Why retro directories like AdultFriendFinder are winning back burnt-out daters. Where is swipe fatigue taking us? We take a look at the future of online dating, and why it's likely to borrow heavily from retro directories like AdultFriendFinder. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Learn more about how we select deals .

Trending Now Say More Look Up In My Bag Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable @Home Mashable Selects Top creators, ranked Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Creator Playbook AI at School Safety Net All Series Tinder hadn't updated most AI scam detection models in years, Senate report finds There's still more that Match needs to do, Sen. Maggie Hassan said. Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Instagram .

Look Up Say More Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable @Home Trending Now Mashable Selects Top creators, ranked Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Creator Playbook In My Bag AI at School Safety Net All Series Hinge's new moderation feature gives well-intentioned policy violators a second chance. Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and .

From finding a boyfriend on Hinge to cruising on Sniffies, these are our top picks for different kinds of connections. Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and . Editors and writers independently select products unless marked Sponsored or Promoted. Sponsored content is a paid ad, while content marked Promoted is chosen by Ziff Davis merchandising team and does not include input from individual authors. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. These are the tech, tools, and products -- from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more -- that Mashable ranks best in class. Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage. From the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll, it's been a part of gay culture since the early days of the web. But for all the high rewards, even the best dating apps come with a unique set of challenges for LGBTQ men: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a cute guy. Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new guys. In fact, a 2026 report by SSRS found that 63 percent of LGBTQIA+ adults have used a dating site or app, including 14 percent who were current users, compared to just 34 percent of non-LGBTQIA+ adults.

Dunking on Dating App Profiles Is Content Gold. Evangelizing to his 512,000 TikTok followers occasionally requires that dating coach Chad Franklin post the private communications of his clients, who pay upwards of $5,000 for his services. In September, Franklin shared a DM conversation in which a woman implied she couldn't afford an Uber with the text overlay "Don't date POOR women!!!" That same month, he uploaded a video of a client's successful text exchange on Hinge where they talked about the need to "flirt over some margaritas." In the clip, Franklin can barely contain himself, noting that it was the type of tête-à-tête that gets his "dick hard": "This is what men are looking for. Franklin posts under the alias @DefundSimping, and has made it his mission to help straight, career-driven guys in their "post-breakup, post-divorce" era undo their "simp" behavior, which he defines as putting women on a pedestal or giving them too much attention. I reached out to the 30-year-old ...

AI at School Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable Selects Look Up Say More Safety Net Versus Creator Playbook In My Bag Trending Now Back to School Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age All Series The 10 best free dating apps that won't charge you just to send a message Swipe, match, and chat for $0. Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Instagram . Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and . Editors and writers independently select products unless marked Sponsored or Promoted.

New features include Chivalry Mode and Marriage Timeline. Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Instagram .

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Look Up Say More Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable Selects Switch Off Trending Now In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series Here are the best apps for finding a casual, low-stress connection this summer. Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and . Editors and writers independently select products unless marked Sponsored or Promoted. Sponsored content is a paid ad, while content marked Promoted is chosen by Ziff Davis leadership. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Promoted cards do not include input from individual authors. These are the tech, tools, and products -- from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more -- that Mashable ranks best in class. In the age of on-demand everything, it's no surprise that we can get dates (and I use that term loosely) with the tap of a button. Thanks to classic hookup apps like Tinder and newcomers like Pure, finding a sexy new friend can be as straightforward as ordering a pizza. That's about the same as your pizza -- hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how you are. SEE ALSO: Is AdultFriendFinder the best dating site for Gen Z? Fortunately, you've got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps. I've spent the past three years (yes, years) researching, downloading, and testing dozens of the top dating apps to find the best ones for all kinds of daters, including the one-night-stand crowd. I also consulted a helpful panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid. My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you want. Are you here for a good time?

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Look Up Say More Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable Selects Switch Off Trending Now In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series We tested the safest, most effective apps for finding a real partner. Tabitha Britt is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and SEO/AEO strategist. Aside from reviewing dating apps and sex toys for Mashable, Tabitha is also the founding editor-in-chief of DO YOU ENDO -- a digital magazine by individuals with endometriosis, for individuals with endometriosis. She has a Master's degree in Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism from The New School for Social Research and is a grad of Sextech School. You can find more of her work in various online publications, including,, and . Editors and writers independently select products unless marked Sponsored or Promoted. Sponsored content is a paid ad, while content marked Promoted is chosen by Ziff Davis leadership. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Promoted cards do not include input from individual authors. These are the tech, tools, and products -- from laptops to e-readers, from earbuds to robovacs, and more -- that Mashable ranks best in class. Being a woman on the internet has never been easy, but trying to find a genuine connection on a dating app in 2026? Between the emboldened creeps, the swipe fatigue, and surprisingly convincing AI profiles, it's enough to make you wonder if applying for is the more sane alternative. The reality is, dating right now comes with a set of challenges --especially when it comes to safety. A 2026 survey from SSRS found that 55 percent of women believe meeting someone in person from a dating app is unsafe, compared to just 30 percent of men. We're dealing with a constant barrage of low-effort hey messages, unsolicited dick pics, men who are married, and the underlying safety concerns men just don't have to think about .

Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Look Up Mashable Selects Say More Versus Creator Hub Switch Off Trending Now Safety Net In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series Five authors, including Rufi Thorpe, wrote and narrated Hinge couple stories. Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Bluesky .