With origins dating back to 1989 when it functioned as a telephone-based dating service for the gay community, Manhunt.net has grown to become the largest gay dating site on the internet today.

— Pros and Cons of ManHunt.net —

Pros

• Clean aesthetics and fast performance for both the mobile and desktop interfaces
• Aimed for hookups, but also accommodates milder pursuits
• Six million strong active user base

Cons

• At registration, one can inadvertently enroll on a live sex cam site
• Requires a paid membership to engage in any meaningful interaction

— In-Depth ManHunt Review —

The gay community is fortunate to have at its disposal one of the most well established online dating sites in operation today. We are referring to ManHunt.com. With origins dating back to 1989 when it functioned as a telephone-based dating service for the gay community, it has grown to become the largest gay dating site on the internet today. With over six million active users worldwide — over one-quarter of whom reside in the United States — ManHunt is one of the best options for gay men to search for partners.

Due to the longevity of ManHunt on the dating scene, we are familiar with its level of service and the positive reputation that it has in the gay community. One of the attributes of ManHunt that we have always found to be commendable is its inclusivity. Even though approximately 80 percent of the site’s members use the site to find no-strings-attached casual sex hookups, ManHunt makes a concerted effort not to overlook the remaining 20 percent of its membership.

In other words, if you enter the site to look for some casual fun — you will find what you seek. Likewise, if you enter to find a long-term partner or non-sexual friendship — you will also be able to find others who seek the same. This is likely one of the reasons why ManHunt has remained so popular for so long — while attending the needs of the majority of its users, it does not sacrifice the user experience for those in the minority.

While it would be easy for us to echo the praises that ManHunt has received in the past, we thought it would be best to revisit ManHunt and review their current performance. Are they still a gem of a dating site? Is the membership still as active as before? We conducted a full evaluation of ManHunt and this is our ManHunt review.

— The Look and Feel of ManHunt —

We had always found the aesthetic, distribution and navigation of ManHunt to be modern, efficient and pleasing. We are pleased to report that the site still retains these qualities. One area that did change was that related to its mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices. In the past, the functionality of the mobile version of ManHunt was clunky. On the Android version it was prone to shutting down without warning. The iPhone version, while stable, always seemed slow. Based on our most recent testing, both mobile apps now perform quite well. You can take advantage of the same features available on the desktop version without any performance issues.

— Registration —

Basic registration is free on ManHunt. All it involves is clicking on the orange-colored “sign up free” button on the site’s welcome page. Upon doing that, you will be redirected to a short registration form.

You are required to select the username and password that you want to use on the site. From our experience, we recommend that you think carefully about the username that you want to use beforehand. Changing it later, especially after you have paid for an upgraded membership, requires you to jump through a few hoops. We would suggest selecting usernames that offer insight into your personality or that are witty without necessarily going into the bold and vulgar zone. Then again, if you intend to use the site strictly for hard core hookups, then “ramhard69” might make sense for you.

In order to complete the registration form, you must also populate the headline and text of your user profile. Bear in mind, this is what other users will read about you. We suggest a short, but catchy, phrase for the headline. The text portion of your profile is limited to 1,500 characters, so you don’t have to worry about having to write a novel about yourself. You should include a succinct overview of what you are looking for on the site. You are also given the option to upload a profile picture. From what we observed from the profile pictures of other users, this can range from a flattering selfie to some rather risque samples.

The final step in the submission process involves checking a box indicating that you are 18 or older. This appears at the bottom of the registration form in a small font. Immediately below it is another checkbox.

Be careful here — if you check that box you will also enroll on MHCams.com. This is a live sex cam site that requires you to purchase “credits” in order to engage in private cam shows with paid male models. If that is something that would interest you — fine, check the box. If not, then be sure to read the fine print before checking any boxes. Once you submit all of your information you are redirected to the main lounge where you are asked to fill in some details about your physical appearance.

Next, you’ll be asked to clarify what exactly you’re looking for. This will help ManHunt match you with members that will appeal to you.

— The Features —

The main feature of ManHunt is its search engine. Free members only get a small glimpse of the level of detail that paid users benefit from in terms of fine tuning their search results. A paid member can search for such details as body type, age, location, personality type, fondness for particular sexual positions, etc. If your tastes in hookups are very specific, the ManHunt search engine is probably the best that you will find on any gay dating site.

— ManHunt.net Cost —

The free version not only limits you in the level of detail that you can search for, but it also limits you in the number of profiles that you can see and the number of messages that you can receive and send. We do not know if this number is arbitrary or based on traffic flows. We say this because some of our testers were limited to five per day, while others stretched it out to as high as ten.

Regardless, with a paid membership you get the full power of the site. Unlimited communication and searches are made available to you. It also removes banner ads that appear on the free version. The cost for a one-month membership is $12. This can be lowered by paying $30 for a three-month membership, or $99 for a one-year membership.

A side benefit to the paid membership is that it also gives you access to the ManHunt blog. Not only will you be able to read articles about the gay dating scene, but you can also post your own stories as well.