Updated September 28, 2026 · FlingCue Editorial Team
FetLife vs SwingTowns
What sets them apart
| Compare |  FetLife |  SwingTowns |
|---|---|---|
| What is free | 99.9% free; paid support for nice-to-have extras | Free registration; limited free membership |
| Profile verification | Optional badge via government ID or profile photo | Photo ID may be required; identity certification |
| Audience focus | Kink and fetish social network, not a dating site | Swingers, open-minded couples and singles |
| Members | 13,071,441 members as of 2026-09-26 | Millions of members |
| Renewal and cancelling | Refunds within 7 days; no auto-renewal | Auto-renews; purchases final, no refunds |
| Privacy and data | No data sales; deletion erases all your data | Content licence covers affiliate and partner sites |
| Categories | Fetish, Swinger | Discreet, Swinger, FetishCovers more |
| Plans | Not confirmed | Free, monthly and lifetime |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- SwingTowns scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.2.
- Founded is lower at SwingTowns: 1999 vs 2008.
- Categories: only SwingTowns offers Discreet.
Our verdict on each
FetLife
FetLife suits adults who want a kink and fetish community rather than a dating site, and it has 13,071,441 members as of 2026-09-26 members. It is nearly free, with paid support for nice-to-have extras, and privacy is stated plainly.
SwingTowns
SwingTowns suits adults who want a long-running swinger community and can start without paying.
Score breakdown
| Area | FetLife | SwingTowns |
|---|---|---|
| Offer | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Trust | 8.9 | 9.8Higher |
Side by side, item by item
| Categories | FetLife | SwingTowns |
|---|---|---|
| Discreet | No | Yes |
| Fetish | Yes | Yes |
| Swinger | Yes | Yes |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | FetLife | SwingTowns |
|---|---|---|
| Hookup sites and apps | 168 of 478 | 139 of 478 |
| Fetish and BDSM dating | 24 of 47 | 16 of 47 |
| Swinger and couples sites | 15 of 52 | 9 of 52 |
| Free hookup sites | 134 of 358 | 105 of 358 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | FetLife | SwingTowns |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Features | App, Verified profiles | App, Verified profiles |
| Legal entity | BitLove Inc. & BitLove Ltd. | Street Ink Corporation |
| Headquarters | Canada | United States |
| Founded | 2008 | 1999Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Email, Help centre, Community |
Pros and cons
FetLife
Pros
- 99.9% free; paid support for nice-to-have extras, so the core service stays free and payment covers nice-to-have extras
- Privacy is stated clearly: No data sales; deletion erases all your data
- Refunds within 7 days; no auto-renewal, so paid support does not renew on its own
Cons
- Kink and fetish social network, not a dating site means you are joining a social network, not a matching service
- Verification is opt in, so most profiles carry no checked badge
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, with no phone line listed
SwingTowns
Pros
- Registration is free and free membership is limited, as Free registration; limited free membership sets out.
- The audience in Swingers, open-minded couples and singles names swingers, open-minded couples and singles, so more than one group is served.
- The plan list in Free, monthly and lifetime includes a lifetime entry, so a single payment is available.
Cons
- The content licence in Content licence covers affiliate and partner sites extends to affiliate and partner sites, so profile material is licensed beyond the main service.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, so a phone line and live chat are not among the listed channels.
- The free tier described in Free registration; limited free membership stops at registration and limited membership.
Who each suits
FetLife
Who it suits
- Adults who want a kink and fetish community rather than a dating site, as Kink and fetish social network, not a dating site makes clear
- Adults who would rather not pay for the core service, since it is 99.9% free; paid support for nice-to-have extras
- Adults who put data deletion high on their list, given No data sales; deletion erases all your data
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers shopping for a paid subscription with a fixed monthly price and a single market of members
- Anyone wanting conventional matching, since Kink and fetish social network, not a dating site
- People who need phone support, with email, help centre and community offered instead
SwingTowns
Who it suits
- Adults who want a swinger audience, since Swingers, open-minded couples and singles names swingers, open-minded couples and singles.
- Adults willing to read the billing terms first, because Auto-renews; purchases final, no refunds makes purchases final and free of refunds.
- Adults comfortable with identity checks, given that Photo ID may be required; identity certification says photo ID may be required.
Who should look elsewhere
- Adults who want a free first message may prefer EroFantasie, where Registration free, first message free puts registration and the first message at no cost.
- Adults after a free community forum may prefer BDSM-baari, which reports Forum use is free of charge as free forum use.
- Adults who only want to browse may prefer Senior.dk Dating, where Free signup and browsing; contact needs paid VIP keeps contact behind a paid VIP tier.
Current offers
FetLife
Current offer
Discount code
KinkyTease
Linked in site footer with utm tracking; no public terms read
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
FetLife
What does FetLife cost?+
Access is 99.9% free; paid support for nice-to-have extras, with paid support kept for nice-to-have extras. The core of the network stays free, so the budget only matters if you want the optional extras. That makes FetLife an easy first step for readers weighing price before anything else.
Is FetLife free to join?+
Yes. The model is listed as free and the service describes itself as 99.9% free; paid support for nice-to-have extras. Paying is optional rather than required, which is unusual in this category and keeps the cost of testing a kink community low.
SwingTowns
What is free on SwingTowns?+
Registration is free and free membership is limited, as Free registration; limited free membership sets out. The plan list in Free, monthly and lifetime also shows a free option next to monthly and lifetime, so a new member can register, look around and only then decide on a paid tier.
Which plans does SwingTowns sell?+
The plan list in Free, monthly and lifetime covers free, monthly and lifetime access, with no annual tier in it. A monthly choice suits anyone wanting a shorter commitment, and the lifetime entry suits anyone paying once. Auto-renewal on monthly is set out in Auto-renews; purchases final, no refunds.