10+ Best Craigslist Personals Alternative Websites (2025)

Craigslist’s Personals section was closed in 2018 after SESTA passed.

Contrary to what the lawmakers believe, Craigslist users use it for legitimate purposes, such as meeting new people in their local area for friendship, casual hookups or dating.

Top Adult Dating App & Sex Sites

  1. Adult Friend Finder
  2. Alt.com
  3. Out personals (Gay Dating)
  4. Ashley Madison (Personal Hookup and Dating)
  5. Passion.com
  6. No String Attached
  7. Adult Sex Finder
  8. Get It On
  9. Cams (Adult Sex Chatting Online)
  10. Swap Finder

You may be looking for alternative websites to Craigslist Personals in 2022, now that Craigslist Personals is gone. We’re going to show you twenty alternative Craigslist Personals websites that will allow you to meet people in your local area online.

There are many options available, so make sure you read the entire article to determine which app or site is best for you. You should also be aware that these pages could have the same issues as Craigslist’s (and were eventually taken down). Please read the following disclaimer.

Although most sites are legitimate, some may be scammed or offer illegal activities. You should exercise extreme caution. Always be cautious when meeting in public and trust your gut instincts.

These sites can be safe and simple ways to meet people. Let’s get started!

1.) Reddit

Reddit is a community that you’ve likely heard of. Reddit is one of the most popular online communities where users can discuss anything and everything via what’s called “subreddits.” r/r4r can be used as an alternative to Craigslist. The subheading, known as “Reddit Personals,” is “Activity Partners. Groups. Dating. Hanging Out. Soulmates. FWBs.” You can post your own ad here and let people know what you are looking for. Reddit is completely free and you don’t have to pay anything.

2.) Adult Friend Finder

Adult FriendFinder is a great choice for casual hookups and Craigslist Personals alternatives. They claim to be the “World’s Largest Dating Site & Swinger Network”, with more than 100 million users. There is a limited free option, as well as paid tiers. This is similar to Ashley Madison. You can access features like “Stories” which allows you to share your ideal dating life with others so they can see if you are a match based upon your goals and general vibes.

You want more information about Adult Friend Finder? Read our complete review.

3.) Ashley Madison

If you visit *ahem* certain sites, it’s likely that you have seen advertisements for Ashley Madison. Ashley Madison is bold about what it does, which is evident in its motto “Life is too short.” This site is for adults looking to have a casual affair. You will see the following: If you are a paying subscriber, you will see “Online services” on your credit card. However, if you want to take advantage of all the benefits offered by the site, you should sign up. You can reach out to people in an area that you are visiting, such as “Traveling Man”, which allows you to contact them before you go.

You need more information about Ashley Madison to make a decision. You can read our complete review of Ashley Madison here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar Oodle, and many other Craigslist-likes. You have, for example, a category called “Casual Encounters”, which has a variety of subcategories. You can also post a personal advertisement to let others know what you are looking for. It appears that Oodle is dominated by men in my area. Some of the women postings are quite suspicious. Locanto may be a good option to meet people.

5.) Tinder

Tinder doesn’t require much introduction as it has become one of the most widely used “dating” apps. Because Tinder is known for being a casual dating app, most people know that. Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Tinder is extremely popular among millennials and gen Z’ers. It is an easy app. After you see the profiles of local people, you can swipe right or left to indicate your interest. You’ll be matched with people you swiped right onto who also swiped right for you. You can then start messaging to see what happens. Tinder Gold, a paid tier that offers unlimited swiping and additional features, is available as well as the basic free version.

6.) Kasual

Kasual, formerly known as Yumi was a great alternative to Craigslist. It has a unique premise and is an excellent choice for people looking for jobs. Kasual allows you to connect with random people and start chatting immediately to find out if they might be a good match. The app is available for Android (iPhone), and iOS (iPhone). There’s a free version of the app that is pretty basic. If you’re looking for more features, you can upgrade to the Premium membership. Kasual is a great alternative to Tinder or other dating sites. It focuses primarily on casual hookups (hence its rebranding) and randomly pairing people.

7. ) Plenty of Fish

POF (or Plenty of Fish) refers to the old idea that there is “plenty” of fish in the ocean. It’s also a reference to the fact that you don’t have to worry about getting separated or being alone because there are so many people to meet. POF can be used as both an app and a website. This is a nice feature as many apps are limited to one type of user. It’s a typical dating site in that you are matched up with people who share your interests. A video-date option is also available. This allows you to get to know someone better before you go on an actual date.

8.) Pernals

Because it is all about personal ads, this is a great alternative to Craigslist. Pernals allows you to create your personal ad completely free. You can post exactly what you want, whether you are looking for a serious relationship or casual hookup. Pernals is a Craigslist Alternative, which is quite rare among the many alternatives we have reviewed. You can find the same categories on Craigslist: men seeking women and men seeking women. It’s currently only available as an Android or iOS app.

9.) Bedpage

As you can see from the name Bedpage it is more like a Backpage alternative. It does have the same categories as Craigslist Personals: men seeking women, women seeking men, and so on. You should check the “Dating” or “Adult” categories for casual encounters. Be careful though. A quick search in my area revealed that there are scammers posting.

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is very similar to Craigslist. The only problem is that you must sign up in order to browse the site. It’s easy to find out what the majority of people who use this site are searching for. Their motto is “Connect With Straight, Gay, Bi and Curious.” There’s a strong chance that you’ll find someone special with more than three million members in the U.S. Be aware of scammers, as always.

11.) Oodle

Oodle is very similar to Craigslist’s personals pages. It has the same categories as Craigslist, such as “Men Seeking Men” and “Men Seeking Women.” This site has some useful filters that can help narrow down your choices. Oodle doesn’t seem to have a lot of users in my area, so it may not be the best option. It might be worth your time depending on what you are into.

12.) Ebackpage

Ebackpage is yet another clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. For casual encounters, you can also post personal ads and browse them. This site does not appear to have many active users so it might not be the best option for you. You should be cautious as it contains some very scammy-looking postings, just like Bedpage.

13.) Classified Ads

Classified ads is exactly what it sounds. Because it is so similar to Craigslist, this is a great alternative. Select “Personals”, and you will see the traditional categories “Men Seeking Women,” Missed Connections, etc. This site is easy to use and you will either find options in your local area or not.

14.) Grindr

Grindr is essentially Tinder for gay men. This means that there is a strong focus on hookups but it doesn’t mean that this is the only option. This might be the best app for gay men who are looking for casual relationships. Grindr is not for you if you aren’t a gay man.

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. You can see their tagline on their website: “Discreet hook-ups.” This allows you to put your personal ad out there and see who responds. You can also browse the site to see if you like any of them. To browse and post an advertisement, you must sign up. Overall, it is a good option with positive reviews online.

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid is a dating site that has existed for many years. It’s still going strong today. It can be downloaded for Android or iOS, which is always a nice feature. OkCupid’s best feature is its free membership. This allows you to search for matches and message people. However, it is possible to be tempted to make a payment to unlock certain features. OkCupid is a site that aims to be inclusive. There’s something for everyone.

17.) FetLife

FetLife is the largest social network for kinky people, with over 10 million members. This is a great advantage as many people feel insecure and ostracized because of their kinks. You can almost count on meeting at least one person on FetLife who shares your interests. This is a solid Craigslist ad, if you are looking for your freaky soulmate.

18.) Kijiji

Kijiji is a popular Canadian website. You can search for anything on the platform, including pets, cars, services, and vacation rentals. It can also be used as an alternative to Craigslist if you visit their “Community” section. You can also check the “Friendship & Networking”, and “Missed Connections” categories to see if any are available. These categories don’t seem to be as active as the others so it may not be your best option.

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar in concept to FetLife because it’s a site for people who love BDSM and kinks/fetishes. It has an old-school feel to it. It is a bit clunky, and more like something you’d see on a porn website than FetLife. The home page looks like they are using fake profiles to lure you in (much like the ads on porn sites). If you are looking for someone to go kinky with, you can explore Alt.

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Craigslist didn’t ban the Personals section. Yes. However, people are always able to find workarounds and bend the rules. Although Craigslist doesn’t have a “Personals” section, you can still find Craigslist users looking to meet up. You can also try the “Activities”, or “Missed Connections”, sections in your local area to find postings from people looking for casual encounters.

Last Thoughts

Although Craigslist Personals was banned, there are many alternatives. These options are diverse, as you’ll see if you look at the reviews. Ultimately, what you choose to use will depend on your needs, where you live, and other factors.

If you are in the U.S., you might want to stay with one of the top dating apps or hookup sites like Tinder, Adult FriendFinder, AshleyMadison. You can also try Kijiji if you are in Canada. However, it isn’t as popular as other dating apps.

It is important to use your judgment and remain safe. Many Craigslist alternatives have scammers who want to exploit lonely people. This is true, although it’s not pleasant. It’s sad, but it’s true. Never send money or personal information to anyone until you have met them in person and confirmed that everything is legal. You should recognize when you are in doubt and trust your instincts!

There are many ways to meet people online through social media and other sites. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun, provided you take care.