The “orgasm gap” — the phenomenon where women reach climax less frequently than men during partnered sex — is well documented.

But a new Flo study suggests that there is another gap that deserves our attention: the difference in orgasms during solo sex compared with partnered sex.

In a major new research paper published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, Flo’s science team partnered with experts from the University of Utah and Trent University. Together, they analyzed data from 27,931 Flo app members, offering a rare, large-scale look at the solo and partnered sex lives of women.

Here’s what the study reveals about the surprising interplay between pleasure, technique, and satisfaction. The “home court” advantage

One of the study’s most robust findings is that women reach orgasm much more often during solo sexual activities than during partnered sex.

When the team compared similar activities — such as sex toy use or clitoral stimulation — women consistently reported climaxing more often when masturbating. In fact, 47% of participants reported reaching orgasm more frequently during solo sex. Only 21% said they climax more often with a partner.

What might explain this difference? During solo sex, participants reported they felt less pressure to perform, were less self-conscious about their body image, and had greater control over the stimulation. Conversely, barriers to orgasm during partnered sex included the partner reaching orgasm too quickly or difficulty communicating sexual preferences.

“By analyzing data from nearly 28,000 women, we’ve been able to quantify the ‘home court advantage’ of solo sex on a scale never seen before. This research is vital because it moves us away from guessing about female pleasure and toward evidence-based insights. It empowers women to understand that feeling less pressure during solo sex is a common experience,” said Liudmila Zhaunova, PhD, director of science at Flo and senior study author. The satisfaction paradox

Overall, the team found that the more often women climaxed, the more satisfied they were with their overall sex life. But is this equally true for orgasms from solo sex and from partnered sex?

The study found that this isn’t the case.

“We saw that orgasms from partnered sex were strongly linked with sexual satisfaction, with more frequent orgasms predicting higher satisfaction. But the same was not true for solo sex, where we found a small negative link, showing that more frequent orgasms from masturbation predicted lower satisfaction,” Liudmila explained.

This doesn’t mean masturbation is negative. Rather, it suggests that for many women, masturbation may serve as a “compensatory strategy” — something they turn to when partnered sex is absent or unfulfilling.

Flo medical board member and study coauthor Jordan Rullo, PhD — a clinical health psychologist, certified sex therapist, and adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah — commented: “This study illustrates a crucial distinction in sexual psychology: the difference between physiological release and relational fulfillment. While masturbation is a fantastic tool for self-knowledge and stress relief, it can function as a ‘maintenance’ activity. For many women, sexual satisfaction is deeply intertwined with the connection and shared intimacy of partnered sex.”

“The findings highlight that sexual satisfaction is about more than just the physiological release of an orgasm. Emotional connection, intimacy, and shared pleasure are important contributors,” Jordan continued. Variety as the spice of life

The study also looked at sexual variety, which is the number of different sexual activities the participants reported, from using toys to role-play.

On average, participants reported engaging in eight partnered sexual activities out of a possible 13 that were investigated in the study.

The most common sexual activities during partnered sex were clitoral stimulation by a partner, vaginal penetration with stimulation of another body part, and vaginal penetration with clitoral stimulation.

For solo sexual activities, sexual variety was slightly lower, with participants reporting an average of seven solo activities. The most common sexual activities were clitoral stimulation by hand, watching porn or erotica, and vaginal penetration with clitoral stimulation.

Participants who mixed it up during partnered sex and engaged in a wider range of activities reported more orgasms and higher satisfaction. However, this didn’t apply to solo sex. Trying a wider variety of things alone was actually linked to lower satisfaction.

This suggests that experimenting in the bedroom is a great way to build connection and pleasure with a partner, but it might not have the same payoff when you are by yourself. Addressing the penetration myth

The study shatters the outdated myth that vaginal penetration is the primary driver of female pleasure.

When looking at what women actually do to reach orgasm, clitoral stimulation reigned supreme. During solo sex, clitoral stimulation, either by hand or with the use of a vibrator or dildo, was the most effective method for reaching climax.

Importantly, the results show a similar pattern for partnered sex. When comparing how often participants reach orgasms, the frequency was more than double when engaging in vaginal penetration in combination with clitoral stimulation compared with penetration alone.

“We see clearly that the activities most likely to result in orgasm are those that prioritize clitoral stimulation, whether that’s during solo or partnered sex. This challenges the persistent penile–vaginal sexual script that is pervasive in the media and validates the use of toys, hands, and oral stimulation during sex as a key contributor to women’s sexual pleasure,” commented Flo science board member and study coauthor Karen Blair, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Trent University, Canada. Closing the gap

This research confirms that while women are experts at pleasuring themselves, the translation of that pleasure into partnered sex remains complicated by communication barriers and performance pressure.

“We are grateful to all of our Flo members who took part in this research study — we couldn’t have done this work without you. I hope that our work validates your experiences and helps you, researchers, and health care professionals who support women’s sex lives better understand the complexities of female pleasure,” commented Liudmila.