MagnoliaDate is a relatively small Asian dating site, but it belongs to the SofiaDate network, which is quite famous among reviewers and online dating users, so we couldn’t ignore it. Following our standard dating site trial procedures, we signed up for an account and explored the free and premium tools MagnoliaDate offers. Today, we’re sharing our takes and insights to help you decide if it’s worth your time.
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MagnoliaDate Free Trial
Free MagnoliaDate registration includes a small welcome bonus—20 free credits automatically added to your balance. They don’t have an expiration date, so you can save them for a time when you’ve exhausted the free functionality. Considering the rates, you can open two photo messages or spend ten minutes chatting using the free credits.
You’ll also get an offer to purchase 35 credits for $2.99 (instead of $12.99). Regular rates will apply after those run out.
Who Is MagnoliaDate For?
- Single guys who want to date Asian girls
- International singles looking for exclusive partners
- Marriage-minded daters willing to compromise
Men can sign up for a free MagnoliaDate profile and explore the Asian dating pool without even sharing credit card details. Free membership provides full access to public dating profiles, search, and swiping, as well as the favorites list. But if you want some one-on-one time with the ladies, they’ll need to upgrade and purchase credits. They unlock live chat, email, media messages, and other premium tools.
Like most international dating sites, MagnoliaDate is completely free for women. They get to create profiles, explore matches, and reach out to guys free of charge. Still, there are a few conditions. For example, girls must fill out their profiles, upload several photos, and undergo manual profile verification before they can enjoy full access. Once their accounts are approved, they are often eager to contact men they like and initiate conversations.
MagnoliaDate Overview
Things we liked
- Most members are looking for long-term relationships and marriage
- Users try hard to make their profiles detailed and alluring
- The response rate is much higher than on mainstream dating sites
- Live chat and mail support media attachments, including videos
- There’s a comprehensive tutorial and FAQ for online dating novices
Things we didn’t like
- Free membership has limited functionality and zero communication options
- Users can’t video chat, and video messages are pretty expensive
- Mobile experience without a dedicated app is not too convenient
How to Get Started on MagnoliaDate
MagnoliaDate is brand-new, seemingly open for business in late 2024 or early 2025. There’s little to no information about it online, including review platforms, which only made us more curious and excited to test it first-hand.
Of course, we needed an account first.
We found two options available: Google sign-in and email and password sign-up. We went with the latter option to see how long it would take us. Turns out, it was pretty quick. MagnoliaDate only asked for a name and a date of birth. After creating a strong password, we were in. The whole process took no longer than two minutes.
Since there was no personality quiz at sign-up, our profile was barren. We went meticulously through all the fields and used our stock self-description that we use on every dating site we test. Considering we had everything handy, we only spent ten minutes on profile setup. It will likely take you longer, but no more than 30 to 60 minutes, if you spend half that time looking for good photos.
By the way, unlike girls, guys can leave some standard fields and even the self-description empty. It won’t stop you from exploring the dating pool, but it will help compatible members find you.
Top 3 Tips for an Attention-Grabbing MagnoliaDate Profile
- Be generous with photos — the more pictures you add to your profiles, the more excited the girls will be to contact you.
- Fill out all the standard fields — the dating site uses them to match you with the most compatible partners through search filters.
- Be open and honest — use the self-description and partner preferences sections to make a good first impression and encourage women to reach out.
MagnoliaDate Free and Premium Tools
Our testing always starts with free access to a dating site. But since we want to give you the fullest account possible, we purchased a premium membership and share our experience to help you decide if it’s worth the expense.
What Can You Do as a Free MagnoliaDate Member?
As we’ve already mentioned, registration and profile setup are absolutely free. In fact, MagnoliaDate didn’t even ask us for credit card details, so the basic membership is absolutely risk-free. And while it may seem limited, we could use these features:
- Search is pretty straightforward with filters limited to the country, age range, gender, and online status. Overall, it works as expected, even though changing the target country can be tricky at times.
- Like is the swiping tab, where you can like another user or skip them in favor of another. All the members you like will end up on a list (separate from favorites). We found it an effective way to generate interest and responses. Besides, you can apply the same filters as you would in the search tab for a more customized experience.
- Favorites and likes are two different lists, perfect for keeping track of the profiles you wish to revisit. We found the two lists helpful, but both could use some sorting capabilities. Otherwise, they become impossible to navigate after the first 50 or so profiles.
- FAQ and Tutorial could be of great help to people who are completely new to international online dating. The FAQ section provides clear answers to the most common questions, so it’s a good place to start your exploration. The Tutorial goes into more detail about individual features, from profile setup to swiping and using the block list. We found plenty of handy tips in the Tutorial, so it’s worth a look.
Don’t let these modest free tools fool you. They are enough to get you addicted to Asian dating and will keep you engaged and entertained for hours. But none of them let us respond to chat invitations or emails, so we had to upgrade.
What Does Premium Membership Buy?
To access the MagnoliaDate premium toolset, you’ll need to buy a credit bundle. You’ll have five options to choose from:
- 50 credits — $19
- 100 credits — $33
- 250 credits — $75
- 400 credits — $99
- 1,000 credits — $199
We bet these numbers don’t tell you anything, so let’s put them in perspective with the premium feature rates:
- Live chat — 2 credits/minute
- Mail — 30 credits (10 credits for the first email)
- Photo messages — 10 credits
- Voice messages — 10 credits
- Video messages — 50 credits
- Stickers in live chat — 5 credits
The good thing is that we could mix and match the different premium features to get the most out of the credits we bought. So, instead of spending them all on eight hours of live chat, we experimented with emails, video messages, and other tools.
For the most part, we found the rates reasonable, no higher than on other international dating platforms. Still, some features were obviously overpriced. For example, a video message would cost $10, which is overkill for a 30-second clip. Stickers are also mostly useless and not worth the expense.
In our experience, mail was the most cost-effective tool for introducing ourselves to girls. The first letter is only 10 credits (or around $2), but it allows up to 3,000 characters and photo attachments. Besides, emails mitigate the time difference with most Asian countries. Once we discovered interested ladies, we could schedule live chats for real-time one-on-one conversations.
How to Find Your Match on MagnoliaDate
Although MagnoliaDate is pretty easy to get the hang of, let us share a few tips and insights based on what we learned throughout our trial run.
Searching for Matches
By default, the Search tab displays all online members of the opposite gender. But you can adjust it using the filters at the top of the page. Toggle off the “Online” flag, and you’ll access all profiles. Open the “Search filter” menu, and you can sort the profiles by gender, age range, and country.
Search results appear in a grid, highlighting the main profile photo, name, and age. At the bottom of every photo, you’ll find the “Chat now” and “Like” buttons. But if you hover the mouse over a photo, you’ll also get the chance to write a letter or access the full profile. Clicking on the main photo will only open the member’s photo gallery in a pop-up window.
Finally, if you lose track of a girl, but remember her name or ID, you can use a search bar to find her. We suggest adding her to your likes or favorites to ensure you can always find her profile again.
Exploring Member Profiles
The top section of member profiles is a photo gallery with all the action buttons. From here, you can write a letter, start chatting, “Say Hello”, like a profile, add it to favorites, or complain and add the member to the block list.
The middle section of the profile page holds basic facts about appearance, social information, and hobbies. You’ll also find the self-description and relationship expectations here. Reading these is a good way to assess their English proficiency, though many are too flowery for our taste.
The “Similar members” section is at the bottom of the page and holds profiles that match your search parameters, like age, gender, and country. The photo icons were too small for us, so we preferred to return to the search results page to explore the options.
Flirting with the Ladies
We used live chat the most, and we found the interface pretty intuitive, similar to any other messenger. There’s a button to attach photo, video, or voice messages, and a separate button for emojis and stickers. Messages are 300 characters max, and conversation openers are pretty bland. The mail interface is very similar, but it only supports emojis and file uploads; no stickers or conversation starters are available.
We could access all conversations via the “All chats” and “Letters” buttons in the left sidebar menu, but we found the inbox interface lacking. Sorting seemed awkward, with the main options being unread, unanswered, and answered letters. Searching by ID was also inconvenient, so we mostly used bookmarks to keep track of the most important threads.
Standout MagnoliaDate Features
At first, we were confused by the “Favorites” and “Your likes” tabs, which seemed the same. But the more we explored MagnoliaDate, the more we realized the genius behind the distinction.
Here’s how we used these tools. First, we scrolled through the search results and liked all the photos that caught our eye. Next, we went to the “Your likes” tab and opened every profile there to decide which ladies we wanted to contact. Those we added to our favorites. This way, we created a convenient system for sorting members and assessing their mutual interests.
Word of caution: you can’t take back likes. They work kind of like chat messages, so you cannot delete members from “Your likes”. Favorites work differently, and you can delete members from that list by pressing the star icon a second time. It is a bit confusing, but you get used to it.
Our Experience on MagnoliaDate
We managed to stretch the 1,000 credits we bought over three weeks. Still, our likes numbered over 200 profiles, and our favorites list expanded to 30+ ladies. We had plenty of exciting and flirty chats, but we wanted to highlight a few to give you a better idea of what you can expect:
Sanchai (21) was the first Filipina we contacted. Her English was very limited, so our chats were a little lagging, but we learned she had a small child and faced severe judgment from her family. Her goal was to leave the country and start a new life, but she seemed almost too desperate, which made us uncomfortable, so we had to let her down easy.
In contrast, Yeo (31) from Indonesia was a lot more mature. She was a successful business owner with a broad range of interests. And she was looking for a man who would not stifle her but be an equal partner. We had lots of interesting discussions and shared half a dozen pictures of our pets. Our conversations eventually petered out when she learned we were merely conducting a test, but she was a good sport about it.
What we learned from our experience is that you MUST read the self-description and “Who am I looking for” section before reaching out. It saved us much time and credits.
MagnoliaDate User Reviews
Harrison
USA
It’s a good thing Zheng doesn’t take offense easily. I can’t count the number of times I must have offended her in our early chats with my ignorance. But she’s such a patient and wise soul, I can’t believe she still talks to me. Can’t wait to meet her in person. I just know she’s even more gorgeous face-to-face.
Brooklyn
USA
Not a fan of the whole ‘pay for every message’ deal. I haven’t found a single girl who would agree to switch to a free messenger, though I guess it’s nearly impossible with the Chinese blocking of every Western app. I’m not ready to give up hope yet, so I’m not giving up my MagnoliaDate profile.
Lionel
Australia
Daniela is exactly what I needed after three lousy breakups in a row. She is the complete opposite of every high-maintenance American girl I’ve ever dated. All she wants is to settle down and start a family. Here, our dreams match perfectly. All that’s left is to bring her Stateside, but it’ll take a while.
Bruno
Canada
MagnoliaDate was the first international dating site I tried, and it was exactly what I needed. An easy and comfortable way to get back on the horse after a divorce and explore Asian beauties without any pressure. I’ve already found a couple of girls to liven up my lonely nights, but I’m not ready for anything more serious yet.
Scams and Common Problems on MagnoliaDate
MagnoliaDate is pretty new, so we weren’t surprised by the lack of user reviews. Still, we’ve tested dozens of dating sites and know all the common complaints, so let’s go over a few issues that might come up and discuss how to deal with them to avoid trouble:
- The girls look too good to be true, so they are fake or AI-generated. First, you should remember that most women use professional shots on dating sites with makeup, hair styling, and Photoshop on high. Of course, they look good after going to all that trouble. And if you’re worried about stolen pictures, try reverse image search. If it leads you to a social media profile under another name, report it and add the user to the block list.
- They take forever to respond, and my credits are running out. Remember that English is not the first language for most Asian girls you’ll meet on MagnoliaDate. Many rely on online translators to understand your messages, and they have to type their responses before getting them translated and pasted into the chat window. It takes longer than texting someone who knows English well. If you’re worried about extra expenses, screen girls for their English proficiency, or try using mail instead of live chat.
- The prices are outrageous. Why do I have to pay for every message? That’s how most international dating sites operate. Even mainstream apps must generate revenue in some way. It’s up to you to track your expenses and set an online dating budget. On the bright side, you get complete control over your spending. For example, if you decide to take a break from online dating, MagnoliaDate will not charge you a monthly subscription fee. If you feel like you don’t get enough for the money you pay, consider other Asian dating sites we reviewed.
- My credit card is charged every few days, but I didn’t agree to it! Unlike subscription-based dating sites, Magnolia Date does not rely on regular payments. This shouldn’t happen on platform unless you turned on automatic top-up with your first purchase. You can turn it off on the Credits tab. Otherwise, the dating site will keep charging you every time your balance drops to five credits. We suggest you check out the Policy and Terms of Use to avoid such unpleasant situations.
Unfortunately, no dating site, MagnoliaDate included, is 100% safe and free from scammers. So, to stay out of trouble, you should NEVER:
- Wire money in response to sob stories or “great” investment opportunities in crypto.
- Share your sensitive personal information: full name, address, contacts, SSN, or credit card details.
- Post or share intimate photos or videos that can be used to blackmail you.
- Click on a shortened URL that might lead you directly to malware downloads or phishing sites.
- Agree to accept a payment or delivery on a stranger’s behalf.
If a MagnoliaDate member tries to push you into any of these risky behaviors, immediately stop responding to their messages and add them to the block list. It’s also a good idea to report their suspicious activity to the website administration for review. Suspending and deleting such profiles is the only way to keep the dating pool safe for everyone.
How to Cancel or Pause a MagnoliaDate Subscription
MagnoliaDate does not have a classic monthly subscription, so you should not see any unexpected credit card charges. Still, if you turn on the automatic top-up by accident when purchasing credits, the dating site will charge your credit card every time your balance drops to five credits.
You can turn off the automatic top-up feature on the credits page to prevent any further charges. After that, you’ll need to replenish your credits manually when they run out.
To unsubscribe from MagnoliaDate newsletters, open the latest email in your inbox and find the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the page. You may need to input your email and confirm your wish to unsubscribe, but you won’t receive email notifications after that.
How to Delete Your MagnoliaDate Profile
Go to your profile—the button is right under the MagnoliaDate logo in the top left corner. Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and press the “Delete your profile” button. You’ll see a pop-up window with the “Delete profile” button. Press it, and your profile will be deleted with the possibility for recovery. If you ever decide to reverse course and restore your profile, you’ll just need to contact the support team at [email protected].
If you’d prefer a complete removal of your personal information, use the same email to request a full deletion after you cancel your account on the dating site. Your request will likely take a few days to process, but you’ll be 100% sure the dating site does not have your personal info.
5 Tips to Make the Most of MagnoliaDate
- Mute and turn off notifications and explore the dating pool at your pace, or you’ll get annoyed fast.
- Sign in at different times and toggle off the “Online” only members to explore profiles you would not see otherwise.
- Use the “Like” tab if you’re on mobile; it’s tailored for a single-profile view and more suited for smaller screens.
- Mention something from the girl’s profile and ask a question to prompt a response.
- Do not accept photo and video messages from random members to avoid wasting your credits.
Expert’s Take: Should You Try MagnoliaDate?
Author
Is MagnoliaDate perfect? Not by a long shot! But it’s a good starting point if you want to try stress and pressure-free Asian dating. The profiles are super detailed, and the ladies are quick to respond, as we’ve learned firsthand. We were especially impressed by the live chat functionality and the option to swap voice and photo messages. On the other hand, video messages are overpriced, while video chat is missing altogether. Otherwise, the rates are pretty reasonable, no different from other international dating sites.
Considering the registration is free and comes with 20 free credits, there’s no reason not to try MagnoliaDate. At the very least, you can have fun poking around and scrolling through gorgeous pictures. And it only takes a second to sign in with your Google account, just make sure it’s not your work email.
