Tinder announced a new subscription plan called ‘Tinder Select’, costing $499 per month.
Tinder’s parent company Match Group alluded to Tinder Select back in August when they stated that they’d launch a high-end product catering to Gen Z users sometime in the fall. This isn’t Match Group’s first foray into the world of “high-end dating,” as it acquired The League, an app that can cost up to $1,000 USD per week, but unlike Tinder Select, employs human matchmakers to support its members. During a Q2 2023 earnings call, Tinder CPO Mark Van Ryswyk said the success of The League indicated that there was a market of daters who were willing to plunk down big bucks for a “quality experience.” Tinder has seen a decline in paying users as of late, with a 4% year-over-year drop and a current paying enrollment of roughly 10.5 million customers across its Plus, Gold and Platinum subscription tiers (all of which can be stacked with Tinder Select).
The news was first reported by Bloomberg, and follows parent company Match Group’s earlier confirmation that Tinder would expand its membership options to include a new, high-end product catering to Gen Z users sometime this fall.
The features alone aren’t necessarily what sells Tinder Select. Instead, it’s the exclusivity. Tinder says that less than 1% of users will be allowed to gain access to this premium product, and members can choose to display their status with an exclusive SELECT badge on their profile.
Inspiration for this members-only club within Tinder comes from Match’s July 2022 acquisition of another high-end dating app, The League, which could cost users up to $1,000 per week. During its Q2 2023 earnings, Tinder CPO Mark Van Ryswyk said The League indicated there was a market for daters who were willing to pay for quality matches and experiences. But Tinder Select doesn’t rely on human matchmakers, nor does it offer anything that’s really worth the cost of the $500 per month membership.
Beyond the exclusivity, the feature set is fairly paltry. Select members can direct message another member without matching, but only up to two times per week, and they can’t send a Super Like at the same time. Plus, some recipients can opt out of receiving DMs, the company’s website notes. In addition, Select members’ profiles will be shown unblurred in the Like You grid in the app for up to seven days, even if they don’t pay for Tinder Gold or Platinum subscriptions.
If a user is interested in applying for Tinder Select, they must have at least four photos, five interests, a bio with at least 15 characters, be photo-verified and show a “relationship intent,” though how, exactly, one would prove their “relationship intent” is unknown.
Elsewhere in the world of tech, Razer has rolled out a $5,000, USD (AKA the same price as 10 months of Tinder Select) Lamborghini-inspired laptop.
