According to Vanity Fair, Tinder is the harbinger of today's hookup-fueled "dating apocalypse." But the truth of the matter is, hooking up isn't anything new (and may in fact be hardwired into our genetics). And as for Tinder, sure, it can be used for swiftly finding a one-night stand, but there are plenty of other apps that are better suited for that task.
If your life is too busy to squeeze in the time-consuming intricacies of a longer-term relationship, or you're just looking for a little low-stakes fun tonight, you need a quick, surefire way to find a quality fling. Dance clubs and dive bars may have worked in the '90s, but now, even if you’re out, your phone is a much easier way to find someone to "watch Netflix and chill" with (especially someone you won’t regret tomorrow). And the great thing is, whether you prefer chatting extensively with your new crush first or a little fantasy in your play, there are diverse options to suit your every whim and desire.
When you need to find a hookup, like, yesterday, you should hit up one of these ten awesome apps.
This story originally ran August 20, 2015.
Blendr
Open up Blendr (free on iOS and Android) when you’re sitting at the bar, rather than on your couch. This chatting app for hetero singles uses your location to find matches near you. With 200 million users, there are a lot of potential matches to be made for no-strings-attached fun — and its bevy of male users aren’t shy about reaching out and chatting you up. Unlike many dating apps, you don’t need to provide a lot of personal details to get going on Blendr: just a photo and some basic information — you don’t need to input anything personal if you don’t want to, or even your real name. The app, which is powered by the social network Badoo and made by the same folks who created the gay-male hookup app Grindr, requires a monthly or yearly subscription ($70 for a full year, $40 for six months, $30 for three, and $13 for one month).
Photo: Courtesy Blendr.
Pure
Pure (free on iOS and Android) cuts to the chase: It’s about meeting with someone for a hookup, right now. All you have to do to get started with the app is upload a selfie. Then, once you and another user both like each other’s profiles, the two of you can begin chatting to figure out the details, or decide to move on. The app initiates a one-hour chat limit in order to eliminate annoying noncommittal conversations that drag on and on. According to the app’s description: “We promote a sex-positive attitude, free of judgment and the weight of social constraints.” Amen!
Photo: Courtesy Pure.
Whiplr
If you’re more of a Rocky Road type than a vanilla, download Whiplr (free on iOS and Android), an app for finding others based on sharing similar kinks and fetishes. The app is anonymous and private, and lets you select what types of play you’re into (and what you want your partner to be into) before you start chatting. All content shared in the app can be deleted, so if you send a nude to someone, then decide, “Eh, not so much,” you can delete it from their phone — well, as long as they didn’t take a screen grab. You can pay for a monthly subscription if you start using Whiplr a lot, but its initial free search and chatting preferences are decently robust, including starting up to 10 chat sessions a day, browsing 100 profiles at a time, and swiping through 25 profiles a day.
Photo: Courtesy Whiplr.
Her
Her (free on iOS) is a dating and social network app exclusively for lesbian and queer women. Unlike some of these other apps, which prize anonymity (that may be good for you, but bad if you want to guarantee the person you’re meeting is who she says she is), this app features verified accounts. It also includes more of a community, with a timeline on your profile for sharing photos and comments, and it serves up links and articles relating to lesbian news and culture. But just because it aims to provide a more social network-style experience doesn’t mean there aren’t like-minded ladies out there just looking for some quick action. Several early users of Her (the app just launched in July) were surprised by the number of bisexual, queer, and lesbian women in their community.
Photo: Courtesy HER.
Tinder
A number of women have found their soul mate on Tinder (free on iOS and Android), but it’s super-quick swiping-based interface is also perfect if you’re looking for a connection that needs to suffice only for tonight (as infamously chronicled in Vanity Fair ’s recent feature on hookup culture). After signing up, which requires a Facebook login, you swipe right to Like one of Tinder’s suggested profiles, or swipe left to Pass. If the other person also likes your photo, you’re matched, and can start chatting. The app has made more than 6 billion matches so far. You may even match up with someone famous — the app recently introduced verified profiles for celebs and public figures.
Photo: Courtesy Tinder.
OKCupid
Dating-site staple OKC (free on iOS and Android) is designed with lots of questionnaires and matching algorithms so that you find someone you’d actually be interested in spending time with. But if you’re up front in your profile about your wants and needs, you can also have hookup success. Set your preferences so that you’re looking for new friends, short-term dating, and casual sex; keep your questionnaire answers on the short side; and for optional questions, answer as many of the sex-related ones as you can, so you’re matched with someone who’s compatible to your personal desires. OKCupid also has an Apple Watch app that can show you matches who are nearby. You can use the app for free, or upgrade for extra features starting at $10 a month or $40 a year.
Photo: Courtesy OKCupid.
Badoo
Badoo works kind of like Happn — you have the option to start chatting with people nearby and people you've bumped into — but its user base is reportedly bigger than Tinder, Happn, and OkCupid combined. This means you have more luck finding instant love at the club (or coffee shop) on the app than you do anywhere else, especially if you're traveling abroad. Badoo also recently acquired Lulu, a similar see-who's-nearby app, boosting its user base.
Photo: Courtesy Badoo.
TikiTalk
TikiTalk, a "social discovery" app created in Los Angeles, is pretty genius. You select your interests, for example, going to raves, and see people within a mile radius who share similar points of amusement. Like many other social apps out there, TikiTalk can absolutely be used for dating, but the option to start a chat with someone by asking "Netflix and chill?" takes it into the hookup zone. You know what it means, we know what it means — everyone knows what it means.
Courtesy: TikiTalk.
Happn
You and a cutie on the subway locked eyes for a smoldering second before you had to run off and catch the express. Fret not; you may be able to find him or her on Happn (free on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone). In this app, you can browse singles and see how many times you've crossed paths (and where). It's a bit like Craigslist's Missed Connections, but way less desperate-sounding.
Photo: Courtesy Happn.
OhMiBod Remote
And when you’re completely over the sexual haggling with matches and mismatches, you can use OhMiBod Remote (free on iOS and Android) to give yourself a night you’ll never forget. The app works with many of the company’s personal massagers, like the $130 Freestyle :W, and features a wide array of vibration patterns you can set (including one that pulses to the music you’re listening to), which you can adjust via your phone’s volume buttons. You can also use your phone as a virtual gas pedal for your vibe — wave the phone side to side until you reach the speed and intensity you want, then lock that level in and ride it out.
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