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Founded with the goal of connecting people across Asia, Paktor has become the most successful dating app in Southeast Asia. With unique features such as a built in translator, and millions of users throughout South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Malaysia, Paktor has set its sights on global dominance—it is now expanding into the US, UK and Australia. Using a similar swipe right/left model as Tinder, Paktor not only gives you access to singles in other countries, but lets you communicate with them, even if they don’t speak your language.
Profiles 8.0
Paktor uses the swipe right/swipe left profiles made popular by apps like Tinder. Once you log in to the app, profiles appear in a stack. You see a photo, a short bio (age, location, education) and their “Facebook verified” status. You can swipe right if you like what you see, and left if you don’t. You also have the option to send your crush a message if you’re keen to get things rolling—messages are free if you have a mutual match but will cost you if you don’t.
Paktor
Matching 6.5
Paktor allows you to filter matches by age and distance, and due to the app’s massive 6 million strong user base you can generally find friendly people nearby. Paktor’s similarity to Tinder means it has the same drawbacks—endless swiping hoping for a match, and then waiting for a response to your message once you have one.
Since the app started in Asia, one of its benefits is the ability to match globally and the app even has a handy chat translate feature, should you and your match not speak the same language.
Filters 7.0
The free version of the app allows you to match on gender, age and location. If you’re looking for something a little more specific, you’ll have to upgrade to unlock the app’s filters on height, education, or job title. Paktor isn’t necessarily about finding your perfect match--it’s designed to allow you to meet new friends locally and chat with fun people internationally.
Communication 8.0
Paktor gives you many ways to communicate, from the catch-all “megaflirt” feature to sending a chat request directly from a profile (if you haven’t mutually matched, you’ll have to upgrade to start the conversation). Perhaps Paktor’s most interesting feature is the ability to translate chats. This is great for making exotic friends in foreign locales, but might make for an awkward first date if you don’t share a common language! You can also send gifts to your crushes, and Paktor keeps a running tab of “most generous”, “most gifted” and “most popular” users if you’re feeling competitive.
Value 7.0
The free version of Paktor is great if you like Tinder but are looking to broaden your horizons a little. The app’s global reach could spark some international intrigue, or just help you meet some new local and overseas friends. I’d highly recommend downloading Paktor if you plan on traveling to Southeast Asia—the large Asian user base and translation feature make it perfect for meeting new people on your adventure. Upgrading to the paid version will give you the edge over free users, and mean you no longer have to wait around for matches to get the ball rolling.
