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Raya isn’t as exclusive as you think it is

There might be no lower point than dropping cash on a dating app. But dating is toughmen are lonely, and women are sick of men’s antics. Swooping in to save the day are “exclusive” dating apps like Raya, which promises a user base of vetted, career-oriented (hot and rich) professionals — for a price. That price is $25 a month, and the unfortunate truth is Raya, “the celebrity dating app,” is just like every other service one can find in the App Store. (Mashable has reached out to Raya for comment.)

I spent one month on Raya, after waiting 10 days to get approved before I could shell out for a membership. My mission? To see if the app was overrun with TikTok influencers. Spoiler: either they weren’t there, or they were so niche that my mildly-online self couldn’t spot them.

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Instead, Raya’s vibe felt so Tinder-esque, so reminiscent of other swipe-based apps that, I truly believe we as a society have hit critical mass dating app singularity.

What is Raya — and can an average person use it?

Raya, known as the “celebrity dating app,” is marketed as an exclusive, members-only platform for the elite and ultra-connected. Imagine Tinder but with a velvet rope. Supposedly, getting in requires more than just a catchy bio; you need referrals, approval through a vetting process, and a solid Instagram game. Once you’re in, expect a feed of curated, career-focused hotties — think models, actors, musicians, and entrepreneurs. At $25 a month (or $50 for premium), it’s a splurge that promises glam and privacy, as the app is very uptight about discretion. Raya has strict rules against sharing information or taking screenshots of user profiles.

Part of Raya’s allure to average people like me is the potential celebrity encounters. Case in point: The internet lit up in 2021 when TikTok user Nivine Nash shared a video claiming that Oscar-winning filmmaker and actor Ben Affleck had previously matched with her on Raya. After unmatching, she received a video message from Affleck himself, asking, “Why did you unmatch me? It’s me.”

The story quickly went viral, shedding light on the fact that yes, even A-listers are swiping away on dating apps. In fact, several celebs have been outed for their (alleged) time on Raya including Owen Wilson, Chris Rock, Zach Braff, Elijah Wood, Sharon Stone, Cara Delevingne, and John Cusack.

According to a 2018 New York Times article, only eight percent of Raya applicants are accepted, making it supposedly harder to get into than Harvard Business School. That statistic was published six years ago, though, and Raya’s exclusivity is a bit overhyped in my experience. Despite its reputation as the “[members’ only club] Soho House of dating apps,” the reality is far less glamorous than what those quoted influencers and testimonials make it out to be.

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