Short answer: Ashley Madison is built for people who want discretion and pays by credits, while Adult FriendFinder is a much larger, more open hookup site with explicit profiles, live cams and chat rooms. Both have a serious data-breach history, so assume nothing you type is guaranteed private. This guide compares them on size, cost, features and the public record of what went wrong.
Ashley Madison vs Adult FriendFinder at a glance
| Ashley Madison | Adult FriendFinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Married or attached adults seeking affairs, discreet | Open hookups, couples, explicit profiles |
| Pricing model | Credits; packages from $59 for 100 credits (see our cost guide) | Free to browse; paid membership to message |
| Women | Free to use, per our cost guide | Free tier with limits |
| Extras | Privacy tools, discreet billing | Live cams, chat rooms, couple profiles |
| Breach record | July 2015; FTC settlement Dec 2016 | October 2016; 412 million records |
Sources: FTC press release, Dec 14, 2016; BleepingComputer, Nov 14, 2016; our Ashley Madison review and cost guide. Check each site for current prices.
The public record on security
The FTC said in December 2016 that Ashley Madison's operators had agreed to settle FTC and state charges that they deceived consumers and failed to protect 36 million users' account and profile information after a July 2015 breach. The agency's complaint alleged the site had no written information security policy and that intruders had accessed its networks several times between November 2014 and June 2015 without being detected. The operators agreed to a data-security program with third-party assessments and paid a total of $1.6 million. The complaint also alleged that, until August 2014, the site used fake profiles of women to convert customers into paid members.
For Adult FriendFinder, BleepingComputer reported on November 14, 2016 that data for 412,214,295 users of FriendFinder Networks properties was stolen, including 339,774,493 affected Adultfriendfinder.com accounts. The latest login date in the stolen files was October 17, 2016. The company behind both the site and its sister properties therefore has its own breach on record.
Which one to choose
- Ashley Madison if discretion matters most and you are comfortable with credit-based pricing.
- Adult FriendFinder if you want a bigger pool, live features and open profiles.
- Neither if you cannot accept the breach history. See sites like Ashley Madison for other options.
FAQ
Is Ashley Madison or Adult FriendFinder safer?
Neither has a clean record. Ashley Madison settled FTC and state charges over a 2015 breach of 36 million users, and FriendFinder Networks lost 412 million records in 2016. Use a throwaway email and avoid sharing identifying details.
Which is cheaper?
Ashley Madison starts at $59 for a 100-credit package. Adult FriendFinder is free to browse but needs a paid membership to message. Prices change, so confirm on each site.
Which has more members?
Adult FriendFinder is the larger site, but both figures come from the companies' own claims and we could not verify active member counts.
Sources: FTC, Dec 14, 2016; BleepingComputer, Nov 14, 2016.