Craigslist personals were the go-to for many people before it was unfortunately shut down. Craigslist personals allowed people to quickly and easily find exactly what they were looking for in a casual encounter. It gave people the ability to create an ad with very specific desires, and meet up with singles in real life.
Alas, due to concerns with sex workers, Craigslist personals was shut down forever. If you love Craigslist personals, there is no need to despair! There are still plenty of great craigslist personals alternatives out there to satisfy that craving. There are some great Backpage alternatives too. We've put together a comprehensive list of the best Craigslist personals alternative websites still available.
What are the benefits of online classifieds?
In today's day and age, most people stick to dating apps and hookup sites to find their next casual hookup, but there is a reason Craigslist personals were so popular. While hookup sites are great for finding a one-night-stand, there is something to be said for classified sites. If you are looking for singles in your particular city, classified websites are the way to go. In most cases, these websites are totally free to use. You can browse through listings without even making an account. Sending messages and contacting other users is a simple, straightforward process. Lastly, you can let other users know exactly what you’re looking for. All in all, classified sites give singles and couples more power when it comes to connecting with like-minded people.
Summary:
1. AdultFriendFinder - Best for swingers and threesomes
Pros:
• Huge user base
• Great for swingers and couples
Cons:
• You need an account to enter the site
• It's not a traditional listings site
Adult Friend Finder has been in the online dating game for a very long time. While it may not be an exact replica of Craigslist personals, it's a pretty great alternative. AFF is great for finding any kind of casual hookup, but it's especially great for threesomes and swingers. In fact, AFF claims to be the largest online swingers community on the internet. And with nearly 100 million users, I am going to take their word on this one. Now, if you love the feel of personals ads but want a more streamlined website this a great option. You can easily browse through profiles and make connections. Use AFF to find your next one-night stand.
Visit AdultFriendFinder
Pros:
- The community is open-minded
- Accounts can be verified
Cons:
- Hard to use in small cities
Seeking is a great place to find someone looking for an arrangement. The great part about this community is that you can be totally upfront about what you’re looking for and not be judged for it. Many profiles are verified for income to ensure you are speaking with a real person.
Signing up on Seeking is simple. You provide some basic information and then start connecting with people local to your area. Women are free to use the site but men do pay a subscription. If you’re open to a sugar relationship this is the place for you.
3. Doublelist - Best for LGBTQ users
• Open-minded community
• Great for discreet hookups
Cons:
• Potential for fake users
• Smaller user base in some cities
If you're looking for dating sites that are super similar to Craigslist classified ads, Doubelist is the way to go. You can easily find like-minded users in your city and hook up with your next casual encounter. You get the traditional feeling of a classified site by scrolling through local listings. One of the best things about Doublelist is the inclusive community. Doubelist markets itself as a platform for straight, bi, gay, and curious users. That means, no matter where you land on the spectrum of sexuality, there is a space for you on Doublelist.
Visit Doublelist
4. AshleyMadison - Best for married dating
Pros:
• Discreet online dating
• Judgment free experience
Cons:
• Controversial reputation
• Pricier than other options
If you've been dating online for any time at all, I'm sure you've heard of Ashley Madison. This dating site has gained quite a reputation. The reason for this is the rather unique approach it's taken to casual dating. Ashley Madison is strictly for men and women seeking affairs outside of their marriage. Like it or not, this has proven to be extremely popular. There are millions of users on this site looking for discreet relationships. Ashley Madison isn't a traditional alternative to craigslist personals, but it's great for married dating.
Visit Ashley Madison
5. Outpersonals - Best site for gay men
Pros:
• A thriving community of gay men
• Great for casual hookups
Cons:
• The website layout is confusing
• It can be expensive
As you may have guessed from the name, Outpersonals is a dating website that is exclusively for gay men. If you love Craigslist personals, this is one of the best alternatives out there. Almost all of the users are seeking a no-strings-attached hookup, so you don't have to worry about singles looking for long term relationships.
The members on Outpersonals can quickly and easily make connections using the search feature. This allows you to check out all of the available users in your area. Many of the features are free, but you'll want to sign up for a premium account to access the full features.
Visit Outpersonals
6. Alt.com - Best for kinksters
Pros:
• Great for people with fetishes
• Options for free membership
Cons:
• Paid membership is expensive
• Fewer members than other listings sites
Alt.com is a unique community made up of kinksters and BDSM lovers. This site is like Craigslist in that you can easily find like-minded individuals in your city. Unlike Craigslist, this site actually offers a lot more than just dating services. Members can find a thriving community of fetish lovers to connect with.
You can learn more about your curiosities, and meet people for kinky, adventurous. That being said, the priority of this site is safety. This site ensures that all members feel safe at all times. That means certain topics and words are off-limits. All in all, this is an excellent alternative to Craigslist personals if you're into kinks and fetishes.
Visit Alt.com
7. ClassifiedAds.com - Best traditional classified site
Pros:
• Very similar to Craigslist personals
• Great personals section
Cons:
• The site isn't dedicated to casual encounters
• High potential for scams
Hands down, this is one of the best Craigslist personals alternatives out there. You get the classic, personal ads feel that people loved so much about Craigslist. As soon as you visit this site, you'll see what I'm talking about. Not only does this site have the traditional personals section, but it also has every other section that you might find on Craigslist.
The personals section includes options for men seeking men, women seeking women, and men seeking women. You'll also find the ever-popular "missed connections" section. This area was created to help you find people who you may have met in real life but never got a chance to connect. I highly recommend this dating site to anyone looking for the classified ads experience.
Visit Classifiedads.com
8. Sugarbook.com - Best for serious relationships
Pros:
• Great for younger women
• Available as an app
Cons:
• Inactive profiles
• Limited features
Sugarbook is a site that was made just for sugar relationships. Sugar relationships typically involve a younger, attractive partner and an older, financially successful partner. In many cases, the younger partner is a woman, but men are also welcome to look for sugar daddies and mommas through the site. Sugarbook is a great dating site for anyone looking for this particular relationship style.
Now, Sugarbook is an awesome dating site for many reasons. For one, the site makes sure to verify every user and their income. Sugarbook is also available as an app, which puts it ahead of almost every personal listing and hookup site out there. Lastly, the site doesn't put any limits on its members, so you can message as many people as you like.
Visit Sugarbook
9. BedPage - Best for finding casual encounters
Pros:
• No registration required
• Lots of listings to choose from
Cons:
• Huge potential for fake users
• It's harder to find an authentic hookup
BedPage is more of a Backpage alternative than a Craigslist alternative. That being said, it has a lot of similarities to Craigslist personals. Now, right off the bat, you should know that there are quite a few fake listings on this site. There is certainly potential for finding a genuine hookup on Bedpage, but you'll have to exercise some caution.
The site lists locations around the world for users to sort through. You can select a city in just about any country, and check out the local listings. You'll see that major cities have the most options. From there, you'll want to head to the dating section to find casual hookups and no-strings-attached fun.
Visit Bedpage
10. Oodle - Best for finding local hookups
Pros:
• Website layout like Craigslist
• Lots of local listings for major cities
Cons:
• Potential for scams
• Not dedicated to dating
When it comes to sites like Craigslist, it doesn't get much closer than Oodle. This site has the same layout and function as Craigslist. That means you can find anything from new apartments to used cars to a date for Friday night. The Oodle personals ads section is excellent for finding local people who are just looking to hookup and have some fun. You can sort through listings according to location, interests, age, and keyword. This is by far one of the best personals sites out there.
Visit Oodle
11. RealJock - Best for gay men interested in fitness
Pros:
• A supportive, healthy community
• Robust fitness and dating forums
Cons:
• Inactive profiles
• Relatively small user base
RealJock is one of the more niche dating sites on this list. This hookup site is not only for gay men, but it's also a platform for fitness fanatics. As the name implies, RealJock is an online space for gay men to connect with other fitness-minded gay men. Just like a classic personals site, you can browse through listings and find a guy to hook up with right away.
Each listing shows age, location, interests, and photographs. In this sense, it's very similar to what you'd find on craigslist. Aside from personals listings, there is a massive selection of forums and fitness-related articles to check out. The best part is, you don't need an account to get started.
Visit RealJock
12. Adultsearch - Best for finding activity partners
Pros:
• Huge selection of listings around the world
• Advanced search features
Cons:
• Huge potential for scams
• Poor user verification
Adultsearch is a hookup website that connects users with local members. This site is very similar to craigslist personals in that you can scroll through hundreds of listings, anywhere in the world. Now, Craigslist got shut down for concerns regarding sex work, but Adultsearch has this figured out. This site actively works with law enforcement to help fight online sex trafficking. If it's not consensual, it's not happening on AdultSearch. This is a great option for anyone looking for classic personals sites with adult services.
Visit AdultSearch
13. Kinkyads.org - Best for fetishes and BDSM
Pros:
• Open-minded to all kinks and fetishes
• Supportive, non-judgmental community
Cons:
• You need to sign up to view ads
• The membership is still small
Kinkyads may be one of the best alternative dating sites if you love Craigslist personals. Kinkyads was specifically built to mimic the Craigslist layout, so you should feel right at home. If you haven't already guessed, Kinkyads is a dating website just for people with kinks and fetishes. You can find a robust community of BDSM loving members but you can also find a diverse selection of unusual fetishes.
Unlike traditional hookup sites, you don't have to worry about getting judged for your kink on this site. Find casual partners with people who want to explore your kinks with you. Members use the site for free. Sign up with a username and email address.
Visit Kinkyads.org
14. Kijiji (Canada) - Best for Candian users
Pros:
• Sleek, modern website
• Lots of genuine personals ads
Cons:
• It's limited to Canadian users
• Watch out for catfish
Kijiji is a classified ads site made for Canadian locations. This site is very much the classic classified site, so you should feel right at home. Just like Craigslist, you can find apartments, cars, jobs, and of course, personal ads.
Kijiji has broken down the personal ads into several sections. They have the classic Missed Connections section as well as, Long-Lost Relationships, and Friends & Networking. For Canadian users, you can easily find like-minded singles to connect witH local people, or just to hang out. Users can browse the site for free, no registration required.
Visit Kijiji
15. Fetlife.com - Best for alternative relationships
Pros:
• Huge community of fetish lovers
• Trusted and established
Cons:
• The website could use an update
• You need an account to browse
Fetlife is a massive online community of fetish lovers and kinksters. The biggest community on this site is dedicated to BDSM, but you can find a whole range of alternative activities. Fetlife is great for singles and couples who would like to connect with people who enjoy similar kinks.
You can find people to hookup with in real life or chat with online. With over 9 million members, this is one of the most popular alternatives dating websites out there. New members can rest assured that their information is safe and sound. This site has been around for a very long time and is trusted by millions of users.
Visit Fetlife
16. Reddit /r/RandomActsOfMuffDive - Best free option
Pros:
• It's totally free
• It's available as an app
Cons:
• It may be hard to find people in your city
• It's hard to filter posts
Most people don't think of Reddit as a dating app, but it's actually a great way to connect with people on a free app. If you've used Craigslist in the past to find hookups, you should definitely give Reddit a try. This social media app is best known for its unique forums and lively discussions. If you are looking for casual adult fun, I suggest r/RandomActsOfMuffDive. This particular subreddit is dedicated to people who love to give and receive a specific type of intimate activity. It's all about good old-fashioned, fun with consenting adults.
Visit Reddit r/RandomActsOfMuffDive
17. Locanto - Best for creating free personals ads
Pros:
• Global community
• Listings are free
Cons:
• Some listings are outdated
• Limited options in smaller cities
You may not know this, but Craigslist often charges a fee for posting certain types of ads. With Locanto, users can post ads for free, so you don't have to break the bank. Locanto is a traditional personal ad website where users can list their needs and find other users to connect with. You can browse listings from all around the world and all major cities. Head to the community section to check out the personal ads.
Visit Locanto
18. Adsencounters.com - Best for finding local events
Pros:
- Find activity partners around the world
- Large selection of local adult events
Cons:
- Some ads don't have photos
- Limited member verification
Even though Craigslist offers a ton of categories, a lot of people used Craigslist exclusively for finding adult encounters. With that in mind, the team at Adencounters created a website that is just for personal ads. Unlike dating apps that give you a selection of profiles to check out, this website allows users to browse through unlimited listings. You can sugar babies, swingers, and singles seeking local partners. You can get started on Adsencounters for free.
19. ClubSissy - Best for transgender uses
Pros:
• Safe and inclusive environment
• It's free to use
Cons
• Small user base
• Limited search feature
Club Sissy is certainly the most unique option on this list. This website has its own version of Craigslist personals, with a twist. Club Sissy is an online space made for anyone who considers themself a "sissy." Regardless of gender, this site is open to transgender people, cross-dressers, and the people who love them. You can check out the personals listings to find "sissys' ' in your city. The site is totally free to use and you don't have to worry about creating an account.
Vist ClubSissy
20. UK Classifieds - Best for UK users
Pros:
• Great option for those located in the UK
• Lots of adult categories
Cons:
• Sometimes the listings are old
• Outdated web design
UK Classifieds offers a solid option for anyone located in or traveling to the UK. Unlike Craigslist, this website has a robust personals section. You can find webcam models, traditional hookups, and more. It's also a great platform to meet available singles in your area. You can browse through thousands of listings without even creating an account. The only downside here is that it can take a while for new listings to pop up. Make sure to sort by date, and you should be good to go.
Visit UK Classifieds
How to Stay Safe With Personals Ads
Whenever you're meeting strangers online, it's smart to play it safe. This is especially true when it comes to personals websites. That's because many of these sites don't verify the users when they create profiles. While this makes it super easy to join the sites, it also means you might run into a few scammers along the way.To keep yourself safe always remember to keep your personal information to yourself. Never give out your bank information or credit card number to an individual on these sites. It's also smart to meet in a public place if you plan on seeing someone in person. Last but not least, never reveal your home or work address. If you keep all of this in mind, you can have a safe and enjoyable experience
