I’ve been testing dating apps for Mashable for three years, and Pure is one of the most unconventional and artsy platforms I’ve used — especially for an app that’s so direct about sex, yet lacks the usual NSFW ads and creepy messages.
Unlike “traditional” dating apps (and this is definitely a niche app), Pure encourages you to be yourself without actually revealing your full identity. Instead of asking you to share your life story, it asks, “What if you shared nothing at all?”
It’s designed for people who are tired of small talk and want to connect based on unfiltered desires, which, ironically, you can filter for. It’s ideal for virtual play, casual hookups, and finding someone who is into the same things you are, without judgment.
While this might sound like just another wild hookup app, Pure’s 2025 evolution is focused on creating an empowering space for a Gen Z and female audience that values safety and consent as much as privacy. The features are thoughtful, and the playful interface encourages you to open up and take a chance.
To see how well it works, I used Pure for four weeks with a simple bio, three photos, and a few “Turn-ons,” and I was honestly surprised by the results. Below is my detailed experience with Pure, from the moment I signed up to connecting with other users.
Getting started on Pure: The first 60 seconds
As soon as you download the app, it asks you to sign in using your Apple or Google account. You can also use Facebook, but I’m assuming it’s a less-picked option since the link is in a tiny font below the big, clickable buttons for the other two.
There’s also a disclaimer that reads, “You must be at least 18 years old!” — though, as I’d discover, the actual age verification doesn’t happen until later.
You’ll then be asked to choose your gender. Pure offers three options:
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I am a man
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I am a woman
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I am non-binary
Once you choose, you’re prompted to add your sexuality. The list includes hetero, bi, lesbian, queer, and asexual (for me, as I selected that I am a woman). There are little monster-like, Salvador Dalí-esque drawings underneath the options, which adds some whimsy (though they kind of freak me out a little bit).
Credit: Mashable | Pure
3 photos and 350 characters to make your case
After defining your identity, the app asks what you’re actually looking for.
The options are:
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Casual
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Long-term
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Virtual
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Non-monogamy
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Anything but boring
One thing I noticed is that it doesn’t specifically ask if you’re looking for men, women, or non-binary people. I guess choosing your sexuality on the first screen is meant to handle that.
Once you make a selection (you can only pick one), the app asks for your birthdate. This is where the age verification comes in. After you enter the date, a message pops up asking you to confirm you are the age you say you are, warning that it can’t be changed later. You click “That’s Right,” and you’re set. You’re also given a small toggle to hide your age from your profile.
Then, things get a bit more personal. You’re asked to enter your height (which you can also hide), the languages you speak from a list of 15+, whether you belong to a couple or not (a win for non-monogamous users), and to upload photos. You’ll need to add three of them to move forward. The last step is your bio (which Pure calls a “personal ad”). You only get 350 characters, so you’ll need to be short and to the point. Once that’s done, you’re in!
Pure’s stance on verification gets even more serious in the UK. With age verification being a hot-button issue across the internet (from porn sites to YouTube), Pure complies with local law by requiring UK users to complete a face scan to estimate their age. If it’s inconclusive, they’re prompted to scan a government ID.
Credit: Mashable | Pure
Anonymity, ‘Turn-Ons,’ and ‘Devil‘s Bones’
Perhaps the most important feature on Pure is one it completely lacks: your name. I didn’t forget to mention it earlier — because the app never asks for it. The entire experience is built around anonymity, which may make it easier to connect with other users without the pressure of exposing your public identity (but definitely sharing who you really are).
For example, the “Devil’s Bones” feature lets you roll the proverbial dice and join a random voice or text chat with a complete stranger. It’s a feature that only works in a setting where no one knows who you are.
The app also gives you a dedicated space to list your ”Turn-Ons.” You can select multiple options within predefined categories like “Foreplay,” “Communication,” and — something certain Mashable readers might appreciate — “Gamergasm.” The choices range from the vanilla (cuddles, kisses) to the delightfully unhinged (biting, wax play, being watched). I was especially happy to see progressive options like “been to therapy” and “dry dating” included. I’m here for it.
This control over your persona extends to your photos, too. You can create entire photo albums on your profile and choose to keep them hidden (and only share access when you choose to do so).
Anonymity vs. safety: How Pure manages both
Anonymity is Pure’s biggest draw, but it naturally raises the risk of catfishing and misrepresentation. So, how does the app handle it? It turns out, with some pretty clever features.
The Photo Verification Badge is your first line of defense. Users can verify they’re real by submitting a quick, private face scan where they copy a specific pose. This badge lets you know there’s a genuine person interested in you behind the profile, not a bot or scammer.
But verification isn’t required. So, if a user isn’t verified, the app has a ”True Photo” request. This lets you ask for a live photo from a match directly within your chat, serving as a real-time reality check. It’s a great way to get some peace of mind before you share your secrets (or photos of your naughty bits).
Pure also gives you tools to control your own experience. If you’re squeamish about sensitive content (it’s OK, not everyone wants to go straight to Pound Town), a toggle in the settings blurs explicit photos until you choose to view them. You can also hide specific ads from your feed or hide your own profile whenever you need a break, giving you another layer of control.
How matching works on a 24-hour clock
The main way to connect on Pure is through your “ad.” This is basically your bio, which you can update whenever you’d like or hide from the feed when you want to take a break.
To see ads from other members, you’ll need to post one first. Once your ad is live, a Feed of other users appears, based on your location and preferences. You can then filter who you see by things like age and “Turn-ons,” and the app even gives you a heads-up if someone is a seasoned “Pure Guru” or brand “New” to the app. (Pro tip: the “Perfect Match” filter lets you select up to five of your must-have “Turn-Ons,” and then only shows you people who share the exact same interests.)
When you see an ad you like, just click “Like,” and if there’s a match, the app creates a chat for you. But you should know that all chats expire in 24 hours, and anything you’ve shared will disappear along with them. Your “Likes” also expire on the same clock. (This is a bit like Bumble, where if a match doesn’t reply to a first message within 24 hours, the match disappears.) But based on my testing, it appears that paid features, like unopened Instant Chats and Gifts, stay in your inbox until you decide to accept them. If you and your match want to keep talking in a standard chat, you can both agree to turn off the timer and chat without a time limit. Once the timer is off, Pure assigns you and your match random pop-culture or mythological nicknames, so you’re still anonymous even if you decide to keep chatting.
The chats are designed for privacy, too. The app blocks screenshots and will notify you if someone tries to take one. You can also delete the entire chat from both phones at any time by tapping “Clear History.” And if you want to leave a chat, Pure encourages a little honesty by letting you choose a reason, like “Not my type” or “Ghosted,” which it then shares with your chat partner.
So, how much does Pure cost?
Pure is completely free for women, but men and non-binary users will need to pay for a subscription to get the most out of it.
For Men and Non-Binary Users
Pricing can vary, but most basic subscriptions start around $6.67 per month (billed annually, so the upfront cost is higher). Pure’s PR team confirmed that the Premium subscription runs around:
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$13.49 weekly
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$29.99 monthly
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$99.99 yearly
Features for this tier include:
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Unlimited Likes: Send as many “Likes” as you want.
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Dating with no Borders: This gives you the ability to change your location and scroll through users in any city worldwide.
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Smart Likes: Lets you choose who you want to receive likes from.
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Filter All Likes: Lets you apply filters to see the most compatible likes first.
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Blocklist: Blocked users can be unblocked at any time.
Men can also purchase the “King of the Hill” feature, which will pin their ad at the top of the feed for an hour or until another user takes the top spot.
For Women (Pure Queen Subscription)
While the app is free for women, there’s a paid subscription tier called “Pure Queen” that unlocks additional features. A Queen subscription includes premium features like Smart Likes, Filter All Likes, and Blocklist management, but also comes with a few extra perks:
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Incognito Mode: This feature lets you browse the feed secretly and appear offline. The subscription includes seven “incognito hats” each week, and from what I’ve gathered, they activate incognito mode for 24 hours at a time.
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Queen Style: This adds a unique avatar and design to your ad. You can turn it off whenever you want, but this will give other users a clear visual indication that you’ve paid to be here and are serious about your intentions.
Pure Queen subscriptions ($12.99 for one month or $19.99 for one year) renew automatically unless you cancel them at least 24 hours before the end of the paid period.
À La Carte Features
There are also additional à la carte features available for purchase:
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Virtual Gifts: You can also purchase and send virtual gifts like a heart, a lucky star, or a cocktail to someone you really like. (You can get 50 for $1.60 each or one for $2.99).
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Instant Chat: If you’re ready to chat with someone who hasn’t noticed you yet, you can purchase an Instant Chat to start a convo with anyone on the app, even without a mutual like. (10 Instant Chats are $13.99).
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Chips: This is an in-app currency used to unlock specific actions, like sending a request to save a chat from the “Devil’s Bones” feature. (Five chips cost approximately $1.10).
Is Pure worth the download?
Pure isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t pretend to be. The entire experience is designed for a specific kind of dater: someone who’s adventurous, values their privacy, and wants to try something a little bit unconventional. It’s a total “breath of fresh air” (literally hate that phrase, but it applies here) for anyone who’s so over the mainstream apps. Pure makes finding connections fun — and if I’m being honest, it’s also hot.
In the four weeks I used the app, I received hundreds of “Likes” each day from real people, and several Instant Chats and Gifts. I also received some steamy voice messages. To really test the location-based features, I was in New York City for one week to see if I received more local engagement (spoiler alert: I did), but even when I returned to Virginia, I still received 100+ “Likes” per day, and the messages weren’t just “hey,” either. My bio reads: “Just a journalist doing some research.” So, so many people who responded to my ad had something cheeky and a little bit witty to say — a completely different experience than I had when using Hinge or Bumble. The only downside I noticed is that even though I set my sexuality to “bi”, there were way more men in my inbox than women (but there was an even split of women and men in the feed).
So my honest opinion on whether it’s worth the download is a resounding yes, particularly for women who are looking for a partner who can think up something that’s better (and sexier) than “hey.” Also, if you’re interested in just having super hot phone sex with strangers, Pure is the place to be.