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

Desk of Contents

I’ve been testing courting 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 very best?”

Recently, as we have all gotten older (and extra keen to quiet down), eharmony has snuck into the dialog extra usually than I’d prefer 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 consumer base.

No matter their advertising technique, the declare that “each 14 minutes, somebody finds love on eharmony” piqued my curiosity. So, I made a decision to offer 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 could have two selections: “Be 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 truthfully anticipated a Fb login to be entrance and middle.)

Subsequent, you choose your nation and your gender. You’ve got three choices: lady, man, or nonbinary.

After you decide one, a word pops up letting you understand 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 if you’re requested, “Who’re you open to assembly?” You’ll be able to decide girls, males, or nonbinary individuals — however the app does not allow you to make a number of choices. It’s a serious draw back for queer and bisexual daters who need a wider pool.

When you determine to maintain going, you’ll share what you are searching for (informal, severe, or simply searching) 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 handle, 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 via the preliminary registration, you’ll get a cute little welcome message: “Congrats — you’re taking step one in 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 mainly says to seek out somebody best for you, the very best place to look is inside your self. (I believe this makes whole sense.)

Clicking “proceed” brings you to a display with two suggestions: 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, lady, or nonbinary to your gender choice. It could be fascinating to see if a male consumer will get completely different phrasing than a feminine or nonbinary consumer.)

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 listing each single query, however right here’s a fast rundown of the primary 15 p.c:

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

• Why would you like a relationship? You’ll be able to 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 begin with, impolite. Additionally, undecided a few of you might be 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.

Transferring 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 life-style 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.

Actually, 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 seek out your without end particular person.

A glimpse on the “persona” 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 a bit like a Rorschach check. 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 footage — this time of properties, flowers, and nature scenes.

Probably the most fascinating a part of this part was a query about your “instant response” if somebody near you upsets you. After I picked my first alternative, I acquired a bit pop-up scolding me: “Most individuals have a tendency to choose this reply as a result of it appears probably the most logical. Please take a second and be sure to 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 supply. 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, you must fill out your full identify, birthday, occupation, peak, training degree, annual earnings, whether or not you could have youngsters, faith, and ethnicity. I actually felt like I used to be filling out a mortgage software.

Additionally they ask to your marital standing. The one choices are single, separated, divorced, and widowed. At first, I assumed this was bizarre for a “without end love” app, however then it clicked. Since so many eharmony customers are older, understanding if somebody is divorced or widowed is definitely useful context. (That stated, 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 picture part. Wildly sufficient, eharmony helps you to “skip” this step totally. When you attempt, a pop-up gently nudges you to rethink since you’ll “stand out extra,” however you may proceed with no face. For a web site this severe, that seems like a loophole for catfish.

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

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: When you click on “Subsequent” on this display, it instantly asks for fee data. 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 courting on eharmony price you?

When you can join eharmony without 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, this is the pricing construction I used to be supplied. Notice that yours might differ relying on the place you reside, if you join, and so on.

Premium gentle: $14.90 monthly

• Limitless messaging with 15 matches month-to-month

• See one picture of every profile

• Distinctive persona profile

• Search close to you

Premium plus: $16.90 monthly

Premium limitless: $18.90 monthly

The matching course of (lastly!)

In spite of everything that knowledge entry and the predatory subscription BS, the app tells you it is lastly prepared to point out you your “featured profiles” — mainly three members you’re presupposed to fee. You’ll be able to skip this part, however I moved ahead so I may inform you what occurs.

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

Then I regarded 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 choice earlier). The one good factor? It stated she was “on-line yesterday,” which suggests she’s an lively consumer — if she’s actual.

The profile did present some data, like peak, sports activities, and our “frequent trait” (we each “search consolation when issues go unsuitable,” apparently). You get the choice to “Like” or “Skip.” When you click on “Like,” it helps you to ship a message, and I assume it notifies them. My different two “featured” choices have been additionally over an hour away, regardless of the app understanding my zip code.

When you get via that, it says “See who’s right here” and dumps you right into a feed of BLURRED PHOTOS. There’s additionally a brilliant orange banner on the prime, consistently attempting to drive you into shopping for a subscription. It feels aggressive.

Is eharmony definitely worth the obtain?

To be blunt, I believe you need to attempt actually any of our different top-recommended apps earlier than contemplating eharmony. Sure, I usually fee it because the “finest for marriage,” however that’s nearly totally due to the sheer quantity of information 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 that needs to 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 earnings.

When you match that profile, then cool — this may really be the very best place to seek out your soulmate, offered you may dodge the aggressive adverts for a premium subscription (although in case you’re Charlotte, you may afford it).

However in case you’re not keen to shell out any money and you understand you’re not searching for something severe, I’d say it’s in all probability high-quality in case you by no means obtain the eharmony app.