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Sex, Dating & Relationships

Table of Contents

young couple using on their phones in bed back to back
Companion AI use is a dating dealbreaker, Match survey says
illustration of a woman in her underwear scrolling through a life-size phone.
The best sexting apps for more discreet chats in 2026
onlyfans logo on phone
OnlyFans 'managers' take advantage of creators, BBC finds
two people at pride parade, one is wrapped in the bi pride flag, another in the trans pride flag
I'm tired of bi women being the internet's Pride punching bag
Illustration of several smartphones showing dating app profiles that are incomplete.
Putting no effort into your dating app profile is unattractive
goose logo
New, 'anti-algorithm' gay dating app Goose is coming
Mashable 101

Meet Our Experts

Rachel Thompson, sits wearing a dress with yellow florals and black background.
Rachel Thompson
Features Editor

Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.

A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.

Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.

anna iovine, a white woman with curly chin-length brown hair, smiles at the camera
Anna Iovine
Associate Editor, Features
 

Anna Iovine is the associate editor of features at Mashable. Previously, as the sex and relationships reporter, she covered topics ranging from dating apps to pelvic pain. Before Mashable, Anna was a social editor at VICE and freelanced for publications such as Slate and the Columbia Journalism Review. Follow her on Bluesky.

Sex, Dating & Relationships

illustration of hookup app icons on a phone screen
The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt
How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia
The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt
Gay dating app Archer is shutting down, but when?
The best dating apps for serious relationships
illustration of two women meeting at a bar App fatigue is real. I tested the best dating apps of 2026 to find the ones that really work.
illustration of two men on a date The best gay dating apps of 2026: Grindr is still king (even if we sometimes wish it wasn't)
two people sitting in a coffee shop The best dating apps for introverts who prefer books to bars
two gamers clinking glasses From Comic-Con to committed — the best dating apps for every kind of nerd
illustration of woman giving flowers to another woman Pride is here! Check out the best dating apps for LGBTQ women.

Best Products

a woman looking at her phone with heart eyes I tested the best dating apps for women: Find a real connection
couples watching a movie The 10 best free dating apps to find your spring fling
illustration of man looking at dating app screens The best 9 dating apps for men who are tired of being alone
illustration of middle-aged singles on a date playing mini golf 8 best dating apps and sites for singles in their 40s and up
blurry pixelated close-up of browser bar that reads 'sex' Forget Pornhub: These are the top NSFW dating sites for real encounters
pixelated sex toy next to a gift box with a bow I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.
illustration of man looking at dating app screens The 9 best dating apps for men who are tired of being alone
illustration of middle-aged singles on a date playing mini golf Single after 40? These are the dating apps you need to be on in 2026.
illustrated older couple walking on the beach Your next chapter starts here: The best senior dating sites for finding love
illustration of two people sitting on a bong Forget Tinder, these 420-dating apps are way more chill

Deals

eHarmony logo Is eharmony free? What you can do without a credit card.
Tinder logo 4 tips for using hookup apps discretely — advice for Feeld, Tinder, AdultFriendFinder, and Grindr
Dating icons on phone Free hookup app accounts: Comparing AdultFriendFinder, Tinder, Grindr, and more
Couple woith feet coming out of bed Is AdultFriendFinder legit? Only if you can follow these 4 rules.
Sexting key on keyboard Sexting in 3D: A beginner’s guide to AdultFriendFinder’s Live Action streaming features
AFF on phone 3 AdultFriendFinder security improvements made after the 2016 data breach
AFF on phone 3 common hookup app profile mistakes: Keep this off your AdultFriendFinder profile
Young woman receiving notifications and commenting on social media posts with smart phone. People networking with technology. Social media addiction concept. Adult Friend Finder app: Where to download the AFF app and how secure is it?
Hands shaking surrounding by dice AdultFriendFinder success rate: Real AFF info from someone who’s tried it
a woman looking at her phone with heart eyes 5 AdultFriendFinder scams to avoid

News

a pixelated woman with her finger to her lips How sex workers are protecting their digital futures — and yours
madonna in a pink outfit and sunglasses, sprawled out on stage Madonna streamed a surprise concert on Grindr
bumble logo on phone Bumble set to launch paid IRL date feature
two black woman looking at each other, surrounded by plants The big question LGBTQ daters are asking, according to Hinge
couple canoodling in bed The surprising link between the economy and the bedroom, according to research
disgruntled woman with dating apps on phone in the background Dating app rejects AI trend as singles say it makes dating 'less authentic'
screenshots of signals purple heart feature on hinge Hinge officially launches a badge that signals good dating behavior
Banana and grapefruit in hands isolated on a green background as a symbol of male and female masturbation. You can now get paid $2K a month to be an AI 'masturbation consultant'
woman holding phone with save the date on screen 7 best wedding planning apps for 2026 couples
pornhub sapphic logo Pornhub launches Pornhub Sapphic, a site dedicated to lesbian content

Explainers

illustration of hookup app icons on a phone screen The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt
illustration of two women meeting at a bar App fatigue is real. I tested the best dating apps of 2026 to find the ones that really work.
illustration of two men on a date The best gay dating apps of 2026: Grindr is still king (even if we sometimes wish it wasn't)
two people sitting in a coffee shop The best dating apps for introverts who prefer books to bars
two gamers clinking glasses From Comic-Con to committed — the best dating apps for every kind of nerd
illustration of woman giving flowers to another woman Pride is here! Check out the best dating apps for LGBTQ women.
a scammer handing a rose through a phone What are romance scams and how can you avoid them?
Phone screen with the word Grindr on it The great Grindr glossary: all terms and acronyms explained
Illustration showing a very tall, oversized man peering down on a much smaller man. The larger man holds a fishing rod, while the smaller man holds cash and an iphone in his hands. I had a Grindr sugar daddy for a day. Then he tried to get a refund.
three x keys in a row, woman's finger clicking middle key What is DirtyRoulette? Exactly what it sounds like.

More Sex, Dating & Relationships

I'm a therapist, here are 5 phone habits to avoid in your relationship
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How AdultFriendFinder subscriptions appear on your bank statement
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Is AdultFriendFinder safe to use? What a cybersecurity expert says.
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3 hookup sites that have never been part of a data breach
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Blanked out words
Dating advice you can actually use in 2026
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statues looking at each other and their smartphones
Dating apps feel broken. But these couples found love anyway.
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greek statues looking at phone with light shining out of it
Utah's ban on VPNs for porn is on hold, but not for long
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two people pixelated on laptop screen with age-restriction warning on top of them
AdultFriendFinder vs. Tinder: How they compare as hookup apps
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Confide is shutting down — could AdultFriendFinder be the best sexting alternative?
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Fingers typing on phone
Inflation has hit spicy content hard
By Anna Iovine
a half-shut laptop with 18+ written on it
Romance scam red flags to look out for
By Anna Iovine
worried woman looking at smartphone
What are those heartbeats on Hinge?
By Anna Iovine
hinge logo on smartphone screen
Grindr users love this city for queer travelers in 2026
By Anna Iovine
Grindr app on the smartphone in a man's hand
Daters are upset with Bumble's latest move
By Anna Iovine
Bumble logo on a smartphone in front of a black and yellow striped background.
It's Masturbation May — here are the best deals I've found so far
By Tabitha Britt
Young woman lying on bed with open mouth
You're wrong about OnlyFans star Lily Phillips
By Anna Iovine
lily phillips surrounded by filming equipment
AdultFriendFinder vs. Snapchat: Which is better for sexting?
By Jack Dawes
Fingers typing on phone
Bumble is officially killing the swipe
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bumble logo on smartphone
How to unblock Pornhub for free in France
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