Localization of Content in Dating: Adapting Apps for Different Regions

Blog » Localization of Content in Dating: Adapting Apps for Different Regions

Adapting content for another region isn’t just about translating it into a different language. It’s a full-scale adjustment of the product to 🤌 the cultural, linguistic, visual, and behavioral specifics of users in a given region. In the world of 👩‍❤️‍👨 dating it is especially important, as the area of relationships is governed both by moral norms and local laws. To avoid bans and successfully monetize your chosen GEOs, you need to take their unique characteristics into account — especially when it comes to large countries with high monetization potential for dating.

The statistics are sourced from the RichAds ad network, with a reference to Statista. 

Localization Measures

When adapting a dating app for another region or GEO, the following steps are usually taken ⬇️

• Translation into the local language;
• Integration of local payment systems;
• Compliance with local laws;
• Adaptation of the user interface (UI);
• Customization of push notifications.

Let’s take a closer look at what each of these steps involves.

Translation

At first glance, it seems simple — just translate it into another language and you’re done! Google can now translate pretty much anything into any language almost as well as a native speaker. But in reality, it’s not that straightforward. A plain 🙅 translation without adaptation isn’t enough, because:

• Words carry different aspects of meaning in different cultures. For example, the English word “match” can be translated as “coincidence” in some languages like Russian, but that sounds dry. “Mutual sympathy” or even “pair” would work better. Internet terminology also varies across languages.
• Meaning of slang and idioms is often lost in straight translation. For instance, the English phrase “Netflix and chill” implies a sexual invitation, while the Russian “have fun” just means hanging out or going to an event.
• Standards of politeness and forms of address differ. In many European languages, it’s fine to use informal “you” with users, even when there’s also a more formal version. For example, while Poles usually say “Pan” or “Pani”, in dating it’s acceptable to switch to “ty”. But in Asian languages, it’s often better to stick with the formal “you”, even in intimate contexts. Kazakh, Farsi — and especially Japanese and Uzbek — require formal speech even when it comes to sex dating.
• Jokes are not translated directly. This is especially true for headlines, chat prompts and push notifications. It’s better to adapt jokes and use local equivalents than translate them literally and lose all the effect. If there’s no good equivalent, it’s best to convey the meaning clearly without using jokes or euphemisms.
• “Innocent” words may carry unintended connotations. For example, the word “dating” sounds romantic in some countries but may be associated with escort services in others. The same goes for words like “explicit”, “flirt”, “hot”, etc.

To localize a translation successfully, you should:

• Use the help of native speakers. If that’s not an option, you can double-check with an AI whether a phrase should be translated literally. For example, ChatGPT handles such tasks quite well.
• Adapt the UI to fit the length and structure of phrases (don’t lock the interface to the structure of the source language your app was originally built in).

Integration of Local Payment Systems

Local payment systems significantly 🚀 boost conversion from active users to paying customers, since even in some European countries people don’t always like or are unable to pay with Visa or Mastercard. And for markets in Asia, Africa, the CIS and Latin America, this is even more relevant, because in some countries there:

• International transfers are blocked;
• VISA/MasterCard are rarely used or completely unavailable;
• Payments in Google Play/App Store may be limited or not supported at all.

Moreover, in some countries payment aggregators are required to charge VAT (for example, in EU countries, Kazakhstan and Brazil). Local payment systems handle this automatically, making things easier for the app.

Here are some popular 💳 payment systems by region:

• Brazil — Pix, Boleto, PicPay;
• India — Paytm, PhonePe, UPI, Razorpay;
• Africa — M-Pesa, Airtel Money;
• Russia — YooMoney, QIWI, SBP;
• Kazakhstan — Kaspi Pay, Halyk Pay;
• Europe — Klarna, Sofort, iDEAL, Swedbank, Revolut;
• Turkey — Iyzico, Papara;
• MENA (Arab countries) — Fawry, Mada, STC Pay.

There’s also the option to add cardless payment methods, such as:

• In India and Bangladesh — carrier billing through mobile operators;
• In African countries — payments through SIM accounts.

SMS payments are still available in some other countries as well — for example, in Kazakhstan, OLX can be paid for this way.

That’s why the best solution in this case is to integrate aggregators that support payment systems across multiple regions:

• Adyen — supports 100+ payment methods worldwide: bank and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, China UnionPay, etc.), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) and local options (e-wallets, Buy Now Pay Later, vouchers, and more);
• Stripe — accepts all major cards: Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, UnionPay, Cartes Bancaires, Maestro, eftpos Australia and others.
• PayU — works with both global cards and most local methods, especially in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa.
• PayOp — supports 500+ payment methods and 100+ currencies across 170+ countries. Covers both international and local cards, e-wallets, mobile payments, crypto payments, cash via vouchers and bank transfers.
• Fondy — supports over 300 methods, including cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal), bank transfers (SEPA, iDEAL, Giropay), and BNPL. Cash payments are also possible (via card top-up or vouchers).
• YooMoney API — supports Russian payment systems: Sberbank Online, Alpha-Click, cards from Russian banks (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Mir, JCB) as well as mobile payments via Russian mobile operators.

By the way, all these systems handle 👨‍⚖️ compliance with local laws, so you don’t need to worry about the legal side.

Compliance with Local Laws

In different countries, online dating laws cover:

• Protection of personal data;
• Age restrictions;
• Regulation of explicit or adult content;
• Protection from fraud and harassment;
• Licensing (required in some countries).

Regarding 🔐 data protection:

• In the EU (where the use of personal information is regulated by GDPR) users must be able to download and delete all their data with just a few clicks.
• In Brazil, the law requires companies to appoint a DPO (Data Protection Officer) and also prohibits sending push notifications without consent.

A diagram showing whether your online project complies with GDPR requirements.

In most countries, the minimum age to use dating apps is 18, but there are exceptions:

• France: registration allowed from 15 with parental consent;
• South Korea: access to apps with sexualized content is prohibited under age 19;
• Japan: age verification via ID is required.

Some countries have ❌ restrictions on content and search filters:

• Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran — strict bans on photos in revealing clothing, mentions of sexual relations outside marriage and LGBT content (punishable by law). For example, the dating app Bumble removes orientation mentions in some Middle Eastern countries.
• Russia has laws “On Protecting Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development” and “Law on the Prohibition of Propaganda of LGBT and Pedophilia”. These laws prohibit displaying 18+ content without proper labeling and restrict apps promoting non-traditional relationships. For instance, some app versions for Russia remove filters like “looking for man/woman” when the user is searching for the same sex.

Adapting the User Interface (UI) and Features to Cultural Specifics and Beyond

This isn’t about designing the UI to match the 🧞‍♂️ spirit of different countries — the visual layout remains the same for everyone. For example, Tinder’s design in the U.S., India, Poland and Japan doesn’t differ.

That’s why UI adaptation refers to other aspects:

• Adding filters that reflect local realities;
• Implementing region-specific privacy and safety features;
• Integrating with popular local social networks and messengers;
• Creating lite versions of apps for countries with slow internet and low-end smartphones;
• Customizing push notifications.

Filters Based on Local Features

This isn’t mandatory, but it’s highly recommended: profile fields and search filters should reflect key social markers relevant to the specific country. Examples:

• Israel: filter by level of religiosity (secular, traditional, ultra-Orthodox);
• Turkey: status like “lives with parents” or “ready for marriage”;
• Western Europe: “looking for monogamous/polyamorous relationships” — for a more liberal audience;
• CIS countries: “has children” and “willing to relocate”;
• Израиль: фильтр по уровню религиозности (светский, традиционный, ультраортодокс);

Privacy and Safety Features

In some countries there’s a 🥷 high demand for anonymity — from acquaintances, relatives or to avoid sexual hints. That’s why it makes sense to introduce filters like “Hide my photos from people in my city/from everyone except favorites” or “Block messages containing sexual context”.

Integration with Popular Regional Social Networks and Messengers

For example, Tinder only allows sign-in via Google and Facebook. Mamba, on the other hand, offers a broader range of social networks and services for authentication.

When localizing, it’s important to consider the 💯 popularity of local services and include them for authentication:

• China: registration and messaging via WeChat;
• Japan: connecting a LINE account;
• South Korea: adding KakaoTalk ID to the profile;
• Latin America: linking to WhatsApp, quick profile sharing;
• CIS: login via VK, Telegram — even if the app isn’t a social network.

This way,\ users feel the interface is part of their familiar digital ecosystem, rather than being forced to use unfamiliar services.

Creating Lite Versions of Apps

These are versions designed for slow networks and low-end smartphones, optimized for size and data usage.

Examples:

• Tinder Lite, Badoo Lite: minimalist interface with only basic swiping and messaging;
• Facebook Dating in India: heavily simplified, focused on fast loading and offline mode.

Optimization is achieved through vector graphics, no heavy videos and no auto-loading of images. Lite versions are especially relevant in India, Nigeria, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and some countries in Latin America and Central Asia.

Customizing Push Notifications and Campaigns in Accordance with Cultural Norms

Push notifications should take into account:

• National holidays;
• Religious restrictions;
• Local sleep and activity habits.

Examples:

• Muslim countries: disable push notifications during prayer times and Ramadan;
• Japan: messages should be polite and non-intrusive (e.g., “Feel free to message when it’s convenient for you”);
• Latin America, CIS: it’s better to use emotion and humor (e.g., “Don’t be so shy! Say hi first”).

Conclusion

If we rank the points above from most to least important, it would look like this:

• Translation and its adaptation;
• Compliance with local laws (otherwise you risk bans and won’t be able to integrate payment systems);
• Integration of payment systems;
• Integration with local social networks and services;
• Customization of push notifications;
• Creating a lite version;
• Filters based on local realities.

Everything listed above is the full set of possible adaptations. In most cases, you’ll need fewer. Especially if you’re not planning a global launch, but focusing on just one to three regions (Europe, the U.S., Latin America). However, it’s best to be aware of the full scope — so you can decide for yourself what you want to adapt and what you don’t.