Why Ashley Madison membership is only free for women? Explained

Free membership of Ashley Madison for women is reportedly a strategic move to attract a larger female user base.

By making it free for women to join, Ashley Madison created a pool of potential connections that men can access through the subscription of their paying demographic. That escalates a more balanced gender ratio on the dating platform and makes it their unique selling point.

They cater to a specific niche – consenting adults seeking discreet encounters. On one hand the free female profiles makes the platform look attractive and on the other, a credit system for men gives a sense of surety that those who are initiating the contact are serious and willing to invest.

This model creates a targeted environment where both men and women find value. Women have a free platform to explore connections, while men pay to initiate contact within a user base seeking similar experiences.

Threat to shut down Ashley Madison (Image via Netflix)

---

Is Ashley Madison membership expensive for men

Whether Ashley Madison is expensive for men depends on your usage patterns. Ashley Madison doesn't work like the traditional subscriptions model; instead they use credit systems. That means the user only pays for the actions they take, like sending messages or initiating chats.

User spending hinges on how actively they use the platform. Men also get free casual browsing and sending winks, but initiating the chat and sending messages requires credits.

Generally, buying more credits brings the cost per credit down. So, if you're a heavy user, buying larger packages can be more economical.

Image via Netflix

Finding the Balance

There's a potential cost advantage compared to some subscription services. If you're a casual user who only browses occasionally, you might spend less on credits than a monthly subscription on another platform.

However, it could be a bit more expensive than other dating platforms for active users who send frequent messages.

Image via Netflix

---

Is the platform still operating?

Despite a major data breach in 2015, Ashley Madison is still working. The incident involved hackers releasing user information, which raised concerns about user safety. However, the company implemented security improvements and continues to operate, focusing on providing a platform for discrete connections between consenting adults.

They've even returned to their original tagline, "Life is short. Have an affair," solidifying their niche in the online dating world. While the data breach undoubtedly impacted them, the platform has adapted and continues to cater to a specific user base seeking relationships outside of traditional monogamy.

---

The data hack

A group of hackers named Impact team hacked into the database of Avid Life Media, which is the parent company of many dating websites including Ashley Madison.

They accused the company and demanded them to shut down these dating apps, as the company was allegedly storing the personal information and data of their users even if the user’s account is disabled.

ALM didn’t consider the demand; hence the user database of the app was leaked on the dark web. It led to several lawsuits against the company, as user privacy was compromised.