Whether you’ve given anal sex a go or not, you’ve probably wondered what it feels like and whether it might be for you. Because a lot of people see anal sex as ‘taboo’, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about it, including that it’s messy, painful, and not pleasurable for women. First things first, these myths are total BS.
But when it comes to your first anal experience, there are some things you need to know and some conversations you’ll need to have with your partner. Plenty of people want to try anal sex because it turns them on or they are curious about what it feels like, but others come under pressure to try it through expectations set by porn or partners. Remember: there’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t fancy doing certain things in bed.
However, if you do want to try anal, then that’s great! First up, it’s always worth devising a solid plan to educate yourself on what to expect first (check out our very thorough guide to preparing for anal sex). And the golden rule: you’re going to need a lot of lube.
Whether you’re set to be the giver or the receiver, you might be wondering what anal feels like for the person doing the penetrating, how it compares to vaginal sex, whether it’s ‘better’, and what men and people with penises like about anal sex and vaginal sex. Well, read on to find out.
What does anal feel like compared to vaginal sex?
1.“[Anal sex] feels grainier if that makes sense. I don’t enjoy it as much as vaginal because you also have to prepare a lot for it. It’s a much more vulnerable area than the vagina and I can’t go as fast or powerful when doing anal. The novelty wore off on me very soon.” [via]
2.“Hearing a partner moan from anal sex is different than hearing a moan from vaginal and I find it sounds a bit hotter... It’s also the act of someone surrendering completely and a dominance thing, for myself. PIV > anal but options are always nice.” [via]
3.“PIV sex feels like putting on skinny jeans and anal feels like fucking a water bottle.” [via]
4.“Vaginal is a sensation of tightness across the entire penis, whereas anal is more of a single ring feeling because the sphincter is the tightest point. For me anal feels a little tighter so there’s more friction. It’s not more enjoyable for me, and most of my friends don’t feel like it’s more enjoyable either. It’s just something that’s different and treated in common culture as taboo, which makes it more interesting.” [via]
Is anal sex better?
5.“I actually think in terms of physical sensations, that the vagina feels better than the anus. The vagina has more texture, is wetter, and in general it feels better. My love of anal is purely psychological. For me, ass play is one more thing I like to incorporate in my sexual toolkit, so to speak. Just one more way to give and receive pleasure from each other.” [via]
6.“Vaginal is a wet and smooth feeling. Multiple ridges and muscles along the vaginal canal. When in strokes, it feels like a series of tight waves made slick by lube or the person being wet. Anal is a tight push feeling. It feels like a firm solid grip on the penis that only lets up when you sink all the way in.” [via]
7.“Besides the obvious of the butt being extremely tight, it’s almost like a sucking feeling once the penis is a few inches in. So it’s like getting a blow job at the same time that you’re having sex.” [via]
8.“I prefer vagina. Anal feels different but not in a good vaginal way. Just different. I can’t explain it more than: vagina feels really good wrapped around my dick and anal, well it’s OK if that’s what she’s into.” [via]
9.“Vaginal is clearly better. No mess (except during menstruation, but whatever). More tight. More responsive. Anal is only fun when the person receiving it enjoys it. But mostly, anal is overrated. At least heterosexual anal sex is.” [via]
Is vaginal sex better than anal?
10.“I’m a bigger guy with pretty average junk. I’m bigger though, so my fat can get in the way somewhat. The girls I’m normally with are bigger too, so positions like doggy are almost impossible PIV, but anally, works like a charm.” [via]
11.“To me, the vagina just feels better, both psychologically and physically. Psychologically, it’s much more intimate because she and I can interact much more freely and communicate clearer than doing it anally. Physically, a vagina feels much warmer and wetter. She has full control of how she can squeeze me while I’m in her pussy, and what I feel overall. That’s not to say that anal is bad. I don’t do anal much because it requires a lot of preparation for us, especially her. However, in the occasions that we do, I absolutely love it. Sure it’s not as good physically, but I think this makes me last a bit longer than PIV which my SO likes.” [via]
12. “A lot of it is mind-driven for many people, personally I do enjoy the feeling more as well. In addition to the whole taboo part, for me there’s also an aspect of feeling trusted. There is some extra portion of intimacy to accept the additional preparation and the vulnerable state it puts the receiving party into.” [via]
13. “Vaginal is a wet and smooth feeling. Multiple ridges and muscles along the vaginal canal. When doing in strokes, it feels like a series of tight waves made slick by lube or the girl being wet. Anal is a tight push feeling. It’s a very tight muscle (much tighter than a vagina), it grips you hard and steady until you pass through into the rest of the space in the colon. When doing in strokes, it feels like a firm solid grip on the penis that only lets up when you sink all the way in.” [via]
14. “It’s not a preference for it instead of vaginal, it’s just something to throw in every now and then. Why? Because my girl has a beautiful ass. I’m obsessed with it, and to get to fuck it every now and then is a huge turn on. Nothing could replace vaginal sex. Anal is just about occasional variety, and its status as being ‘taboo’ makes doing it occasionally really hot.” [via]
15. “Vaginal feels like a warm wet hug thats tight all the way through. Anal feels tight round one area then it opens up into warm velvet. Nothing grips the head of a dick like an ass. I will say this: vaginal feels physically better to me, but anal plays on more than just feeling. It’s a major kink of mine, so it also plays on my mind a lot. Because of this, I cum harder... a lot harder than I do with vaginal.” [via]
16. “Vaginal has more ‘pressure’, if I go as deep as I can I can feel that I’m pushing against something with the tip of my penis. There are things in the vagina that stimulate different parts, even deep inside where there’s more space. Not sure what they are. Maybe the cervix rubbing the side, maybe parts of the vaginal wall, whatever. Because of this I find vaginal sex way more pleasurable because it has more stimulation and pressure for me. Anal sex feels like one fairly tight ring or tube, maybe one or two inches of tightness, then no real resistance. Anal will kind of feel like it’s sucking you in, even past that initial tightness, which is good. But for me, the pressure isn’t there as much, particularly for the glans, so anal physically feels less stimulating because of that.” [via]
17. “I had a fetish for anal in porn for many years until I got the chance to give it a go. Couldn’t get the angles to work very well and, despite many attempts with various stages of drunkenness and lube, it seemed to hurt my partner and do absolutely nothing for me.” [via]
18. “Anal is an entirely new sensation. It starts out a bit tight, but as you get into it, it relaxes more and loosens a bit. The pressure and sensations can be amazing as the muscles contract and loosen repeatedly. Some of the most intense orgasms I’ve had have been via anal.” [via]
19. “It’s a different sensation, and variety keeps things fun. I wouldn’t want anal over PIV all the time, but its a nice change up sometimes.” [via]
20. “As someone who has a partner that likes anal performed on her, I can say that there is a difference for me, but it’s not nearly as unique as it may sound. It’s tighter in general than a vagina and the position is different (have to be a little higher or angle higher for me to get it in for instance). And depending on the position, we can also do multiple stimulus (anal/vaginal). It does feel different too since the texture is not like a vagina. But there isn’t a huge reason to desire it over vaginal.” [via]
21. “Anal feels tighter, almost suction-like. Initial penetration is also much more exciting as passing the outer sphincter is more intense than inserting into a vagina. Friction is also ‘adjustable’ with anal depending on the quantity and type of lubrication, whereas with vaginal, it’s dictated by vaginal lubrication (assuming additional is not needed). Plus there’s the social taboo. Anal isn’t quite mainstream but it’s made great strides in that regard in the last couple decades which adds some mental stimulation too.” [via]