Best sites · Goal
Casual dating works on most big apps if you say what you want. Tinder is the best app for it, with the biggest pool and a short-term setting; Badoo and happn are strong free alternatives, and Facebook Dating has no paid plans at all.
Best overall for casual dating
The biggest pool, free chat and a clear short-term setting.
Visit Tinder| Site | Fit for casual dating | Overall | Best for | Free version | Paid from | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tinder | Meeting lots of people fast | Yes | ≈ $9.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Badoo | Meeting people nearby on a budget | Yes | ≈ $13.99/week for Premium (US) | Visit | ||
| Hily | Younger daters who want a free, easy swipe app | Yes | ≈ $7.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| happn | City dwellers who want to meet people nearby | Yes | ≈ $14.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Plenty of Fish | Free messaging and searching a big pool yourself | Yes | ≈ $19.99 (US App Store) | Visit | ||
| Facebook Dating | Trying online dating without paying anything | Yes | No paid plans | Visit |
We rank for this audience, so the order follows the fit score. The overall rating reflects the site as a whole. How we score.
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 4.0
Best for: Meeting lots of people fast
The default casual dating app: a huge pool, free matching and chat, and a Relationship Goals banner where you can pick “Short-term fun” or “Still figuring it out.”
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: Meeting people nearby on a budget
Free chat, video calls and People Nearby make it easy to meet someone spontaneously. Badoo is especially big in Europe and Latin America, and its upgrades are cheap.
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 3.6
Best for: Younger daters who want a free, easy swipe app
Icebreakers and a compatibility quiz make the first move easier. A good pick for younger daters who find writing a long bio a chore.
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 3.6
Best for: City dwellers who want to meet people nearby
Shows people you’ve crossed paths with during the day, so it works best in busy cities. Likes are free, and you can chat once you’ve both liked each other.
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 3.6
Best for: Free messaging and searching a big pool yourself
Search, browse and message for free, with members of all ages. Say clearly on your profile that you want something relaxed, since people join for all kinds of reasons.
Fit for casual dating · Overall rating 3.7
Best for: Trying online dating without paying anything
A free dating profile inside the Facebook app, with no subscriptions at all. An easy way to try casual dating if you’re comfortable using your Facebook account.
Casual dating means seeing people without the expectation of commitment. You enjoy each other’s company, go on dates and see where things go, but nobody is planning a future together yet. If you keep seeing one person this way, you’re in a casual relationship. When someone says they’re “looking for something casual”, that’s usually what they mean, whether they’re a guy or a girl; the only way to know for sure is to ask, because people use the phrase loosely.
It works when both people know what it is and are happy with it. In Pew Research Center’s 2022 survey, about 40% of recent online daters in the US said dating casually was a major reason they used dating sites or apps, almost as many as the 44% looking for a long-term partner (Pew Research Center, 2023). So on most mainstream apps, you’ll find plenty of people who want the same thing, as long as you say so.
You don’t need a special casual dating site. The big apps let you state your intentions on your profile:
There’s no rulebook, but a few habits keep things fair. Say what you want early, on your profile or in the first few messages, not after the third date. Agree how often you’ll see or text each other rather than guessing. Be clear if you’re seeing other people, since many casual daters are. And check in now and then: a quick “are we still on the same page?” avoids hurt later. Red flags are the same as in any dating: pressure, secrecy, or someone who keeps changing what they say they want.
Casual dating isn’t only for people in their 20s. After a divorce or a long relationship, it can be a gentle way back into dating before you decide what you want next. Plenty of Fish and Facebook Dating have members of all ages and let you message for free, and Tinder’s Relationship Goals work at any age. Over 50, the pool on swipe apps gets smaller, so see our rankings of dating sites for over 50s and dating after divorce for sites with more people your age.
Every app in this ranking lets you match and chat for free. Tinder, Badoo and Plenty of Fish don’t charge to message, happn lets you chat once you’ve both liked each other, and Facebook Dating has no paid plans at all. Paid upgrades mainly add more likes, a view of who liked you and profile boosts. If you only want to try one, start with Tinder in a city and Plenty of Fish in a smaller town. Gay, lesbian and queer daters will find casual dating works the same way on LGBTQ+ apps; see our LGBTQ+ dating sites ranking. For more options, see our ranking of free dating sites.
Yes, and it’s common enough that Tinder offers “Short-term, open to long” and Hinge has similar options. In the same Pew survey, 19% of recent online daters said both casual dating and finding a long-term partner were major reasons they used dating apps. If your feelings change, talk about it honestly rather than hoping the other person feels the same, and end things kindly if you want different things. If you realize you want more than casual, our ranking of dating sites for serious relationships is a better place to start.
Casual dating works best when you say it plainly. Pick the short-term option in Tinder’s Relationship Goals or Hinge’s Dating Intentions, and add a line to your bio such as “seeing where things go” or “not looking for anything serious right now.” The people who match with you will then want the same thing.
Keep first meetings short and public: a coffee, a walk or one drink. Tell a friend where you’re going and run through our catfish checklist before meeting anyone new.
We ranked sites on match quality, features, value, safety and ease of use, and weighed how well each fits this audience. See how we rate dating sites.
Casual dating means going on dates and enjoying someone’s company without an expectation of commitment. Neither of you is planning a future together yet, and you may see other people. It works best when both people say clearly that it’s casual and check in from time to time.
Tinder is the best casual dating app for most people: it has the biggest pool, free matching and messaging, and a Relationship Goals setting where you can choose short-term dating. Badoo and happn are good free alternatives, especially in cities, and Facebook Dating has no paid plans at all.
Both are uncommitted, but casual dating is something you both agree to out loud. A situationship drifts along without anyone saying what it is, which is where hurt feelings usually come from. If you’re not sure which you’re in, ask.
Yes. Tinder, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, Hily and happn all let you match and chat for free, and Facebook Dating has no subscriptions at all. Paid plans mainly add extras such as unlimited likes, seeing who liked you or boosting your profile, which you don’t need to start.
Use the app’s intention setting: “Short-term fun” in Tinder’s Relationship Goals or a short-term option in Hinge’s Dating Intentions. On other apps, write it in your bio, for example “not looking for anything serious right now.” Saying it upfront saves time and hurt feelings for both people.
Yes, and it happens often enough that Tinder offers a “Short-term, open to long” option. If your feelings change, talk about it honestly rather than hoping the other person feels the same. If you want different things, it’s kinder to end it early.