If you are sure you want a serious, long-term, committed relationship or marriage, there is a clear standout in the dating site scene: eharmony has long established itself as the leader in connecting singles looking for meaningful partnership. eharmony has:
- A Better Business Bureau rating
- Free basic plan
- Vetted profiles to prove members are a real people (and not married)
- Research from Harvard and University of Chicago that finds that the site does actually produce marriages โ and those marriages have low divorce rates.
Signing up for eharmony is a time and emotional commitment โ one that could take more than an hour of your time.
I tried eharmony and in my personal experience, other user reviews, and eharmonyโs success rate are a few indicators that make us fans of eharmony for those seeking serious, long-term commitment, standing out from a sea of other online dating apps, many of which are very worthwhile, but attract a wide range of daters with different relationship goals.
Our eharmony ratings:
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Member's experience
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Matches
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Cost
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Customer service
Our review of eharmony.com:
What an eharmony subscription includes
Does eharmony work? What is the success rate of eharmony?
- Focused on compatibility
- Attracts more serious daters
- Verification process for added security
- Instant conversation starters
- Opportunity to move at your own pace
- Prompt customer service
Can I cancel eharmony anytime?
- Can you cancel your eharmony membership and get a refund?
- How to log into eharmony and delete your account
Bottom line: Is eharmony worth it? Is it worth paying for eharmony?
Start a free eharmony trial now >>
How does eharmony work?
eharmony uses an algorithm to match you and potential partners.
In this swipe-happy generation, it can be tough to make a real connection. For many, the mentality is โhot or not,โ which, for those seeking a genuine relationship, can make online dating sometimes feel empty, even mean-spirited.
Thatโs why eharmony makes its members take a compatibility quiz upon signing up, which works to determine your best matches. You must be a paying member to see others' photos, search by location and religion, and otherwise make meaningful connections with other singles.
eharmony says they use actual science, not just your likes and dislikes, to match you with potential suitors who really โgetโ you, and with whom you have the highest chances of a meaningful connection.
eharmony uses what it calls โmain effects,โ which is โthe potential direct impact of your traits and your partnerโs traits on your and their feelingsโ to figure out what kind of person you should be with, making it different than almost any other dating website out there.
After taking care of the basics, including adding a nice photo of yourself and filling in general information such as where you live and your age, youโre prompted to verify your information and complete the compatibility quiz.
Verify your information
This is where eharmony stands out: First eharmony took steps to verify my photo, presumably checking it for being a fake, or old, or identifying me as being a cheat.
You can also opt for SMS verification where you enter your mobile number, and theyโll send over a code for you to enter.
Complete compatibility quiz
Next, you take a five-part compatibility quiz. They ask you a series of multiple choice questions that include interests, what youโre looking for in a partner, personal habits, and hypothetical scenarios.
If you canโt finish the questionnaire in one sitting and need more time to answer these hard-hitting questions, donโt worry โ you can come back to it later. But I was able to finish it in 20 minutes.
These are some example eharmony questions:
- Are you easily excited about things?
- If you like a song, what is the usual reason?
- What is your immediate reaction if a person youโre very close to does something that upsets you?
- What are your main reasons for wanting a relationship?
- Letโs say you and your partner get invited to a friendโs wedding. As you get ready for the party, which thoughts are you most likely thinking?
The one thing that bothered me is that some answers felt outdated or just didnโt apply to me at all.
After taking the quiz, eharmony lets you showcase your personality with prompts, similar to those on Hinge or Bumble.
Review your personality profile
Once you complete the questionnaire, you will have access to your personality profile. Itโs broken down into four parts:
- Fundamentals of your personality
- How you behave in a relationship
- Your everyday life
- Style of communication
When you match with other members, eharmony gives you a compatibility score that compares their results of the quiz to yours:
I would say that eharmony was spot on with my matches. I had high compatibility scores with everyone I matched with, so compatibility wise, I think we could be good together.
However, their profiles are lacking. Even with a reputable dating site like eharmony, people still donโt fill out their full profiles. Also, there weren't a lot of compatible matches, even in my New York City search radius.
Can I use eharmony for free?
eharmony has a basic free version, which includes taking the compatibility quiz and viewing matchโs profiles. But like other dating apps, to really interact with potential matches and get any real value from eharmony, you have to sign up for the paid version.
How much does eharmony cost?
eharmony offers subscription plans priced for 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months.
As of September 2025, these are the costs of an eharmony membership:
| Free basic account: | $0 |
| Premium Light | $38.94/mo for 6 months $23.94/mo for 12 months $17.94/mo for 24 months |
| Premium Plus | $44.94/mo for 6 months $26.34/mo for 12 months $20.34/mo for 24 months |
| Premium Unlimited | $47.94/mo for 6 months $29.94/mo for 12 months $21.54/mo for 24 months |
What an eharmony subscription includes
These are some of the benefits that are only available in the paid version:
- Unlimited messaging
- Ability to view unlimited photos
- See who has visited your profile
Does eharmony work? What is the success rate of eharmony?
When compared to other dating sites, eharmony does work. The results are in the numbers: couples who meet on eharmony are more likely to get married, and less likely to get divorced.
Researchers at the University of Chicago and Harvard conducted a study of marriages, breakups and divorces by online dating site where the couple met, and found that couples who met on eharmony had the highest marriage rate, highest marriage satisfaction rate, and the lowest breakup and divorce rates. eharmony had the best results out of all the major dating sites.
eharmony marriage and divorce rates
- 25% of the more than 19,000 marriages studied by the University of Chicago started at eharmony
- 3.86% divorce rate, (vs. national U.S. average of ~50%, per Census data)
The compatibility screening digs deep. eharmonyโs algorithm delves into who you are as a person, a method that has proved successful for thousands of users.
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Is eharmony reliable?
Between strong third-party review on sites like the Better Business Bureau, the academic studies at top universities published in leading journals, a long history and strong user base, eharmony remains one of the leading dating sites and apps for people looking for serious relationships.
Letโs look at the pros and cons of eharmony:
| eharmony pros | eharmony cons |
| – Caters to serious daters seeking a compatible partner – Stringent verification process that weeds out fake profiles and married people – Uses detailed profiles to spark conversations – Quick responses from customer service | – Long process to go through compatibility questions (but worth it to find compatible matches) – Knowing too much information upfront can impact getting to know someone organically |
What are the pros of eharmony?
Focused on compatibility
eharmonyโs long, involved quiz and matching process really does stand out among dating sites. It serves more as a digital matchmaker than a swipe-left-right app or speed-dating platform.
Attracts more serious daters
Because of its long history of focusing on serious relationships, including marriage, eharmony appeals to singles who are looking for commitment.
Verification process for added security
Whatโs also nice about eharmony is its state-of-the-art ID verification, providing you with an added level of comfort and security that the person youโre meeting is who he says he is.
eharmony routinely closes accounts for a multitude of reasons, including that users are inappropriate or abusive with other members, getting caught lying/cheating.
Instant conversation starters
eharmony requires each user to create an in-depth profile, which means you have plenty of information to use to strike up a conversation on that first phone conversation or date.
Itโs a lot easier to prep for a first date when you already know that the guy has kids and doesnโt like Indian food. You may even be able to avoid a few awkward moments over appetizers, such as finding out your date is interested in making America great again in a different way than you are.
Opportunity to move at your own pace
The best part about chatting on eharmony stems from their โQuick Questionsโ option, which allows users to select questions they would most like their matches to answer.
This is a great way to help you (and the other person) learn information about potential matches that is important to you โ as well as express to other singles what your priorities are.
With the ability to chat before meeting, itโs also more likely you will feel comfortable by the time youโre ready to meet for drinks or dinner.
A first date can be intimidating, especially if you havenโt been on one for a while. Having the extra cushion of โgetting to know youโ time can make first dates less of a big deal and more of a fun experience. And isnโt that the way theyโre supposed to be?
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Prompt customer service
eharmony claims their customer service is available 24/7. Like most companies, their site first directs you to a deep library of FAQs articles, but it is easy to find the โContact Customer Care' button on most of these pages, which leads you to a form on which you can send an email.
Our experience is that eharmony CS does respond within the promised 24 hours.
You can access eharmony CS through your membership portal, or as a guest.
What are the cons of eharmony?
The more you know, the worse a date can be
Sometimes a first date is filled with magic because you spent the entire time learning about someone you knew nothing about before. Sometimes, especially when you have experienced heartache and disappointment, a long list of information about a potential date can actually be a long list of reasons to talk yourself out taking a risk and saying yes to meeting.
With so much information available to you beforehand, you run the risk of losing some of the butterflies you may have felt otherwise. But what I can attest to is this: some of the best conversations Iโve had while on a first date stemmed from a tidbit from the guyโs profile, leading to a greater understanding of the individual and a much more meaningful connection.
Surprises arenโt always pleasant, however, and a spark does sometimes lead to a fire. That said, being prepared never hurt anyone, and online dating led me to my most successful relationship so far.
Unlike other apps and websites, eharmony doesnโt want you to be a member forever. The goal of the site is to take your online relationship offline.
eharmony reviews
We think eharmony is the best option for people who are looking for a serious relationship. Itโs worth the cost because of its plethora of features, large dating pool, and high success rate of creating successful matches. We also like that itโs a long-time BBB-accredited business (since 2001) with an A rating.
Hereโs what others had to say about eharmony:
According to Consumer Affairs, one reviewer, J, from Texas met their spouse on eharmony. Despite the time investment needed to set the profile up, this reviewer liked the detail required because it was helpful for weeding out people looking to hook up, not date. The lengthy process also allowed better evaluation of potential prospects, and ease of communication assisted in the vetting process pre-date, saving daters time and money.
Irene, a user from Maryland, met her husband Joe on eharmony. Married 9 years, she says she enjoyed numerous relationships over the years from the site before meeting the one. โYou get what you pay for,โ she wrote.
Scott from Indiana, who was divorced, met his future wife after a few bad matches on the site. Referring to the siteโs matching process, he says: โIt does work if you let it.โ The couple has been married more than a decade.
Better Business Bureau rating and reviews
Accredited and in business since 2001, eharmony has an A rating with the BBB.
eharmony reviews on Reddit
eharmony has plenty of play on Reddit โ including both success and horror stories for online dating in general, and eharmony in particular:
Depending on where you live and what you are looking for, those who used eharmony reported success in finding a long-term mate โ but you have to pay to connect with other members. A couple examples:
I know the sample size isn't huge, but both of my friends who tried eHarmony found amazing matches. One couple is engaged, the other has been dating for a few years now and are super serious. I suppose it's definitely a YMMV situation.
Decipher, Reddit user
Also:
I've never used a paid dating site, but my mom does. She used OKC for a bit but didn't like it. She says the men on paid dating sites are more serious and don't send sexual messages. I figure that's probably accurate because why pay to send “hey bb wan sum fuk” messages when you could do it on OKC/Tinder/etc for free. I think your experience might heavily depend on age. I'm not sure something like Match/eHarmony would be that useful for someone who is in their 20s.
Reddit user
Keep in mind that location has a huge influence on dating app quality no matter the app or site โ just like real-life dating. The smaller the community in which you live, the smaller the local dating pool. Ask your single friends which apps in your area have the best selection of singles in your area.
eharmony reviews on Trustpilot
eharmony fails Trustpilot, where it has 2.8 stars out of 5, based on more than 3131 reviews as of September 2025 โ with about half of recent reviews from the United Kingdom. Common complaints include issues with canceling the service and accusations of fake profiles.
Can I cancel eharmony anytime?
One of the main complaints from eharmony members is that it is difficult to cancel. Members of eharmony get a 14-day cooling-off period on any subscription that you cancel.
To cancel your eharmony membership, navigate to:
- Manage profile >
- Amend subscription >
- Cancel automatic renewal >
- opt out of all their offers they will push on you >
- Confirm cancelation
Can you cancel your eharmony membership and get a refund?
eharmony is pretty aggressive about charging โ you pay in minimums of 6-month packages, but you can cancel at any time to avoid future payments.
How to log into eharmony and delete your account
First, you may choose to hide your eharmony account, which makes it inaccessible to any other users, and will not show up on searches, though will still be visible to those with whom you have already connected, or who have ‘favorited' you. This can be useful if you want to take a dating break. To immediately hide your eharmony account:
- Click on the arrow next to your photo
- Click the โData & Settingsโ link
- Under the โProfile Visibilityโ section, click the green slider to make your profile invisible
If you delete your profile you will no longer have access to your messages or matches. Deleting your profile is permanent. It isnโt possible to restore your profile after you delete your ehamony profile.
To fully delete your eharmony account while in the middle of a subscription package, you must contact Customer Care.
If you do not have a subscription, you can delete your eharmony profile:
- Click on the arrow next to your photo
- Click โData & settingsโ
- Under โProfile Status,” click “To permanently delete your profile, click hereโ
You will be asked to enter your login info to confirm the permanent deletion of your profile and personal data.
eharmony alternatives
Check out my reviews of other popular dating sites and apps:
eharmony FAQs
Is eharmony a hookup app?
No, eharmony is not a site for hookups and booty calls. For those encounters, there are other places (like Tinder) to get your needs met.
Does eharmony do background checks?
While eharmony does not conduct criminal or other background checks, eharmony manually verifies each member is not married, fake, or otherwise gross using phone number verification, profile photo verification, social media scan and other methods.
Does eharmony have an app?
Yes! eharmonyโs app is available for Android and iOS. The app is easy to use and has all of the same features as the desktop: survey, matching, messaging and profile management, with the goal of making meaningful connections.
Need help with your profile? 14 examples of good dating profiles and how to pick profile pics.
What kind of people are on eharmony?
eharmony has about 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users, which means eharmony has all kinds of people!
Whether youโre Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, black, Asian or Caucasian, straight or LGBTQ, love dogs or hate chinchillas, thereโs a potential special someone for every member on eharmony. However, itโs important to recognize that online dating experience can also vary by geography, just like with other sites.
eharmony has long had a reputation, perpetuated by its marketing, that it attracts relationship- and commitment-minded singles.
The average age of an eharmony user is 30, while with Elite Singles, the average age is older than 30. Both sites are popular among singles over 40. Also, check out our post on places to meet IRL if you're over 40.
Is the LGBTQ+ community welcomed on eharmony?
eharmony arose during a time when the world wasnโt as accepting of a place as it should have been. In 2005, eharmony became the subject of a very public lawsuit as a result of its discrimination against members' sexual preferences.
However, today eharmony welcomes everyone, regardless of sexuality, and many LGBTQ are members on the site. The search function allows you to search for same-sex partners.
Recently, the religious right got upset at the fact that eharmony is now so inclusive, and promoting LGBTQ partnerships in its marketing.
Bottom line: Is eharmony worth it? Is it worth paying for eharmony?
Yes, most users say eharmony is worth the cost.
Based on our eharmony review, we believe it is worth paying for eharmony for the following reasons:
- Large dating pool: eharmony has about 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users.
- Success rate: eharmony has long had a reputation for successfully matching people for long, happy relationships and marriages with a very low divorce rate.
- Reputable online dating site: accredited and in business since 2001, eharmony has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.
However, when using any online dating site, there is a caveat: finding love takes time and can leave some daters feeling emotional and unsatisfied when it doesnโt happen as fast as they want.
eharmony's extensive compatibility questionnaire can be exhausting โ but the more time and care you take to fill it out, the higher your chances of dating success.
eharmony uses an algorithm to match you and potential partners.
eharmony has aย basic free version, which includes taking the compatibility quiz and viewing matchโs profiles. But like other dating apps, to really interact with potential matches and get any real value from, you have to sign up for the paid version of eharmony.
eharmony offers plans like Premium Light, Premium Plus, and Premium Unlimited, all with 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month subscription plans.
Researchers at the University of Chicago and Harvard conducted aย studyย of marriages, breakups and divorces by online dating site where the couple met, and found that couples who met on eharmony had the highest marriage rate, highest marriage satisfaction rate, and the lowest breakup and divorce rates. eharmony had the best results out of all the major dating sites.
No, eharmony is not a site for hookups and booty calls.
While eharmony does not conduct criminal or other background checks, eharmony manually verifies each member is not married, fake or otherwise gross using phone number verification, profile photo verification, social media scan and other methods.
eharmony has about 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users, which means eharmony has all kinds of people!
