Ashley Madison is one of the best online dating sites available today. It caters to like-minded individuals with interesting personalities who are looking for a discreet relationship.
With over 54 million Ashley Madison members worldwide and over 32 million just in the United States alone, this is an extremely well-known dating site.
This article provides an in-depth Ashley Madison review. We will explore an overview of the dating site, explain how Ashley Madison works, comb through Ashley Madison reviews, and more.
What’s Ashley Madison? And How Does Ashley Madison Work?
Ashley Madison is a famous online dating site, and the reason why it is popular is that it goes beyond traditional dating. Unlike other online dating sites, Ashley Madison caters to the needs of married people and/or couples who are looking to add some spice to their relationships and have extramarital affairs. However, not everyone on Ashley Madison is looking to have an extramarital affair. Some singles are seeking other singles and hope to find a compatible match on the Ashley Madison dating site.
So, how does Ashley Madison work for both couples and singles? And how can you get started? If you’re wondering, we’ve broken it down into steps for you:
- Access Ashley Madison via their website or download the Ashley Madison app available for iOS and Android.
- Create an account and register. The sign-up process for Ashley Madison is relatively easy. We highly recommend that you download the mobile app for better convenience and security.
- After creating an account, filling out your Ashley Madison profile, and choosing your preferences, you will see an array of other members near your location, as well as other Ashley Madison users with the same personal preferences as you.
- To view even more Ashley Madison members, you can go to the “Discover Page” and start searching.
- Women are often given a free membership, while men need to purchase credits to send and reply to messages from other members.
Find a Hookup
Signing up for Ashley Madison and creating a profile is quick and easy. The same goes for finding a hookup. When creating your account on Ashley Madison, you will be asked about your personality and dating preferences. Be clear when answering the questions and provide information about yourself on your profile, including your interests and hobbies. This will help you get more matches and find a hookup quickly.
You will then be introduced to a community of like-minded individuals with the same objective as you – to find a hookup. Many singles and even married members are very active on this site, so you won’t have a hard time finding someone for you. Ashley Madison users are notorious for knowing exactly what they want and they are not afraid to ask for it.
One important thing to do when using Ashley Madison is to turn on your location settings, which will enable the dating site to match you with nearby members. Since Ashley Madison is a location-based dating website, it will show you potential matches that are within a certain mile radius of you. This is a very helpful way to find a match, and hopefully your next hookup.
To find a match, it’s also important to upload a profile picture and interesting bio to your Ashley Madison profile. Use your best photo to get more people interested. Ultimately, having multiple photos on your profile will help you get a lot more attention and matches to chat with. You never know, your perfect match might send you a message because of your beautiful selfie!
Lastly, you should know what you want and what you are looking for in your next partner. There is no need to beat around the bush when it comes to Ashley Madison. This is one of the most straightforward dating sites available today, where members get right to the point. Don’t be afraid to say that you want to find a hookup, or a relationship if that’s what you’re interested in. Enjoy the search for your next partner because online dating with Ashley Madison is always a fun experience!
Is Ashley Madison Legit?
Yes, Ashley Madison is a legit dating site to meet someone online. Many Ashley Madison reviews from previous and current members back this up. The dating site is legit and full of active users to connect with online or even meet in real life.
Plus, there is no other dating website that is as discreet as Ashley Madison. The platform and its members are straightforward and honest. There are even options to remain completely anonymous when using this dating site.
Registration
It is very easy to register on Ashley Madison, and it doesn’t cost you anything. You just have to complete your profile by providing basic information like your name and email address.
You can also provide your age, marital status, and location if you want to connect with nearby users. It’s important to note that all of this information is optional and not required when creating an account. If you feel comfortable providing that type of information, however, it may help you find better matches.
When creating an account and registering for Ashley Madison, you will also have the option to upload a profile picture. While you can remain completely anonymous if you want, uploading some photos will also help you get better matches.
It’s also important to provide your personal preferences when creating an account, like your interests, hobbies, and what you’re looking for in a potential partner. That way, you can be matched with like-minded individuals who are interested in similar things.
Account Overview
What separates Ashley Madison from other dating sites across the internet is that it can actually blur your profile picture, so you can stay anonymous (only if you want to remain anonymous while using the dating site). Because most members use the site for extramarital affairs and don’t want to get caught, this feature is essential for many. Ashley Madison maintains your anonymity and does everything possible to ensure that your identity is not exposed while using this internet site.
Once you have an account with Ashley Madison, you can see information on the users’ accounts (if permitted). This may include their name, age, location, height and weight, and dating status (single, in a relationship, married, etc.). If you find someone that you’re interested in, you can send them virtual gifts to express your interest or a direct message to get to the point faster.
On the Ashley Madison homepage, you will find your most recent messages. You can easily view them with just one click and send a message back at your earliest convenience. Aside from the messaging section, there are other main pages on this dating site for buying credits and searching for other members nearby.
Ashley Madison Mobile App
Next on this Ashley Madison review, is its mobile app. If you want to access the dating site on the go, you can download the Ashley Madison app, which is available both for iOS and Android devices. The mobile app is free to download.
With more than 15,000 new downloads daily, Ashley Madison is one of the most widely-used dating apps for married people, couples, and even singles who are looking for their next match.
The Ashley Madison mobile app is especially great when you’re traveling. You can easily explore nearby users and score a date while you’re on vacation. This will fast-track your dating efforts and save you time that would otherwise be spent on the nightlife scene, opening you up to a group of people that you may have never met without the Ashley Madison app.
Ashley Madison Features
With its robust site features, Ashley Madison makes dating online easy. You can find your next match or hookup with just a few clicks, thanks to this easy-to-use platform that streamlines the online dating process. Ashley Madison is also the best dating site to satisfy the needs of married people who are looking for extramarital affairs. Its features cater to the diverse needs of its users – whether they are single or not.
Here is an overview of the different pros and cons of Ashley Madison to help you figure out if it’s the right dating app for you.
Pros:
- The mobile app is free to download and there are no ads on the platform.
- Registering for an account and creating a profile on Ashley Madison is free for all users, and signing up for a membership is free for women.
- There is a large selection of members and several daily active users on Ashley Madison.
- You can create a discreet and anonymous profile with private photos (optional).
- The interface is user-friendly and intuitive, and you can browse as many profiles as you want.
- There are several advanced features, including options to send virtual gifts and messages to other members.
Cons:
- Men need to pay for a premium service membership or purchase credits to respond to messages.
- The payment structure may confuse some people at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to purchase credits and/or membership.
What Our Experts Like
- Private Photos: If you’re a premium member, you get to access private photos. Private photos are sent by other users, and they’re meant for only you to see them. These photos are more personal than public photos, and they help to turn up the heat. Private photos are also a great way to make a stronger connection with your match.
- Free for Ladies: Women have an edge when using Ashley Madison. They have more free ways to access the site. If you’re a woman, you can send chats and use the site features for free. These are things that men using the dating platform would have to pay for. Ultimately, since Ashley Madison is entirely free for female users, the site has an amazing female user base.
- No Ads: Advertisements not only cut the momentum when browsing for your next match, but they also create virtual clutter. Sometimes, the overlay covers so much of the site that you can hardly see any content, which can get frustrating. Luckily, Ashley Madison does not have ads. Having no ads is perfect for continuous, all-day scrolling on the web page or the app.
- Browse as Many Profiles as Wanted: Most dating sites give you a limit on how many times you can swipe or browse profiles, and some even make you pay for swiping time. What’s cool about Ashley Madison is that you can browse and look at as many profiles as you want. You can search for different users depending on your personal preferences and you can also see which users are ready to interact with you. The best part? There is no limit!
What Our Experts Don’t Like
- Search Filters: Ashley Madison’s services are tailored to meet the needs of its members, but one thing that our experts don’t like is the search filter. Although this might be helpful in reaching the match that perfectly suits your personal preferences, it can also be an issue for some users. With an array of choices and various search filters to narrow down your matches based on specific criteria, the available options can get overwhelming. While this shows that Ashley Madison is very comprehensive compared to other sites, there are so many chances for choosing your next partner and narrowing down your hunt according to the type of relationship that you want.
What are the Best Ashley Madison Alternatives?
If Ashley Madison isn’t the right dating site for you, there are plenty of other options available. Here are the best Ashley Madison alternatives:
Adult Friend Finder: Best Adult Dating Site
Adult Friend Finder is a popular online dating site known for adult dating and finding hookups. Most of its users are interested in more casual relationships, rather than something serious and long-term. In-person relationships or online connections developed on this site typically do not have strings attached, and most users are straightforward about what they want out of the relationship. This dating internet site is perfect for those who are open-minded and are interested in an adult relationship.
Registering for Adult Friend Finder is free and easy. You just need to create a username and password and provide your email address. There are plenty of different ways to personalize your account. You just need to answer a few questions and fill out your profile. The more information you add, the more interesting your account will look to others. You can also upload a photo or two to catch the eyes of your potential matches.
With the free membership, you can do many things on the site, like see videos and other forms of content. To access more features, however, we recommend getting one of the paid subscription plans. You can purchase the Standard membership for $16.99 per month, or $29.99 for 3 months. The Gold membership costs $239 which is good for 12 months, $80 for 3 months or $39.95 per month for a 1-month plan.
>> Read full AdultFriendFinder Review
Seeking: Best for High-End, Elite Dating
Seeking was created for singles looking for a high-end, elite relationship. This online dating site is one of the best out there. Seeking aims to assist members by streamlining the online dating experience and connecting them with others who match their interests and preferences. Seeking does not want its users to settle for anything less than they deserve, which is why they offer the most elite dating service of any dating site.
Seeking provides many helpful features and tools, such as real-time messaging and video calls with potential partners. You will have a wide selection of choices, with members from all different walks of life. To maximize this elite online dating service, you should consider becoming a premium member and getting a background check for an extra $50. Seeking has multiple premium membership packages available:
- 1-Month Premium Plan = $90/month
- 3-Month Premium Plan= $80/month
- 6-Month Premium Plan = $70/month
>> Read full Seeking Review
Ashley Madison Membership: What Does Ashley Madison Cost?
You may be thinking: What does Ashley Madison cost? This Ashley Madison review will be especially helpful when you’re ready to purchase a membership.
Although the site is generally free for women and some basic features are also free for men, there are various recurring memberships available to enhance the experience of the Ashley Madison website or app.
You can also buy credits to do more on Ashley Madison. You will have the option to purchase these credits in bulk with the Basic, Classic, and Elite plans.
Here is a price breakdown of the different membership plans:
| Plan | Number of Credits | Price |
| Basic | 100 | $59 |
| Classic | 500 | $169 |
| Elite | 1000 | $289 |
Free Account
If you don’t want to purchase a membership plan or credits just yet and want to figure out how to make the most out of Ashley Madison for free, here’s what you can do with a free account:
- Search and Support: You can search and browse profiles for free once you have created your own account. As mentioned above, you can look for members based on what you want and even interact with those who are near you. For women, there’s a lot for you to do on the app for free. You can engage in conversations with other users, for example. But for men, you need to buy credits to send and receive messages on the platform.
- Winks and Likes: Anyone on Ashley Madison can send a wink to other members for free. A free wink is a very cool and particular feature that stands out among other dating websites. Sending a wink means that you like their profile and are interested in getting to know the user. You can send winks by going to the user’s profile and clicking the “Send Wink” button.
Paid Membership
- Basic Plan: To start off your journey in internet dating, you can get the Basic Plan and 100 credits for $59. By clicking the “Buy Now” button, you can purchase the Basic Plan quickly and easily. You are even given a lot of options to pay for your plan (credit card, PayPal, or mail/courier).
- Classic Plan: This paid membership is the most popular among the 3 plans. The Classic Plan allows you to purchase 500 credits for $169, or $0.34 per credit. Ashley Madison allows you to pay for the Classic Plan with your credit card or PayPal account. You will also have the option to send a check in the mail for your payment.
- Elite Plan: To get the most amount of credits, the Elite Plan is the way to go. You can get 1,000 credits for $289, or $0.29 per credit. You are given the same options to pay for it via credit card, PayPal, or by mail.
What To Do With Your Credits?
There are many things you can do with your Ashley Madison account credits, including:
- Chat (8 Credits for a Standard Message): For men, you need to use 8 credits to send a message to someone else or open a message from another user. When you start to receive messages from potential matches, you will need to buy credits to open those messages and respond to them. As mentioned earlier, women can use the chat feature for free.
- Priority Highlighted Messages (13 Credits per Message): If you want to stand out from the crowd and be at the front line, you can send priority highlighted messages for 13 credits total. This means that your message will appear at the top of the recipient’s inbox.
Security System: Is Ashley Madison Safe?
With a robust security system, Ashley Madison is safe for all users. The site even upgraded its security system three times since 2015. It now features two-factor authentication (an extra layer of protection beyond a username and password to ensure the security of all Ashley Madison accounts), encrypted transmission via Secure Sockets Layer (secure transmission of confidential user data over a protected channel), and anonymous billing (protects your data and privacy while purchasing a membership or credits on Ashley Madison).
All active profiles on Ashley Madison are also regularly monitored to ensure that there is no suspicious activity on the platform.
Related
Ashley Madison Review: Bottom Line
With its different approach compared to other dating websites, Ashley Madison is a great dating site for discreet relationships and extramarital affairs. The site is legit and safe to use. It boasts several new security features and there are tons of active users on the site and app.
In our opinion, Ashley Madison is totally worth it! It is perfect for women who are looking to date online because women can use the app and explore its features for free. Ashley Madison is also ideal for men who are looking to online date. The best part? Anyone can create an account on this dating site, whether you are single or married. Nothing else on the market can beat Ashley Madison when it comes to discreet dating. So, what are you waiting for? Join today!