eHarmony is one of the oldest and most trusted online dating sites. The site is designed for people seeking lasting relationships and marriage, which makes it a great choice for those looking for that special someone. eHarmony says more than 2 million marriages have resulted from relationships that started with the company’s online dating match system.
eHarmony is one of the most trusted dating sites with an extensive compatibility test to match you with compatible individuals.
With nearly 40% of romantic relationships beginning on the internet today, online dating has never been so promising. Dr. Neil Clark Warren founded eHarmony in 2000, and the website remains one of the leading sites for online dating — especially for those looking for serious long-term relationships.
We included eHarmony in our top picks for dating sites because the company uses a patented compatibility algorithm to match members based on 29 elements. Dr. Warren, a clinical psychologist and Christian theologian, wanted eHarmony matches to be based on science.
Pros
Proprietary matching system with 29 compatibility markers
More than 700,000 active members
Identity verification to reduce fraudulent accounts
Ability to block other users prevents unwanted communication
High success rate of matching people with long-term partners
Cons
Some rural or minority members find compatibility matches to be more scarce
How to Set Up an eHarmony Profile
To get started, you need to select a username and password and log on at eHarmony. On your first visit, you’re prompted to answer some questions to set up your profile. Keep in mind that eHarmony uses 29 dimensions of compatibility, so you have to answer quite a few questions about yourself and your personality to help the system find ideal matches for you.
First, you need to provide information to set up your basic profile. The website asks questions such as:
Your age, number of children, ethnicity, religion, occupation, income, height and whether you drink or smoke
Your hobbies, activities, passions and things for which you’re thankful
The essential qualities you are looking for in a match, including an age range and distance from you
Next, you take eHarmony’s compatibility quiz. This part takes 15 minutes, but don’t rush it. Make sure your answers are thoughtful and accurate — this helps increase the likelihood of a strong match. These questions ask how much you agree or disagree with different phrases and ways of describing yourself.
Complete Your eHarmony Dating Profile
After you complete the quiz, you must upload at least one photo of yourself. After this, your profile is visible to other users. You can add more information and additional photos by clicking on your profile and filling in whatever information you like, including your favorite television shows and movies, the most influential person in your life and other get-to-know-you details.
Narrowing Your Dating Matches
You can also narrow down the matches that eHarmony selects for you by clicking the “Match Preferences” button. This section lets you choose specific parameters, such as whether you’d accept a match who drinks alcohol or smokes, whether you’re looking for someone of a particular nationality or religion, whether you are interested in a match who has children and several other options. Keep in mind that being more specific in this section may result in fewer matches, but they should be better suited to your preferences.
eHarmony is a subscription service with tiers. You can join at no cost and build your profile. You have some ability to see matches with a free plan, but you need a paid plan to see their photos and communicate with them. The table below shows standard prices for various plans, but the company often offers discounted rates for new members.
Plan
Length
Monthly Cost
Benefits
Free
Unlimited
Free
See some match profiles (but not photos) Send pre-written icebreaker questions
Standard Lite
6 Months
$45.95
Notifications when non-Premium members view your profile Unlimited messages, including pre-written icebreakers or your own messages View unlimited photos More matches
Premium Plus
12 Months
$29.95
All benefits of Standard Lite, plus: Incognito browsing so matches won’t know you viewed their profile Notifications when matches have read your messages
Premium Extra
24 Months
$10.47
All benefits of Premium Plus
eHarmony Online Dating Plans
eHarmony Complaints
eHarmony receives mixed reviews online. eHarmony is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and receives an A- because the company consistently responds to consumer complaints. Consumers on the BBB give eHarmony 1 out of 5 stars, with many complaints dealing with the company’s automatic subscription renewal process. However, eHarmony recently settled a lawsuit regarding this issue and changed the way it notifies customers about its renewal process to be more transparent. On ConsumerAffairs and TrustPilot, consumer reviewers give eHarmony 1 out of 5 stars. The majority of complaints have to do with not receiving enough compatible matches.
eHarmony Online Dating Q&A
Is eHarmony LGBT+ friendly for online dating?
eHarmony is designed for heterosexual couples. Its founders established a separate website, Compatible Partners, for gay and lesbian relationship-seekers.
Does eHarmony have a dating app?
Yes, the app is available for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android devices. You must register for a free eHarmony account online before you can download the app.
What type of matches can I expect from eHarmony?
eHarmony provides two main types of matches: Standard Matches and Compatible Matches. Standard Matches fit your preference requirements that you select when you fill out your profile. Compatible Matches are chosen based on 29 dimensions of compatibility that have to do with your personality, values and behaviors.
Does eHarmony let members see profiles of those they aren’t matched with?
You can view some, but not all, profiles of people who are not matched with you by clicking the “What if?” button at the top of the screen. This feature lets you send a smile to someone who is not on your list of matches. If they respond, you can become matches.
Conclusion
If you are ready to start looking for someone special, consider building an eHarmony profile. Be sure to read our article about staying safe with online dating, then have fun creating an eHarmony profile that represents your personality and wait for the matches to roll in.
Eharmony is scam! I signed and by mistake I paid $479 plus. The second day. I got a guy insulting because I rejected him. e-harmony is not a safe place so I requested my refund. They blocked my number and they are sending auto email denying a refund. DO NOT SIGN UP see reviews! They will take your money. See how many people are being ripoff by these scammers.
Jm V.
Flower Mound, TX
October 06 2023 8:18AM
They make it so complicated to just start a conversation! Their matchmaking fails in implementation. If you want to just start talking to people whose profiles you like - use J4Dates.com - things are easier and more understandable there, women are more responsive and easy-going, it doesn't take long to understand what kind of person you are chatting with and to see if have a certain chemistry.
Answering whole bunch of stupid matchmaking questions on Eharmony leads to nothing - the matches they find for you are usually unavailable and their computer-made choices really seem illogical.
Alex B.
Houston, TX
July 24 2023 10:46AM
I was a paid member a couple years ago and had no luck. At that time I met someone through Match and dated for two years. We broke up and I joined a couple sites including eharmony. Again I wasn't finding any matches on their site and canceled the subscription.
Unbeknownst to me since I joined via my iPhone (Apple iTunes) canceling on my iMac on the eharmony website they didn't cancel me and charged another $350.80 . I tried to get a refund first through PayPal then Capital One.
Neither one was helpful and there is no way to contact eharmony, so I was stuck paying. The irony is that even though I have paid the debt I cannot use the site because they say I have not paid.
What a mess! Weak dating site and worthless public relations. Choose Zoosk, Match, or anything but eharmony!
Carl B.
Dayton, OH
September 27 2022 5:35PM
1 and 2-star ratings for paid subscriptions don't sound like a resounding #1 for Senior online dating sites and doesn't engender confidence! I paid for eHarmony a few years ago and found not a single male worth having a conversation with. eHarmony told me to lower my standards.
I guess the bar is just too low for eHarmony to be more transparent about its methodologies. I should also add I've experienced two cases of identity theft with online sites; one would think identities would be verified prior to allowing anyone to post a profile.
Julie S.
Minneapolis, MN
July 27 2022 9:24PM
First of all, even though I joined at the highest level, most men's photos are not available, about 90%, not available. It's really very frustrating! Also, most members are not local to my area, meaning most of the men on this site are over 150+ miles away!! And I paid a lot of money for this bad matching website, that advertises itself as premium.
Don't bother, you'll just end up very very frustrated with practically no locals. And I've been on it going on 3 months!
