Backpage was among the top websites where you could find ads about pretty much anything. One of the most visited sub-categories was the personal ads category, where many people sought and found casual dates or just hookups with no strings attached. The website was shut down in 2018 due to ties with prostitution and the exploitation of sex workers.
However, the people who were using the website in a completely legal way were left stranded. That’s why we decided to put together a list that showcases the best Backpage replacement websites that you can use as an alternative to Backpage.
5 Backpage Alternative Websites for Legit Casual Dating
First things first, we’ll cover some websites and apps that have taken the brunt of online dating and setting up casual hookups. They are the first part of this list, and while they all in slightly different ways, they share a common goal – connecting people.
From matchmaking websites to apps that connect you to random people seeking some NSA fun, this list has it all, so read through and decide which one would suit you the most.
1. Adult Friend Finder
Adult Friend Finder is one of the biggest alternatives to Backpage for finding casual hookups, dates, and even relationships. With over 100 million registered accounts, it’s undoubtedly the most visited one. Creating an account is free, but in order to interact with other members fully, you’ll need to be a paying subscriber.
However, if that’s something you’re okay with, you’ll get access to tons of content and features. They offer a lot of ways to express yourself, including a section called Stories, where you can post short stories that describe your dating life or how you’d like it to be.
Other than that, chatrooms, vlogs, and standard messaging are unlocked, so nothing is holding you back.
2. Ashley Madison
If discretion is the game, Ashley Madison is the name, as this online service values it above all. If you’re a paying member, they'll go as far as to show up as “online services” on your bill, so discretion truly is guaranteed. On the same note, you can make an account for free, but to really experience everything the website has to offer, you’ll need to become a member.
This is accomplished in a really cool way, where you can choose the features you want and pay only for them. One of the most important assets they have is called ‘Travelling Man’, which lets you contact people from the area you’ll be visiting a couple of days in advance, so it’s great if you’re on the road a lot.
3. Yumi
The first full alternative app to Backpage dating on our list, Yumi is available for both iOS and Android, so you can take your search anywhere you go. It’s a twist on the classic dating app, where it doesn’t really match you up with people an algorithm deems a valid choice or with who you like. Instead, you get connected to a random stranger with whom you can start chatting right away.
It’s among the top apps of its kind when it comes to finding casual hookups or something similar. It’s easy to make an account and navigate through the interface, and its base options are completely free of charge. You can become a Premium member if you so wish, but you don’t have to until you decide that the app is worth it.
4. Tinder
Tinder really doesn’t need much introduction; it’s the leading dating app when it comes to the number of registered accounts, and with good reason. The premise is: you get random people’s profiles on your screen, with a couple of pictures and maybe some introductory text. If you like what you see, you swipe right, and if you don’t, you swipe left.
You are matched only with the people who you swiped right on when they swipe right on you too. From there on, you get access to a private chat with them, and you can take that in whichever direction you want.
The app is free, although you can get the Tinder Gold membership, which provides you with unlimited swiping and other fun features.
5. POF
POF actually stands for Plenty of Fish, and this cleverly named platform is both a website and an app. It works as a standard dating site would, matching you up with people who share similar interests and allows you to chat with them.
In addition to chatting, you also can connect via video and have a sort of video-date that lets you get to know each other before setting up a meeting in the real world. There’s a lot of members registered, and you’ll, without a doubt, find someone who’s looking for similar things as you are.
10 Websites Like Backpage for Posting Classified Ads
The apps and websites above are solely focused on dating, connecting people, and hookups. Now, we’ll move on to the next section of our list – Backpage alternatives for everything else. While a lot of them do have sections for personal ads, where you’ll find people looking for dates or casual encounters, they also have a plethora of other categories you can explore.,
1. Craigslist
Even though Craigslists Personals for casual encounters was shut down right around the time Backpage was, Craigslist still exists. You can always go to Craigslist for your general area and find pretty much anything you need.
Job postings, sales, personal ads, if you can imagine it, it’s probably on Craigslist. It really is one of the largest networks out there, so you probably already know all of this stuff, but if you weren’t sure if it’s still around, the answer is decisively a yes.
2. Kijiji
The Canadian answer to the question “Where can I find “blank”?” is Kijiji. From classified ads for just about anything to jobs, listings for cars and real estate, and even a whole section dedicated to trading items.
If you’re Canadian, Kijiji really doesn’t need much introduction, but if you’re going to be visiting Canada, or even moving there, you should know that the best place to find ads for anything is on this website.
And if there isn’t a category into which your ad fits in exactly, you can always post it to Community, where you’ll find the most diverse set of ads you’ve ever seen.
3. Gumtree
On Gumtree, you can find all sorts of interesting things. Various items, cars, and real estate being sold are pretty common, but a very important section of the website is the Community one.
There you can find classes, events, people to jam with, someone to walk your dog, and practically everything in between. There’s also a Lost & Found sub-section, which can come in really handy at times. You could also hop on over to the Car Pool section and make your daily routine possibly easier and quicker.
4. Bedpage
Bedpage is just a huge Backpage alternative website in the US and abroad as well. You can find neatly organized listings from all around the world, and they can be for just about anything: services, jobs, sales for various items - the regular offer.
What’s somewhat different about Bedpage is that it has more sections. Bedpage contains ads for trans ads and more, which can be a lot of fun if that’s your thing. But not to focus on that too much; it’s an all-around versatile website that you can probably use for a huge amount of stuff you didn't even know you needed.
5. Geebo
Not to get too repetitive, Geebo offers the same array of ads as most of the Backpage replacement websites on this list. The thing that sets it apart is how easy it is to navigate it and the sheer amount of job listings you can find. If you’re looking for work, this may be a great option for you.
Also, there’s a whole section of the site dedicated to people who are looking to rent out space or trying to find a roommate, and if you’ve ever tried to find one, you know how much this could be useful.
6. Yes Backpage
Promoted as the best among Backpage alternatives, Yes Backpage is really quite similar to the original, albeit with a slightly smaller amount of ads, as they’ve dispersed over several different websites when Backpage went down. However, it’s still a pretty good one; you can find multitudes of ads for things you need all around the country.
For overseas, there are listings available for the UK and Australia, which is a bonus. As a true successor to Backpage, you can find a whole bunch of listings in the Dating section if that’s something you’d be interested in.
7. Hoobly
Classified ads in your area can very easily be found through Hoobly. It doesn’t really offer an extensive search engine, and it isn’t all that easy to navigate, but it definitely serves its intended purpose well. If you know what you’re looking for, you should have no problem finding it, but if you want to browse first, you’ll have to set up some filters first, which aren’t overly user-friendly.
All in all, most of the ads on the website are serious business, and if you have the will to go through them, you should be able to get what you came here for.
8. Want Ad Digest
There is nothing special about Want Ad Digest; it’s a site where a lot of people post buy/sell/trade ads that you can browse to your heart’s content. It’s mainly focused on vehicles, though, so expect listings for anything from cars to snowmobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and so on.
Another unexpectedly visited category is the one for pets, where you’ll be able to find and possibly adopt some cute kittens or puppies, and that is always a plus.
9. Free Ads Time
Although the interface is a bit outdated, Free Ads Time is still among the good Backpage alternative websites, and it should have whatever it is you’re searching for. The search engine is fairly well optimized, and you shouldn’t have any problem navigating the website.
This one is among the rare on this list that doesn’t contain a category for personal ads or a Dating section. It’s completely business-oriented, so if that’s the side of Backpage you were looking for, you’ve found it.
10. Penny Saver
Once again, the standard array of categories you can browse, with one very interesting addition. To be more precise, Penny Save has a whole category dedicated to garage & yard sales.
If you love garage sales and all the interesting knick-knacks you can find there, you should definitely check this option out. Find out if there are any garage sales near you that you could go ahead and visit. Garage sales don’t really have another medium where they could be advertised, so this is a great spot to find out about them.
Conclusion
There you have it, 15 apps and websites that serve as valid Backpage alternatives, and they cover practically everything that Backpage had to offer. There’s a little something for everybody, whether you liked using Backpage to meet new people to go on adventures on, or the business side of it where you could buy or sell practically anything.
Whatever your preference is, you should know that classified and personal ads are still very much a thing, even though there are more modern alternatives to them. If you’re ready to move on and get with the time, you should definitely check out the first section of this list, as those are some truly top-shelf dating websites and apps you could try out.
