Ashley Madison runs on credits rather than a flat subscription: third-party figures put packs at $59 for 100 credits up to $289 for 1,000, with several monthly add-ons on top. Men pay to start conversations; women seeking men can usually message free.
Keep in mind what you are buying into. Ashley Madison is an affair and discreet-dating site — it rebranded from "affairs" to "discreet dating" in February 2026 — not a sugar dating platform. The prices below come from third-party reviewers because the official site blocked our checks.
Price table
| Plan / pack | Price | Billing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic — 100 credits | $59 bundle / $79 à la carte | One-time | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Classic — 500 credits | $169 bundle / $224 à la carte | One-time | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Elite — 1,000 credits | $289 bundle / $374 à la carte | One-time | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Starting a conversation | 9 credits standard, 14 credits priority (other sources say 5) | Per new conversation; follow-ups free | datingscout.com, trustpilot.com — conflicting |
| Priority Man | $29.70/month | Auto-renews | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Ashley Madison Prime | $27.99/month or $59.99 lifetime | Monthly or one-time | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Mobile access | $18.99 | One-time | datingscout.com — third-party |
| Member Initiated Contact (MIC) fee | $29.99/month after first free month | Monthly | Third-party search result — unverified |
| Chat time | 50 credits first hour, 30 second, 20 third | Per hour | onlineforlove.com via search — unverified |
Prices checked September 30, 2026; official price pages require login, so figures come from the sources shown.
Prices vary by region and promotion, so treat every figure above as indicative. The MIC fee and chat-time rates appeared only in search results and could not be confirmed.
What's free
Without buying anything you can:
- Create an account and browse profiles
- Use advanced search
- Send likes and a limited number of winks
- Reply to incoming messages
Women seeking men can message free in most cases. For men, the free tier is mainly a way to look around; starting a conversation costs credits.
Renewals, refunds and hidden costs
Credits are one-time, but add-ons are not. Priority Man auto-renews monthly, Prime has a monthly option, and the reported MIC fee is monthly after the first month. It is easy to end up with a recurring charge alongside your credit packs. Unexpected recurring charges are one of the most common complaints on Trustpilot.
The cost per conversation adds up. At the Basic bundle rate of $59 for 100 credits, a 9-credit opener works out to roughly $5.31, and a 14-credit priority message to roughly $8.26. Those are our calculations from the third-party figures; the real rate depends on which pack and price you get. One Trustpilot reviewer's complaint was simply "14 credits to say hi".
Free actions push toward paid ones. App-store feedback describes winks answered with prompts to send paid messages and pop-ups asking for payment to reply to chats.
Refund policy is unverified. We could not retrieve official refund terms. Historically, Ashley Madison's paid "Full Delete" service was one of the practices the FTC charged as deceptive in its 2016 settlement. Before you pay for any deletion or privacy add-on, read exactly what it promises.
Is it worth it?
For sugar dating, generally no. Ashley Madison offers email and optional SMS verification and manual review, but no ID, income or background checks, and it is not built around arrangements. Our Ashley Madison legitimacy check covers the 2015 breach, the 2016 FTC settlement over fake "engager" profiles and the 2017 class-action settlement.
For comparison, using third-party figures from the same research date:
- Secret Benefits uses a similar credit model: $59 for 100 credits, $169 for 500 and $289 for 1,000, with 10 credits to unlock a conversation.
- WhatsYourPrice sells 100 credits for $50, 500 for $150 and 1,000 for $250.
- Seeking uses subscriptions; its pre-2026 Premium was listed at $109.99 a month, and newer prices were not found.
If you are looking for arrangements rather than discreet dating, start with our Ashley Madison alternatives or the best sugar daddy sites.
FAQ
How much does Ashley Madison cost?
Third-party figures list credit bundles at $59 for 100, $169 for 500 and $289 for 1,000, with higher à la carte prices. Optional monthly add-ons such as Priority Man ($29.70) and Prime ($27.99) cost extra.
How many credits does it take to message someone?
Sources conflict. DatingScout lists 9 credits for a standard first message and 14 for a priority message; other sources say 5. Follow-up messages in an open conversation are free.
Is Ashley Madison free for women?
Women seeking men can message free in most cases. Women seeking women buy credits like men do.
Can I get a refund on Ashley Madison credits?
We could not verify the official refund policy. Assume credit purchases are final and check the terms before buying.