Top 10 Cougar Dating Sites & Apps in 2024 – Find Perfect Cub & Cougar Online
Casual dating after 45 or 55 should be as easy and comfortable for women as it is for men, and cougar dating platforms are perfect for finding suitable younger partners to satisfy all related needs.
We’ve crafted this cougar dating site’s review to help you get acquainted with the most reliable and popular options, whether you’re a cougar or a cub.
- CougarPourMoi – best cougar dating site for Europeans
- Cougar Life – best for switching to real dates fast
- Secret Benefits – best for getting as many dates as possible
- Ashley Madison – best for discerning older women and younger men
- Adult Friend Finder – best to combine cougar dating, hookups & cyber affairs
- Older Women Dating – best for meeting mature singles with minds that breathe freedom
- Seeking.com – best for goal-oriented cougars and cubs
- LuvCougar – best for finding local hookups fast
- Cougared – best for finding cubs and cougars for free
- Date A Cougar – best for meeting local singles
№1 CougarPourMoi
Advantages | Great dating pool, high activity rate, unlimited messaging for premium members |
Types of dating | Casual relationships, cougar dating, serious relationships, sugar momma relationships |
Registration | Free |
CougarPourMoi is a European dating platform that is getting more and more popular in Canada and the US. The name of the site is translated as Cougar For Me, and that pretty much explains the concept. It’s a place where younger men and mature women can meet and communicate, find someone attractive and start any type of relationship they were looking for.
There are all the good old communication features available on CougarPourMoi—members can use search filters to find the right matches, start dialogues (the first 5 are free for non-paying users), share photos, videos, and more.
What it’s like for a cougar:
There are fewer females than males on the site, so the competition for women is supposed to be less fierce. Nonetheless, all the cougars on the site should also consider that this is a place where women aren’t afraid to make the first move, so just waiting for lots of first messages from men is probably not the best strategy.
CougarPourMoi isn’t one of the platforms where messaging is entirely free for ladies, so if a lady wants to find a partner here, she still should upgrade her plan, but we’d recommend choosing a shorter period—there’s a good chance that she’ll succeed pretty soon.
What it’s like for a cub:
The truth about all cougar sites is that the gender ratio is never equal, and CougarPourMoi isn’t an exception. The site still has a better balance—now it has 40% of female users and 60% of male members, respectively.
The good news is also that women here are pretty active, and most have detailed profiles. So, for a cub, adding photos is optional but nearly a must for those who want to stand out on the site. With a profile video, you automatically become a very popular male member.
Once you get your first 5 conversations, you can consider an upgrade, and the costs aren’t that high. In particular, you can buy a one-week plan for just $2.73.
№2 Cougar Life
Advantages | Advanced search filters, priority mail, likes, and winks |
Types of dating | Cougar dating, casual relationships, hookups |
Registration | Free |
Cougar Life is among the best cougar dating sites catering to mature women seeking younger partners to pamper and spoil. The platform enjoys a steady stream of around 250K monthly visits and a lively community of like-minded people who know what they’re looking for and how to get it.
Unlike typical dating platforms, Cougar Life helps younger men and their counterparts transfer the relationship into real life. Basic and priority messages are nothing but means to establish a connection, negotiate the terms, and set dates. From there, users can move to alternative communication means, like social media or video calls.
What it’s like for a cougar:
There are twice as many men as women on this dating site, so older women can have their pick of a handsome man to pamper. Besides, most cubs are from 25 to 34 years old, making them ideal partners for both nights out and staying in. And while member profiles aren’t too detailed, there’s enough personal data to use advanced search filters to find a perfect match quickly.
Online dating site registration is free for cougars and cubs, but premium users can initiate conversations and get their accounts highlighted within search results.
Plus, the prices are reasonable, and they range from $29.99 for 100 credits to $149.99 for 1,000 credits. The largest package is enough to send 100 priority messages or initiate 200 conversations.
What it’s like for a cub:
Younger men who wish to find cougars appreciate the free signup process and access to most dating site features, including search and profile browsing. Guys can invest in credits to speed up the search and get their accounts noticed sooner, which may be prudent considering the male-to-female user ratio is 65/35.
The CougarLife dating platform provides all the essential features necessary to find a mature woman and secure a date. In addition to that, its sleek, modern design and reasonable rates make this dating app a solid starting point for young men attempting cougar relationships for the first time.
№3 Secret Benefits
Advantages | Free for cougars, secret albums, user verification, matches |
Types of dating | Sugar momma dating, casual dating, hookups |
Registration | Free |
Secret Benefits holds a place of honor among the good cougar dating sites as one of the most popular platforms globally. It’s a one-stop solution for any older woman interested in meeting a younger man for hookups, casual dating, or a sugar arrangement.
While this cougar dating site doesn’t spoil new members with features, online chat with photos and private albums is usually enough to get the conversation going and establish common ground.
From there, users can switch to real-life dates. Advanced search filters help users find their matches, as they can specify the desired appearance features, habits, and location.
What it’s like for a cougar:
With over 13 million monthly visits, the dating website’s audience is predominantly male. There are four male users for every female member, so cougars have an excellent choice of potential partners. Besides, the platform is free for ladies, so even younger women can afford to create a profile and find toyboys for one-night stands or casual dating.
Although Secret Benefits does not run background checks to establish sugar momma’s net worth, there’s a user verification process to minimize fake profiles and keep cougars safe from scammers.
What it’s like for a cub:
The competition among cubs on Secret Benefits is higher than on other dating sites, as there’s only one lady for every four men. Besides, the standard access doesn’t give young men who want to meet cougars much to work with.
They can only edit accounts, browse profiles, and search for potential cougars. Cubs need to invest in a credit package to chat, exchange photos, and browse private albums. The rates range from $59.99 for 100 credits to $289.99 for 1,000 credits.
№4 Ashley Madison
Advantages | Free for cougars, advanced search, private photos, matching |
Types of dating | Sugar momma and sugar daddy relationships |
Registration | Free |
Since its inception two decades ago, Ashley Madison has gone from an adultery platform to a go-to place for casual relationships and a popular cougar hookup site. It attracts older women and young guys seeking no-strings-attached arrangements.
This cougar site provides cubs with a steady income and cougars with a comfortable and straightforward way to get what they want without feeling self-conscious about the age gap.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Ashley Madison is among the few free cougar dating sites that don’t require women to get a premium subscription to initiate contact. Besides, the dating website attracts over 7 million users monthly, around 75% of whom are men.
Considering Ashley Madison is only available in selected countries, even a cougar over 60 can meet a perfect younger man to satisfy her relationship needs. In addition to that, the advanced search filters allow users to specify the desired age range, appearance, and relationship goals.
What it’s like for a cub:
Ashley Madison isn’t one of the exclusive cougar online dating sites catering to older women only. It relies on the same business model most dating apps use, where younger men must purchase credits to initiate contact with potential partners.
On the bright side, only the initial messages take credit; the rest are free. Credit package prices start from $59.99 for 100 credits, but the bulk offer is the most cost-effective, providing 1,000 credits for $289.99.
№5 Adult Friend Finder
Advantages | Lots of videos and streamers (both professional and amateur), private messaging, great profile customization |
Types of dating | Cougar dating, hookups, cyber affairs, sugar momma dating, casual relationships |
Registration | Free |
Adult Friend Finder is a multifunctional platform. It works like a dating site, an adult version of a social media site, and even as a forum. However, the most important thing is it’s also one of the best sites for cougars to find cubs and vice versa.
This is an open-minded and active community, and the site itself has more features than nearly any other dating platform.
There are streams, there is the Feed with lots of hot videos, commenting on photos and posts, likes, and chat rooms for similar-minded people, which improves the experience for every user.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Cougars get a lot of attention on the site—there are only around 20% of female users on the site, and older ladies are even more popular than younger women, so you don’t have to worry about competition.
Also, cougars are free to choose between a premium membership plan and free membership—they won’t be able to contact someone without paying, but a lot of men on the site pay extra fees for Standard Contacts, which let them communicate with non-paying users who are usually females.
What it’s like for a cub:
This cougar dating platform is also an adult dating website, and just like on most adult websites, men outnumber women significantly. That’s why a male user needs to make more effort to stand out from the competitors and attract cougars.
A man should add as many details, photos, and videos as possible (there are a lot of questions and fields to fill in to make your profile work better than most other profiles), and buying Standard Contacts is recommended. That’s how you will be able to contact all non-paying cougars on the site, and there are pretty many of them.
№6 Older Women Dating
Advantages | Profile verification, great search features, detailed profiles, fixed prices for unlocking conversations |
Types of dating | Cougar dating, sugar momma dating, casual relationships |
Registration | Free |
OlderWomenDating is a relatively new platform designed exclusively for mature ladies and younger men. Though everyone can join the site (there are no age restrictions, and only minors aren’t accepted), the vast majority of users here are seeking age-gap relationships, and the types of these relationships vary.
The best thing about this particular website is that the quality of profiles is higher than on most similar platforms—members verify their accounts by uploading multiple photos and videos, creating public and private albums, and describing what they’re looking for in detail.
Considering it’s designed to help people to get to know each other better online and then meet in real life, messaging remains the main communication feature.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Registration is completely free, but all cougars should consider that you can’t join the site without a real photo. Also, even despite the fact that here, there are around 62% of men compared to 38% of women, even female users won’t stand the competition without a detailed profile.
Most men are in their mid or late twenties, seeking women who are 30 years old and older, and the great news is that they’re pretty active, so if you have a detailed profile, you’ll hardly have an empty inbox. Women with profile videos can improve their response rate by 150% and find a partner much faster.
What it’s like for a cub:
For a cub, the rules of the games are a bit stricter just because the competition is higher overall. Though just like cougars, men can join the community with just one photo, it’s still highly recommended to add at least a few more profile pictures and upload a verification video.
It can be watched by anyone on the site for free, and unregistered users won’t be able to see it, so you shouldn’t worry about privacy.
Also, all members of the community need to upgrade their plans to start private conversations, and for a cub, it may be more beneficial to buy a 3-month or 6-month plan for $59.95 or $95.95, respectively, as the monthly cost is lower.
№7 Seeking
Advantages | User verification, video messages, private photos |
Types of dating | Casual relationships, international dating |
Registration | Free |
Seeking is one of the best-known dating apps that connects successful and attractive members, and while men often favor it, discerning older women can find toyboys here too.
The platform is particularly respected for its strict verification process that reduces the number of fake profiles to a minimum. It goes as far as to run a background check to ensure new users are safe for the lively dating community of millions.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Seeking.com is one of the largest sites in the industry. It has around 10+ million monthly visits, and the male-to-female user ratio on the site is 65/35, so there are plenty of cubs to choose from. Registration may require many details, but it’s free and lets cougars try most features.
Unfortunately, successful members only have the option to initiate communication with a paid membership. So if you register as a cougar, you’ll need a subscription. The prices on subscriptions start at $96.90 for a 30-day plan.
What it’s like for a cub:
For an attractive young man, this cougar dating site can be free. However, cubs need public photos and approved profiles to send and receive messages.
The approval process is automatic and can take a couple of days, but after that, standard attractive users are free to search for partners and start conversations.
Premium membership is available for cubs too, and it may be worth the expense to access advanced search filters, such as net worth and lifestyle budget.
№8 Luvcougar.com
Advantages | Flirtcast, detailed search filters, anonymous browsing, LGBTQ+ friendly |
Types of dating | Cougar dating, mature dating |
Registration | Free |
LuvCougar is among the few cougar dating sites that work well for establishing first contact and meeting with potential partners locally, as the geolocation filter is set at a 50-mile radius.
This online dating service may not be the biggest, but it attracts around 300K visitors monthly and has an equal split between men and women looking for casual relationships.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Unlike other cougar sites, LuvCougar offers the same terms for older women and younger men. Registration, profile setup, and advanced search are free while chatting and security features come at a price.
As a cougar, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a younger guy to spoil, but purchasing one of the subscription plans can get your messages noticed faster and boost your profile among search results.
What it’s like for a cub:
LuvCougar may be less popular than other cougar dating websites, but it’s tailored for meeting older women ready to spend their hard-earned money on a younger man they meet online. Cubs can register for free, but a paid membership will produce results faster.
The Flirtcast feature is especially helpful for new members, as it lets you simultaneously deliver flirty messages to multiple women, saving time and increasing your chances of meeting cougars online.
№9 Cougared.com
Advantages | Free for everyone, winks, hot list, messages |
Types of dating | Sugar momma dating, casual relationships |
Registration | Free |
Cougared is a smaller dating app with a tiny but devoted community and an average of around 10K visits monthly. It’s tailored to connect older women with younger guys and is free for everyone, so the slightly outdated design and navigation shouldn’t surprise you.
However, Cougared still offers basic features most cougar sites provide, including search filters, messaging, winks, and a favorite list.
What it’s like for a cougar:
For cougar dating apps, the free membership is a rarity, which makes Cougared an exception, as it’s free for female and male users. Registration takes only a few minutes, and search is available even before signing up, so cougars can check out potential partners before deciding if this platform is worth their time.
However, considering the site requires no fees, the user verification process isn’t too thorough, so fake accounts are possible. So if you choose this dating website, use common sense to avoid trouble.
What it’s like for a cub:
Cougared is simple, free, and easy. Unfortunately, it’s less lively than other platforms, and it can take a while to get a response.
On the other hand, a utilitarian design may encourage cougars to switch to social media and messengers faster and encourage them to set up dates without wasting too much time chatting online. Nevertheless, it’s worth a try if you’re wondering where to find a cougar without investing in a subscription.
№10 Date A Cougar
Advantages | RapidMatch, winks, favorites, messages |
Types of dating | Sugar momma relationships |
Registration | Free |
Date A Cougar is a niche dating platform that matches local older women with younger guys looking for a good time. The website is relatively small, with 10K+ monthly visits and a near-even split between male and female users.
It may seem a bit outdated at first glance, but it’s equipped with all the classic dating site features you expect, such as search filters, winks, messaging, and incognito browsing.
What it’s like for a cougar:
Date A Cougar may not be among the most popular cougar dating apps, but its small community has its benefits.
For example, the website is focused on matching cougars with local single guys instead of providing international dating options. Plus, the messaging features include everything from live chat to voice and video calls, which is more than other well-known sites offer.
What it’s like for a cub:
For a younger guy making his first steps with apps for cougars, this platform can be less overwhelming than bigger sites with millions of users and offers.
After a fast and free signup process, cubs can browse local beauties’ profiles and search for matches through a RapidMatch feature. Communication is only available to premium users, but new members usually get special offers to try premium features for a minimum sum.
How does cougar dating work: pros and cons
Nothing is perfect, and cougar dating arrangements aren’t different. They come with their fair share of pros and cons. But if you’re aware of them beforehand, you can enjoy the upsides and minimize pitfalls.
Advantages and potential disadvantages of real cougar dating sites include:
- Cougars return control over their relationships and set the terms when entering pre-negotiated arrangements with cubs
- All parties achieve their relationship goals without the unwanted complications of jealousy and expectations common in traditional dating
- Male and female singles can choose to date one or several partners without facing judgment
- Sexual encounters tend to be more pleasurable for cougars and cubs, as their desires and experiences complement each other
- Unrealistic expectations can ruin the first date experience for a cougar and cub alike if they fail to negotiate the terms before the meeting
- Undesired emotional attachments are likely for sugar relationships that last longer than a few months
- Expenses can rise rapidly for dating platforms relying on a credit system and pay-per-message fees
- Fake accounts and scammers are common on certain sugar dating sites
Everyone has a host of personal reasons to use a dating app to find a sugar partner. So for you, the list of pros and cons may be completely different.
How to find a cougar or cub fast
If you’re new to the cougar dating scene, finding your perfect match may seem impossible, but some tips will help you.
So follow five simple steps to get this magical moment to come sooner:
- Research where to find cougars and cubs. Start with reputable sites and apps like those on our list, experiment with free trials, and pick the platform that fits your needs best.
- Make your profile irresistible. The first impression is everything, so choose your best pics, include a flirty tagline, and be generous with the personal details you’re willing to share.
- Be creative but patient. Tweak your pickup lines to fit user profiles better, and don’t expect to get instant responses from everyone you contact, especially on the bigger platforms.
- Cast a wide net through search filters. Choose a dozen profiles that fit your dating goals and send messages without waiting for each person to get back to you.
- Talk things through before the first date. Discuss the terms of your arrangement and what exactly you expect from your partner before the meeting to avoid awkwardness and unpleasant surprises that waste the time you could spend enjoying yourself.
It’s not an exhaustive guide by any means, but these five tips should help you find a suitable partner fast.
FAQ
Nearly every cougar dating sites app offers free registration, and some are free for cougars or cubs only. For instance, Ashley Madison is free for women, but men have to purchase credits to initiate contact.
Based on our research and test runs, we believe CougarLife, Seeking, and Secret Benefits to be the top cougar dating sites. All three provide excellent communication features and enable potential partners to establish contact through private messages and photos, negotiate relationship terms, and set up dates.
Legitimate cougar dating sites exist, and our shortlist includes seven great options for younger men and older women seeking mutually beneficial arrangements. All dating apps on our list have a solid reputation among millions of satisfied users. And verification procedures minimize the number of fake profiles to protect singles from scams.