Guide
Professional Matchmaker Cost
Professional matchmaker cost runs from $899 per introduction to $500,000 for a retained search, based on prices firms publish themselves. Tawkify puts the usual industry range at $3,000 to $50,000.
Key takeaways
- The lowest published price is $899 per introduction at DateSpot. The highest is $500,000 at Selective Search. Both checked Oct 15, 2026.
- Monthly plans exist. VIDA Select starts at $1,695 a month (VIDA FAQ).
- Elite Connections says its standard six-month membership costs $15,000, about $2,500 a month (Elite Connections).
- In New York you can cancel within 3 business days, and the law limits the cash price of a social referral contract to $1,000, with an online dating exception (NY GBL § 394-c).
- In California you can cancel until midnight of the third business day, with a refund due within 10 days (Civil Code § 1694.1).
- My own paid intake was $200 for 90 minutes. A friend paid $6,000 for 4 introductions. Those are owner reports, not price lists.
How much does a matchmaker cost?
This table has every price I could find that a matchmaking firm publishes about itself, as of Oct 15, 2026. Where a firm doesn’t publish one, I say so instead of guessing.
| Pricing model | Who charges it | Published price | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay per introduction | DateSpot | $299 strategy call, then $899 per introduction | DateSpot FAQ | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Monthly membership | VIDA Select | From $1,695 a month; guaranteed programs up to $6,000+ | VIDA FAQ | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Package, priced to your search | Master Matchmakers | $3,500 to $35,000; $450 one-time registry | Pricing page | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Package, priced to your search | Tawkify | Client packages start at $4,900 | Tawkify blog | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Fixed six-month membership | Elite Connections | $15,000 | Elite Connections | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Retained search | LUMA | $20,000 to $250,000 or more | LUMA cost page | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Retained search | Selective Search | $50,000 to $500,000 | Selective Search FAQ | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Retained search | Kelleher International | $50,000 to $500,000 | Kelleher | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Premium membership | Three Day Rule | Starts at $6,300 | Three Day Rule blog | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Not published | The Matchmaking Company, It’s Just Lunch | Ask for it in writing | The Matchmaking Company | Oct 15, 2026 |
For brand-by-brand detail, see Tawkify cost, Three Day Rule cost and Kelleher International.
What drives the price?
Three things, mostly: how hard the search is, how many matches you want, and how you pay.
- How hard the search is. LUMA says its price depends on the scope of the search and how custom it is LUMA · checked Oct 15, 2026. Master Matchmakers says its lower-priced searches include very few matches Master Matchmakers · checked Oct 15, 2026.
- How many matches you want. Tawkify says pricing depends on the features you want and the number of matches included Tawkify FAQ · checked Oct 15, 2026.
- How you pay. Firms use a few models:
| Model | What you pay for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Retainer or package | A set search period or a set number of introductions, paid up front | Paying everything before you see a single match |
| Monthly | Month-to-month access to a matchmaker | Months that go by with no introduction |
| Per introduction | Each match you both agree to meet | A paid first call before any match |
| Success fee | A bonus if the match turns into a relationship | Vague words like “relationship” or “exclusive” |
Elite Connections reports that success fees can range from $50,000 up to $1,000,000 reported by Elite Connections · checked Oct 15, 2026. Elite Connections sells matchmaking itself, so read that as one firm’s claim about the industry.
What does a matchmaker cost per month?
If you want to compare firms, turn every price into a monthly number. Elite Connections did that math itself. Its $15,000 six-month membership is about $2,500 a month Elite Connections · checked Oct 15, 2026. VIDA Select starts at $1,695 a month VIDA Select FAQ · checked Oct 15, 2026.
The better number is cost per introduction. Enter a quote you got and the number of introductions the contract promises.
Calculator
What does each introduction really cost?
Type in the numbers from the quote you were given. Nothing leaves this page.
What did real people pay?
The next two stories happened to me and to a friend. They’re owner reports, so don’t read them as prices.
Her package works out to $1,500 per introduction, and one of those four men cancelled.
How do you read a matchmaking contract?
Read it slowly, with a pen. These are the clauses that decide whether your money is safe.
- Refunds. Look for the word “refund.” If you only see “substitution,” “credit” or “extension,” you probably won’t get cash back.
- Number of introductions. A number, in writing, and over how many months.
- What counts as an introduction. Does a match who cancels count? My friend’s did.
- Guarantee wording. “Guaranteed introductions” is not the same as a guaranteed relationship.
- Hold. Can you pause if you start seeing someone? LUMA offers a membership hold LUMA · checked Oct 15, 2026.
- Term and renewal. When does it end, and does it renew on its own?
The full list, ready to print, is in the matchmaker contract checklist.
What are your cancellation rights?
Two states with clear dating service laws are New York and California. I read both statutes on Oct 15, 2026.
| State | Law | Cancel window | Refund deadline | Other rules worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | GBL § 394-c | 3 business days after you get the written contract | 10 business days | Cash price limit of $1,000, with an online dating exception. Services can’t run past 2 years. Contracts over $25 must promise a set number of referrals each month. You can put your membership on hold for up to 1 year. |
| California | Civil Code § 1694.1 to § 1694.4 | Until midnight of the third business day | 10 days | Payments can’t run past 2 years. You can stop paying if you die, become disabled, or move more than 50 miles away and can’t transfer. A contract that breaks these rules is void. |
That New York price limit surprised me. The statute says a social referral contract can’t require a cash price over $1,000, unless it’s an online dating plan that fits the exception NY GBL § 394-c · checked Oct 15, 2026. If you live in New York and you’re handed a $15,000 contract, ask the firm, in writing, how that contract fits § 394-c.
California’s relocation rule lets the firm keep a set fee of up to $100 when you move away Cal. Civil Code § 1694.3 · checked Oct 15, 2026. Other states may have no dating service law at all. Read more in dating service contract cancellation rights.
What should you ask before you pay?
Questions to ask before you pay a matchmaker
From Dating Coach Online · datingcoachonline.com · By Maya, Dating Coach
What does The Matchmaking Company cost?
It doesn’t publish prices on its site. Its terms of service say the refund policy “may vary” and is set out in each client’s agreement The Matchmaking Company terms · checked Oct 15, 2026. So ask for the agreement first, then the price. For what clients say, read The Matchmaking Company reviews.
Are there cheaper ways to get help?
Yes. A few options cost far less than a package:
- A dating coach. You pay for skills and accountability, not introductions. See dating coach cost, or compare the two in matchmaker vs dating coach.
- Join a pool for free. Some firms let you be a candidate at no cost. See free matchmaking services.
- Pay per introduction. DateSpot charges per match instead of a package.
Still not sure the money makes sense? Read is a matchmaker worth it, browse all firms on the matchmaking services near me hub, or book a free consultation and tell me your budget.
Questions people ask
How much does a matchmaker cost?
Published prices start at $899 per introduction and go up to $500,000 for a retained search. Tawkify, a matchmaking firm, puts the usual industry range at $3,000 to $50,000.
What does a matchmaker cost per month?
VIDA Select starts at $1,695 a month. Elite Connections says its $15,000 six-month membership works out to about $2,500 a month.
What is a success fee?
It's an extra fee you pay if an introduction turns into a relationship. Elite Connections reports success fees in the industry from $50,000 up to $1,000,000. Ask if your contract has one.
Can I get a refund from a matchmaker?
Only if your contract says so or your state gives you a cancel window. Elite Connections, for example, gives a full refund within three business days of signing, and none once work begins.
Why don't matchmakers post their prices?
Firms like LUMA and Tawkify say the price depends on your search and how many matches you want. That may be true. Still, ask for the total in writing before any paid intake.
Is it normal to pay for the first meeting?
Some firms charge for it and some don't. My own 90-minute intake cost $200. DateSpot charges $299 for its strategy call. Tawkify offers a free consultation.
What does The Matchmaking Company cost?
It doesn't publish prices on its site. Its terms say the refund policy is set in each client's agreement, so ask for that agreement before you pay.