The sex app Australia actually wanted
Most people searching for a sex app in Australia have already tried the obvious ones. You download, you swipe, you match, and then you spend a week trading messages with someone who turns out to want a boyfriend. Root Buddies is the opposite. It works on your phone like any app, but everyone on it joined for sex and something casual, so the conversation heads where you both want it to, and quickly.
Keen and close by
Members near you, blurred here and sharp as anything once you're in.
A sex app that doesn't make you pretend
The trouble with mainstream apps is that they were never meant for this. They're designed to pair people off, so the moment you mention sex you're the creep, even if the other person was thinking the same thing. Everyone ends up playing a game where nobody says what they want.
On Root Buddies, saying what you want is the whole idea. Members write it on their profile: tonight, this weekend, a regular thing, someone to see when they're in town for work. You read it, you message the ones who fit, and you skip the three dates it would take to find out on a normal app.
How it works on your phone
Open Root Buddies in your phone's browser and it behaves like an app. Nothing to download, nothing sitting on your home screen for someone else to spot, and nothing in your app store history. Log in, check who's nearby, reply to messages, and close it again.
The search puts locals first, so you're looking at people a short drive away rather than across the state. Because everyone's here for the same reason, chats go from hello to a plan far quicker than anywhere else. And it moves at your pace. Some members want sex now, tonight, as soon as they've found someone keen. Others like a few days of build-up first. Both are normal, and your profile tells people which you are.
10:47pm
That's when it usually happens. You're in bed, scrolling, not really tired. A message pops up from someone across town: "You awake? Because I am. Very." You trade a few lines, then a photo, then a much better photo. At 11:20 they send their address. At 11:45 you're on their doorstep, and the porch light goes off before the door's even shut.
That's what people mean when they talk about sex apps that actually work. Not endless swiping. A phone in your hand, someone keen nearby, and a night that turns out far better than it was shaping up to be.
Why not just use a sex site on the laptop?
You can, and plenty of people do. The sex website and the app are the same thing here, same members and same messages, so you can browse on the couch with the laptop and reply on your phone at lunch. What matters is that it's with you when the moment comes. A message at 9pm on a Friday saying "I'm around, are you?" is only useful if you see it at 9pm on a Friday.
Better than the other hookup apps?
We'd say so, but the honest test is simple: on Root Buddies, people want what you want. Lots of hookup apps are just dating apps with a racier logo, and lots of sex sites are full of profiles that never answer. A local hookup app is only as good as the real people near you who use it and reply. Give it a week, write a clear profile, and judge for yourself. If you're weighing up the options, we've also written about choosing a hookup site worth your time.
Using it on the road
A good adult app comes into its own when you're away from home. A conference in Brisbane, a work trip to Adelaide, a long weekend somewhere new. Change your location, see who's around, and spend the evening with someone instead of the hotel minibar. If you're heading to a capital, have a read of what Melbourne nights are like for a root or Sydney after dark, suburb by suburb before you go.
Keep your phone private
Use a passcode, turn off message previews on your lock screen, and log out if someone else uses your phone. That's all you need to do. Nobody can see your profile without logging in, and nothing about Root Buddies shouts at anyone glancing over your shoulder. If you want to try something regular rather than one-offs, here's how a root buddy arrangement runs.
Sex app questions
Is there a sex app for Australians?
Yes. Root Buddies works on your phone like an app and is built for Australians who want casual sex and arrangements. You can see members near you, message them and make plans from your phone, without downloading anything. Everyone on it joined for the same reason, so conversations stay honest and move quickly.
Do I need to download anything?
No. Root Buddies runs in your phone's browser and behaves just like an app, so there's nothing to install, nothing on your home screen and nothing in your app store history. Log in when you want to check messages and log out when you're done. It works the same on a laptop or tablet.
Can I find someone the same night?
Often, yes, especially in the capitals on a Friday or Saturday. Members who want to meet the same night tend to say so on their profile, so look out for "tonight" and get chatting early. Midweek and outside the cities it can take a day or two, but plenty of people still meet within the week.
How is this different from the swiping apps?
Mainstream swiping apps are designed for dating and relationships, so people after casual sex often hide it or get unmatched for saying so. On Root Buddies everyone has joined for sex, flirting and arrangements, so there's no pretending. You spend less time guessing what someone wants and more time actually meeting them.
Your phone, someone keen
It takes a minute to set up. After that, the next message could be the one that turns into tonight.