As the Feeld app sends kink mainstream - two women share what using the app is really like

Move over, traditional dating apps - there's a new sex app in town which is headline news. Enter stage right, the Feeld app, a British-based app which encourages users to be brutally honest with their sexual preferences.

Marketing itself as sex positive, millions have downloaded the app in the last year hoping to find sexual enlightenment or at least, a partner looking for the same thing as them in the bedroom. It's really having a moment, with app downloads soaring 320% between 2020 and 2023.

While it was once largely a specialist app designed for swingers or those with specific fetishes, lockdown seems to have changed things. On the surface, it feels like any other dating app - you upload your photo and a bio and start swiping through other users. 

But there are standout differences too - unlike other apps where you have to confirm your identity, Feeld prioritises an anonymous approach, instead encouraging users to go into detail about their sexual preferences and kinks.

So, what's it really like? Does it encourage healthy and open relations, or does anonymity breed unfavourable behaviour? Below, two women share their own experiences on the app. Do scroll a sex expert's dating profile tips, dating advice for women, and first date tips, while you're here.

Two women share their Feeld app reviews

"It's helped me to enjoy plenty of new experiences"

Ellie*, 32, is a communications manager. She first joined Feeld back in 2021 just after the first lockdown. 

"I was out for drinks with a couple of friends chatting about dating after lockdown and how I could do with some fun when a friend of mine told me about Feeld. She knew I wasn’t exactly vanilla when it came to sex and said I might enjoy it as the app."

"I’ve always had a very open mind when it comes to sex, kinks and relationships - so I downloaded the app and I haven’t looked back since. At first, I was definitely looking for more casual relationships. I really like that you can be up-front and honest about what it is you’re into and what you are looking for. With some of the more traditional dating apps it's very easy to lie about your intentions, but with Feeld I’ve found that people are a lot more open and happier to talk. People actually reply to your message, and I’ve also found that ghosting seems to be a lot less of a thing or usually someone just says pretty quickly if they aren’t interested."

"I’ve had some really great experiences from the app and met some great people, both on a romantic and sexual level. Some have just turned out to be friends, others more. I’ve met some great couples as well as single people and enjoyed plenty of new experiences along the way."

"Like with any other dating app, I like to be safe even if it's just casual and prefer to meet someone for a drink or Facetime someone first to see if there’s a good vibe. I think sometimes with an app that’s more sexually open - for example, when you state your preferences, like bondage - there can be misconceptions."

"That said, so far I’ve only had one negative experience from meeting up with a guy from Feeld. We went out for drinks and ended up going back to mine to take things further as we had a great time. During sex things took a bit of a turn. He slapped me around the face which I said I didn’t like and he apologised but did it again a few minutes later. At this point, I just stopped and asked him to leave, which he did thankfully."

"My logic on that one was you get idiots everywhere - I’m sure I could’ve easily matched with him on another app and he still would’ve been a twat."

"I’ve used the app on and off and even met a guy from the app who I’m now seeing. He's really nice and things are going well. I like that we’ve been quite upfront and able to communicate what we are into without it being awkward. He’s also not on any other dating apps so without Feeld I probably wouldn’t have met him."

"It's a mixed bag but works if you're clear with what you want"

Marie*, 36, is a PR from Brighton. She joined Feeld in the summer of 2022 after a string of failed dates on apps like Bumble and Hinge. Here, she shares her experience on the app.

"A friend of mine suggested it - she'd had a positive experience, a few nice dates and some great sex with people from the app without getting into anything too heavy. I’m a very honest and open person so was clear in what I was wanting and met a few men who were great online."

"Sadly, in person, they barely spoke. If they did, they’d talk about their bad experiences of women and how they'd given up hope of having a decent relationship or have been cheated on - which made me think that Feeld was being used for people who'd been knocked back after using other apps - after all, I was the same."

"That wasn't the worst of it, though. Last summer, I decided to delete the app as I received five dick pics in a row of all the stages of erection and subsequent orgasm. I hadn't asked for this and it left me feeling highly uncomfortable."

"When I told the sender that it was innapropriate and made me feel uncomfortable, he simply replied: "This isn’t Tinder.""

"I gave it another go in May. This time, I was very clear in what I was wanting - no one night stands, rather, something regular and positive with cute dates mixed in. It's been better since and I like that Feeld allows you to clearly communicate what's important to you - for me, that's respect, consent and communication. With other apps, I've found that people don’t really know what they want."

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