Tinder has rolled out an invite-only subscription plan to its super-users, but opting in will cost a pretty penny. Tinder Select, Bloomberg reports, runs up a $499 monthly bill and is being offered first to the site's most active users who fit certain profile criteria (multiple photos and interests, etc.). So what will shelling out $6,000 per year on the dating app bring? The bells and whistles include a badge (that can be turned off), as well as advanced browsing, DMing, and liking options that the site calls "unrivaled access to the absolute best of Tinder." While it's starting small, the company plans to roll out invites to more users over time.
"We know that there is a subset of highly engaged and active users who prioritize more effective and efficient ways to find connections," says Mark Van Ryswyk, the company's chief product officer. "So we engaged in extensive tests and feedback with this audience over the past several months to develop a completely new offering." Per USA Today, Tinder has three other paid tiered options, Tinder+, Tinder Gold, and Tinder Platinum, which top out at about $120 for yearly subscriptions. Joining the app is free, but those users have limited functions. The company says it believes Select will attract a "relatively tiny amount of new payers" who will nonetheless have "a significant impact on revenue per payer and ultimately on revenue," according to Gary Swidler, CFO at Tinder parent Match Group.
Tinder was purchased by Match in 2017, the Verge reports, and the parent company now corners the market with sites including Hinge, OkCupid, The League, and Match.com. The League's top subscribers pay $1,000 weekly, but the Verge also notes the high ticket price adds human matchmakers to the mix to supplement the usual algorithms. Tacking on subscription costs is a growing trend in dating apps, notes USA Today, and sites like Bumble and Grindr are also asking users to pay up for more features. (A more heartwarming app is "like Tinder, but with dogs.")
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