Is messaging on Ashley Madison free?

Messaging on Ashley Madison is not free for all users. While females seeking males have the privilege to use the chat function at no cost, male users and those seeking same-sex relationships typically need to purchase credits to initiate conversations and continue messaging potential matches. Ashley Madison operates on a credit system where users buy credits to send messages, making it a pay-as-you-go service for most of its user base. Hence, the ability to message for free depends on the user's gender and the type of relationship they are looking for on the platform.