Dating in Beijing? You need these apps

Whether you're looking for love or just hoping to get lucky, there's something here for everyone

If making eyes at people on the subway and staying at Migas until it closes isn't cutting it for you anymore you may need to download one of these dating apps pronto.

If you're straight...

Tantan

What? Tantan saves you the hassle of having to read dating profiles and lets you judge a fellow human being based purely on a photo. Potential dates appear based on location searches, using your phone’s GPS, but you can only start a conversation if you both like each other’s pic.

How it works To say this app is similar to Tinder is an understatement, though to sign up, all you’ll need is a Chinese mobile number. One neat little addition that Tantan has is the ability to add videos to your profile – queue hundreds of awkward or hilarious performances from random strangers.

Best feature Video profiles add an element of fun and flirtation to people's presentation on the app, and (for the shallowest of us) let you check if that gorgeous lad or lass looks as good in profile as they do from the front.

Momo

What? Though previously available in both English and Chinese, the English version of this app was discontinued back in 2016 with promises of a new, better version soon to come.

How it works For now, Momo’s Chinese app combines the traits of a traditional dating website, complete with profiles and images, with location-based data to find users near you. For better or worse, Momo has gained a reputation as being a hook-up app, so don’t be surprised if you get hit on several times a day. There are in-app purchases and groups to join, should you be looking for more.

Best feature The app's feature that pulls up groups with shared interests allows you to find a ready-made group of pals, who you may or may not want to get to know further.

Tinder

What? One of the most popular dating apps among Western audiences, Tinder has a simple structure, allowing users to swipe right to like, or left to reject, potential dates. When your choices match you can start a conversation and take it from there.

How it works Logging in uses your Facebook account so you’ll need a VPN to get going but after that you can swipe to your heart’s content. The Tinder Moments feature lets you add and share pictures with your matches, which then disappear after 24 hours.

Best feature 'Super likes' let you pour praise onto those paragons of hotness you find super-duper sexy, and the fact that you're only allowed to send a few a day means that if you recieve one you're near guaranteed a connection.

If you're gay...

9Monsters

What? Bears, otters, wolves, cubs, pups, bulls, gym rats – there’s a veritable zoo of subcultures in the gay community, which 9Monsters’ premise is built upon. The Japanese software is to all intents and purposes a ‘concept’ app, which relies on our willingness to buy into such labels: upon registration, you must categorise yourself as either a Muscle Wolf, Lovely Dog, Slim Cat, Cool Monkey, Sporty Panther, Chubby Piggy, Wild Bear, Bulky Bison or Athlete Kong. Yes, really.

How it works 9Monsters is part dating app, part game. After you’ve chosen what sort of monster you reckon you are, you start off as an egg, and you wait, Tamagotchi-style. From here, it all revolves around the sinister-sounding ‘breeding’. Once you’ve bred with someone, you can’t un-breed, and you’ll start to get an indication of what your type is. There’s a twist in that users categorise each other, so while you might think you’re a Cool Monkey, you’re actually a Chubby Piggy – so if you take a moment to suspend your disbelief at such a quite-frankly-insane-sounding way of finding a boyfriend, it certainly says something interesting about your own self-perception versus other people’s.

Best feature Messages are automatically translated, meaning that you don’t have to worry about the language barrier. Until you meet up, that is, which we imagine would be much trickier. You can also ‘howl’ to get users to notice you.

Blued

What? We don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that Blued changed everything for gay men in China, offering individuals in small towns and rural areas the opportunity to connect. Logging on, it’s certainly apparent that Blued is hugely active – we received over 30 messages in the first couple of hours and our profile picture didn’t even show our face.

Best feature Many dating apps have evolved to incorporate elements of social media, which gives users the reassuring sense that people’s online profiles aren’t totally divorced from reality. Feeding into WeChat and Weibo, Blued is one of these apps with a WeChat Moments-style function to show whatever you feel like – we scrolled through everything from biceps and bums to pizzas and Japanese manga porn. You can also upload a gallery of images on your static profile, so really you get much more of a feel for the other person than from just a cock-shot on Grindr.

Hornet

What? If other apps feel seedy to you, then Hornet might be a good option, since it’s marketed as something altogether more conscientious. The app also delivers on the tech front, packing in a number of interesting features with a pleasing, glossy design to match.

How it works Safety and security are two big buzzwords in the Hornet hive, and not just when it comes to sexual health. Hornet operates using an HTTPS connection and SSL certificates, which are the same ones that online banking services use. Users also have full control of a private portion of their image uploads, meaning you can keep a degree of anonymity. Otherwise there’s a Tinder-style ‘swipe’ function to help you sort the hogs from the hotties, you can forward profiles to friends, and change your location if you’re travelling somewhere and want to browse ahead. Unfortunately you can’t see who’s checked you out, although that means you can perv freely on people without getting busted.

Prefer to flirt in the real world? Hit '阅读原文' for stacks of sex and dating ideas.

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