Guides

Straight answers about casual dating: how it works, how to stay safe, and what it costs. Written by Lottie Williams and checked against the site as it is today.

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What casual dating is, where to find it and how to do it well.

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No strings attached dating: how to do it well

What no strings attached dating really means, how to find it without the games, how to stay safe, and what it costs on No Strings Dating.

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UK sex dating: a straightforward guide for adults

How sex dating works in the UK, how to choose a site you can trust, how to stay safe, and what it costs. For adults 21 and over.

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NSA dating sites: how to pick one that is worth your time

What to look for in an NSA dating site: real members, honest billing, safety features and fair prices. Plus how No Strings Dating measures up.

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Casual dating in the UK: what to expect and how to enjoy it

A guide to casual dating in the UK: setting expectations, first meets, etiquette, safety and costs on No Strings Dating.

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Casual sex dating: honest, safe and on your terms

How casual sex dating works, how to talk about what you want, consent and safety, and what it costs on No Strings Dating. Adults 21+ only.

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Hook-up apps: what works, what is fake, and what to pay for

Hook-up apps vs hook-up sites: which actually work, how to spot fake profiles and bots, whether to pay, and how to protect your privacy.

A silver-haired man and a woman with a grey-streaked bob sitting close at a busy bar

Casual dating over 40 and 50: a frank, friendly guide

Casual dating over 40 and 50: confidence, dating after divorce, changing bodies, sexual health, being clear about what you want, and simple tech tips.

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Casual dating for women: get what you want, skip the rest

A frank guide to casual dating for women: saying what you want, filtering out time wasters, staying safe and enjoying it. Women who verify go free.

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Gay, bi and queer casual dating: a straightforward guide

Casual dating for gay, bi, bi-curious, pansexual, queer and non-binary people: saying what you want, first times, discretion, safety and sexual health.

Two cocktails and a phone on a candlelit bar counter, a woman's hand resting beside it

What does NSA mean in dating? A plain answer

NSA means no strings attached: casual sex or dating with no expectation of a relationship. What it covers, what it does not, and how to say you want it.

A woman choosing between three phones on a pub table, a pint and a glass of red wine beside them

Best hookup sites in the UK: an honest comparison

The UK's main hookup sites and apps compared fairly: who each suits, what it costs, how it checks ages, and where No Strings Dating fits.

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AdultFriendFinder alternatives in the UK

Looking for an AdultFriendFinder alternative? What AFF offers, why people look elsewhere, and the UK sites that suit casual dating, swinging and kink.

Profiles, messages and meeting

From a profile that gets replies to the morning after.

Casual dating profile: how to write one that gets replies

How to write a casual dating profile that gets replies: photos that work, keeping your privacy, a bio that says something, and lines to steal or avoid.

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Opening messages that get replies: a casual dating guide

Opening messages that actually get replies on casual dating sites: examples, what to avoid, moving from chat to a meet, and what to do when nobody answers.

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Your first hook-up: from first message to first meet

Planning your first hook-up: agreeing the basics, where to meet first, consent and checking in, protection, Safety check-in and the morning after.

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One night stands: etiquette, safety and the morning after

One night stands done well: setting expectations, safety and consent, condoms and emergency contraception, the morning after and leaving on good terms.

Arrangements and adventures

Friends with benefits, threesomes, swinging and keeping it private.

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Friends with benefits: how to find one and keep it fun

What a friends with benefits arrangement really is, how to set ground rules, keep it light, and end it well when the time comes.

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How to find a third: a guide for couples and singles

How couples find a third and how singles join a couple: respect, agreements, consent, the first meet and aftercare, done properly.

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Swinging and open relationships: a beginner's guide

Swinging, open relationships and ethical non-monogamy explained: the terms, agreements, jealousy, clubs or online, sexual health and etiquette.

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Discreet dating: keeping your private life private

Discreet dating for single people who value privacy: protecting your photos, what shows on your statement, safe chatting and respecting others.

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Friends with benefits rules that keep it fun

The friends with benefits rules people actually use: exclusivity, protection, texting, sleepovers, checking in and how to end it kindly.

Health, safety and privacy

Testing, protection, sexting, scams and the law, in plain English.

Condoms in a wash bag, a test kit box, a glass of water and a phone on a bedside table

Sexual health and casual dating: testing, condoms and PrEP

Sexual health for casual daters: condoms, how often to test, free testing in your country, PrEP and PEP basics, and how to bring it up with a date.

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How to sext safely: consent, privacy and the law

How to sext and share photos safely: consent first, keeping your face out, photo metadata, the law on cyberflashing, and what to do about threats.

Hands holding a magnifying glass over a phone at a lamplit desk, a cup of tea beside it

Is No Strings Dating legit? How to check any adult site

A practical checklist for any adult dating site: age checks, verification, moderation, honest billing and fake profiles. Then how we measure up.

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Romance scams and sextortion: spot them, stop them

How to spot a romance scam or sextortion on a dating site, what to do if it happens to you, and where to report it in the UK and the US. Never pay.

Your membership

Cancelling, refunds and what you pay for, straight from how the site works. Prices are on our prices page.

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How to cancel your No Strings Dating membership

Cancel your No Strings Dating plan in two taps from the Membership page. What happens next, when refunds apply, PayPal, and the 24-hour pass.

Kink and fantasy

No Strings Dating is kink friendly. Start with the kink and BDSM dating page, or read on.

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A beginner's guide to BDSM: where to start

New to BDSM? What the letters mean, how to talk about it, how to start safely, and how to find a partner who wants to explore it too.

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What is femdom? A plain-English guide

What femdom (female dominance) means, the different forms it takes, how to explore it safely, and how to meet a dominant woman for dating.

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How to find a dominant partner, safely

How to find a dom or a dominant woman near you for dating: where to look, how to tell real from fake, the red flags, and how to meet safely.

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Safe words and negotiation: how to agree before you play

How to choose a safe word, use the traffic-light system, negotiate limits and look after each other afterwards. The basics every kinky date should know.

Writing a BDSM dating profile that works

How to write a kink or BDSM dating profile: what to say, what to leave for chat, photos that work, and the mistakes that make people scroll past.

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How to tell a date you're into kink

How and when to tell a date about your kink or fetish: the right moment, the words to use, and how to handle a yes, a maybe or a no.

A boutique hotel suite with a four-poster bed and an overnight bag

BDSM-friendly hotels: how to choose and book one

What to look for in a BDSM-friendly or themed hotel, how to book discreetly, what to ask and how to be a good guest on a kinky night away.

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Dogging: the law, the risks and safer ways to explore

What dogging means, why it can be a crime in the UK and elsewhere, the real risks, and legal, safer ways to explore an exhibitionist or voyeur fantasy.