Are you tired of using swiping apps that end up pairing you with people who just want to hook up? Are you ready to settle down, but are having trouble finding the one?
Fret not, my friend, eHarmony is the answer to your problem. If you’re on the lookout for a serious, long-term relationship, then eHarmony is the perfect dating platform for you.
The people who tend to mostly use eHarmony are those who are looking for marriages and long-term relationships. The site also claims responsibility for around 550 marriages per day in the US.
Have I caught your interest?
If so, I suggest you keep reading. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about eHarmony. Starting from the sign-up process up to what is included in the premium packages, I’ll walk through it all step-by-step.
What Is eHarmony?
eHarmony is the online dating platform to go to if you’re looking for marriage and long-term relationships. Don’t believe me?
Well, in 2013, it was considered the top dating site for creating marriages in comparison to other sites. According to statistics, it is responsible for 4% of marriages in the US.
You’ll find eHarmony members from all states in the US and also from more than 200 countries from around the world. The dating platform gets around five million visitors per month.
So, how exactly does eHarmony work? Let’s take a look.
How Does eHarmony Work?
Firstly, you’ll need to create a profile with all your details included in it. eHarmony will ask you quite a lot of questions to create your personality profile.
The information you provide helps eHarmony screen your profile and present more compatible profiles.
The matching process on eHarmony uses the information you provide to remove 99.7 percent of users that aren’t compatible with you.
This not only saves your time but also improves your chances of finding the perfect partner.
Thanks to the eHarmony’s matching process you don’t have to spend hours going through profiles after profiles.
How Does Your eHarmony Profile Work?
Once you’ve provided your basic information for the sign-up process, you’ll be taken to the landing screen, which has an inclusive headshot of heterosexual and homosexual couples. The sign-up process is free and anyone can create a profile on eHarmony.
As part of the process, you’re also required to answer the Compatibility Quiz.
What is the Compatibility Quiz, you ask?
eHarmony’s Compatibility Matching System attempts to delve deep to better understand your personality. From how you interact with the world to how you deal with conflicts, this quiz asks it all to find the best matches for you.
If you’re doubting the authenticity of this quiz, rest assured because it is not only designed by psychologists and relationship experts but is also based on twenty years of research in the area.
The measurements of this quiz are based on thirty-two dimensions of compatibility. Some of these areas include:
- Feelings
- Intellect
- Empathy
- Willingness to adapt
- Assertiveness
- Generosity
There are a total of seventy questions in this quiz and it takes around twenty to twenty-five minutes to complete this quiz. Don’t overthink too much, just answer the questions as honestly as you can.
This may seem like a daunting task but trust me, answering these questions honestly is worth it. These answers help eHarmony find more compatible profiles for you.
Once you’re done with the compatibility quiz, you can add more information about yourself to your profile. You can also add a picture.
While adding a picture isn’t compulsory, it can improve your chances of finding a match more quickly.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about safety, as your profile picture is only visible to people who are compatible with you.
How Does eHarmony Messaging Work?
Signing up on eHarmony is free, however, if you want to message other users, you’ll have to subscribe to the paid membership.
Messaging on eHarmony is quite safe. As it is a paid feature, the chances of encountering a catfish account or a scammer are low.
Moreover, eHarmony carefully monitors messages so you probably won’t get offensive or inappropriate openers either.
You don’t necessarily have to match with someone to send them a message. If you see a profile that interests you, you can simply send them an opening you’ve come up with yourself.
However, if you’re struggling to come up with a good opener, don’t worry. You can use the premade icebreaker questions or simply send a smiley emoji–which works the same way as the poke feature on Facebook.
Do keep in mind that the same icebreaker questions or a simple “Hello” can get boring. You should try practicing your openers. Try coming up with a few openers beforehand that will manage to capture the attention of the other user.
Given the current pandemic situation, you’re probably taking social distancing measures and are stuck at home. eHarmony’s new Video Date feature is perfect for the situation.
While chatting and phone calls are great, video calls give you more insight into your date and personality. You get to catch all the small gestures and expressions you wouldn’t have been able to during calling or chatting.
How Does The eHarmony Algorithm Work?
I’ve mentioned a little about the matching process earlier, but now let’s delve into the details.
How exactly does eHarmony’s algorithm work to find compatible profiles for users?
The eHarmony algorithm was developed by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an American clinical psychologist and co-founder of eHarmony, and J. Galen Buckwalter, eHarmony’s Chief Scientific Officer from 1997 to 2008.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the algorithm takes into account the information you’ve provided in the Compatibility Quiz. This quiz has 23 dimensions, which are further divided into six sections.
The first section covers questions related to your Emotional Temperament. You’ll be asked questions about your self-concept, emotional energy, passions, etc.
The next section looks into Social Style. Questions will be related to your character, adaptability, sociability, etc.
The third section covers Cognitive Mode, here you’ll be questioned on your intelligence, curiosity, humor, etc. Physicality is the fourth section, it looks at your physical energy and sexual vitality among other things.
Next, you’ll be asked about your Relationship Skills. This includes your ability to communicate and manage your emotions.
The sixth and final section covers your Values and Beliefs, here you’ll come across questions related to spirituality, family goals, ambition, etc.
When the app was first launched, this quiz had around 400 questions. This isn’t a joke, it seriously took users around an hour to answer all these questions. However, over time eHarmony has brought it to 70 questions.
Related: eHarmony Cost: eHarmony Free & Premium Explained (U.S. 2023 Prices)
In addition to this quiz, the algorithm also takes into account your on-site activity. It keeps a record of the type of profiles you’ve liked or disliked.
For example, if most of the profiles you’ve liked belong to career-oriented people, eHarmony will show you more profiles like that.
One thing to keep in mind while filling the Compatibility Quiz is that being honest is important, but careful to not be too picky.
I suggest thinking a little about your priorities beforehand. Ask yourself if all your requirements are absolutely necessary.
Does your significant other need to have blond hair? Is it a necessity to match with someone who likes rock climbing?
Remember, the algorithm is reliant on the type of information you provide. So, if you’re too vague or a bit too picky, you might have a harder time finding the right person. Try to aim for a balance when answering the questions.
How Does eHarmony Membership Work?
You don’t need to pay to sign up on eHarmony. However, the features available to free users are limiting. As a free user, you can only go as far as creating a profile and exploring other profiles. You can’t message anyone.
Moreover, if you’re part of the LGBTQI+ community, then the free option isn’t really useful for you as you can’t tell others about your sexual orientation.
If you can afford it, I suggest trying to get a membership subscription on eHarmony. There are three plans for you to choose from, don’t worry though the package remains the same, it’s just the period of subscription that varies.
In addition, if you sign up for the premium membership within 32 hours of signing up, you can get 50 percent off on the first three months of your subscription.
You get access to the following features for all the premium packages:
- View unlimited photos
- Unlimited messages
- See who’s viewed you
- Distance search
- Detailed personality profile
Premium Light
This is the shortest subscription plan available on eHarmony. This package lasts for six months and costs $49.90 per month. You can pay for this subscription in one go, quarterly, or monthly.
If you choose to pay for this plan in one go, it’ll cost you $224.55. For quarterly payments, there’s an initial installment of $80.85 and then another installment of $155.70. For monthly payments, you have to pay $27.95 for the first three and then $52.90 for the remaining installments.
Premium Plus
The Premium Plus is a twelve-month subscription plan. You can choose to pay for this plan in one go, bi-annually, quarterly, or monthly. This package costs $35.90 per month.
A one-time payment will cost you $376.95. Alternatively, if you wish to pay bi-annually you have to pay an initial installment of $167.55 and then the second installment of $221.40.
For the quarterly payment, you’re required to pay an initial installment of $59.85 and then $113.70 for the remaining three payments.
If you wish to pay monthly, you have to pay $20.95 for the first three months and then $38.90 for the remaining nine months.
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Premium Extra
Similar to Premium Plus, you can pay for this twenty-four-month plan in one go, bi-annually, quarterly, or monthly. This plan costs $25.90 per month.
A single payment will cost you $582.75. On the other hand, if you wish to pay bi-annually you have to pay an initial installment of $122.55 and then $161.40 for the remaining three payments.
For the quarterly payment, you’re required to pay an initial installment of $44.85 and then $83.70 for the remaining seven payments.
If you wish to pay monthly, you have to pay $15.95 for the first three months and then $28.90 for the remaining twenty-one months.
Other Purchasable Features
If you don’t wish to subscribe to the entire membership plan, here are some features that you may purchase separately:
Premium Personality Profile
You can separately purchase the extended version of your profile, which adds fifteen more categories to your personality. With the help of this feature, the matches eHarmony provides a higher level of compatibility.
To access this feature, you need to pay $19.95.
Secure Call
This feature allows you to make private calls to your matches without disclosing your real number. This adds an extra level of security to your matching experience.
The payment options for this feature are:
- One Month – $7.95
- Three Months – $5.95 per month
- Six Months – $5.95 per month
- Twelve Months – $5.95 per month
eH+
This feature allows you to get access to a personal dating counselor. Your counselor will guide you through the whole matching process on eHarmony, from finding the right profile to actually messaging the user.
To use this feature, you have to pay $5000 per year. Usually, you’re asked to pay for this feature in one installment. However, if you opt for a yearly subscription, you can pay for it in three installments.
The rate may vary a little depending on the county you belong to.
How To Download eHarmony
Like most dating platforms, eHarmony has a website for users who prefer to use their laptops or desktops. For users who prefer smartphones and tablets, there’s an app that you can download on Android and iOS.
The interface of both the app and website is quite user-friendly, so you’ll have no trouble navigating through eHarmony.
Final Thoughts
If you’re ready to settle down, but are having trouble finding the perfect match, eHarmony is the place for you. eHarmony is the place for people who are looking for long-term commitments.
Unlike most swiping dating apps where matches are often made based on looks, the matches on eHarmony are made on a deeper level.
The app’s algorithm shortlists a batch of profiles based on compatibility, resulting in relations that have a higher chance of lasting.
If a serious, long-term relationship is your goal, then I highly suggest you give eHarmony a shot. I’ve taken you step-by-step through every aspect of the site, so you should have no trouble navigating through the app.
All you need now is a little courage and patience! You can sign up for eHarmony free here!
