The first step for that is to familiarize yourself with the different options available and to understand the strengths/weaknesses of each.
It is also important to know the specificities of each Asian country. Some apps or websites can be popular in Thailand but completely useless in the Philippines and vice versa.
There are 6 different types of online tools that you can use for meeting new girls in Asia:
→ Location-based apps on mobile only
An app that lets you find girls around you (for instance Tinder or Paktor).
→ Dating/Matchmaking websites on desktop only
A website that connects you with selected profiles living in a certain area (for instance AsianDating, ThaiCupid, VietnamCupid, FilipinoCupid, etc).
→ Dating websites on desktop with a corresponding mobile app
A service with both an app and a website (for instance ThaiFriendly, PinaLove, Badoo, Skout, OK Cupid)
→ Messaging apps
An app primarily used for communicating with friends, but with a "look around" feature that allows you to meet new people (for instance WeChat or BeeTalk)
→ Social media
A social network that can be used for meeting girls if you know how to play it right (for instance Instagram, Facebook or Bigo Live).
→ Niche websites or apps
These cater to a specific group of people, for instance Muslims (Muslima), gays (Grindr), men interested in ladyboys (MyLadyBoyDate), swingers (AdultFriendFinder), sugar daddies and sugar babies (SeekingArrangement.com), etc.
In the following review, I will rank the best dating apps and websites in Asia. I tried each one in every country during my travels (while writing my Asia Nightlife Guides).
I will start with the ones that work well everywhere, and then give you a few more that are specific to some countries.
Asia Dating (best for men who are traveling)
The AsianDating website is part of the Cupid network and as such, it benefits from a huge database of girls in every country. On average, it has over 2,000 women online at any time, especially girls living in the Philippines, in Indonesia, in Thailand, and in Vietnam. They are openly looking for a foreign husband or boyfriend.
It is pretty much the opposite of Tinder. Many users are still corresponding through emails, sometimes for weeks before deciding to meet. Girls won't mind if you are still in your home country as long as you have a plan to visit them in Southeast Asia.
As with most websites, the registration is free but you will need to pay extra to access better features.
Pros:
- AsianDating is clearly marketed as a dating website for Asian girls looking to meet foreigners
- Great for guys who are not yet in Asia and with older guys
- Allows for deeper conversations and connections
- Matchmaking features to help you find specific types of girls
Cons:
- The free version is limited so you need to upgrade to the premium one rather quickly
If you are interested in girls from one specific Asian country only, then it is better to subscribe to:
→ ThaiCupid for Thai girls
→ Location-based apps on mobile only
An app that lets you find girls around you (for instance Tinder or Paktor).
→ Dating/Matchmaking websites on desktop only
A website that connects you with selected profiles living in a certain area (for instance AsianDating, ThaiCupid, VietnamCupid, FilipinoCupid, etc).
→ Dating websites on desktop with a corresponding mobile app
A service with both an app and a website (for instance ThaiFriendly, PinaLove, Badoo, Skout, OK Cupid)
→ Messaging apps
An app primarily used for communicating with friends, but with a "look around" feature that allows you to meet new people (for instance WeChat or BeeTalk)
→ Social media
A social network that can be used for meeting girls if you know how to play it right (for instance Instagram, Facebook or Bigo Live).
→ Niche websites or apps
These cater to a specific group of people, for instance Muslims (Muslima), gays (Grindr), men interested in ladyboys (MyLadyBoyDate), swingers (AdultFriendFinder), sugar daddies and sugar babies (SeekingArrangement.com), etc.
In the following review, I will rank the best dating apps and websites in Asia. I tried each one in every country during my travels (while writing my Asia Nightlife Guides).
I will start with the ones that work well everywhere, and then give you a few more that are specific to some countries.
Apps/websites that work well in most countries
These apps and website below are generally popular in every Asian country. In Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, they are the only one that you can use.
Asia Dating (best for men who are traveling)
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| Click to Try AsiaDating for Free |
It is pretty much the opposite of Tinder. Many users are still corresponding through emails, sometimes for weeks before deciding to meet. Girls won't mind if you are still in your home country as long as you have a plan to visit them in Southeast Asia.
As with most websites, the registration is free but you will need to pay extra to access better features.
Pros:
- AsianDating is clearly marketed as a dating website for Asian girls looking to meet foreigners
- Great for guys who are not yet in Asia and with older guys
- Allows for deeper conversations and connections
- Matchmaking features to help you find specific types of girls
Cons:
- The free version is limited so you need to upgrade to the premium one rather quickly
If you are interested in girls from one specific Asian country only, then it is better to subscribe to:
→ ThaiCupid for Thai girls
→ VietnamCupid for Vietnamese girls
→ IndonesianCupid for Indonesian girls
→ FilipinoCupid for Filipinas
Tinder (for younger men living in Asia)
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Tinder is the most widely-used dating app in Asia, especially among educated women and foreign girls. Most of its features are free, but you may want to pay a little extra to get more matches or to change your location.
Personally, I'm not a big fan. The problem with Tinder in Asia is easy to understand. It is an app that was originally designed for Americans to hook up: You match, you exchange a few jokes, you set up a date. It was supposed to be fast and efficient.
In Asia, since hooking up and one-night stands are not widely accepted (the most common profile sentence is "If you are looking for hook-up swipe left), things move much slower. You need to spend more time chatting and based on my experience, it often leads to nothing. After a few messages exchanged, she or you will get bored, and then you forget about her because you've got 10 new matches.
Pros:
- Mostly free
- Very popular among English-speaking and upper-class girls
- Great for meeting Western girls
- Fun and easy to use
- Ideal for good-looking guys between 18-40
Cons:
- Lots of competition from other guys
- Hard to keep a long and meaningful conversation
- You need to be able to type fast on a mobile phone
- Tourists are often labeled as "not serious" and ignored
- A lot of girls will match with you yet they won't reply your messages
- Superficial: Being good-looking is the number one factor of success (a nicely written profile is number 2)
Tinder (for younger men living in Asia)
Personally, I'm not a big fan. The problem with Tinder in Asia is easy to understand. It is an app that was originally designed for Americans to hook up: You match, you exchange a few jokes, you set up a date. It was supposed to be fast and efficient.
In Asia, since hooking up and one-night stands are not widely accepted (the most common profile sentence is "If you are looking for hook-up swipe left), things move much slower. You need to spend more time chatting and based on my experience, it often leads to nothing. After a few messages exchanged, she or you will get bored, and then you forget about her because you've got 10 new matches.
Pros:
- Mostly free
- Very popular among English-speaking and upper-class girls
- Great for meeting Western girls
- Fun and easy to use
- Ideal for good-looking guys between 18-40
Cons:
- Lots of competition from other guys
- Hard to keep a long and meaningful conversation
- You need to be able to type fast on a mobile phone
- Tourists are often labeled as "not serious" and ignored
- A lot of girls will match with you yet they won't reply your messages
- Superficial: Being good-looking is the number one factor of success (a nicely written profile is number 2)
Paktor
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| A profile on Paktor app |
Paktor is a dating app originally from Singapore. It is very similar to Tinder, with a few cool additional features (for instance, you can hide your profile from your Facebook friends or you can send digital gifts).
It is the most popular app among young "Chinese" from Southeast Asia: Indo-Chinese, Malaysian-Chinese, Singaporean-Chinese, etc.
Pros:
- Young upper-class girls (Hi-So)
- Very user-friendly and fun to use
- Ideal for guys between 18 and 25
- Many active profiles
Cons:
- You can't do much without being a member ($20/month)
- Many girls seem to be looking for guys from the same ethnicity/background
Skout and Badoo
Skout and Badoo are dating websites that also have their own location-based apps. They are quite similar in terms of popularity and crowd. They are particularly big in Indonesia, in Vietnam and in the Philippines, where they are used by middle-class women and men. Among them, many will be unable to speak English. On Badoo especially, I've noticed that there is a significant number of prostitutes (or at least girls who are looking for a sponsor).
Both Skout and Badoo are free but you will be limited if you don't buy at least a few credits or a membership.
Pros:
- Mostly free
- Very popular, there are always hundreds of girls online
- You can match with a girl on the mobile app, then chat with her from your laptop
Cons:
- As it is free, lot of other guys are using it and you'll probably need to pay extra money to stand out from the crowd
- Many prostitutes and fake profiles
Instagram is an awesome way to meet girls online, but it is also the one that requires the most efforts. To be successful on this social network, obviously, you need an interesting account with pictures that demonstrate you have an awesome life (lots of travel, dining, hotels, parties and friends pictures). I would say you also need to have at least 500 followers.
Once you've reached this level, you can start following the accounts of girls you like, then comment on their pictures, until they finally notice you. Once you're allowed to chat with them, just exchange WhatsApp numbers.
Pros:
- Completely free
- Millions of Asian girls use Instagram every day including local celebrities and socialites
- It allows you to approach girls who are not using dating sites
Cons:
- Time-consuming
WeChat and BeeTalk
WeChat, Line and BeeTalk are messaging apps, respectively from China and Korea, with a "look around" feature.
This feature allows its users to search and talk to strangers who are located within a short distance from them.
Pros:
- 100% free
- Many girls online, especially in large cities
- WeChat and Beetalk are not really considered "dating apps" so u can use them without arousing suspicions (if you are already in a relationship)
Cons:
- Few girls will reply to you or accept your chat requests
- English is rarely spoken
- 90% of prostitutes and ladyboys on WeChat
Apps/websites for specific countries:
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Some apps and websites only work in specific countries. In particular, you have each of the websites from the Cupid Network (IndonesianCupid, VietnamCupid, etc).
For more country-related advice, please read my article 10 Best Countries for Meeting Asian Girls Online.
Indonesia
IndonesianCupid has between 500 and 1,000 Indonesian girls online at anytime. It is a local version of AsianDating, meaning it is more suitable for older guys who prefer traditional dating sites (see above).
Vietnam
VietnamCupid has around 1,000 to 1,500 Vietnamese girls online at anytime. It is the Vietnamese version of AsianDating.
Philippines
FilipinoCupid is the most successful website of the Cupid group and it is the absolute best for meeting pretty Filipinas. There are between 3,000 and 6,000 women online at anytime, much more than its closest competitor PinaLove.
Thailand
The two best dating websites for meeting Thai girls are ThaiCupid (around 4,000 women online) and ThaiFriendly (up to 3,000).
Malaysia
MalaysianCupid is not that popular yet but you can still create an account and see if there are any girls you like. You can also try OKCupid.com.
Singapore
SingaporeLoveLinks is dedicated to the Singaporean market. OKCupid, Tinder and Paktor are much better though in terms of audience.