eHarmony is one of the most famous dating sites on the internet and one that commands a pretty average, though some may say, exorbitant price.
eHarmony cost depends on many factors like services rendered, reputation, basic features, and success rate.
Based on those things, one can make a cost analysis, weighing the risk, rewards, and possible benefits you can have in joining the site.
Balancing those factors, we can gauge if eHarmony and all the paid membership options it offers are reasonable or expensive.
Membership Types on eHarmony
eHarmony offers free membership, but as many members and reviews pointed out, free membership on this site is utterly useless: you can get nowhere if you only have that.
You can create profiles, send smiles, browse categories, well, those will not lead to any connections and relationships of whatever types.
There is a world of difference that separates free membership from premium memberships.
Premium memberships of whatever type entails excellent possibilities, ranging from chatting and messaging, viewing photos, seeing who added you to their list, excellent matches, and even video dates.
But you have to pay and pay good money to have all those features that can enhance your online dating experience or have a chance to connect and hook up with someone.
Since you can only have a meaningful existence in the eHarmony universe if you have a premium membership, it is essential to know the different membership plans the online dating platform offers to potential premium members.
eHarmony Cost: Membership Plans
eHarmony offers three premium membership plans for potential members. Each membership plan has four payment options that a member can choose based on convenience.
The three premium membership plans are for six months, annual, and two years membership.
By these membership plans, it is apparent that the website wants you to commit to them long-term.
There are free trials, but you do not have the luxury of choosing a one-month or three-month membership.
That already separates eHarmony from other dating platforms that offer short-term membership options.
For this reason, they need to give several payment options for those who want to avail themselves of one of the three premium membership plans.
Here are the three premium membership options:
Premium Light
- You can have a premium membership for six months.
- The monthly cost is $65.90
- The overall cost is $395.40
- Payment options include: One-time payment of $395.40, two-time payment of $197.70, three-time payment of $131.80, and four-time payment of $ 98.85
Premium Plus
- You can have a membership for 12 months.
- The monthly cost is $45.90
- The overall cost is $550.80
- Payment options include a One-time payment of $550.80 and a two-time payment of $275.40, a three-time payment of $183.60, and a four-time payment of $137.70.
- Discounts are available now and then throughout the year, so the price for annual membership and other payment options may vary.
Premium Extra
- You can have a membership for 24 months.
- The monthly cost is $35.90
- The overall cost is $861.60
- Payment options include: One-time payment of $861.60, two-time payment of $430.80, three-time payment of $287.2, and four-time payment of $215.4
- Discounts are available now and then throughout the year, so the price for annual membership and other payment options may vary.
You can use all the major credit and debit cards to pay for your membership at eHarmony. Options include Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
You can also pay through Paypal.
Like many dating sites, the longer the premium membership you avail, the lower the monthly rates.
In addition, eHarmony has promos and discount prices for all members available now and then.
The most common discount offered by the online dating site is a fifty percent deduction for the first three months of membership.
The eHarmony discount rates are usually available within the first two days of signing up.
What is Auto-Renew and Why You Should Know About It
If you go around the net, read all the dating site reviews, and look at the FAQs, you will always see questions about whether the dating site auto-renews the membership of a member. But what is auto-renew?
Auto-renew means automatic renewal of a paid membership.
It happens when the dating website account of the client is connected to a particular credit card or debit card.
The site renews the membership of a member once it lapsed, even without formal or tacit recognition or desire of the member.
Nearly all dating sites have auto-renew, and eHarmony is no exception.
But typically, a subscription plan automatically renews to the usual membership plan to which the member subscribes; eHarmony may be an exception.
The premium member will have his membership plan renewed to a 12-month plan regardless of whatever membership plan he subscribed to previously.
What’s worse is that if you are on a shorter membership plan, in this case, a six-month membership plan, you will be paying much more for a six-month subscription than you’ll be paying for 12 month or 24-month membership.
An auto-renew for a six-month subscription will cost more than nearly 800 dollars for 12 months.
Whereas a 12-membership renewed automatically will cost only $550, a 24-month subscription renewed by the site for 12 months will cost around 400 dollars.
In short, you better cancel your subscription if you are into six-month premium membership, for you’ll pay more.
But here’s the catch: many members claim it is hard to cancel a subscription at eHarmony. It is one of the few drawbacks of the site.
The notice period for renewal is one day only, meaning you only have 24 hours to cancel your subscription, or it will be auto-renewed. That time itself is enough if it is so easy to subscribe.
Since the cancellation of membership and subscription is only through settings and email, you can never be sure if it is enough.
No wonder the site drew some flak concerning it. But you can cancel the subscription several days before the subscription lapses.
But even better, you may want to take an honest, hard look if you want to join the site.
Try to avail of the eHarmony free trial and see for yourself what the site offers, or cancel your subscription early if you want and renew for a long-term premium membership.
Three Things To Consider
It will be best to remember the significant difference between a free membership and a premium membership: free membership brings you very few features, not enough for any meaningful interaction on the site.
The second thing you need to know is that eHarmony users can enjoy all the features on the site if they have a premium membership.
It means using everything the dating service offers, optimizing, and maximizing all the options.
You can have a nice online dating experience and increase your chances of meaningful connections and interactions.
You also increase your chances of having hookups and possibilities of love and long-term relationships.
The third thing to consider is that you will have all the features available regardless of premium membership.
Whether six months, annual, or two years, it does not matter; you will have the same premium services.
Which brings us to the heart of the matter: are the costs of premium memberships at the eHarmony website worth it?
Is The Cost of eHarmony Worth It?
Mixed Sentiments
eHarmony is one of the biggest internet dating sites: it boasts a broad membership base, and that makes the site attractive.
More members mean more chances of connecting with others, meetups, and relationships.
But customer reviews have mostly been mixed with some claiming that they have yet to find a person worthy to chat with despite months of membership on the site.
Others say that they find it very hard to cancel their subscription.
Others did find meaningful connections, some ended up having a few dates, and others eventually married. So yes, there are success stories.
The Best, Excellent Features
But one thing noticeable is that despite complaints and everything there are very few complaints about fake profiles, suspicious accounts, and bots.
The most common complaint is that of finding matches.
Almost all positive reviews mentioned the excellence of the dating app in this aspect.
The features of the site include unlimited messaging, unlimited matches even outside of what you like or prefer, knowing who viewed you, viewing photos, “What If”, and having a video date, among others.
It is interesting to note that members rarely complain about those things. We can surmise that those features worked as advertised.
And if possible, or if one gets matches, they can optimize the online dating experience of a premium member.
And since there are success stories, it also means that those features do lead to real, meaningful connections and relationships.
In short, the site can deliver on the promise, provided that they can chat with some people.
Even among the most positive eHarmony reviews, no one notes whether it has an excellent search function.
That fact, coupled with common complaints about matches, we can surmise that it may be the most glaring weakness of the dating site.
The extensive eHarmony membership base may have something to do with it.
Paying Much For Less
The features are excellent but not above those offered by other dating sites. Some claim that you can have those things for less.
Match, for instance, offered a far cheaper alternative while having the same features.
And they can provide an equal chance of success, maybe even better, for they have a broad membership base too.
The general sentiment among those who view the online dating platform in a positive light is that you pay so much for less and that the site could have been reasonably priced.
It has excellent, even outstanding features, like a verification badge, but many feel they are expensive.
Managing Expectations
Part of it may be due to the nature of the subscription itself.
Offering only three options, you need to have a long-term commitment, unlike other dating sites that offer one-month, three-month, and even nine-month subscriptions.
You are in some hit-or-miss thing. It is not surprising that those who complain are the ones who are nearly a year in the site and still cannot find a meaningful connection.
To renew for another six months or a year will be too much of a risk. If there is an option to sign up for a shorter period, there will be less risk.
Expectations will be more manageable and tempered.
Final Thoughts
People pay good money, so they have high expectations and hence, great disappointment if they do not find a potential match or a meaningful relationship.
That should be expected especially if other sites can offer the same features at much less.
We can say that members pay too much for the services but only because there is much room for improvement.
Some members lament about billing and subscription, others about the lack of matches.
With so many members and high subscription rates, there is no reason why eHarmony cannot make improvements.
