Launched just a few years ago, SakuraDate is now one of the most popular niche dating sites created for Asians and Westerners who’d like to date them. The competition in this segment of the market is rather fierce, so I decided to find out what helped it gain more members than any other new platform.
So, I spent nearly a month testing the site and communicating with members. What was my experience like? You’ll find all the answers and some insights in my SakuraDate review.
| Monthly visits | 880,000 |
| Price | From around £2.37 for 35 credits to around £158 for 1,000 credits |
| Average age of members | 33 |
| Best for | Serious relationships Cross-cultural dating Meeting Asian singles for marriage |
| Favorite features | Swiping & extended search Audio messages, video messages Letter service |
| Mobile-friendly | Yes |
| Site | SakuraDate.com |
SakuraDate overview in 1 minute
- One of the most popular niche dating sites for cross-cultural dating
- There are two main groups of members—Asian singles and Western singles looking for romantic partners abroad
- The vast majority of registered users are interested in serious relationships and marriage
- All adult users can set up accounts for free; no minors are accepted
- There are both free and premium features, and members who’d like to use premium services need to buy credits
- All new members get free credits that basically work like a free trial
- You don’t pay for viewing profiles, search, and some basic features like likes and favorites
- Messaging or Letters will cost credits
- Users can control their spending on the site, there’s no need to buy credits regularly
- The site is mobile-friendly, but there’s no SakuraDate app
How much does SakuraDate cost?
On SakuraDate.com, you automatically get 20 free credits as a new member and 10 more credits for confirming your email address. If you like the service and want to keep using special features, you’ll be able to get more credits at the following prices:
There are no payment auto-renewals, so you don’t have to worry about being charged at the wrong time.
Free and paid services on SakuraDate
As I’ve mentioned previously, you don’t have to pay for taking any action on SakuraDate.com. Some features are free, namely:
- Registration and profile upgrade. Every adult user can join the community without paying or sharing payment details. Adding any information or sharing photos will also be free.
- Access to profiles. Standard members can view unlimited profiles and see all the photos shared by other users.
- All types of search. There are basic search filters, extended features, and the Like swiping feature. You can also use them without any limitations.
- Tutorial & support. There’s a great Tutorial for new and regular members that helps people understand how the system works. Also, everyone can contact support and receive a response quickly. There’s no premium support at the moment.
The most useful features will cost credits. At the moment, they are as follows:
- Letters & chat. You can use a regular online messenger, which, by the way, works pretty well, or write long and meaningful emails.
- Audio and video messaging, exchange of media files. That will also cost credits. Note that there are also custom stickers and emojis. They are rather cheap, but they still cost money.
- Likes & the Say Hello feature. Again, standard messages, winks, and likes are much cheaper compared to custom messages, but they aren’t completely free. Consider that if you’re going to use the site.
So, basically, the SakuraDate price will depend on how you are using the site. It can get more or less affordable depending on how picky you are and which features you are using most frequently.
How does SakuraDate work?
What is SakuraDate? First and foremost, it’s a site for cross-cultural communication where people are seeking not just affairs or short-term relationships but something genuine and lasting. That’s why the system is built in such a way that makes finding compatible partners easier and communication simple and fun.
Basically, there are a few main important stages of using sites like SakuraDate:
As you can see, SakuraDate provides you with some alternative features so that you can customize your experience.
Advanced search or swiping? Both work well, but if you know what you’re looking for in a partner, I’d recommend using advanced search filters.
Audio messaging, video messaging, or texting? I’d say you’ll need to use all of them. Texting is better in the early stages of communication when you are both just trying to figure out whether you can be each other’s perfect match. Then, you’ll need to build a deeper connection and use more advanced communication features.
SakuraDate profile examples
I appreciate the quality of the profiles on this site. Most look like this one.
As you can see, there are multiple photos, some basic details, and great descriptions of the members themselves and the person they are looking for on SakuraDate. Note that men’s profiles are less detailed overall. That’s rather common, but around 80% of members still have enough information on their pages. I also must admit that most users don’t mind sharing more photos and videos in private conversations.
Considering the quality of profiles, a member is very unlikely to come across a SofiaDate scam. Nonetheless, I’d still recommend everyone to follow common safety rules and exchange photos and videos just to make sure that the person you are talking to didn’t steal anyone’s identity.
Summary from Mari Kovanen
So, is SakuraDate legit? Yes, it’s a legit site with some standard and special features. In my opinion, its main advantage is its user base. You get access to profiles of members who are supposed to meet your main criteria. For example, if you’re a Westerner seeking love in Asia, it’s more likely to work for you than any mainstream app. There are enough services to have a good experience and meet someone, but as in all other cases, a lot will depend on the users themselves.
