Ashley Madison review
Ashley Madison is a discreet dating service that has moved its marketing from affairs to "ethical discretion" and open relationships. Messaging depends on credits or a subscription, depending on where you live. Its 2015 data breach and fake-profile settlement still shape how people judge it.
4.3/10Anabel054’s ratingRating notes
Ashley Madison used to sell itself with "Life is Short. Have an Affair." Its homepage now says it has replaced that line with "Where Desire Meets Discretion" and talks about polyamory, open relationships and "ethical discretion". The claim of 91 million members since 2002 counts everyone who ever joined, not people active today.
How Ashley Madison charges
A basic profile is free. The terms (updated 6 August 2026) say extra features need a subscription or credits, depending on where you live. In some places, credits are needed to start a conversation or send priority messages, and a zero balance can return you to guest status, hiding old messages. Unused credits are lost after 12 months of inactivity, and message history disappears after 90 days. Prices are only shown on the purchase page, which we did not reach because we did not create an account.
The 2015 breach and the settlement
In July 2015 hackers published data from Ashley Madison, affecting more than 36 million users. In December 2016 the owner settled with the FTC and 13 states plus Washington, D.C. The settlement also covered fake female "engager profiles" that had been used to push men to buy credits. The company agreed to stop creating fake profiles and to strengthen security. The current operator is Ruby Life.
What Ashley Madison users say now
Trustpilot shows 1.1 out of 5 from 646 reviews. The newest ones, from autumn 2026, keep repeating the same complaints: profiles that seem like bots, people who ask to move to another app or for gifts, and charges people did not expect. One reviewer says they were blackmailed. These are personal accounts, but the pattern is consistent. From my side, any dating site where you pay per conversation needs a budget and a rule: never send money or photos to someone you have not met.
For consensual open relationships, SDC Swingers is more upfront. For general casual dating with a free profile compare BeNaughty, or Heated Affairs for another discreet option. See all sex dating and hookup sites.
Anabel054’s take
Ashley Madison has the name recognition and a clear privacy pitch, but I would go in with a fixed budget. The terms tie messaging to credits or subscriptions, and recent Trustpilot reviewers mostly complain about paying to talk to profiles that never meet. If what you want is open, consensual non-monogamy, a swinger community may suit you better.
Ratings & reader feedback
Reader feedback
- 646 user reviews · Checked 2026-11-13
Trustpilot 1.1/5Trustpilot: 1.1/5 from 646 reviews (2026-11-13). The newest reviews, from September to November 2026, mostly allege fake or bot profiles, pressure to move chats off-site or send gifts, and unwanted charges. These are individual accounts, not verified findings.
Other review scores
- Reviewer rating · Checked 2026-11-13
SpicyRanked 6/10SpicyRanked scores Ashley Madison 6.0/10, noting free sign-up, credit-based messaging, privacy tools and the 2015 breach.
