eharmony assessment (2026): Is the relationship app definitely worth the excessive price?

Desk of Contents

I’ve been testing relationship apps for a very long time now, and the query my associates ask me most is not “how does the algorithm work?” however quite “which app is definitely the perfect?”

These days, as we have all gotten older (and extra prepared to cool down), eharmony has snuck into the dialog extra usually than I’d wish to admit. It’s recognized for being the go-to for the over-50 crowd, however its “hip” new commercials counsel the corporate is determined to draw a youthful person base.

No matter their advertising and marketing technique, the declare that “each 14 minutes, somebody finds love on eharmony” piqued my curiosity. So, I made a decision to provide it an actual faculty attempt to see whether or not its notorious questionnaire and algorithm-based matching system really work. Under is my detailed expertise with eharmony, from sign-up to connecting with different customers.

Getting began on eharmony

When you obtain the app, you’ve got two decisions: “Be a part of now” or “Log in.” There is not an choice to register with Fb or Google on this display. (Given the app’s older demographic, I actually anticipated a Fb login to be entrance and heart.)

Subsequent, you choose your nation and your gender. You will have three choices: girl, man, or nonbinary.

After you decide one, a notice pops up letting you realize you may “replace your gender at any time.” That is cool contemplating eharmony’s historical past of being less-than-welcoming to homosexual and nonbinary of us. However that feeling of progress evaporates whenever you’re requested, “Who’re you open to assembly?” You possibly can decide girls, males, or nonbinary individuals — however the app would not allow you to make a number of alternatives. It’s a significant draw back for queer and bisexual daters who need a wider pool.

If you happen to determine to maintain going, you’ll share what you are in search of (informal, severe, or simply shopping) after which get smacked within the face with a large consent pop-up.

The “Your Consent” pop-up that seems throughout eharmony’s sign-up course of.
Credit score: Screenshot: eharmony

I did not click on “settle for all,” and it nonetheless let me transfer ahead, so no less than there’s no gatekeeping there. Lastly, the app asks you to enroll together with your e-mail deal with, Apple, or Google account. It’s bizarre that they bury this step so deep within the onboarding course of as a substitute of placing it on the very starting, however I finally selected Google — it’s simply simpler that method.

You’re in. Now what?

After efficiently getting by the preliminary registration, you’ll get a cute little welcome message: “Congrats — you’re taking step one in the direction of discovering somebody who will get you. Now, let’s see what’s subsequent for you.”

That is the half we’ve all been complaining about for years. This intensive questionnaire is a trademark of eharmony, and it’s what the corporate claims is the “secret sauce” to its matchmaking success. The primary display is simply an intro that principally says to search out somebody best for you, the perfect place to look is inside your self. (I feel this makes whole sense.)

Clicking “proceed” brings you to a display with two ideas: Spend 10 to twenty minutes taking the quiz, and go together with your intestine. (I’m curious if the upcoming questions are based mostly on whether or not you selected man, girl, or nonbinary in your gender desire. It could be attention-grabbing to see if a male person will get totally different phrasing than a feminine or nonbinary person.)

The welcome display for eharmony’s well-known Compatibility Quiz, which takes about 20 minutes to finish.
Credit score: Screenshot: eharmomy

I’m not going to checklist each single query, however right here’s a fast rundown of the primary 15 %:

• The place is your perfect place to stay? (No matter the place you at the moment are.)

• Why would you like a relationship? You possibly can select three choices, together with issues like “emotional safety,” “so I’m not alone,” and “frequent intimacy” (go eharmony for together with that one!).

• Why are you single? (To start with, impolite. Additionally, undecided a few of you’re able to go down that rabbit gap.)

• Would you sleep in a single mattress or separate bedrooms?

One factor I didn’t love is that in case you change your thoughts about a solution, there isn’t a “again” button to revise it. When you click on, you’re dedicated.

Shifting on… the following set of questions focuses on particular pursuits. Some are a number of alternative, whereas others demand “precisely two solutions required.” It covers the fundamentals like smoking and consuming, plus way of life questions like whether or not you favor cooking or going out to eat (once more, questioning in the event that they ask the blokes this, too). I appreciated that you could possibly select “none” for sports activities, but it surely was bizarre that it requested if I performed an instrument, however by no means requested which one.

Truthfully, by this level, I used to be able to faucet out, however I’m doing this for all of you singletons on the market who’re prepared to search out your ceaselessly particular person.

A glimpse on the “character” part of the eharmony quiz, which incorporates summary form preferences and situational inquiries to gauge your reactions.
Credit score: Screenshot: eharmony

The following part is picture-based and begins to really feel slightly like a Rorschach take a look at. It provides you two shapes and asks which appeals to you extra. As soon as that’s over, you get an encouraging pop-up: “Midway there — stick with it!” Then, extra photos — this time of houses, flowers, and nature scenes.

Essentially the most attention-grabbing a part of this part was a query about your “speedy response” if somebody near you upsets you. After I picked my first alternative, I acquired slightly pop-up scolding me: “Most individuals have a tendency to select this reply as a result of it appears essentially the most logical. Please take a second and be sure you are selecting the correct reply that applies to you.” OK, eharmony.

It randomly hits you with a local weather change query, after which issues get severe. Nevertheless, the wedding query didn’t sit proper with me. Not due to what it requested (“What do you consider marriage as an establishment?”) however due to the solutions it didn’t provide. It felt restricted. It additionally locations a query about whether or not “intercourse sells” proper beneath a query about set mealtimes, which is… a alternative.

When you lastly end, you’re met with a congratulations display. You made it.

Much more particulars, in case you can consider it

OK, so that you’ve made it this far — congrats! Now, it’s important to fill out your full identify, birthday, occupation, peak, schooling stage, annual revenue, whether or not you’ve got kids, faith, and ethnicity. I actually felt like I used to be filling out a mortgage utility.

In addition they ask in your marital standing. The one choices are single, separated, divorced, and widowed. At first, I assumed this was bizarre for a “ceaselessly love” app, however then it clicked. Since so many eharmony customers are older, figuring out if somebody is divorced or widowed is definitely useful context. (That mentioned, unhealthy information for the poly crowd: there may be completely no possibility for moral non-monogamy right here.)

Subsequent, you select two required prompts to reply (500 characters max) and write a brief bio. Then comes the photograph part. Wildly sufficient, eharmony allows you to “skip” this step totally. If you happen to attempt, a pop-up gently nudges you to rethink since you’ll “stand out extra,” however you may proceed with no face. For a website this severe, that appears like a loophole for catfish.

eharmony is infamous for being expensive, so when a “Welcome Reward” display popped up, I braced myself for what was to come back. Positive sufficient, clicking “unwrap reward” reveals a 50% off premium subscription provide.

The “Welcome Reward” display that seems on the finish of the sign-up course of — spoiler: it is a low cost on a paid subscription.
Credit score: Screenshot: eharmomy

Warning: If you happen to click on “Subsequent” on this display, it instantly asks for fee information. It appears to be like like a paywall, however don’t be fooled — you can hit the “again” button to bypass it and get to the free model. Do not allow them to trick you.

How a lot will relationship on eharmony price you?

Whilst you can join eharmony at no cost, the app actually pushes you to get a paid subscription. (The Australian Competitors and Shopper Fee has really sued the corporate for auto-renewals individuals didn’t consent to, so… proceed with warning.)

Anyway, here is the pricing construction I used to be provided. Word that yours could differ relying on the place you reside, whenever you join, and so forth.

Premium gentle: $14.90 per thirty days

• Limitless messaging with 15 matches month-to-month

• See one photograph of every profile

• Distinctive character profile

• Search close to you

Premium plus: $16.90 per thirty days

Premium limitless: $18.90 per thirty days

The matching course of (lastly!)

In any case that knowledge entry and the predatory subscription BS, the app tells you it is lastly prepared to indicate you your “featured profiles” — principally three members you’re presupposed to charge. You possibly can skip this part, however I moved ahead so I might inform you what occurs.

Clicking “Let’s go” introduced me to my first profile. I could not even view her photograph; tapping it instantly triggered a request for fee.

Then I appeared on the particulars. She was a strong two hours and half-hour away from me. She was additionally seven years youthful than me (bizarre, for the reason that app by no means requested for my age desire earlier). The one good factor? It mentioned she was “on-line yesterday,” which suggests she’s an energetic person — if she’s actual.

The profile did present some information, like peak, sports activities, and our “widespread trait” (we each “search consolation when issues go flawed,” apparently). You get the choice to “Like” or “Skip.” If you happen to click on “Like,” it allows you to ship a message, and I assume it notifies them. My different two “featured” choices had been additionally over an hour away, regardless of the app figuring out my zip code.

When you get by that, it says “See who’s right here” and dumps you right into a feed of BLURRED PHOTOS. There’s additionally a shiny orange banner on the high, always attempting to pressure you into shopping for a subscription. It feels aggressive.

Is eharmony definitely worth the obtain?

To be blunt, I feel you must attempt actually any of our different top-recommended apps earlier than contemplating eharmony. Sure, I usually charge it because the “finest for marriage,” however that’s virtually totally due to the sheer quantity of knowledge it collects. (Even after “ending” the quiz, I discovered there have been nonetheless 24 extra questions ready for me in my profile, plus tons of sections so as to add pursuits.)

The one who must be on this app is Charlotte York, in each sense. She’s targeted on discovering her knight in shining armor, she lives in NYC (so she’d have far more choices than I do in a small Virginia city), and he or she has disposable revenue.

If you happen to match that profile, then cool — this may really be the perfect place to search out your soulmate, supplied you may dodge the aggressive advertisements for a premium subscription (although in case you’re Charlotte, you may afford it).

However in case you’re not prepared to shell out any money and you realize you’re not in search of something severe, I’d say it’s in all probability superb in case you by no means obtain the eharmony app.