Ashley Madison September 2019: Playground For Pleasure and Secrets

Last updated: August 2019

Our Review

Ashley Madison is not your typical dating site. It was originally formed back in 2001 for people who were/are already married or attached in relationships, but are still seeking to have a discreet extramarital affair with someone. Up until now, the site still creates an environment where affairs are encouraged and not frowned upon.

Even though it has been existing for quite some time already, the site has adjusted well to the changing interests of people. It caters to a wider audience ranging from those who are interested in monogamous, polygamous, open relationships, etc. Because of its interesting twist to online dating, Ashley Madison has gained popularity and has managed to gather members from all over the world, and from all walks of life.

In 2015, Ashley Madison was rocked with a scandal. The site's database was hacked, and personal details of their members were released to the public. Despite this, they were able to rebuild their image. They have successfully addressed those security concerns and improved the protection in place.

The site has then created a safer and better environment for its members. Now, they are more committed to the privacy of their members moving forward.

Member Structure

Members

500,000 from Hong Kong

Members activity

100,000 new members per month

Has a large membership pool
Millions of members from all over the world
Has an active community
Members are like-minded people looking for affairs
Majority of its members are middle-aged

With the site's unique target audience, you wouldn't be surprised that they have millions of members all over the world. Majority of the site's traffic comes from big countries like USA, UK, Canada, and Brazil. Most of its members are men who are middle-aged and above.

The site is pretty famous for being an "affair site," where people can find any form of arrangements even when they are married or committed to someone. Thus, if you check out its members' profiles, most of them are married people looking for discreet relationships.

Ashley Madison has a diverse pool of open-minded members. Looking for a match won't be a problem since you have all the choices you can ask for. And most importantly, the site has hundreds and thousands of active members just waiting for you to strike a conversation.

18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+

Signing Up

Ashley Madison Dating Site Registration Process

Free sign up
Quick and easy registration process
Basic information is needed upon signing up
Relationship status has to be specified
Some information from the application are reflected on the profile page

Ashley Madison has a registration process that anyone can easily understand. It does not require much personal information from you, which is quite understandable given the nature of the site, which is to look for an affair. However, it does make you specify your current relationship status, and some general information like your height, ethnicity, limits, etc. The information that you give upon signing up is reflected on your profile page.

Signing up to the site is convenient and completely free. It will usually only take you less than five minutes to finish. Part of the process is selecting your display picture. Once you have chosen a photo that you want to use, the site shall allow you to make simple edits on it. You can either blur out the image or add masks to cover parts of your face. This is a way for Ashley Madison to keep its members anonymous and safe.

Making Contact

Email other members
Send gifts to stand out from the crowd and impress members

Sending messages to other users is free for women
There is a chatroom

For women, making connections and starting conversations on Ashley Madison is entirely free. Men, however, have to use and pay for credits to use these features. The site has the necessary functions for users to be able to establish a communication with each other, including a chat feature that is available for its members.

Everyone has the privilege to create a list of their favourite profiles for free. Each member can add up to 100 profiles to their list and can manually add or remove people in it at any given time. You can also send winks to other members for free. Do this to show your interest towards someone whose profile you might like. When you send winks, you can also opt to attach your private showcase key. The private showcase key allows you to see a member's photo without all the fuzz and the masks.

The site also allows people to send virtual gifts to each other, but this feature is not free. Gifts cause credits, and it may vary according to the type of gift you are going to send.

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Profile Quality

Special features help you maintain your privacy with photos
Members don't often fill out their profiles
Uploading discreet photos is encouraged
It is free for everyone to visit and view profiles

The profiles are not very detailed
The profile information can be changed later
Profile pictures are visible to everyone for free

If you are looking for a detailed profile, you might not be able to find it on Ashley Madison. Because of the site's nature as a dating site for those looking for affairs, people are quite reserved when it comes to sharing details about themselves. The site won't ask for your name; instead, it will ask you to provide a unique username as your identification.

Your Ashley Madison profile only has the most basic information like city/location, gender, age, zodiac sign, and some details about what kind of relationship you're looking for, and what are the things that excite you. These will appear on your profile and can be updated and edited any time that you want.

If you happen to find someone interesting, you can freely visit their profiles to see if you are compatible with each other. You can browse and view profiles with no credit required. You can also upload photos and choose to blur out or edit them for privacy. These blurred and edited photos are what people can see on your profile. If you want to share a clear unedited version of your images, you can give them access to it by sending them your private key.

App

App is available for iOS and Android
Does not require a lot of space to download
The app has all the features that are on the desktop version
Convenient for people who are always on the move
App has a good and simple interface that is easy to navigate

The Ashley Madison App is free to download on the AppStore and Google Play. It is quite similar to the desktop version with all the necessary features you'll find on the site. It is a lite app that would not take up much space on your phone memory.

If you are a person who's often on the app, know that unlike its desktop version, when buying credits, you have to process it through the iTunes or Google Play account.

The app is designed well with an icon that is not suspicious and can easily be hidden. It also offers an easier way to like profiles with its swipe feature. If you're looking for a quick meet up, the app allows you to find new members near you, and see who's checking you out.

Real Life Review

"I used to be so happily married, but something isn't quite right with the relationship I have with my wife now. Ever since she got promoted, she would come home from work late and would always leave early too. I tried talking to her about this, hoping that she would squeeze some time for me and the kids in her schedule. But she'd end up getting upset. I love her. I really do. I just can't help but miss the physical intimacy. We hardly ever have sex anymore, and I have needs too! So I tried looking for a community where I won't be judged for wanting to have sexual arrangements even though I was married. I came across this site called Ashley Madison and it has sparked my interest. I started searching for Ashley Madison reviews and it has convinced me to try the site myself. It felt liberating, to find someone who completely understands your situation and wouldn't judge you for things you choose to do. I am actually still an active user, and I don't think I would ever stop." -Admin Officer, 42

Design and Usability

The design and website layout of Ashley Madison is quite simple and easy to understand. Its interface is friendly to those who still don't know their way through websites, and therefore can be used by people from any age range.

The site has a menu bar where all of its features and relevant pages are listed. This way, users will only have to look at the menu bar whenever they need to visit a page or do something. However, what seems to be off is its placement. Unlike other websites where the options are listed on the top part of the site, in Ashley Madison, the menu bar is almost halfway the page. So basically, you can only scroll through lower 3/4 parts of the page.

When it comes to comfort, the site is quite easy on the eyes. It uses white as the main colour and uses pink to highlight important details.

Ashley Madison Costs and Prices

Like and view other profiles
Create a favourites list
Advanced search filters
Send winks

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Send virtual gifts
Boost profile
Open and collect emails
Send personalised messages
Initiate chats

Duration / Credits / Coins	Costs per month	Total
Basic
100 Credits	4.59 HK$ / Credit	459.00 HK$
Classic
500 Credits	3.32 HK$ / Credit	1,659.00 HK$
Elite ? This package includes 30 FREE days of Priority Man status (a $220.00 value). To help you connect, you’ll also receive 24 hours of FREE chat on your first day.
1,000 Credits	2.76 HK$ / Credit	2,759.00 HK$

Is Ashley Madison expensive or cheap?

In comparison to other providers Ashley Madison is average.
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Credit Card
Direct Debit
PayPal

Your credit card will not be billed as Ashley Madison. All credit card statements will be discreetly billed.

Women who are seeking men are free to use all of the site's features. For other members (women seeking women; men seeking men; men seeking women, etc.), they have to purchase credits to be able to enjoy the site and initiate communication to other members. Ashley Madison's premium features are not based on a monthly subscription but on credits that you have to buy per package. The site offers three different packages: Elite = 1,000 Credits, Classic = 500 Credit, Basic = 100 Credits.

The credits needed for the features are not the same, so there are some that require more credits than the other functions. Opening collect messages, sending priority emails, and initiating emails cost 5 credits. Once you reply to people you have previously contacted, you no longer have to use credits every time you send them emails. Using the chat feature will also cost you credits: 30 credits for 30 minutes, and 60 credits for 60 minutes. If you want to send gifts to your match, virtual gifts are available for 20, 30, and 50 credits.

Overall, the prices for the credit packages are quite reasonable.

Special Features

Since the site is pretty basic, it doesn't have that many special features that are exclusive to Ashley Madison. Despite that, the site continues to provide services that are quite useful in finding a match. The following are its special features:

Favourites List

The site allows you to curate a list of your favourite Ashley Madison profiles. Each user can add up to 100 profiles in their list. It is free for everyone and allows you to remember the people that really caught your eye.

Discreet Photos

If you want to keep your identity private, the site gives every member the privilege to upload a discreet photo. When you upload a picture, you will be given the option to blur the image out or add some face masks and sensors that can help protect your identity. When you meet someone you like, you can give them the key so they can access clear versions of your photos.

Send Wink

Once you send a wink to someone, you are telling them that you are interested. You can find this function on the profile page of the person you are crushing on. Under their profile pictures, you will find a smiley face with a label that says "Send Wink."

TravellingMan

This is a special feature that is useful for those who's always travelling. With a few bucks, you can send messages to at most 30 girls who live in that area and get to know them better days before your arrival.

Priority Man

The Priority Man gives you a profile boost. This is a paid feature that makes your profile stand out in the members' page. With this, your profile may appear different on other peoples search pages.

Message Plus

This feature allows you to message and talk to anyone you have had contact with. You can get this feature as a free trial after buying a credit package. The trial will have a 30-day validity. After that, you will be asked to pay for it, if you want to continue using the feature.

Our rating

Signing Up:	4.0 / 5
Making Contact:	4.0 / 5
Profile Quality:	3.0 / 5
App:	4.0 / 5
Real Life Review:	4.0 / 5

Editors Conclusion

Ashley Madison promotes extramarital affairs and creates an environment that widely accepts people exploring other options, despite being committed to someone. Since 2001, it has been providing a space for certain individuals who are looking to spice up their married life. If you are one of these individuals we're referring to, and you are looking for a secret affair, Ashley Madison might just be the platform for you. Sign up now to see for yourself.

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FAQ

Profile

Do I have control over my Ashley Madison Profile?

Yes, you do. You have complete control over your account information and personal details you want to disclose to the public. To adjust your profile settings, you can go to your manage/edit profile page.

Is it possible to upload a discreet display photo?

Ashley Madison encourages people to upload a discreet photo. The site even has a feature that allows you to blur out your image or add a mask on your photo for complete anonymity. Adding a discreet photo increases your chance to find a match.

What is "Automatic Private Key Exchange"?

This function allows Ashley Madison members to share their private photos with anyone they like. Enabling this will allow you to have a clear view of what used to be hidden/blurred image of a member you choose.

You can have the option to enable or disable this feature anytime you want on the 'Profile Options' page.

How long does it take to have my profile approved?

Once you finish the registration process, your profile is automatically activated, and you can enjoy the site right away.

How to delete my Ashley Madison profile?

The site allows you to either deactivate or fully delete your account.

Deactivating your account will only remove your profile from the search results and hide your profile from the site. Once your profile is deactivated, you can restore it by contacting customer service.

Full deletion, on the other hand, will erase all the data you have on your profile, including photos, messages, gifts, and others.

Features

What is 'Priority Man' for?

The Priority Man in Ashley Madison is that person who paid to have his profile highlighted in the search results. The profiles of those who have availed this feature are placed strategically so that they stand out and become more noticeable.

How do I use the 'TravellingMan' feature on Ashley Madison?

This feature allows you to send a custom priority message to up to 30 women in the city/place you are travelling to. To use this feature, find the "Travelling?" option on the menu bar. Click it and answer the form that appears.

Is messaging free?

Only women who are seeking men are free to use the messaging features on Ashley Madison. For others, they have to use credits to read, send, or initiate contact.

What is 'Message Plus' on Ashley Madison?

This allows you to read, reply, and collect messages without using any of your credits. This also allows you to message anyone you have previously contacted even if you no longer have any credits left. This feature is free for the first 30 days after buying a credit package. After the free trial period, if you haven't canceled the subscription, you will be automatically billed.

Security and Privacy

What can I do to keep my account safe?

To ensure your safety when creating an account for Ashley Madison, make sure to use a different email. Your email should not have any of your personal info and should only be used for entering sites like Ashley Madison.

Can I use Ashley Madison anonymously?

Yes, Ashley Madison is a site that allows you to browse through its members' profiles anonymously. Its users are registered under a chosen username; it is now up to you if you want to add personal info on the username that you will be using.

How can I create a strong password for my Ashley Madison account?

If you want to create a strong and secure password for your account, the site has a password meter that can measure the strength of the password that you choose. A strong password has a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Payment and Cost

What are the payment methods available for Ashley Madison?

The site accepts payments through Paypal, credit cards, and other discreet options based on your region. They also redeem gift cards from major retailers allowing you to pay for credits anonymously.

All payments made via credit or debit cards are encrypted and securely transmitted to the payment processor.

How will my purchase appear on my credit card bill?

Ashley Madison offers a discreet and anonymous billing. To check how it will appear on your account, visit the 'Buy Credits' or 'Subscribe' section. You can also email them at CC@ashleymadison.com.

How much will it cost me if I use Ashley Madison?

Using the website and its features is completely free for female members who are looking for a male match. But for women who seek women, men who seek women, and men who seek men, they can only register for free, but they have to avail credit packages to enjoy most of the site's features.

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Infos

Company:	Praecellens Limited
Address:	9 Karpensiou, 2021 Nicosia, Zypern
Phone-Hotline:	1-800-885-723
Phone-Hotline:	1-866-205-7525
E-Mail:	media@ashleymadison.com

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