With a booming online dating industry [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/27/technology/dating-apps-china.html], there are plenty of China dating sites and apps to choose from. But while you’ll likely find plenty of Chinese singles on all of them - finding attractive, intriguing people you actually want to date is a different story. Our team of dating experts has been in the trenches since 2009, optimizing profiles, swiping, and messaging on behalf of all the clients we represent online. That means we’ve experienced first hand how all the dating apps and sites have evolved over time, giving us a unique understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of each one. So if you want high quality matches when you’re dating in China, stick with these 8 Chinese dating sites and apps that really work. TANTAN Often referred to as the “Chinese Tinder”, Tantan [https://tantanapp.com/en/] was recently acquired by Momo [https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/23/momo-buys-tantan-chinas-tinder-for-600m-as-chinese-social-networks-consolidate/], one of the biggest social networking apps in China. Tantan is a must if you’re living in or visiting a mega city like Shanghai or Beijing. It has an English version, so it’s the perfect Chinese dating app to try if you don’t speak Mandarin. You’ll immediately recognize the format if you’ve ever tried a dating app - swipe right if you’re interested in someone, left if you’re not feeling it. When both people “like” the other’s profile, a match is formed and you can exchange messages, voice messages, videos and pictures. There’s even a built-in “icebreaker” feature that allows you to send 10 “canned” questions to your match. Tantan gives you the option of hiding your contacts, so you don’t need to worry about your profile being visible to anyone in your phone’s contacts list. On the other hand, if you do want one of your contacts to see your profile (just to “test” the romantic waters) you can instruct the app to anonymously invite that person to try Tantan - and then your profile will be presented to them at some point. TANTAN COST Tantan is a totally free Chinese dating app, but it also allows you to upgrade to VIP status. The membership cost varies depending on where in China you are, but generally starts around 30 CNY a month. VIP status on Tantan unlocks these additional features: * “VIP” badge on your profile * 5 “Super Likes” every day (these let potential matches know you’re really interested) * Change your location to swipe through singles in any city around the world * Unlimited right swipes If you don’t want to invest in VIP status but like the idea of using Super Likes on the really attractive Chinese singles in your queue, you can buy 5 Super Likes for around 12 CNY (prices vary by region). MOMO While it’s not exclusively a Chinese dating app, Momo [http://immomo.com/] has over 94 million [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-23/china-s-momo-to-acquire-smaller-tinder-like-rival-app-tantan] active users. It started out as a place for young(ish) singles to find hookups, but has tried to “clean up its act [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-23/china-s-momo-to-acquire-smaller-tinder-like-rival-app-tantan]” in recent years by expanding into the social networking realm as well. But still - if you’re looking to casually date or hook up in China, this is the app for you. You can access instant messaging features for free, so investing in a membership isn’t necessary if you just want to exchange messages with other users in hopes of setting up a date. If you’re into mobile gaming, or want perks like the ability to follow 100+ people, see who visited your profile, access to more avatars, and the ability to send “stickers” and other emojis to people, you can upgrade. MOMO COST There are two paid membership levels: VIP and Super VIP. VIP starts at 12 CNY a month, and Super VIP starts at 30 CNY. CHINALOVECUPID If you’re not in China (yet), you’ll find plenty of beautiful Chinese singles hoping to meet Western men on ChinaLoveCupid [https://www.chinalovecupid.com/]. It's also a solid option for dating while you're in China. Formerly called Chinese Love Links, this international dating site is owned by the Cupid Media [http://www.cupidmedia.com/] network - one of the most trusted names in the dating industry. You can sign up and use all the handy advanced search filters for free, but you’ll only be able to communicate with paying members. If you want to message anyone who captures your attention, plan on upgrading to either a Gold or Platinum membership: CHINA LOVE CUPID COST: Gold membership: * $30.98 for 1 month * $59.99 for 3 months * $119.98 for a year Platinum membership cost: * $35.99 for 1 month * $69.98 for 3 months * $149.99 for a year Something to consider: If you're planning to visit other Asian countries or open to meeting women in other parts of Asia, AsianDating [https://www.vidaselect.com/asiandating] is another Cupid Media site that’s worth a look. The structure of this international dating site is basically the same as ChinaLoveCupid. Signing up and browsing through all the Asian singles is free, but you’ll only be able to read and reply to messages from Gold and Platinum members. To freely communicate with anyone on the site, you’ll need to upgrade. Premium membership costs are the same as ChinaLoveCupid. JIAYUAN One of the largest dating sites in China, Jiayuan [http://www.jiayuan.com/] is packed with attractive Chinese singles in their mid 20s to early 30s [https://china.usc.edu/love-cloud-rise-online-dating-china]. Considered a “serious” dating site much like Match.com [/match-25] in the US, most users are seeking marriage or long-term relationships. Jiayuan has a matchmaking service affiliated with the site, and users can attend matchmaking events across the country. There’s even an annual “mass marriage” event for members. Jiayuan allows users to rate each other’s profiles, so you can immediately see which people are active on the site in a positive way. Creating a profile requires a mobile phone number, as you’ll need to enter a verification code to complete your profile set up and access the site. There are numerous other layers of authentication as well, including the ability to upload your ID to confirm your identity. Many of the site’s functions are available for free, such as creating a profile and browsing through members. MESSAGING WORKS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY When you send someone a message for the first time, either you or the recipient has to buy a “virtual stamp” in order for the message to become readable. But any subsequent messages exchanged with that user can be read for free. Users can also purchase premium memberships that allow unlimited messaging, whereas free users can only send a limited number of messages per day. There are 3 premium membership levels: VIP, Diamond, and Deluxe Edition Diamond. Here’s what you get at the VIP level: * Be notified when people you have “favorited” are online * See who has visited your profile, liked it, or followed you. * Recover messages deleted by accident * Message read notification * Control who can see your photos * Get higher ratings for your profile The Diamond level comes with these additional features: * Instant messaging * Unlimited messaging for free Becoming a Deluxe Edition Diamond Member unlocks all the features from the first two levels, plus additional credits for use on the site. TINDER Even if you’re using Tantan, it’s not a bad idea to do some swiping on Tinder [/tinder-guide/] as well - especially if you’re in a bustling international city [http://www.businessofapps.com/data/tinder-statistics/] like Shanghai or Guangzhou. Most of the Chinese singles who use Tinder are under 35 [http://www.businessofapps.com/data/tinder-statistics/], but that’s not to say you won’t find older people using the app as well. You likely already know how Tinder works - after all, it’s such a popular set up that Tantan basically cloned it. Right swipe if you like what you see, left swipe if you don’t. When two people each like the other, a match is made and messages can be sent back and forth. If you’re looking for totally free Chinese dating sites and apps, you’ll be content with Tinder. The only drawback is you can only swipe right on 100 profiles every 12 hours. There’s no lack of hot Asian singles on Tinder, so you’ll likely hit that limit fairly quickly. Upgrading Tinder solves that problem, and comes with a bunch of handy features: Want to more about Tinder? Check out this in-depth Tinder review [/tinder-reviews/]. BADOO While you may have to do some digging to find high quality matches on Badoo [https://badoo.com/ro/], it earns a spot on this list out of sheer popularity. The Encounters section is similar to Tinder and Tantan, where you can swipe your way left or right through a feed of singles in your area. Badoo will also show you any users who are currently nearby that share some of your interests, and any whose path you’ve crossed during the day. The display will also show you when and where you encountered them. When you “like” a user’s profile and they like you back, a match is created and the messaging can begin. Badoo is a totally free Chinese dating site, with a great app version as well. There’s also a premium membership that comes with these enhanced features: The nice thing about Badoo is it allows you to subscribe for a single day, just to give the premium membership a test drive and see if it’s worth the investment. Here are all the Badoo premium membership options and what they cost: To get even more details on this popular dating platform, check out this Badoo review [/badoo-review/]. CHERRY BLOSSOMS Cherry Blossoms [https://www.blossoms.com/] is one of the oldest, and most popular, Asian dating sites out there. You’ll find attractive women from many different Asian countries, but a high percentage of them are from China, the Philippines, and Thailand. Unlike many other international dating sites, Cherry Blossoms is run by an American company based in Hawaii. The advantage of that if you’re also in the US is customer service is far more accessible than that of other Asian dating sites. If you’re still in the planning stages for your trip to China, or you’re only going there once you find someone special, Cherry Blossoms is a great way to meet attractive Chinese women. Quite a few of them join this Chinese dating site hoping to find a Western man to marry and start a life with. The site even offers “Visa Support” packages to facilitate relocation. As with any international dating site, you’ll likely find a few scammers and/or fake profiles. Be prepared to screen your matches carefully, and filter your search results using the “last online” option. That helps keep you focused on legit profiles. CHERRY BLOSSOMS COST You can browse for free, but basically anything else requires a paid membership: A Full Use membership on Cherry Blossoms costs $29.95 for 1 month, $49.95 for 3 months, $79.95 for 6 months, or $119.95 for 1 year. Find out more more about this Asian dating site in our Cherry Blossoms review [/cherry-blossoms-dating-reviews/]. DATE IN ASIA Looking for a 100% totally free Chinese dating site? Date In Asia [https://www.dateinasia.com] is worth taking a look. It’s about as basic as a dating site gets - it links Asian singles all over the world with people who want to meet them. There are no premium membership levels, so creating a profile, using the advanced search features, and exchanging messages won’t cost you a dime. You can browse profiles by country with just one click, or filter your matches by more detailed criteria: As with any free dating site, you’re likely to encounter a higher number of fake profiles. Date In Asia does offer one level of verification in that you’re required to sign up with a mobile phone number, and enter the verification code before you can create a profile. If you’re looking for high quality Asian singles who are genuinely interested in meeting someone special, you can find them on Date In Asia - it just may take a little longer. If you’re in a hurry to meet that special someone, paid sites like ChinaLoveCupid, Cherry Blossoms, and Jiayuan are likely a better bet. THE BEST, MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO MEET HIGH QUALITY CHINESE SINGLES Whether you’re dating in China right now, or planning a trip there soon - VIDA [https://www.vidaselect.com/] can help you meet the kind of attractive, intelligent, and intriguing people you really want to date. In fact, VIDA’s team of dating experts does everything for you! Profile writing, choosing your best photos, even sending messages on your behalf and generating interest in you online! We get results - and you get dates! If you’re serious about meeting your ideal partner in China, why not let VIDA make it happen for you? Get started today [https://www.vidaselect.com]!
