Fact Checked by: Dr. Nicolette Natale
There are over 126 million singles in the US as of last year. And with a large portion of those people looking for love, we see plenty of companies rushing to the rescue to help save you time, money, and heartache in that search.
While the more popular option over the last two decades has been dating apps, an option that was available long before the apps is starting to make a resurgence. We’re talking about matchmaking services. Sometimes we just want the help of a professional to assist us in making meaningful connections and going on better, more intentional dates.
If we’re speaking your language, then buckle up because we’ve got a treat for you. Below, you’re going to find our list of the best matchmaking services helping singles just like you find love every single day.
1. Three Day Rule – Top Matchmaking Service
Matchmaking Testing Success Score: 9.42/10
In an industry that is dominated by a few over-hyped and over-commercialized names, there is an elite matchmaking service that you may not have heard of—but you need to. We’re talking about Three Day Rule. Now, if you’re a big fan of the hit ABC show Shark Tank, you may have heard of the company as they were on the show years ago (didn’t end up making a deal, but still some great publicity). Whether you’ve heard of them or not, there’s a lot to get excited about if you’re ready to invest in finding that special someone.
First, the matchmaking process is incredibly detailed. Expect your personal matchmaker to take the time to learn your non-negotiables (deal breakers), find out the type of people you think are attractive (by having you send in pictures of people you think are attractive), and get to the core of what and who you’re looking for. Second, Three Day Rule has an existing network of over 200k singles, but they also actually “hit the streets” if need be to find the perfect matches for you.
And lastly, Three Day Rule members get several high-value amenities at no extra cost to help them get better results. This includes things like professional dating coaching sessions and even a professional photo shoot! And yes, you do get to keep the pictures and use them anywhere you want.
Here’s what it boils down to. There are “bigger” names out there, but in our book, you’re not going to get this level of service and results anywhere else.
- Pricing: Starts at $5,900; VIP options also available
- Process: One-on-one matchmaker
- Pro: Highly detailed and effective process, plus extra amenities at no extra cost
- Con: Only available in 11 major US cities (unless you’re open to travel)
- See the Full Three Day Rule Review
Want to learn more or get started now? The link below will help you to set up a 100% free consultation call with one of Three Day Rule’s matchmakers.
2. eharmony Matchmaking – Best Less Expensive Option
Matchmaking Testing Success Score: 9.31/10
If the price point of a Three Day Rule membership isn’t anywhere close to what you’re comfortable spending, you do still have options that may be a bit more budget-friendly. Yes, you are not going to get the same bells and whistles or the one-on-one service, but you can still get similar results (at a fraction of the price) by leaning a little heavier on technology.
What we’re talking about is eharmony. Typically, eharmony is regarded as a dating app, but in reality, it’s an algorithmically-driven matchmaking service. What that means is that instead of having a personal matchmaker choose your matches for you, a computer does it based on decades worth of data.
So, you still get curated matches based on your unique wants and needs, but an eharmony membership is going to cost you a few hundred dollars instead of a few thousand.
Why eharmony? Well, when it comes to serious matchmaking, they’re the best in the business and regularly are on the top of our best dating apps list (despite having so many similarities with a matchmaking service). This video even shows how data says they’re the best dating app for marriage.
- Pricing: Starts at $35 per month
- Process: Computer-driven matchmaking
- Pro: Big savings and a track record of 20+ years of successful matchmaking
- Con: Doesn’t come with a one-on-one matchmaker; you have to do some of the work
- See the Full eharmony Review
Are there drawbacks? Yes. While you are saving thousands of dollars, you aren’t getting the one-on-one service like you would with Three Day Rule. This means that you have to set up your profile on the app. You have to decide which one of your matches you want to go out. You have to initiate the conversation and set up the date.
Is this more work? Yes. But — you’re saving thousands of dollars in exchange for handling some of the work yourself. If budget allows it, we’d recommend Three Day Rule. But if you’d rather save the money and put in some of the work yourself, check out eharmony. The link below will automatically help get you set up with a free trial to check things out.
3. Tawkify Matchmaking
Matchmaking Testing Success Score: 8.73/10
Founded over a decade ago, Tawkify has quickly gained notoriety. By the numbers, Tawkify has a single’s network of over 1 million+ men and women, has set up over 200,000+ first dates, and has a Trust Pilot score of 4.6 out 5. The average age of clients in between 30 and 65, though it’s open to all ages over 18.
When it comes to membership options, you have two main tracks you can take. For $99, you can join the “inventory” for Tawkify. What this means is that you’ll have a profile in their system and you may be tapped to be a match for a higher-tier client. Nothing is guaranteed, and we have heard a lot of people not getting any dates, but it is a less expensive way to throw your hat in the ring. At this level, though, you won’t be getting any matchmaking services yourself.
If you want actual matchmaking services, though, those packages tend to start around $3,000 and go all the way up to $70,000, depending on what you’re looking for. Tawkify isn’t super transparent about their pricing, but this is what we’ve seen from customer reviews (and sometimes complaints).
For us, if you’re looking for the one-on-one service, Three Day Rule is probably a better fit, especially when you look at all the added amenities and the detailed nature of the process. We have also heard a lot of stories of people who tried Tawkify and then moved to Three Day Rule and wished that was where they started.
All that said, Tawkify is certainly a viable option and it may be a good fit for you, especially if you don’t live in one of the 11 cities that Three Day Rule services. For the rest of the US and internationally, we’d say Tawkify is a good place to start for one-on-one matchmaking.
- Pricing: Packages range from around $3,000 up to $70,000
- Process: One-on-one matchmaker
- Pro: Large network of singles
- Con: Individualized service can be more expensive
- See the Full Tawkify Review
4. Local Matchmaking Companies
Matchmaking Testing Success Score: Case by case basis
One additional option you have depending on the city you live in is a local matchmaker. In most major cities and metropolitan areas, there are usually 5-10 local companies that are offering these types of service exclusive to that city. The quality and effectiveness of these local matchmakers is going to vary dramatically, but it is still an option worth considering.
The biggest pro of these types of matchmaking services is the companies are local, which means the matchmakers are going to know the city well, and most of the matches in their database will be local. The biggest con, though, is that smaller companies won’t have as wide of a reach when it comes to a matching pool. This means that even though they are local, a lack of resources will mean they have fewer men and fewer women to match you with. Unfortunately, our research shows that this doesn’t mean a lower price point, which could be a major bummer.
- Pricing: Varies inline with the other companies on the list
- Process: One on one matchmaker
- Pro: Your matches will most likely all be local
- Con: Smaller companies, which means far smaller matching pool
In This Study
Test Results | Service Factors | Hiring Steps
Testing Results for Matchmaking Services
Here are the criteria and weights that go into our proprietary matchmaking service success testing process.
Learn more about our complete matchmaking service testing process.
Here are the results for the matchmaking services that made our list of the best options out there.
In case you want to dig deeper, here are the individualized results for each of the matchmaking services that made the list.
Three Day Rule Matchmaking Test Results
eharmony Matchmaking Test Results (through app criteria)
Exogenous Factor Notification – Please note that eharmony is technically classified by the industry as a dating app and not a matchmaking service. However, the software utilizes an algorithmic matchmaker, which makes it a viable option for this category. You’ll note that we evaluated the option through its traditional app criteria to reflect this.
Tawkify Matchmaking Test Results
What Makes a Matchmaking Service High Quality
With hundreds of matchmaking services available in your area and all over the country, selecting a top five list is challenging. To help you better understand that process, we wanted to share a few of the more influential factors our team weighs when selecting the leaders. Here are those features:
An Expansive Network of Quality Singles
When you sign up with a matchmaking service, you’re effectively buying into the hope that they have someone within their network that is ideal for you. While it only takes one person to make this process a success, a more expansive network of quality singles means more opportunities to successfully service more people.
Yes, you can have success with a smaller matchmaking company or one that goes out “hunting” for matches on the street. However, these operations require a bit too much luck for our liking, and we prefer the more established and far-reaching networks.
Value-Based Pricing Options
We don’t expect matchmaking services to be cheap. You’re hiring a one-on-one professional to handle a pretty dang sensitive task. What we do expect, though, is for pricing to match the quality of service you’re getting. Just because you pay a high price tag doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to get the level of service you should.
We know that, and that’s why we dig deep to make sure the offerings we give you offer pricing that reflects the actual value of the service you receive.
A Track Record That Merits the Higher Price Tag
In addition to being professional and thorough, we expect matchmaking services to be good at what they do! You aren’t just paying more for an experience; you’re paying more for results. Unless we see a mountain of success stories that look authentic to us, we’re not going to be recommending a matchmaker. It may not be fair to newer matchmakers who are good at their jobs, but we don’t think the risk is worth it when there are proven service providers out there.
A Defined Process with Benchmarks and Guarantees
Speaking of a great experience, a great matchmaking service better have a defined and refined process to helping you find love. Additionally, they need to have benchmarks in place so you know what to expect and can make sure they’re performing.
For example, most packages from Tawkify or It’s Just Lunch come with a set number of dates in a set time period. This is a great benchmark to know you’re getting what you paid for.
Regarding guarantees, we do not expect a matchmaking service to guarantee you will find love. If they do, they’re lying to you. What we do expect, though, is for them to guarantee their benchmarks. If they say they’re going to get you six dates in six months, you better get your six dates within six months.
This was actually the basis of a lot of the complaints for It’s Just Lunch in that they were delivering matches, but not matching what people asked for or in the promised time frame. Most of these are from individual user complaints that we can’t independently verify, but the sheer number linked with the class-action lawsuits starts to paint a picture.
How to Hire a Professional Matchmaker
So, let’s say you’ve decided that a professional matchmaking service is the right fit for you. Awesome! Here are the steps to get signed up.
First, decide if you want a one-on-one service or an automated dating app matchmaking service. If you choose one of the dating app versions (like eharmony or Elite Singles, scroll back up to the top of the page and click on the link under the one you want. From there, create your account, answer the selection questions about you, and you’re off to the races. This is by and far the fastest way to get matches literally within the next few minutes.
If you want a one-on-one matchmaker, start by selecting the one you want. From there, click the links we’ve provided to schedule a consultation call. On this call, the consultant will explain how the programs work, answer any questions you have, and get some information to match you with the best matchmaker. From there, they’ll get you set up with someone, and you’ll start the process! This process is a little slower from sign up to first match, but there is minimal work you have to do since a real person is doing the work for you.
Disclosure: We may earn a small commission from some links on this page. This never affects our rankings or recommendations. You may check out our full Monetization Transparency Policy here.
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