MegaMates vs. RedHot Dateline
Compare MegaMates and RedHot Dateline side by side — ratings, pricing, free trials, pros and cons, and who each one is actually best for.
MegaMates is the consolidated voice-personals chat line from Social Tech Unlimited, LLC — operational since 1993 under the "Telemates" and "Megaphone" brands and now running in 75+ U.S. metropolitan areas for straight, gay, bi, and lesbian callers. Its signature differentiator is the pricing model: instead of per-minute packages, paid members buy flat-rate unlimited-use passes ($11.99 / 24h up to $49.99 / month), and a large list of core features (mailbox setup, ad recording, browsing, sending messages, accepting Live Chat invites, accepting Direct Connect calls, the matching menu) is always free with no credit card. Purchases post to statements as "Progressive Computing LLC" for discretion.
RedHot Dateline is Teligence's adult-leaning chat line — the same infrastructure that runs LiveLinks, positioned around "hot talk" and flirtation instead of general dating. It has a 25-year track record, women call free, and first-time male callers get a free trial plus a double-the-minutes first package.
The Quick Facts
- TypeMegaMatesVoice Personals Chat Line (straight, gay, bi, lesbian)RedHot DatelineTraditional
- Free TrialMegaMatesFree features — no trial meter (paid unlocks Message Retrieval + unlimited Live Chat / Direct Connect)RedHot DatelineFirst-time callers
- Free Trial Credit CardMegaMatesNot requiredRedHot DatelineNot required
- Starter PackageMegaMates$11.99 (24-hour unlimited-use pass)RedHot DatelineDouble-the-minutes offer
- Operating HistoryMegaMates30+ years (since 1993)RedHot DatelineSince 2001
- AvailabilityMegaMates24 / 7 · 75+ U.S. metro areasRedHot Dateline24 / 7
- Discreet BillingMegaMatesYes ("Progressive Computing LLC")RedHot DatelineYes ("TELIGENCE")
How They Stack Up
Six weighted criteria, scored independently for each service. The higher bar wins the criterion.
- Selection & User BaseRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 4 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.3 / 5
- Discretion & SafetyRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 4.4 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.7 / 5
- Feature DepthRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 4.3 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.4 / 5
- Call Quality & ReliabilityRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 4 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.6 / 5
- Value for MoneyRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 4.2 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.5 / 5
- Onboarding & TrialRedHot Dateline winsMegaMates 3.8 / 5RedHot Dateline 4.3 / 5
The Honest Trade-Offs
MegaMates
- Operating since 1993 under Social Tech Unlimited, LLC (formerly Telemates and Megaphone) — one of the longest continuously running voice-personals chat lines in North America
- Flat-rate unlimited-use packages instead of per-minute buys — no minute-counting during a call
- Unusually large always-free feature set with no credit card: Mailbox setup, Public Message recording, browsing ads, sending messages, receiving message alerts, accepting Live Chat invites, accepting Direct Connect calls, and the Computerized Matching Menu
- Serves straight, gay, bi, and lesbian callers on a single brand across 75+ U.S. metropolitan areas
- Separate "Gay Chat Line" and "Straight Chat Line" entry points on megamates.com for faster routing
- Direct Connect lets the system call you back 24/7 when someone wants to chat — including when you are offline
- Pre-Paid Priority Messages guarantee delivery to callers who have not purchased Message Retrieval
- Computerized Matching Menu filters callers by the stats you enter
- Speech Recognition navigation for hands-free keypad use
- Discreet "Progressive Computing LLC" billing descriptor on credit card statements
- Wide payment options — Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, pre-paid cards, Check-by-Phone, Western Union, and money order by mail
- Online purchases on secure.megamates.com include a 2 Pre-Paid Priority Messages + 1 day Message Retrieval bonus
- 24/7 customer service toll-free at 1-888-MegaMates with a separate discreet billing department for statement questions
- Explicit block (press 8 after a message, or press 7 from a box-number lookup) and report-to-quality-department controls
- No timed free-minutes trial like the 30–60 minute trials used by the Teligence and FMG families — the "free" offering is a feature menu, not a minute bucket
- To actually listen to messages other callers send you, you need to buy Message Retrieval — a common point of confusion for first-time callers
- Official website does not publish a per-minute rate because the model is flat-rate unlimited — callers expecting per-minute math have to translate
- Third-party chat-line directories cite per-minute packages ($15.99 / 30 min, $25.99 / 60 min, $39.99 / 120 min) that do not match the flat-rate plans on the official Features page — verify during the buy flow
- Mailboxes left unused for 3 months are deactivated without refund, including any remaining time or Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- Coverage is U.S.-only across 75+ metros — caller density varies by city
- No dedicated sub-brand for couples, Asian, BBW, Black, or Latin audiences — the line is organized around sexual orientation, not community
- No publicly documented native iOS or Android mobile app — the service is voice-first with a web self-service portal at secure.megamates.com
RedHot Dateline
- 25 years of continuous operation under Teligence Corporation
- Same infrastructure and discreet billing as LiveLinks ("TELIGENCE" descriptor)
- Free trial for first-time male callers with no credit card required
- Women call free, always — no package, no signup, no credit card
- Double-the-minutes package promotion for first-time paid members
- Phone numbers never shared between callers (per RedHot Dateline's FAQ)
- Local access numbers plus national toll-free 1-800-945-3616
- Multiple payment options: Visa, MC, Amex, Discover, PayPal, pre-paid cards, Check-by-Phone, Western Union
- Member features include Hot List, Offline Messaging, saved greetings, and priority access
- In-call moderation: press "7" to block a caller, press "7" again to flag for review
- 24/7 availability with no app install required
- Per-minute rate is not directly published — pricing is package-based
- Adult-leaning positioning is narrower than a general dating chat line
- Smaller active caller base than LiveLinks, especially off-peak
- Free trial is tied to your specific phone number; only issued once per number
- Trial must be used within 7 days of issue
- Free trial won't work reliably over long distance — must use a local number
- No community-specific lines the way Hot Night Line runs (Singles, Couples, Asian, BBW, Black, Gay, Lesbian, Latino)
- No way to pick a specific person to talk to (NiteFlirt does this better)
- No native mobile app — the service is phone-call-only
Pick the Right One for You
MegaMates
- Callers who prefer flat-rate unlimited-use packages over per-minute minute packages — no minute-counting mid-call
- Callers who want to try a phone chat line with a genuinely large free feature set and no credit card required up front
- Singles of any orientation (straight, gay, bi, lesbian) who want a single brand that serves all four audiences
- Callers in one of the 75+ U.S. metros MegaMates covers who want a long-running (since 1993) voice-personals experience
- Callers who value the Direct Connect 24/7 callback feature — the system can reach you even when you are not on the line
- Callers who want discreet billing — "Progressive Computing LLC" on the statement plus a separate discreet billing department for questions
- Callers who want to pay by cash-equivalent methods — Western Union, Check-by-Phone, and money order by mail are all supported
- Callers who want a timed free-minutes trial (30–60 min) like the Teligence or FMG families offer — MegaMates' "free" is a feature menu, not a minute bucket
- Callers who want to hear messages other callers send them for free — Message Retrieval is paid
- Callers looking for a couples, BBW, Asian, Black, or Latin dedicated community line — MegaMates is organized by orientation, not community
- Callers outside the U.S. — coverage is 75+ U.S. metros, with no Canadian or international local numbers documented on the official site
- Callers who want a native iOS or Android mobile app experience — MegaMates is voice-first with a web self-service portal
- Callers who want a single published per-minute rate to compare against competitors — MegaMates' pricing is flat-rate by duration, not per-minute
RedHot Dateline
- Callers who specifically want flirtatious, adult-leaning voice chat
- Users who want an established, long-running operator (25+ years) rather than a newer brand
- Women looking for a chat line that is unconditionally free
- Callers who already trust Teligence-operated services like LiveLinks
- People who prefer a voice-only experience with no app, profile, or signup
- Callers looking for general dating conversations rather than hot talk — LiveLinks is the better fit
- Callers who want community-specific lines — Hot Night Line serves that better
- Callers who want to pick a specific verified person to talk to — that's NiteFlirt's category
- Callers who need a published per-minute rate before committing
- Users who prefer app-based or video-enabled experiences
What Each Costs
MegaMates
MegaMates does not use the per-minute package model that dominates the chat-line category. Instead, paid members buy flat-rate unlimited-use passes for a set duration (24 hours, 1 week, or 1 month) and an unusually large feature set stays free with no credit card. The paid unlocks are primarily Message Retrieval (required to actually listen to messages other callers send you) plus unlimited outgoing Live Chat and Direct Connect. Pricing below reflects the official Features page as of 2026 — third-party chat-line directories sometimes cite per-minute packages that do not match the current flat-rate plans, so verify during the buy flow on secure.megamates.com.
- Always Free (No Credit Card)
- Mailbox + Public Message + Browsing + Sending Messages + Accepting Live Chat / Direct Connect + Matching MenuPer the official FAQ and Features pages — MegaMates' biggest differentiator versus per-minute competitors
- 24-Hour Unlimited-Use Pass
- $11.9924 hours of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect
- 1-Week Plan (Message Retrieval)
- $19.99 (was $29.99)1 week of unlimited Message Retrieval plus 3 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- 1-Week Plan — "Most Popular"
- $23.991 week of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect plus 3 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- 1-Month Plan (Message Retrieval)
- $39.99 (was $69.99)1 month of unlimited Message Retrieval plus 6 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- 1-Month Plan — "Best Value"
- $49.991 month of unlimited Message Retrieval plus unlimited Live Chat and Direct Connect plus 6 Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- Pre-Paid Priority Messages
- $11.00 / 10 or $18.00 / 20Guarantees the recipient can hear your message even if they have not purchased Message Retrieval
- Online Purchase Bonus
- +2 Pre-Paid Priority Messages + 1 day Message RetrievalAdded to any package purchased at secure.megamates.com
- Billing Descriptor
- "Progressive Computing LLC"Appears on your credit card statement in place of the MegaMates name
- Payment Options
- Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, pre-paid cards, Check-by-Phone, Western Union, Check / Money Order by mailMoney orders and checks by mail go to Social Tech Unlimited, PO Box 23818, San Diego, CA 92193-3818
- Inactivity Policy
- 3 monthsPer the FAQ, mailboxes unused for 3 months are deactivated and any remaining time or Pre-Paid Priority Messages are forfeited
MegaMates uses flat-rate unlimited-use packages rather than per-minute minute packages. Third-party chat-line directories sometimes list per-minute pricing (e.g., $15.99 / 30 min, $25.99 / 60 min, $39.99 / 120 min) that does not match the current official Features page — verify the current package menu during the buy flow on secure.megamates.com or by calling customer service 24/7 at 1-888-MegaMates.
RedHot Dateline
RedHot Dateline uses the same package-based pricing model as every other Teligence-operated chat line. Women always call free. Men get a free trial on their first call from a new phone number, then buy a minute package to continue — first-time paid members are eligible for a double-the-minutes promotion.
- First-Time Male Trial
- Free trial minutesIssued automatically on first call from a new phone number; no credit card required
- Women
- Always freeNo payment information ever requested (per the site's FAQ)
- First-Time Paid Offer
- Double-the-minutes packageExclusive first-time paid-member promotion per the official site
- Per-Minute Rate
- Not publishedPricing is handled as minute packages; actual per-minute cost varies by package size
- Billing Descriptor
- "TELIGENCE"Appears on your credit card statement in place of the RedHot Dateline name (per the official FAQ)
RedHot Dateline does not publish a single fixed per-minute rate on its website — costs depend on which package you pick. Verify the current offer on redhotdateline.com before purchasing.
RedHot Dateline comes out on top
Across 6 scoring criteria, MegaMates wins 0, RedHot Dateline wins 6. Read each full review for the complete context before deciding.