Frequently asked questions
Common questions from before the test and after the result.
Who can take the test?
Adults aged 18 or over only. This is adult entertainment that openly covers BDSM, fetishes and play, so it is not for anyone under 18. We ask you to confirm your age on your first visit.
Does it cost anything? Do I need to sign up?
It is free. You do not need to give a name or email address, or create an account.
How many questions are there, and how long does it take?
The quick test has about 20 questions (around 3 minutes). The full test mixes 24–40 questions for your Outer face with 20 for your Inner face, about 45–60 in all (around 8 minutes). You answer by tapping a 7-point scale. After the quick test, you can answer more to turn it into the full test.
Will I have to answer explicit questions?
No. Every question is an ordinary personality question about how you usually act and feel. The fun is in reading those everyday tendencies as kinks such as S or M. You can answer on the train with a perfectly straight face. The results are where it gets filthy.
How far do the results and type write-ups go?
Pretty far. The toys, how to tie or strike, the orders and lines that land, terms like edging, chastity and consensual non-consent (always agreed in advance), and how a whole scene flows, at the level of an adult how-to guide. What we do not depict is sex itself, genitals or bodily fluids.
Risky play such as pain, bondage or suspension comes with specifics: a safeword, limits agreed in advance, aftercare, and the safety essentials (suspension only with someone who knows how, safety shears within reach, and so on). We never cover minors, animals, incest, scat, blood or blades, drugs, or choking and breath play.
Why does the number of questions vary?
Each next question is the one most likely to sharpen the estimate, given your answers so far. The section ends once the estimate is precise enough, so people with clearer answer patterns tend to finish sooner.
What is the difference between the Outer and Inner faces?
Your Outer face is the play style others see in you, the character you show around people. Your Inner face is the desire you feel even when it does not show, the you your mind drifts to when you are alone. Both are read on the same axes, so you can see things like "a Keyholder outside, a Human Pet longing for a collar inside" and by how much. 16 Outer types × 16 Inner types give 256 pairs, and the Inner face’s brake setting (V = Volatile or K = Keel) doubles that, so there are 512 possible results in all.
How are the Outer and Inner faces measured separately?
The questions come as one continuous set, but there are two kinds. Some ask how you act around others and how you come across, such as "When I meet a lot of new people, I am usually the one who starts the conversation." These feed your Outer face. Others ask about feelings that linger afterward and about how things feel or what goes through your mind on your own, such as "After a day spent with a lot of people, I want some time to myself in the evening." These feed your Inner face.
We do not label which kind each question is. People answer more naturally when they are not bracing themselves, and the difference between the two faces shows up on its own. Both kinds measure the same four axes, so your result can compare the two on the same scale.
One of my axes says “border”.
It means you do not clearly lean either way on that axis; on the S/M axis, think of it as switch territory. Every estimate has some uncertainty, and when your lean is small compared with it, we show a border instead of forcing a side. It is not an error or a failed result.
How is rarity calculated?
Until enough people have taken the test, rarity is calculated from a theoretical model of how personality is distributed, and it is labeled as theoretical. Once enough data is in, we switch to observed values based on people who agreed to statistical use, and we show how many people the figure is based on.
Is this related to other “16 types” tests?
No. SM Test is an independent test. Its personality questions draw on the five-factor (Big Five) model widely studied in psychology and on the public-domain International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), and we read the answers as kinks in our own way. Its types and how they are divided are its own.
Can my result change if I take it again?
Yes. It is natural for your answers to shift with your mood, energy, or recent events, and axes near a border flip more easily. Top yesterday, bottom today. Enjoy your result as a snapshot of your tendencies at that moment.
What happens to my answers?
We do not store names, email addresses, or IP addresses in our database. Answers and results are stored in a form that does not identify you. Only data from people who agreed on the start screen is used for statistics such as overall distributions and rarity.
I want to delete my result.
Use “Delete this result” on your result page at any time. The information needed to delete it is kept only in the browser you took the test in, so it cannot be deleted after you clear that browser’s data or from another device. If that concerns you, delete it right after viewing.
I do not want my data used for statistics.
Uncheck “I agree to statistical use” on the start screen before you begin. Your result and sharing will work exactly the same.
Is this a medical diagnosis? Can I use it to choose partners or hire people?
No. SM Test is entertainment for adults to laugh about together, not a medical or psychological diagnosis. It does not determine sexual orientation or anyone’s consent, and it is not a basis for hiring decisions or for expecting anything from anyone. If you try anything for real, consent and a safeword come first. If you are worried about your physical, mental, or sexual health, please talk to a medical professional or a public support service.