Get laid, not played: These are the best hookup apps of 2025

In the age of on-demand everything, hookup apps are the go-to for casual dating. After all, if we can stream movies (thank you, Netflix) and order takeout (hello, DoorDash) with a few taps, one can't help but wonder, why can't we find a potential partner the same way? (Go ahead, imagine Carrie Bradshaw narrating that.)

What makes a good hookup app?

Honestly, there's no single "best" app that works for everyone. What your friends are swiping right on might totally miss the mark for you. We recommend downloading a handful of apps (niche dating apps, too!) and experimenting a little to see what feels right. Build your profile, check out the features, and follow your gut instinct. 

When you're scrolling through options, you'll probably want to skip the apps that scream "romance" (we're looking at you, eharmony). Instead, redirect your energy to apps where the people are upfront and ready for action.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

Luckily, in 2025, your choices aren't as limited as you might think. Because of all the feature-copying happening lately, most major apps now have special features to let others know you're looking for a fling or keeping things casual.

What else separates the great from the meh? The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging and maybe options for video or audio calls) and include safety features like profile verification. You should expect to see this even on the free versions.

“I think the free tonight section on Tinder makes it really easy to find a hookup,” says Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai. “After talking to 90 of our users at TinderProfile.ai, we found that people who sent their first message in the free tonight section after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher success rate for hookups than people who swiped earlier in the day on the general section on a weekday and tried to plan out a date.”

You don't have to pay for a premium membership to get results, though the option's always there if you want the extra perks. Our take? Start out on the free versions. Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge are all good contenders to kick things off.

These popular dating apps usually pack enough functionality right out of the gate to let you scout, match, and connect with potential partners for casual encounters (or whatever else you happen to be looking for). Think of it as a "try before you buy" — you can often achieve your goal without spending a dime.

"Of the free apps out there, OKCupid is probably the least suited for finding casual sex; it’s more relationship-oriented," says Weiss.

The best hookup apps of 2025

Whether you want a one-night stand, to swap nudes with strangers, or a friends-with-benefits arrangement, we've rounded up the most reliable hookup apps for every situation. Download them from Google Play or the App Store and start swiping in minutes.

What didn't make the cut

• Feeld (removed August 2024): Following its December 2023 rebrand, Feeld became buggy and had location-related safety concerns. We decided Feeld no longer met our standards for reliability and removed it until we have more information.

• Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): After its recent rebrand, testing revealed key features, like free messaging for non-matches, were removed. We also noticed issues with repeat profiles. Overall, it doesn't bring anything unique to the dating app table that other apps aren't already doing better, meaning we no longer recommend it as a hookup app.