What is a Platonic Sugar Daddy & Do They Exist?

Most people have an idea in their head of what a sugar daddy relationship entails. But in the real world, there are so many different styles of sugaring! One of the more unique styles is a platonic relationship, and after reading this article, you might decide that it’s the perfect fit for your goals and lifestyle!

Defining the Concept of a Platonic Sugar Daddy

Platonic by definition, means that there are feelings of care and affection between two people without an element of physical intimacy. So, a platonic sugar relationship is one in which both partners enjoy each other’s company, conversation, and other positives of spending time with each other without a sexual connection.

The Difference Between Platonic and Traditional Sugar Relationships

In a traditional sugar relationship, there may be a sensual side to the connection. This can take the form of flirty text messaging, sharing of videos and photos, or in-person physical intimacy. How much of a role the physical side plays in a traditional sugar relationship will vary from couple to couple.

A platonic sugar relationship doesn’t include a physical component. There may, instead, be emotional intimacy, moral support, intellectual stimulation, or another means by which these sugar partners connect.

Motivations Behind Seeking a Platonic Sugar Daddy Arrangement

There are many reasons why two people would be motivated to pursue a platonic arrangement, including:

• The chance to connect on an emotional level. Companionship is a huge part of platonic sugaring, and it can be especially powerful for someone who has a complicated relationship with sexuality or their own sexual abilities. They may also be in a committed relationship or marriage that precludes them from being intimate with someone else, but they still want an emotional connection.
• Mentorship opportunities. Some sugar daddy/baby relationships are predicated upon mentorship! This can give a sugar daddy a sense of fulfillment while providing career advancement or personal growth opportunities for the sugar baby.
• Being able to travel with another person. Traveling alone can become tedious, so a sugar daddy might seek out someone to have adventures with and help ease the stressful moments of travel.
• Connection over shared interests. A sugar daddy may want to pursue hobbies such as tennis, dance, backpacking, cycling, birding, or others without wanting to go it alone. A sugar baby who is also interested in these things can provide companionship and a buddy for safety or convenience.
• Social status benefits. A sugar daddy may not be seeing anyone in particular but knows that showing up to social events with a plus one is expected. A platonic sugar baby who knows how to navigate these kinds of high-pressure situations is a huge asset.

The Boundaries and Expectations in a Platonic Sugar Relationship

Just like with any other kind of sugar relationship, setting appropriate boundaries and expectations is important with platonic sugar dating. Sugar babies and daddies should be willing to talk about:

• Why each person is interested in a platonic relationship.
• What level of emotional intimacy will be expected?
• How many in-person or virtual dates will be scheduled per week or month?
• Whether travel is on the table/expected and how to navigate that.
• Any topics of conversation that are off-limits.
• Whether they will be exclusive or open to other sugar partners.

How to Identify a Genuine Platonic Sugar Daddy

To be sure, sugar babies should be on the lookout for sugar daddies who say they want a platonic relationship only to seek physical intimacy later on. Here are a few green flags to know that a sugar daddy is serious about keeping things friendly:

• They don’t comment on your physique or sexualized features. They may tell you that you are pretty or they like your eyes, but you don’t feel that the intent is anything more than a genuine compliment.
• They are comfortable arranging dates in public settings, at least until you build trust.
• They respect your boundaries in other areas, such as not talking about certain subjects and arriving to your friendly dates on time.

In general, you’ll feel like this person has no ulterior motives and simply enjoys your company.

The Benefits and Drawbacks of a Platonic Sugar Relationship

There are a few pros and cons to keep in mind if you’re considering this kind of relationship. The list of potential benefits includes:

• The chance to enjoy all the benefits of a new friend, such as emotional support and good conversation.
• You’ll both have someone to have fun new experiences with.
• Platonic sugar partners can be more reliable and consistent than traditional friends because you have an agreement to see each other.

And, some of the challenges to be aware of are:

• Making sure that you have the time and energy to maintain a happy, fulfilling platonic sugar relationship.
• Knowing what to do if one of you starts to develop more-than-platonic feelings for the other.
• Dealing with the negative or unbelieving feedback of other people in your life.

Misconceptions About Platonic Sugar Daddies

There are a few things that people get wrong about platonic sugar daddies.

On the one hand, they may assume that all of these men are asexual or have a physical disorder like ED that prevents them from having physical intimacy. While that may be true for some, there are more reasons why sugar daddies may choose to be platonic. They may want a relationship that focuses more on experiences and conversation. Or they may already have a traditional wife or partner who meets their intimacy needs.

Another misconception is that these kinds of sugar relationships are less serious than traditional SD/SB relationships. That’s not the case at all! Platonic partners can develop a strong long-term bond that requires real effort to maintain. Anyone who seeks out this kind of relationship must be willing to put in the work of keeping their partner happy, scheduling dates, remembering details, and generally being a positive companion.

Real-Life Experiences: Do Platonic Sugar Daddies Exist?

According to the online forum Reddit, there are plenty of people sharing their experiences with platonic sugar dating.

One user, LVSugarBebe, said, “[Platonic sugar daddies] absolutely do exist, I’m not sure why so many people find that unbelievable given how many messages I get each week from POT seeking or open to such arrangements. I’m blatantly clear in my profile that I’m only platonic and I get enough messages in a day that I don’t really need to make any effort to seek them out, they find me.”

Another post on the r/sugarlifestyleforum had a comment explaining, “There are still people in this world that would be considered a platonic SD and would be happy to provide for you in exchange for emotional support, companionship, and acting as arm candy. However, in my experience, the platonic SDs find you, not the other way around, and the emotional labor and attention given is often much more than a traditional SR that involves sex.”

Navigating a Platonic Sugar Relationship Successfully

Now that we’ve established that platonic SRs do exist and they can come with a range of unique benefits, how can you make sure that yours stays fresh and fulfilling? Here are a few must-dos for platonic dating:

• Make sure that your conversation skills are top-notch.
• Remember important details, even if it means you have to jot down notes in a private folder after each date or conversation.
• Let your partner know when you’ll be available for phone calls and messaging so that you can respond to them within a reasonable time frame (in other words, not leaving your sugar partner on read!).
• Find things that you genuinely like about your partner, be it shared interests, the way they talk about their job, etc.
• Set boundaries about what conversations are off-topic.
• Check-in with your sugar partner from time to time to let them know how much you appreciate them and ask them if there’s anything you can do to make the platonic relationship more enjoyable for them.

Deciding if a Platonic Sugar Daddy Arrangement is Right for You

Regardless of what people say about platonic sugar relationships, the truth is that they exist, they can be highly satisfactory for both partners, and they may require more emotional work than you’re used to. So, the only thing that’s left to do is think about whether you want to pursue a platonic sugar daddy relationship for yourself!