, Whiplr is the dream app to look for playmates in the bedroom.

It is the place for BDSM dating, kinky chat and if you’ve been looking for a fetish community.

The door is open for newbies, experienced, straight, gay, bisexual, transgender, doms, subs, masters and slaves.

Specific kinks are all spelt out in the profiles and the list of kinks is almost exhaustive.

There are restraints, boots, authority roleplay, leather, French maids, oriental hostess, hand restraints, ice cubes, military roleplay, obedience, piercings, candle play and even electric Toys.

As for roles, take your pick.

It has dom, sub, master/mistress, teacher, spanker or even surrendering control.

Depending on your location, the list of profiles can be never-ending and you can scroll and chat for hours.

You can chat with anyone there and not get served a paywall, which is such a great change from the usual apps out there.

The profiles are arranged in a grids with thumbnail profile photos with their names or nicknames and distance from you.

So, if you didn’t know you had a kink partner nearby, you do now.

It also features an advance filtering tool, that’s for free (yes, FREE!), where you can search by role, age, distance, sexual orientation, preferred kinks and weight range.

So, we definitely categorise this app as one of the best hookup apps that are free.

It is also one of the top sex sites out there that has a great fetish community worldwide.

Whiplr is definitely not the faint-hearted and are for those who want to let out the lion in them rather than settling for the kitty within them.

5. Happn: Best Hookup App for Missed Opportunities

Source: Happn/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 month Premium: USD 14.99
3 months Premium: USD 12.00 per month
6 months Premium: USD 9.00 per month

If you’re the sort who love to live life in carpe diem style, Happn will fulfil that by bringing you possible matches, who were in the same vicinity as you but you may have missed them.

It’s also great for moments when you spotted attractive people but the moment was too fleeting, to catch them at that particular time and you wished you did.

Happn will find them if they have the app too!

Happn tracks your movements and will let you know how often you cross paths with others.

It is a novel idea to be able to find people who you were in the same area as you and be able to connect with them here.

It can be a great place for hookup dating as you get to pick your intentions as “nothing serious”.

The only thing that Happn lacks is that you’ll need to be patient to find matches as both have to be mutually attracted to each other to message one another.

So, it does require some amount of patience but from personal experience, it’s worth it.

You could get quality hookups, FWBs and one night stand when you do match.

As for your location, the app doesn’t reveal your location or even the exact location of where you crossed paths for privacy sake.

Plus, they have an in-app video call feature and Happn grants you one free call with a crush and can last for an hour.

From there, you can decide if you want to take the conversation elsewhere!

6. BUMBLE: Best Hookup App for Women

Source: Bumble/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 week premium: USD 8.99
3 month premium: USD 16.99 per month
6 month premium: USD 13.99 per month

Bumble has been known and compared to Tinder, thanks to its userbase bursting with 100 million people worldwide.

The one distinct feature of Bumble is that women gets the ball rolling.

If users of opposite gender matches, the female user would have 24 hours to send out a message.

If not, the match would expire and would be deleted from your list .

The same applies if the guy doesn’t reply the messages the female has sent.

As much as the 24 hour limit may sound like a downer and a potential deal-breaker, it is probably what skyrocketed this app in the first place!

It really encourages both sides to make an effort to strike a conversation because it mattered.

You get tons of attractive people on the app and they do make an effort with their bio.

So if you don’t want a hookup with just about anyone and want to be able to have some chemistry with the person, this is a great app to start with!

With huge pool of users, Bumble is definitely worth the time for both genders!

It helps that you find many good-looking people on this app (and we’re talking about people winning the gene lottery here!)

On a free account, you get to choose two advanced filters such as if they are active in exercising or if they’re looking for something casual.

We are also happy to report they have three different modes depending on your needs.

Choose Bumble Date for dating including hookups, Bumble BFF to find friends near you or last (but not least), Bumble Bizz to network.

The best part is you can create three different profiles for the three modes so you can conveniently switch in between these modes, depending on what you’re looking for at that particular moment!

Talk about multi-connecting in one app!

7. OkCupid: Best Hookup App for Compatible Hookups

Source: OkCupid/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 month premium: USD 34.99
3 month premium: USD 89.99
6-month subscription: USD 149.99

Hear us out on this!

OkCupid has been given the rep to be the place to find “The One” over the years.

However, they have changed their game to include more juicy bits for users to find hookups.

And based on our team’s experience, you should definitely give this a try.

It may take some time and effort to get your profile up and running but it is worth it if compatibility is in on your list, even if it is just a hookup.

OkCupid’s algorithm has been mind-boggling many through their list of questions but has taken into account many things such as political leanings in your compatibility.

OkCupid has put in a new update with their IQupid, where there will be a chart showing your progress towards achieving questions-related milestones.

If you answer more questions, you’ll be shown in the Questions Pro Stack, where there’s a higher chance of you being noticed by others!

It has been known that the more you answer, the better your chances of finding highly compatible matches so get on it!

Another pro to this app is that it has evolved to be more community-based with its Discovery page, where you can see snippets of “What people are talking about?”, “Shared Interests” and “Snapshots” to give you a glimpse of their personalities.

You can also check out matches based on cleverly-designed sections such as “Highest Match %”, “Online”, “New People”, “Nearby” and “Popular”.

They have recently added a new section called “Passport”, where you get to meet people around the world, possibly hookup with others when you travel!

The only con is that it can take quite awhile before you find a hookup here.

So, we would say this app is not for those looking for a hookup that last beyond a couple of hours or less, or even finding someone in a jiffy.

This app takes time to build up and it’s worth it if you are done swiping through apps that give you tons of choices in minutes or hours, but come out unsatisfied with the matches.

All in all, OkCupid is a great match for those looking for a certain amount of compatibility with their hookups rather than a quick bed hop!

8. Hud: Best Hookup App for Conversations

Source: Hud/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 week premium: USD 14.99
3 month premium: USD 59.99
6 month subscription: USD 119.99

Hud likes to be known as the “commitment-free dating” app.

With that in the open, you will be able to meet like-minded people looking for casual dating, FWB and one-night-stands, minus the expectations of a traditional dating app.

So if commitment is not at the top of your to-do list right now, this app was made for you.

Something different from other apps is the Bedroom feature where you can get to peek into their “Bedroom” to see what they like and they can see from the get go what you like!

Talk about meeting expectations here!

You can pick between Biting, Blindfolding, Choking, Butt Stuff and more.

You can tell right away if they’re into the same kinks as you!

Instead of arranging for a Zoom virtual date, Hud has also rolled out a video chat feature if you prefer to meet in the app before proceeding to anything further.

It auto-blurs during the first chat and both parties can choose to unblur it when both are ready and comfortable to do so.

You can also choose to report or block them during the call if you feel the other person is being dodgy!

Hud also believes in creating a safe space for people to chat, meet and flirt on the app.

Rather than needing to take the conversation elsewhere and risk giving out your personal details, Hud has also included options for you to send and receive videos, photos and audio messages.

Moving away from the swiping culture, you can scroll through possible matches with its scrolling match feed, giving your thumb that much needed rest.

So far, this app has helped me matched with people I wouldn’t normally meet in real life or on other apps and tons of decent choices.

Hud is definitely an app worth giving a go!

9. Grindr: Best Hookup App for Gay Men

Source: Grindr/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android

Free version: Yes

1 month premium: USD 19.99

3 month premium: USD 39.99

12 month premium: USD 99.99

If you’re a gay guy looking to hookup, then Grindr is the best place to find it.

It is the most mentioned app among gay men that chances are you’ve already heard about it from your gay friends or even straight circles.

Although Grindr offers you to state your intentions on whether you want anything serious or casual, we all know that most of the people in here are looking to hookup.

Although marketed as the largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans and queer people, most of the users are men.

With more than 27 million users, Grindr houses great amounts of choices to choose from.

If you’re looking to explore different tribes, then you’ll definitely want to be here.

On a free account, you get a decent range of basic filters such as age, what you’re looking for and even what tribes you’re looking for such as bear, clean-cut, daddy, discreet or even jock.

Don’t be surprised being greeted with bare chest pictures in your feed once you sign up.

Also, you will probably get tons of pictures in your inbox with dick pictures.

And due to its geolocation feature, you’ll be able to find people nearby you easily.

You can message anyone in your grid profile feed and won’t need to wait till you match, so get ready to answer those messages quickly.

Their Fresh Faces grid will also allow you to scroll through pictures of newcomers.

Do utilise their Sexual Health section and make sure to check other’s as well to ensure you’re safe.

It’s definitely in our list as one of the hookup apps that are free as their basic version offers pretty good match choices.

10. HER: Best Hookup App for Lesbians

Source: HER/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android.
Free version: Yes
1 month Premium: USD 14.99
3 months Premium: USD 11.99 per month
6 months Premium: USD 7.99 per month

Instead of being caught in the flood of straight people in popular apps like Tinder, HER is designed for queen women by queer women so you don’t waste time filtering and swiping.

HER exploded into a powerhouse dating app for more than 4 million queer women worldwide and raised a whopping $2.5 million in funding!

Their goal is to create a more inclusive future for queer women.

The app is a great place to meet lesbians, bisexuals and queer people with their straight-forward approach of stating your sexual and gender identity.

Users also state on what they’re looking for including casual relationship, polyamorous relationship, something casual or even new friends!

With their community feature, you can choose a wide range of communities to find like-minded people so you feel supported throughout your journey.

Find communities such as “Love & Dating”, “Friends”, “Bisexual” and “Good Vibes Only”.

They did a great job in showing that this app is more than a dating app.

It is also part social media, so you can find awesome friends by sending a “Friend” request instead too for those you think would be great friends!

The premium subscriptions are pretty steep so try the free account first before deciding to fork out the amount.

It has sufficient enough of features on a free ride to navigate through the app.

A free account allows you limited swipes, give you matches according to your location and limited view of who have liked you.

You can also link your HER account to your Instagram or Facebook and the app will ask for access for your name, date of birth and photos to build your profile.

I would say that the most annoying feature of this is that you can’t skip the “Like” notification when someone likes you and freezes the screen until you open your notification tab.

If you want to skip checking the notifications, you would have to exit the app, close and reopen it to continue swiping.

However, we still find that it’s a great local hookup app that’s free, as its basic version gives you decent enough access to roam.

Apart from that, the app is a breeze to use since you would have perfected your thumb swipe workout from all that Tindering!

Make those workout count by swiping here instead!

11. Zoosk: Best Hookup App for Hookups You Can Vibe With

Source: Zoosk/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android.
Free version: Yes
1 month Premium: USD 29.99
3 months Premium: USD 19.98 per month
6 months Premium: USD 12.49 per month

If you’re into skipping the 1001 questions when signing up in order to find a great match, then Zoosk would be the perfect fit for you.

Their Behavioral Matchmaking Technology allows you to find compatible matches by learning through your actions to send you better matches.

Zoosk apparently constantly learns from your clicks and messages to show you singles with whom you’re likely to be mutually attracted to.

The free version is good enough to browse through to see if they have people you are interested in but that’s about it.

You would need to pay in order to send messages and unlock views.

But with over 40 million users in 70 countries, it does testify that there are a lot of potential matches you could meet here.

The paid version isn’t very pricey and quite affordable and you may find comfort knowing that people are serious in finding matches here if they’re paying to actually connect in this app.

But the app has been plagued with the usual dating app issue of being drowned with fake profiles but they seem to be trying to counter that issue their profile verification process.

Still, you should be on the lookout for fake profiles here but it is still a pestering issue in a lot of apps.

In order to even purchase a subscription, you would need to verify your account with your mobile phone.

That being said, we would recommend signing up for a free account to browse around first as your matches will depend on your area.

Zoosk also has a coin system, which you can buy or earn coins, to boost your profile and access other features including sending virtual gifts.

12. CasualX: Best Hookup App for Local Singles

Source: CasualX/Apple

Availability: iOS and Android
Free version: Yes
1 month Premium: USD 15.99
3 months Premium: USD 36.99
6 months Premium: USD 55.99

CasualX is kind of the middle ground for apps like Hud and Whiplr.

It prides itself as “Tinder minus Marriage-Minded Daters”.

It is an app literally a hookup app only but it doesn’t allow any sexually explicit content on its app.

If you want to show more sexy pictures, you can add it into your private album.

One sure way of knowing that this app is all out for hookups is their profile section.

Almost no effort is required as it would only show your name, gender, age, location and a very short bio.

Almost everyone don’t fill up their bios.

If quick hookups are your thing and not really into knowing the others’ personality, then you would welcome this with open arms.

The thing about this app is that it may or may not work well in your area, depending if people are also signed up on it.

If there aren’t, you can be looking at only four profiles upon sign up.

But if you like a little mystery, you may like their new Blind Date feature where they grant you one blind date per day.

You will be prompted to send a message, not knowing who is on the other side, and then their profile will be revealed to you.

Interestingly, most of their users are in US, UK, Canada and Australia.

So if you’re located in these countries, it may be worth downloading on a free account to see if it works in your area.

What are the Best Casual Hookup Apps For You?

While the choices above may be overwhelming, there would be at least one in there that would suit your hookup style, using our guide above.

Also, if you’re looking for the best hookup apps for iPhone users, we would definitely recommend you try Tinder, Happn, Grindr, Pure and Feeld first.

Those searching for a free hookup app for Android users, can start off with Bumble and Happn.

Some may have worked for your friends but may not work for you and it may take some trial and error but don’t give up.

You just got to keep trying to see which are good for your needs and go from there!

Before you know it, you’re ringing that doorbell for your exciting sexy time.

-end-

(Last Updated: 26 April 2021)

About the Author

Kelvin Kevin is the Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Content Editor of the World-Renowned HappyMatches.com Dating App and Dating Site. An avid writer since young, he is an Expert Dating and Relationships Coach for Casual Dating, Serious Dating and General Dating. You can follow him on Twitter (@HowToDateBetter), and also check out his personal Dating Blog, for the latest Dating Advice and Dating Tips to help Straight, Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Singles and Couples find and enjoy Fulfilling and Intimate Dating Relationships.

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