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Glossary

Soft swap

The lighter form of partner swapping, where intercourse is exactly where the line sits.

What is soft swap?

Soft swap (the term is the same in English) is partner swapping where everything is allowed except intercourse: kissing, touching, and sometimes oral, depending on what the couples agree. It is the lighter form of swapping, opposite full swap, where intercourse is part of the deal. A lot of couples starting out keep it here.

English termsoft swap, identical; a narrower variant is called soft swinging
Opposite offull swap, with intercourse
What is allowedkissing, touching, sometimes oral, depending on the agreement
Part ofswinging, meaning partner swapping
Who it is foroften couples starting out, or couples who keep intercourse as the line

How soft swap works

With soft swap you do have contact with the partner of another couple, but no penetrative sex. The international description sums it up like this: couples do soft swap when they limit themselves to non-penetrative sex, and new couples usually choose that before they feel comfortable with full swap. What exactly falls under it differs per agreement. For one couple oral is part of soft swap, for another it is not.

Why people choose soft swap

The pull is the charge of someone new, while intercourse stays a shared limit. For a couple, soft swap is a way to swing without going all the way, and a way to notice how it feels before anything more comes into it. What you have to spell out beforehand is what “everything except intercourse” means for the two of you, because that line does not sit in the same place for everyone.

Where this fits on this site

Soft swap is an agreement between couples, not a service I provide. If you want to explore where your line sits and how to talk about it with your partner, I am happy to think along, no strings attached. How I guide couples through that is on my couples page.

Sources

  • Swinging (sexual practice). Wikipedia. Supplies the definition of soft swap as partner swapping with non-penetrative sex only, the narrower meaning of soft swinging, and the point that new couples usually begin with soft swap.
  • Sexual behaviour and STI testing among Dutch swingers. Kampman et al., PLOS ONE 15(9), e0239750, 2020. Supplies the definition of swingers as heterosexuals who swap partners as a couple, which makes soft swap one of the levels of that practice.
  • Swinging. Soft swap is the lighter variant of swinging, meaning partner swapping.
  • Full swap. The full counterpart, with intercourse included.
  • Couples club. One of the places where couples do this.
  • Swingers club. The same kind of venue, with play rooms on site.

Frequently asked questions

What couples ask about soft swap.

  1. What is soft swap?

    Soft swap is partner swapping where everything is allowed except intercourse: kissing, touching, and sometimes oral. It is the lighter form of swinging, opposite full swap, where intercourse is part of the deal.

  2. What exactly counts as soft swap?

    That differs per agreement. The fixed line is no intercourse; under that sits kissing and touching, and sometimes oral, sometimes not. So spell out with your partner beforehand what “everything except intercourse” means for the two of you.

  3. Who can you turn to with questions about soft swap?

    Victor, a gigolo with twenty-five years of experience and a background as a psychotherapist, who works a lot with couples. He’ll think along, no strings attached, about where your line sits and how to talk about it. You can ask through the contact form or free chat first.

Blog

Articles about swinging and a first time

A practical guide to a first club visit and an account with a gigolo along, both places where the choice between soft and full swap comes up.

Related service

Feeling out where the line sits, together

Soft swap turns on a line you set together beforehand. On the couples page you can read how I help couples have that conversation and keep the pace their own.

Gigolo for couples sharing an intimate moment together
Gigolo for couples

A gigolo for couples: break the routine together, grow closer, and safely explore a fantasy on your own terms.

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Still have questions about soft swap?

I'm Victor, and I often help couples find the line they both feel good about. Want to know what soft swap would mean for the two of you? Just ask. No obligation, and you're not committing to anything.

Closing CTA on /term/soft-swap. Pairs with 03-learn-more-about-soft-swap.md. Wording kept distinct from /en/term/full-swap/cta.md and /en/term/swinging/cta.md. Never rendered.

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