The best (and most discreet) sexting apps for confidential chats
The best sexting apps open up a whole new frontier for your sex life. You may think of sex as more of an IRL activity, and rightfully so, but sexting is an exciting new form of digital foreplay. It lets you build anticipation to a fever pitch. It's also a fun way to explore your kinks, role-play, and connect with your partner on a deeper level, especially when you’re not physically together.
Sexting (aka talking dirty, swapping nudes, leaving steamy audio notes, etc.) is a portmanteau of "sex" and "text," and it requires a little more thought than opening up a new text message on your phone. You've also got your and your partner's privacy to consider. Likewise, you can't just open a random dating app, slide into someone's DMs, and start a spicy conversation. You might be able to do that on sites like AdultFriendFinder or Grindr, but it could actually be a huge red flag elsewhere.
So, how do you find a sexting partner, and what are the best apps for sexting in 2025?
We tested dozens of platforms, consulted security experts, and spent a lot of time reading terms of service and privacy policies to answer that exact question.
How we picked the best sexting apps
Privacy and security should always be your highest priority. That's why we always put user safety at the top of our list when trying out new sexting apps. (Speaking of privacy, establishing consent before sexting is a must.)
"If an app is being used to share intimate content, privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential," says Gary Orenstein, Chief Customer Officer at Bitwarden (an open-source password manager). What tops his list? "First and foremost, end-to-end encryption is critical," so only you and your partner see the messages, not even the app company itself.
Orenstein also recommends looking for apps with "built-in controls, such as disappearing messages and self-destructing media [which] help minimize long-term exposure of shared materials" and features like "screenshot detection or alerts [that] can discourage unauthorized saving," though these aren't always foolproof.
Whether you’re in a committed relationship, single and swiping on hookup apps, looking for a regular sexting buddy, or amping up a solo sesh with steamy instructions from an AI companion, we recommend downloading an app for safe sexting. After all, if you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too.
Based on hands-on testing, expert opinions, and user reviews, we picked the best sexting apps for you to try in 2025.
Recent updates to this guide:
We regularly test new apps and dating platforms. For our most recent update to this guide on Sept. 27, 2025, we made the following changes:
Lovesense Remote: We added Lovesense Remote as the app that's "Best for Group Sexting." Lovesense Remote is also a fun way for couples (and polyamorous folks) to incorporate sexting and Bluetooth sex toys to their love life.
FetLife: We named FetLife "Best for Niche Kinks & Fetishes." This social networking platform is popular in the kinkster community and can be a good way to connect with sexy new friends.
Confide: We've once again named this the best overall sexting app, replacing Signal as the top pick. We still recommend Signal as the best free secure messaging app. On balance, we think Confide's security and privacy tools give it the edge.
