eharmony Review: Is This Popular Dating Site Right for You?

Based on our testing of the best online dating sites, eharmony offers scant features for users who select its basic, free version. And while many dating platforms lock certain features behind a paywall, eharmony cuts out one of the most important dating profile cornerstones: the profile picture. While you can read profiles using a free plan, profile pictures are blurred. 

You can send and receive likes with a free plan, but messaging is limited to an initial “like” to signify you enjoy some aspect of their profile. Unlimited messaging is available only to paid subscribers.  

The platform does let users with free accounts send “icebreakers,” which are visual discussion prompts you can send to matches. They consist of five pairs of images. Your match picks which image in each pair they like best (like a cityscape or beach). You do the same and compare the results. 

Moreover, the free plan only allows you to filter people by height, age and smoking status — paid members can filter by additional criteria like religion, income and education. 

How much does eharmony cost?

eharmony costs between about $40 and about $98 per month, depending on the exact plan and duration of the subscription. 

You can see the chart below for more details. (The company does not offer month-by-month plans.)

Notably, eharmony is more expensive than other platforms. As a result, it received the lowest affordability score of all of the dating sites we tested. That said, the platform occasionally offers discounts on subscriptions to non-paying members. We’ve seen sales of up to 60 percent off, which would drop the base price of a Premium Unlimited subscription to around $36 per month for a six-month plan.

Another knock: The platform lacks transparency with pricing. It requires new users to complete its sign-up process for a free membership before they can view pricing for paid subscriptions. Still, our survey showed that nearly 67 percent of eharmony users have paid for their membership. 

So, was this relatively more expensive platform worth it for our survey participants? Their responses varied. 

Some eharmony users said the cost was justified because a paid membership helped them find better matches and gave them unlimited messaging. One survey respondent said, “I received specialized content, greater dating options and an improved option of finding someone who’s compatible.” More than half (55 percent) of surveyed eharmony users said they were satisfied with the price.

Others said they think the higher cost is not worth it. “I got the same results from the [free account] that I got with the paid subscription,” one survey respondent said. Around 18 percent of surveyed eharmony users were dissatisfied with the value of the paid membership.

How can you contact eharmony customer service?

If you need to reach customer service, you can do so via an online form on the website. In the app, head to your settings and scroll to “Help,” which directs you to the same website form. After you submit your question or comment, you’ll get an email confirming that your message was received. An eharmony representative told us that most requests receive a response within 24 hours.

Other online dating sites like Match also offer a form rather than a phone number for customer service, so this method of communication is common. (SeniorMatch is the only service we’ve tested with a live customer service agent, and that access is only available to paid members.)

However, almost 19 percent of our survey respondents reported they were dissatisfied with eharmony’s customer service. (We’ve seen similar rates for other dating sites in our surveys.)

How can you avoid fake profiles and online dating scams?

Online romance scams, including those related to fake profiles and financial cons, do occur on dating sites. Many of them target older adults, and the financial fallout can be devastating — Americans ages 60 and older lost $389 million to romance scams in 2024, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2024 Internet Crime Report.

One major risk with online dating scammers is sharing too much personal information, such as your home or your bank account information. If you match with someone and start chatting, experts suggest taking a couple of steps to suss out bad actors. For one, consider doing a virtual date before meeting in person. “Reluctance to video chat is perhaps the best tip-off” that a profile may be fake, according to Erik Grewe, owner of ForeverOn Technology Solutions, a cybersecurity solutions and IT consulting company in Hagerstown, Maryland. Grewe says another red flag is someone asking you for money or gift cards. 

How does eharmony stack up for protection against scams? 

At this point, you may be wondering: Should you be concerned about the veracity of dating profiles on eharmony? 

The answer: It’s always a good idea to stay alert. For example, one of our testers said some of the eharmony profiles they interacted with seemed fake. And while many platforms use some form of multi-factor verification to combat scammers, no dating site can weed out all fake accounts. To remove fraudulent profiles, eharmony uses a combination of automated and human review.

To this point, a site that requires photo verification may provide the best protection against fake profiles. While some other sites have more comprehensive measures, eharmony only uses text verification during sign-up. 

Still, eharmony users in our survey reported lower rates of scams and other unwelcome behavior when compared to respondents who used other dating platforms. Across all 22 companies in our survey, 20 percent of respondents said they received an unsolicited sexual photo, compared to only 3 percent of eharmony users. Also, eharmony users were slightly less likely to report seeing a suspicious profile, and no eharmony users reported being called an offensive name, compared to 12 percent of respondents overall. 

Who would like eharmony?

This company is certainly worth considering if you’re seeking a serious relationship, as eharmony is marketed toward people looking for love.

One tester said eharmony is a good site for someone looking to invest time in finding a partner. She said eharmony profiles are in-depth, and she liked that the site allows users to add videos to highlight their personality.

In fact, around 30 percent of our survey respondents said they are currently in a romantic relationship lasting more than three months or were in such a relationship in the past after using eharmony. That’s higher than other sites like Match (19 percent) and SilverSingles (8 percent). Another 11 percent of respondents said they are in a new relationship that started on eharmony.

Still, eharmony has some drawbacks. As we’ve noted, it’s the most expensive online dating site we’ve tested. If you have a limited budget for online dating, or if you’d rather not have a three-month or longer subscription, this platform might not be the right fit. 

Still not sure which dating site or app is best for you? If you’re weighing eharmony against other online options, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I want a more traditional user interface?

Based on our testing eharmony has a more traditional, inbox-style interface that lets you scroll through multiple profiles at once, and spend as much time as you want with each profile. Meanwhile, swipe-based dating apps like Tinder and Hinge require you to make quick decisions on whether you’re interested in someone one profile at a time. 

Do I want to find love?

If you’re looking for a more casual relationship or don’t know exactly what you’re looking for yet, eharmony may not be the best fit, considering the platform is marketed toward people looking for love. 

Do I want a dating platform that’s specifically for older adults?

If you’re flexible on the age of your potential matches, eharmony may be a good option, as it accepts users ages 18 and older. And if you do have a desired age range of people who are older but don’t mind doing a little filtering, the platform lets you search for people by age and set preferred age ranges. 

If you’d prefer a dating platform that’s solely for older adults, you may want to try a site that accepts users ages 50 and older, such as SeniorMatch or SilverSingles.

Tips for online dating success

Making an online dating profile is a big step. These tips will help you maximize your time on eharmony and other dating sites. 

• Choose high-quality photos. Other users are more likely to interact with profiles that feature clear, current and well-lit photos, according to our focus group.
• Enjoy the journey. You can still have fun even if you meet people who may not be a long-term match. Take focus group member Tom, a 69-year-old from Edgewater, New Jersey: “I've enjoyed dates that may have lasted two, three hours,” he said, “and we know we're not right for each other, but it was a nice dinner out, and it was fun.” Other focus group participants agreed, noting the benefits of forming a friendship before transitioning to a romantic relationship. “I want to be friends before being romantic,” said Bill, a 72-year-old in Los Angeles who uses eharmony and three other online dating services. “I’ve had success just making friends on these sites,” said Nicole, 72, who lives in Athens, Georgia, and has used five different dating services, including eharmony.
• Avoid burnout. Online dating shouldn’t feel like a job interview. Try to have fun without putting pressure on yourself. And if you ever feel burned out, it’s OK to take a break from these platforms, as many focus group members said they do.

The scoop: eharmony vs. Match

When it comes to online dating, eharmony and Match are two of the longest-running platforms on the market. Match launched in 1995, while eharmony has been around since 2000. 

But how do these two sites measure up today? In terms of price, Match is more affordable than eharmony. For a six-month term, Match’s Platinum membership is $29.99 per month, while eharmony’s Premium Unlimited membership costs $99 per month. 

When it comes to relationship goals, our testers said eharmony appeared geared more toward long-term relationships, while they said people could use Match to search for both long-term and casual relationships. 

Our testers were impressed with the quality of matches on both sites. Match garnered a perfect score in match quality, and eharmony nabbed a near top-level rating in that assessment. 

If you’re looking for a free trial for a dating platform, Match and eharmony differ. Match offers a three-day free trial of its paid features, while eharmony doesn’t appear to offer a standard free trial of its paid memberships, but its website says it “periodically offers free trials to new members.” (When we reached out to eharmony customer service to get clarification on this “free trial” while using a free account, we didn’t receive a response.)

FAQs

Is eharmony free?

Yes, but the free plan is limited, and premium features require a paid subscription. With the free plan, you can browse profiles, but the photos will be blurred except for profile photos. In addition, you can’t send messages when using the free plan. You can only “like” and send icebreakers (visual discussion prompts) to people you’d like to match with. 

Is eharmony worth the cost?

It depends on your budget and goals. In our survey, almost two-thirds (63 percent) of users said they were “completely” or “somewhat satisfied” with their experience using eharmony. In addition, eharmony is one of the longest-standing online dating sites, with millions of users. Although it comes with a steeper monthly price and requires longer-term commitments when compared with some other platforms, it may be a good option for people looking to find love.

Is eharmony Christian?

No, eharmony is not strictly a Christian dating site, but you can add your religion to your profile. A premium membership allows you to filter potential matches by their stated religious backgrounds.

What is eharmony's age range?

You must be 18 or older to join the platform. However, if you’re seeking to match with people of a certain age range, you can set your age preferences when you create an account and when searching for users.

Is eharmony good for finding a serious relationship?

It may be, depending on your goals. This platform is designed for people looking for long-term compatibility. In fact, eharmony’s required compatibility quiz and detailed profiles are geared more toward serious dating than casual connections. In our testing, users rated the platform highly for match quality.

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.