There’s nothing worse than blowing money on a dating app, but dating is hard, men are lonely, and women are tired of men’s antics. Enter Raya, an “exclusive” dating app that promises a select, career-minded user base.Hot and rich Professional dating apps are offered at a cost, which is $25 per month. Unfortunately, Raya, the celebrity dating app, is no different from any other service you’ll find on the App Store (Mashable has reached out to Raya for comment).
I spent a month on Raya, after waiting 10 days to be approved before I could pay for my membership, with my mission: to see if the app was chock-full of TikTok influencers. Spoiler alert: they weren’t there, or were too niche for me, too new to online life, to find them.
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If anything, Raya has a very Tinder-like vibe and is so reminiscent of other swipe-based apps that I truly believe we as a society have reached a dating app tipping point.
What is Raya and is it available to the general public?
Known as the “celeb dating app,” Raya is touted as a members-only platform for the elite and ultra-connected crowd. Think Tinder with a velvet rope. Joining requires more than a catchy profile; you need an introduction, approval through a vetting process, and solid Instagram play. Once you’re in, you can expect a curated feed of hot career-minded people, including models, actors, musicians, and entrepreneurs. For $25 a month ($50 for premium), it’s a luxury app that promises glamour and privacy. That’s because the app is very strict about confidentiality. Raya strictly prohibits sharing information or taking screenshots of user profiles.
For regular people like me, part of Raya’s appeal is the possibility of meeting celebrities, a case in point that became an internet sensation in 2021. When TikTok user Nivain Nash shared a video claiming that Oscar-winning director and actor Ben Affleck had previously matched with her on Raya, after unmatching her, she received a video message from Affleck himself saying, “Why did you unmatch me? It was me.”
The story quickly spread, highlighting the fact that even A-list celebrities are swiping on the dating app, with several celebrities being exposed for their (alleged) appearances on Raya, including Owen Wilson, Chris Rock, Zach Braff, Elijah Wood, Sharon Stone, Cara Delevingne and John Cusack.
In 2018 The New York Times The article claims that only 8 percent of Raya applicants are accepted, making it harder to get into than Harvard Business School, but that statistic was published six years ago, and from my experience, Raya’s exclusivity is likely a bit overstated. Despite its reputation as the “Soho House of dating apps,” the reality is less glamorous than the influencers and testimonials quoted make it out to be.
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The Raya Experience
So, here’s how I got to this app. I started with a simple, straightforward application. Raya asked for my name, date of birth, location, industry, occupation, and Instagram username. My Instagram is locked, I have about 150 followers, and no big name introductions in sight. And it only took me 10 days to get the coveted confirmation email. Amazing, considering some people have been on the waitlist for years. There’s an entire subreddit dedicated to getting app introductions. That’s ridiculous.
Despite having a modest social media presence, I made it through Raya’s rigorous vetting process, which read: The New York Times According to the article, applications are reviewed by a committee of 500 people who vet each Raya candidate. Again, this is the status quo for six years, but it’s a process that promises exclusivity and high standards. But as I know from experience, the reality may not be as glamorous as the hype.
After getting that coveted approval, I handpicked my best shots, carefully selected a backing song that represented “me,” and eagerly logged in. And guess who was at the top of my queue? Not a celebrity, but a local nurse. Hmm. And so the swiping began. Blonde, blonde, blonde, blonde, blonde, blonde. Seriously, where are the black women on this app? Blonde, brunette, blonde. Raya founder and CEO Daniel Gendelman said, Times I found the community to be diverse and focused more on intriguing than on Instagram model aesthetics. I considered screen recording the experience, but the app quickly warned me. Not wanting to waste $25 in one go, I decided to play it safe and go ahead.
Swipe left, swipe right — it works just like any other app. Swipe right too much and you’ll run out of likes (unless you’re willing to pay more). Swipe left too much and Raya will cut you off for a while, which is their way of saying “stop being so annoying.”
When I was at Raya, there wasn’t a whole row of celebrities, but a mix of consultants, aspiring actors, medical professionals, recruiters, and for some reason, students. All the profiles were linked to Instagram, and I saw a lot of locked accounts with low follower counts like mine. Sure, there were some big name names here, but everyone else is here too, so what’s the point?
The problem is, if you’re not in New York or Los Angeles (I’m not), it’s hard to find the celebrity you want. And because Raya is ostensibly a global social networking platform, it doesn’t allow you to filter by location. You can’t set your height either, which isn’t a big deal for me as I’m naturally short, but it might be useful to know for some people.
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Should I use Raya?
Honestly, one of the few things I actually like about Raya is its curated user base: unlike the catfishing, free-for-all chaos of Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, Raya’s users are real.
Another benefit? In the age of TikTok and oversharing, where everyone is spilling every detail of their lives for the sake of content, Raya gives a breath of privacy. Nobody wants their dating app chats or minor date annoyances broadcast to millions. In this regard, Raya’s no screenshots policy is a godsend. Of course, it won’t stop actors from forcing themselves to admit they’re back together after their divorce, but it does keep most of their personal matters private.
Is this level of privacy and vetting worth $25 a month? Probably not. But good vibes and venture capital alone don’t make an app successful; you need revenue. Influencers may promote the app as the “Soho House of dating apps,” but what’s the actual experience? It’s like an expensive Tinder with a better PR team.
