Are you questing for an alternative to Craigslist man for man personal ads? We can’t blame you. Sure, the world of online dating is vast these days. From dating sites to apps to people finding ways to hookup via TikTok, you have your pick. But even with all those possibilities, it’s tough to beat the simplicity of the ol’ Craigslist personals section.
Where else could you put it all out there? On the site, you could ask for whatever relationship (or situationship) you wanted and wait for the fish to bite. All you had to do was type in “man for man” on Craigslist, and you were golden.
If you’re looking for an alternative for this mecca of Man for Man dating, today’s your lucky day. Here we’ve rounded up the three best sites to use instead of Craigslist. Plus, we’ll get into whatever happened to CL’s Personals section and how ads stack up against dating apps. But first, let’s start with the basics.
What Does Craigslist Man for Man Mean?
Craigslist Man for Man refers to a man seeking another man under CL’s Personals section. For the uninitiated, Craigslist is a classified advertisement website. You may know it as the place to look for a roommate or to buy second-hand goods. But here’s a little gay history: it used to be THE place on the internet for queer dating. All you had to do was go to the Personals tab, and either write an ad or respond to one.
A personal ad usually includes information about what you’re seeking in a partner and a brief description of yourself. If you were a man looking for a man on Craigslist, you used “Man for Man” or “M4M”. Similarly, if you were a woman seeking a woman, you’d look up “Woman for Woman” or “W4W”.
So why was this site so popular for gay dating? For one, there weren’t a lot of gay dating websites in the early 2000s. Cishet couples dominated that corner of the internet. Which is a stark contrast to today’s landscape where just about every dating app and site is LGBTQ+ friendly.
Another factor that made Craigslist so LGBTQ+ friendly was the anonymity. You didn’t have to put your name or picture out there. This was perfect for anyone who didn’t want to (or couldn’t) put their sexuality out there but still wanted pleasure.
Here’s What Happened to Craigslist Man for Man Personals
Nothing lasts forever. Sadly, that goes for Craigslist man for man personals as well. In 2018, CL shuttered the personals section for good after Congress passed a bill on trafficking. While the FOSTA Bill didn’t directly call out Craigslist, it made websites liable if someone misused online personals for trafficking.
The CL team feared that criminals would easily manipulate the personals because of how the page functioned. If this happened and the courts prosecuted the criminals, they could prosecute Craigslist as well. Inevitably, this would cause the rest of the site to be shut down. Instead of running that legal risk, they took down the Personals tab forever. And so went the Man for Man crowd from Craigslist.
Well, not exactly. Technically, people still use CL for dating, hookups, and other encounters. They’ve just moved it to other parts of the site, like the missed connections tab. But it’s harder to find and not as clean-cut as when all these daters could congregate in the same space.
Since the section closed, other sites and services have emerged to take Craigslist’s place in the lexicon of gay dating. Next, we’ll get into the difference between personal ads and dating apps, and why personal ad sites are worth using.
Personal Ads vs Dating Apps: Which One to Use
We know what a lot of you are probably thinking. Why would I want to do a Craigslist man for man personal ad when there are hundreds of dating apps? Fair enough. In a post-Grindr world, a personal ad site may seem pretty old school. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time. Here are the benefits of using personal ads like Craigslist:
- Anonymity. This is the greatest advantage of using a site like Craigslist over a dating app. In a dating app, you almost always have to give away some of your identity. Dating apps require a photo, name, and at least some information about yourself and your location. Depending on the app, you might even have to reveal more about yourself, like on Hinge or OkCupid. These services feature a long list of questions to help your potential matches get to know you better. For a no strings attached approach or if you don’t want all your information out there, go with personal ads.
- Man looking for man Craigslist-style ads are more hookup-focused and more sexual. Sure, some people used CL’s personals section to find a love connection. But in general, this was a quick way to find casual encounters. Whereas with dating apps, people are more so looking for a date or relationship. It’s tougher to find hookup apps catering to one-night stands, sex phone calls, sex parties, or other risqué scenarios.
Does this sound like what you’re looking for? Then personal ad sites are for you.
3 Personal Ad Sites to Use Instead of Craigslist Man for Man
Now for the juicy part: the three sites to use as alternatives to Craigslist man for man. We selected these three sites based on their popularity, safety, and positive reviews. All three sites use the personal ad format and have a broad gay male user base. Some of these forums also have sections for things outside of helping you find gay hookups. Like friendships or sugar daddy setups. The sites we recommend are:
- AdultFriendFinder
- MenNation
- DoubleList
Before we dig into the dirty details of each option, a quick disclaimer. We mentioned safety as one of our criteria. This means that all three sites are legit. However, anytime you’re looking into online dating or sex, you should use caution. Most of these sites have moderators keeping out scammers and bad actors, but every now and again, some slip through.
Besides that, you should also be aware of your health and safety when engaging in sexual risk behavior. Some users have a self-reported DDF status (drug and disease free) on their profiles, but not all. As always, educate yourself, get tested, and think smart. Alright, we’re done being your mom. On to the bone zone.
1. Craigslist Man for Man Replacement: AdultFriendFinder
Okay, before you roll your eyes, let us explain. Yes, AdultFriendFinder has a downright ugly interface that looks spammy as hell. We know it’s got lots of bots and straight dudes. And yes, you have to pay for most the good stuff.
But at the end of the day, this site is one of the most popular Personals-style sex communities out there. If you’re looking for a Craigslist man for man alternative strictly for cumming, AFF isn’t a bad place to start.
For starters, it’s very upfront about circling around sex. One Mashable article described AdultFriendFinder as “a PornHub you intereact with,” and that about sums it up. From the moment you sign up, NSFW pics and messages pour in. The people on this site are DTF 24/7. But it’s not just about meeting for a hookup. You can also use the site for chatting, cams, kink forums, live streaming, and more.
Another plus of the site is the easy signup. All you have to do is give an email, password, and come up with a username (hello, anonymity). From there, you can fill out your account with your preferences and answers to compatibility quizzes. AFF uses email verification to help weed out fakes, as well as optional photo verification. This place is your paradise if you’re horny and just trying to cut to the chase.
2. MenNation
If you’re looking for a strictly gay Craigslist alternative, MenNation is worth a click. This site boasts over 100 million GBTQ male users from all over the world. Most are hungry for hookups or casual situations, which is perfect for a Craigslist man for man alternative.
Similar to AdultFriendFinder, the site values anonymity. So to make an account, you just need to enter an email, password, and public username. From there, you can get as specific as you want in your profile regarding what you’re into/looking for. Another commonality with AFF is that while it’s free to sign up, certain features require a paid membership.
However, unlike AdultFriendFinder, its user safety is much more hands-on. They have mods available 24/7 to keep the site running like a well-lubed machine. MenNation is also more queer and trans-friendly than AFF. Additionally, if you don’t want to see NSFW material or get sent nudes, there’s a setting for that. For any gay man looking for a more low-key hookup site, MenNation should hit the spot.
3. The Best Craigslist Man for Man Alternative: DoubleList
DoubleList is the closest replacement for Craigslist Man for Man section. Unlike the other two recommendations, this site looks and feels like CL’s simplistic format. You don’t have to put up with setting up an extensive profile or navigating endless ads. Here, there’s no annoying algorithm trying to tell you what to click on or who to message.
Instead, you get to freely peruse the personals to find what feels right. Looking to join a throuple? Check DL. Need a quick hookup? DoubleList. Want to swap your cam footage with another user? It’s all here.
Another benefit of DoubleList matching the Craigslist format is the focus on location. Say you don’t just want to keep things online but move your interactions IRL. With other sites, you waste time chatting up users millions of miles away with no chance of meeting. On DoubleList however, you navigate to your specific city’s personals section. The site has sections for most major U.S. cities. This makes it an ideal place to find hookups near you.
While DoubleList isn’t exclusively gay, it’s extremely LGBTQ+ friendly. No matter your gender or sexuality and no matter your kinks or preferences, you are welcome. Last but certainly not least, your privacy and safety are our top priority. Your name and any other sensitive information isn’t attached to your interactions. All you have to provide is your location and a nickname and you’re free to explore. Sign up for a free account now!
