Swipe or shag?
Get A Shag vs Tinder: Which Suits a No-Strings Shag?
Tinder suits people who want to meet someone new and see what happens. Get A Shag suits adults who know they want casual sex and want to say so.
Is Tinder good for casual sex?
It can be, as long as you keep it out of your bio. As of 12 November 2026, Tinder lets members choose "Short-term fun" as what they're after, but its community guidelines rule out "looking for sex on your public profile". Once you're chatting one to one, the same guidelines say these things "are okay if everyone is okay with it".
So on Tinder, sex is something you get round to. On Get A Shag it's where you start. The site is adults only, 18+, and built for casual sex, be it a one-off, a regular arrangement or a few days of naughty chat first. Nobody has to decode anybody.
Where Tinder has the edge
Fair's fair. Each of these comes from Tinder's own website, terms, UK newsroom or App Store listing, as of 12 November 2026.
- Reach
- Tinder says it's available in 190 countries, and Match Group calls it its flagship app. If you travel a lot, that reach is hard to beat.
- You don't have to pay
- Its terms say the service "may be utilized without a subscription". Plus, Gold and Platinum are optional upgrades that renew until you cancel.
- An app and a website
- Download it for iOS or Android, or sign in on the website from a laptop.
- Face Check for new UK members
- A short video selfie earns a Photo Verified badge, and Tinder's UK newsroom says it is now required for all new users here.
- Help around the date
- Share My Date, blocking, unmatching and reporting, plus two prompts that screen messages, "Are You Sure?" and "Does This Bother You?"
- A way to show intent
- Since December 2022 members have had a setting to show what they're looking for. Double Date, Music Mode, Astrology Mode and Passport are there for anyone who likes extras.
What Get A Shag gives you when a shag is the plan
Intent on show
Your profile can say what you fancy and what you don't, so you can be straight about it from the start. Daily suggestions weigh what each person is after, plus distance and age range.
Discreet by default
You go by a username. Your real name and email stay hidden, and your profile only names the nearest town or city, never a street or where you happen to be.
Nothing to install
It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or laptop. Fancy an icon? Save it to your home screen as a web app.
Badges worth having
Pass the ID check, which costs you nothing, and your profile wears an ID verified badge. Don't fancy sharing documents? A live video check with a moderator confirms you are who you say you are, no documents needed. Staff can validate profiles too.
Chat rooms and groups
VIP brings members-only chat rooms and private group chats (up to 50 people), for when one-to-one flirting isn't enough.
Guard rails
Blocking is instant, and you can report anyone from inside the site. Anyone steering the chat to WhatsApp sets off a warning, and possibly explicit images stay blurred until you choose to look.
Nobody checks every profile, and neither Tinder nor Get A Shag runs criminal background checks, so read the safety page before you meet. Members who joined through Get A Shag's partner sites can see your profile too, and you can message them, which widens the field.
How does Tinder compare with Get A Shag?
| What matters | Tinder | Get A Shag |
|---|---|---|
| The point of it | Meeting someone new and seeing where it leads; "Short-term fun" is one intent option. | Casual sex: one-night stands, flings and regular no-strings fun. |
| Saying you want sex | Not on your public profile. Fine in private chat if everyone's happy. | Said up front. The whole site is built for it. |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
| Where you use it | Apps for iOS and Android, plus a website. | Any web browser, or a web app on your home screen. |
| Paying | Usable without a subscription. Plus, Gold and Platinum renew until you cancel. | Joining is free. VIP and VIP+ are explained on the pricing page. |
| Proving you're real | Face Check: a video selfie that earns a Photo Verified badge. Compulsory for new UK members. | An ID check you can choose, at no charge, that adds a badge; a live video check with a moderator; staff validation. |
| Safety tools | Share My Date, block, unmatch, report and message screening. | Instant blocking, reporting from inside the site, a WhatsApp warning and blurred images until you choose. |
Tinder or Get A Shag: which one is for you?
Go with Tinder if
- you're open to whatever happens, from a drink to a fling
- you want one app that works in a lot of countries
- you'd like to start without spending a penny
- keeping the frank talk for private messages suits you fine
Go with Get A Shag if
- you want casual sex and would like everyone to know it from the start
- you'd rather skip the download and use your browser
- you want your nearest town on show, not your name
- an ID check or a video check behind a profile reassures you
The verdict: both have their place
Tinder is a capable all-rounder with serious reach, solid safety tools and no entry fee, and it's a sensible pick if you're open to anything. If you already know you want casual sex, Get A Shag cuts out the guesswork: the site is built for casual sex, the conversation starts there, and your details stay discreet.
Tinder vs Get A Shag: your questions
Is Tinder a hook-up app?
Partly. As of 12 November 2026, Tinder describes itself as "the place to meet someone new", and members can pick "Short-term fun" to show what they want. Its guidelines still keep looking for sex off public profiles. Get A Shag exists for casual sex alone, so you can be upfront from your first line.
Do you have to pay to use Tinder?
Not to get started. As of 12 November 2026, Tinder's terms say its services "may be utilized without a subscription", and its paid tiers (Plus, Gold and Platinum) renew until cancelled. On Get A Shag, joining is free, and the pricing page sets out what VIP and VIP+ add.
Does Get A Shag have an app like Tinder?
You won't need one. Open Get A Shag in any browser, on a phone, tablet or computer, and pin it to your home screen if you'd like an icon. Tinder, as of 12 November 2026, has iOS and Android apps as well as a website.
How do Tinder and Get A Shag check people are real?
Tinder uses Face Check, a short video selfie that earns its Photo Verified badge, and says new UK members must now complete it (as of 12 November 2026). Get A Shag offers an ID check at no charge with an ID verified badge, or a live video check with a moderator if you'd rather not share documents. Neither runs criminal background checks.
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