Tinder announced a $499 per month invite-only subscription, Tinder Select, on Friday, Bloomberg reports. As part of the premium plan, subscribers can message people they’ve not matched with, while the “most sought-after” users will see their profiles. Tinder says it only offers the plan to less than 1 percent of its users it considers “extremely active” and that the applications will open up on a rolling basis.
“We know that there is a subset of highly engaged and active users who prioritize more effective and efficient ways to find connections,” said Tinder’s chief product officer, Mark Van Ryswyk. “So we engaged in extensive tests and feedback with this audience over the past several months to develop a completely new offering.”
If selected to apply, users will have to meet the company’s “5-point Select Screen.” That means their profile must include a verified photo, a biography, five interests, at least four images, and details about what kind of relationship they’re looking for. If their application is approved, members can add an exclusive Select badge to their profile. Like Twitter’s new hide your blue checkmark option, Select members can also hide the badge just in case they don’t want people to know they paid for the highest tier package.
The new subscription comes over a year after Tinder’s parent company, Match Group, purchased the invite-only dating app The League, which targets “ambitious, career-oriented singles.” That app costs users up to $1,000 a week.
Its success inspired Tinder Select, but unlike Tinder, The League uses actual human matchmakers — not just algorithms — that could help subscribers justify the cost. In contrast, Tinder Select tacks more features onto three existing plans, which start at $24.99 per month. For example, with Select, Tinder promises increased visibility, including among its “most sought-after” users, while Tinder Select profiles will be unblurred in someone’s “Likes You” grid, even if that person doesn’t pay for a Gold or Platinum subscription.
In addition, Tinder Select subscribers can direct message people they haven’t matched with up to twice a week. Yet the company’s website adds some recipients can opt out of receiving these messages. Plus, Platinum members can already message people they like before they match, and that’s just for $29.99 for one month.
Despite all that, Match Group executives have high hopes for Tinder Select. At a Citi conference this month, Match Group president Gary Swidler said he believes the Tinder Select offering, which could cost a user $6,000 for a year, will significantly impact revenue.
So far, Tinder Select’s main appeal seems to lie in its exclusivity and the opportunity to improve your chances with “the most sought-after.”
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