Tamás Ő.
—
Verified by
Adam B.
—
Last updated:
July 11, 2024
— User Reviews
(0)
The Best Reviews team tests all products first-hand and relies on first-hand research. We've been reviewing products and services since 2012 and only publish human-created content.
EastMeetEast was brought to life by the combined effort of two Asian entrepreneurs, Mariko Tokioka and Kenn Ejima, who shared a passion for matchmaking and online services. The site proudly boasts that it has brought together more than 16,000 Asian couples in the U.S., which is a testament to its success. The service caters to urban singles who either hail from an Asian country (Korea, Vietnam, China, and the like) or have Asian roots despite being born in the U.S. The main goal of the site is to be a discrete platform for those who are tired of generic dating services that cater to everyone, and instead seek a more like-minded relationship.
EastMeetEast has a unique premise that should catch the attention of the ladies: even though registration is free for everyone, women get access to all premium features for free. Gentlemen should not worry either, since this means they can access a dating site with hundreds of interested Asian women.
EastMeetEast promotes itself as the number one dating platform for Asian singles. Although most of their members are from the U.S., it also caters to users from across the globe, and there are no barriers for those hoping to pursue a romance with the same gender.
Thankfully the registration process won’t hurl too many obstacles your way. Besides entering a first name (not username), age and current location, there are only a couple of settings to decide upon before the system lets you in. The whole process only takes a minute, mainly because EastMeetEast relies heavily on integrating your social media accounts to fill in the gaps. It’s possible to link your Facebook and Instagram page to import photos and personal info to speed up the setup even further.
As expected from an Asian-only dating site, EastMeetEast offers a wide range of ethnicities to choose from, ranging from Chinese and Filipino to Vietnamese and even Hmong. Interestingly there are a few unexpected choices sprinkled in there too, like Native American or African-American.
The only feature the site really pushes for newcomers is the profile picture. Even though this step can be temporarily skipped, the matchmaking engine won’t show someone who lacks an authenticated photo.
The menu layout of EastMeetEast is very simple, with a navigation bar at the top half of the page and a search button featured as the first option. The rest of the page is dedicated to messages and interactions with other singles. Visiting the matchmaking page presents a selection of candidates who are around your age and live in the vicinity. Naturally, the filters can be customized to your preference and, to the site’s credit, free members are not locked out of accessing the advanced settings.
Browsing through the roster of available dates is quite fun due to the fact that the screen is filled with information. Even before clicking on someone’s profile you will already see their personal information, how often they answer their messages, how many pictures they uploaded and whether they have linked their Facebook or Instagram profiles – which is a sure sign that the person is the real deal and not a phony.
EastMeetEast has a communication system similar to many other dating sites, but with a few noteworthy tweaks. There is the option send a smile, which is a basic form of notifying someone of your presence, or message them straight away. To do so you will need to have a certain amount of coins, which is the site’s premium currency. Don’t worry even if you are struggling for words, because EastMeetEast offers several pre-written opening lines to help break the ice.
There are a couple of things worth knowing about the chat system, though. Without a premium membership, singles have the opportunity to send messages but are unable to read replies from their partners. It’s also possible to chat with someone who is a premium member, but free members cannot converse with each other. On the plus side, women are rewarded with premium status for free, therefore they enjoy all the benefits without any payments.
EastMeetEast has a website for mobile browsers that mimics the original one fairly well, but this is only really relevant for Android users since only iPhone owners can download an app for their dating endeavors.
The app is a reliable alternative for those who don’t wish to sit non-stop in front of their computer screen, waiting for their partner’s reply. The developers have ensured that all features are imported over from the browser version, while simultaneously enhancing the chat function. Browsing possible dates or messing with the matchmaking filters is far easier from the app, in fact, not to mention the added convenience of typing from a touchscreen. Lastly, the app’s chat menu displays any online members better, so it is easier to know which potential admirers are available for some small talk.
The site deserves a pat on the back for its progressive pricing strategy. For starters, the monthly prices are quite affordable: the monthly subscription comes in at $34.99, but this fee is drastically reduced with longer commitments. The quarterly plan only charges $22.99 per month, while the semi-annual plan cuts the initial price by almost half at $17.99 per month. Still, the most cost effective option is the annual subscription with a monthly fee of $11.99.
Those that don’t wish to bind themselves into monthly payments can make use of the site’s coin system. By buying an amount of this premium currency, singles can send a smile (60 coins) or a heartfelt message (100 coins). $4.99 will get you 1,800 coins, while spending $24.99 earns a cache of 18,000 coins.
EastMeetEast is well worth the praise because of this system, which is generous towards singles who prefer the free route and doesn’t limit those who don’t want a monthly subscription fee. Women automatically receive premium status, and every new user receives 1,000 coins as a gift, not to forget the fact that more free coins can be earned through easy tasks such as logging in on a daily basis or completing the profile section. It’s for this reason that the paywalls don’t look quite as intimidating as with other dating sites.
Because EastMeetEast.com is a dating site catering to Asians, it’s no big surprise that the browser offers Chinese as a possible language, in addition to English. The site is very informative, displaying numerous reviews and reading materials about Asian-specific dating. The customer support can be reached by submitting a ticket for troubleshooting or by sending them an actual letter, since they also publicly share their postal address.
The site has a lively social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, too, and they often share their own video content on YouTube. They even created a joint video series with ISATV called “The Dating Challenge Show”.
EastMeetEast was a surprise hit that we didn’t expect. The service is full of user-friendly features for a dating site catering to a certain group of singles. The matchmaking is smooth and smartly designed, with lots of information about the person available on-screen without even leaving the selection screen. The ability to speak with someone is a hinderance for men since they need a premium membership to say more than just a ‘hi’. Still, the fact that the women get access to all features for free will prompt the ladies to be more active in finding a partner.
The overall price of the site is lenient, too, especially if you compare it to other group-specific dating sites. Still, the presence of a premium currency (or coin) is rather worrying, even though more active users can amass a large amount of it by logging in day after day. There is one glaring issue, though, which is the lack of app support for Android phones.
If you are an Asian single looking for a relationship online, then EastMeetEast is definitely worth a try.
Best Reviews may receive compensation for its content through paid collaborations and/or affiliate links. Learn more about how we sustain our work and review products.
©2012-2024 Best Reviews, a clovio brand –
All rights
reserved
Privacy
policy
·
Cookie
policy
·
Terms
of use
·
Partnerships
· Contact
us