The Wild World of Hotwifing, the Kink Couples Swear Saved Their Marriages

Monogamy is out. Hotwifing is in. 

Open marriages seem to be more popular now than ever before (monogamy is so old-school). But there’s a new “trend” blowing up on Reddit threads and alternative dating apps, and it isn’t just about having a little something on the side.

Hotwifing has one very specific dynamic: a straight, married man encouraging his wife to hook up with other people—while he watches. It’s cuckolding with a twist. It’s less about humiliation and more about empowerment, at least that’s what the devotees are saying.

The idea really got kick-started with an app and website called Wifey, a platform that promises to “test-drive your wife,” because nothing says intimacy like car dealership metaphors. “He gets to see how well it rides. He’s got to give it back, but it creates a sense of pride. You get a little taste of what my life is like,” said one husband, named Logan. The app is the first of its kind—embracing the ever-growing ethical non-monogamy lifestyle.

Of course, the “swinger” culture has been around for decades, but hotwifing gets a spicy boost thanks to today’s views on sexuality and expression. Other apps like 3rder, Feeld, and Pineapple help couples connect with potential partners or like-minded people. Some couples are even keeping it in their friend group (that sounds messy).

The basic idea is to show off how hot your wife is in bed. “It’ll be really cool for him to see me with two hot guys, just living my best life,” said Sienna, Logan’s wife.

Hotwifing is a bit controversial, and some might say it defiles the sanctity of marriage, but according to its practicing couples, it brings you and your partner closer than ever. “It’s weird to say, but I actually love him so much more because of it,” said one wife, Rebecca, “Sex and love are two completely different things.” 

Or…it could just be about defiling. “We’re gonna strengthen our relationship and I’m gonna get some entertainment and adrenaline from the defilement,” said husband, Richard, who plans on watching Rebecca sleep with multiple men in her wedding dress. 

To no one’s surprise, not everyone is sold. Critics argue it’s just a kink dressed up as sexual liberation, or worse, a symptom of deeper relationship problems being glossed over with threesomes and exhibitionism. But in a culture increasingly obsessed with ethical non-monogamy, it tracks that more couples are ditching the fantasy of “forever” for a rotating roster of side quests.

Is hotwifing the future of marriage, or just a flashy sex trend covering a deeper issue? Either way, it’s got people talking—and probably wondering how they can convince their spouse this “isn’t cheating.”