2026 Infidelity Statistics: Who Cheats More, Men or Women?

Trust in relationships now carries new forms of risk. Many people still treat cheating as a private rupture, best kept out of public view. Yet in 2026, couples face a wider set of pressure points: online intimacy, hidden spending, secret accounts, emotional affairs, and micro-cheating that may never involve physical contact. Infidelity no longer fits one old category. It can happen through a message thread, a payment trail, a dating app login, or a long-running emotional connection kept off the record. For modern couples, the question is not only who crossed a line, but where that line was drawn in the first place. This article reviews recent verified statistics and behavioral research across age groups, genders, and relationship models. The aim is not moral judgment. We think better data can make a painful subject easier to discuss, with less shame and more clarity. General Marital Infidelity 20% M / 13% W Married adults admitting infidelity. Betrayal Trauma Triggers 83% W / 60% M Emotional vs physical distress. The Young Adults Gap 11% W / 10% M Young women cheat more. Therapy Success 74% Couples recovering with counseling. Micro-Cheating Acceptance 46% Digital secrecy equals cheating. Financial Betrayal 32% Partners hiding secret …