Ashley Madison Review - Discreet Affairs
- Updated on: April 14th, 2024
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Large member base
- LGBTQ+ friendly
Cons
- Many faceless profiles
- Few features are available for free
- Pricey
What is Ashley Madison?
Launched in 2002, Ashley Madison is a meeting platform for married individuals seeking discreet affairs.
The site has been immensely popular since its launch and currently hosts over 60 million members. Although many Ashley Madison reviews will have you believe that site members are strictly based in the USA, members of the Ashley Madison dating app can be found around the globe.
Ashley Madison Sign-up
Signing up to the Ashley Madison dating site is as quick and easy as one would expect from a hookup site.
In the first step of the sign-up process, new users will be asked to share their name, birthdate, location, ethnicity, relationship status, and valid email address. In the second step of the process, users are asked to provide a greeting title for their profile page, their height, weight, and body type. For the final step, soon-to-be new members of Ash Madison dating must provide a photo of themselves for their profiles. However, unlike many other dating sites, your face will be hidden or under disguise for other members unless you wish to unveil yourself to individual members.
Once sign-up is complete, members are able to add additional photos as well as a bit more content to their profiles, like their interests and desires.
Ashley Madison Website Usability
The site is very sleek and straightforward. The navigation bar is housed on the top right corner of the homepage, with tabs directing members to their messages, profile, or Discover page, where users can discover other site members in their area. The last tab on the navigation bar is for buying credits, where you will also find a list of the Ashley Madison pricing.
Ashley Madison Profile Quality
The profiles on this site are basic and hold similar information to what members share at sign-up: ethnicity, body type, height, likes, and desires. At the top of the page, you'll find a member's name, age, and location with a message button just below this information. Many profiles will also have an introduction of themselves, though most are rather short and to the point.
At the top right of every profile page are three buttons: a heart, a winky face, and a key. If a particular profile piques your interest, you can press on the heart to add that person to your favorites list. The winky face is an icebreaker that alerts the person that you like what you see.
As mentioned earlier in this AshleyMadison.com review, the faces on each member's profile picture are blurred, but if you like what you see on their profile, you can press the key button as a request for them to unveil themselves.
Ashley Madison Features
Like many other AshleyMadison reviews will tell you, the features on this site are strictly to facilitate conversations. The goal of this dating site is to find IRL hookups, and the features are designed to help you get there.
There is a Priority Mail feature where members can ensure that their message sits at the top of another member's inbox after being sent. Likewise, the Priority Man feature places your profile within the top 3 search results for those in your area, making your profile 10x more likely to be clicked on.
With the Private Showcase feature, you can send other members a key to access your private photo gallery and/or unveil your profile photo. If you find yourself traveling about, you can use the Traveling Man or Woman feature, which provides a symbol that alerts others that you are temporarily in town and looking for a good time. If you want to get to know someone over messages rather than in person, you can have a go at the Fantasy Date feature. With this feature, you can request another member to go on a virtual date with you, where you can choose the theme, location, etc.
As mentioned in other reviews of Ashley Madison, you can send virtual gifts as a token of appreciation or simply to let someone know that they are on your mind. The search feature is equipped with plenty of filters, like age, appearance, type of encounter, etc., to help you find profiles you like.
A bit unique to this site is its Panic Button, conveniently placed on every page that quickly redirects you to a different site to help you keep your site experience a secret.
And lastly, there is an app. Many Ashley Madison app review note how the member prefers the app to the desktop version due to its speed and discretion.
Ashley Madison Pricing
When putting in the research for this Ashley Madison review, we were surprised to find out that this platform does not follow a traditional monthly subscription format like other dating sites. Instead, the site uses a credit system.
There are three credit bundles to choose from:
- 100 credits for $69
- 500 credits for $179
- 1000 credits for $299
In addition to the features mentioned earlier in this Ashley Madison website review, there is a feature available called “Member Initiated Contact” that site members can subscribe to rather than use credits on. With this feature, you are able to respond to any messages you may receive from others for a set price of $29.99 per month.
Many comments attached to an Ashley Madison rating on various review platforms are full of complaints about the high pricing. If a member wishes to take on the “Member Initiated Contact” feature, they will be spending a minimum of $98.99 per month. However, due to the amount of coins needed to send and receive messages on this platform, it's possible that members would spend much more on the site without the monthly subscription.
In the most surprising bit of information we found while researching for this Ashley Madison review, members can pay for their credits and/or subscription through money order. Of course, payments via Paypal or major credit cards are also available.
The site also offers members the possibility to exchange unused gift cards worth a minimum of $50 for coins. This exchange program is limited to major brand gift cards, such as Walmart, Best Buy, Starbucks, Home Depot, etc. This exchange program acts as a clever way for site users to very discreetly pay for coins and eliminate the possibility of anything remotely suspicious from showing in their transaction history.
Is Ashley Madison Safe?
One thing we will not be able to avoid in this Ashley Madison site review is sharing the fact that the site was a victim of an infamous data breach in 2015. But has Ashley Madison legit made changes to its site’s safety and security since this incident?
It certainly seems so! Since the data breach, Ashley Madison’s parent company, Ruby Corp., has put a major focus on fortifying data security and can now confidently share that a similar incident will not happen again.
Is Ashley Madison Legit?
We understand that there are many fake profiles on this site, but there are also legitimate profiles of people truly looking to spice things up in their life from time to time. The price is rather high compared to other sites, but in Ashley Madison, you’ll find high-quality profiles and a site that promises absolute discretion. The website's popularity continues to grow, ensuring that site members will encounter new faces in their area every time they log on.
If you have the money to spare, Ashley Madison is still one of the top sites for those looking for discreet affairs.
F.A.Q
Who is Ashley Madison for?
Ashley Madison is a site for discreet affairs amongst married or committed individuals.
How much does it cost to join Ashley Madison?
Ashley Madison is free to join. However, many of the site’s features, including sending or receiving messages, require site coins to unlock.
What modes of payment are accepted?
Ashley Madison takes payments via credit card, PayPal, and money order. The site also has a program that allows you to exchange unused gift cards for site currency.
What country are Ashley Madison members located in?
A Majority of Ashley Madison members are located in the United States, although there are site members located worldwide.
Is Ashley Madison LGBTQ+ friendly?
Yes, Ashley Madison is LGBTQ+ friendly.
