Does Tinder Work in China?

Tinder isn't officially available in China, so don't count on it. Sixth Tone reports that some young Chinese still use it, mostly people who studied overseas or work for international companies, though it's unclear how many. For a local dating app, Tantan and Momo are the two Chinese apps BuzzFeed describes most fully.

Sixth Tone describes Tinder as "not officially accessible in China" and says it is still more popular there than Bumble and Hinge. It also says that "the user base is skewed toward people who have studied overseas or work for international companies," and that it's unclear exactly how many young Chinese use it.

KrASIA, in a piece on Tinder alternatives in China, says Tinder is "not available in China."

BuzzFeed News doubted Tinder's own claim of "many users" in China. It suggested Tinder's audience there was mostly foreigners who use VPNs, because Tinder verified accounts through Facebook, which is blocked there. That piece is old, so don't assume it describes how login works now.

Tinder's own FAQ says the app is available in 190+ countries and that anyone with App Store or Google Play access can download it. It doesn't name China as an exception. That is the company's claim, not a test of whether the app works for you, and Sixth Tone and KrASIA both say it isn't officially available there.

The practical answer is to check for yourself. Look for Tinder in the app store for your region, and see whether it opens and shows people near you.

You may read advice about changing your store region or location to get an app. Each app has its own rules, and tools that hide your location can get an account removed. If an app isn't offered where you are, treat that as the answer and use one that is.

The same sources name these Chinese apps:

• Momo, which BuzzFeed reported as the most downloaded dating app in China in the period it measured.
• Tantan, a swipe app built like Tinder.
• Soul, Zhiya, Yidui, Summer and Shesays, which KrASIA lists, including some aimed at people looking for a long-term partner and some built around voice chat or live streaming.

Tantan has its own article here, and so do Raya and Feeld. Feeld lists China among the countries where it has removed the app. Those pages cover what each one says about itself.

Treat a list this old as a starting point. The BuzzFeed piece is from 2015, so the situation has changed.

No source here tells you how many women near you use any given app. You find that out by looking.

Ask people who live there. A coworker, a friend, or a woman you already know can tell you which apps her friends actually open. Their answer beats any list.

Then install two apps and look. Note how many women appear near you, how recently they were active, and whether the same faces keep returning. A thin local pool is a problem a paid plan won't fix.

A clear sentence about your situation saves time. If you live in China, say so. If you're visiting, say that and say until when. A woman who learns after three messages that you leave on Sunday may feel misled, and the evening is gone. Saying it early filters for women who are fine with it.

If English isn't her first language, short sentences win. Avoid slang and jokes that hinge on a pun, and ask one clear question about something she wrote instead of sending a clever paragraph she must translate. If you can write a line in her language, even an imperfect one, it shows effort.

Pick a detail from her page, such as the trip she described, the dish she's cooking or her work, and ask about it. She will answer a man who read what she wrote.

Fake and misleading accounts exist on every app in every country. A short video call before you travel across a city to meet someone is the cheapest defense. A woman who always has a reason not to be on video has told you something.

Treat any request for money as the end of the conversation, whatever the reason given. A verified account is a better sign than an unverified one, but it proves only that the face is attached to a real account. It doesn't tell you what she wants.

Suggest a public place that is easy to reach and easy to leave. A cafe or a lunch is plenty. Arrive early, put your phone away and let her set the pace.

Choose two apps and give each the same attention for two weeks. Write down how many women you liked, how many liked you back, how many replied and how many agreed to meet.

Be selective. a dating coach says an app reads a man who likes everybody as less attractive, and it shows him fewer of the women he would want. Like the women you would truly write to.

After two weeks, keep the app that produced more plans for the same effort. That result is worth more than any list of apps.