Raya vs Hinge: Full Comparison of the Dating Apps

Raya is an exclusive dating app for elite singles available on App Store only. The app is considered a Soho House of dating, where you need a top-tier creative job and a sizeable Insta following to get the highly scrutinized committee's acceptance.

Despite being a platform for Hollywood’s A-listers community, it is like any other dating app. However, getting into Raya requires a lengthy application procedure in which a committee considers many aspects, such as your "overall Instagram influence" and who nominated you, before making a final decision.

If you're deemed worthy of acceptance, you get to try your luck in the same dating pool as supermodels and celebrities in the entertainment industry.

The Raya profile has no About section, but you can upload a few photos, fill in a bio and connect your profile to your Instagram account. You can skip the bio, but an IG account is mandatory.

The major difference between Raya's profile is that it plays a slideshow of a user with a song of your choice. Once you have set up your account and liked someone hit the like button, and if they like you back, you can start chatting with them.

Raya has the strictest privacy guidelines, where screenshots are strictly forbidden at all costs. Raya only offers paid membership which matches ambitious singletons with like-minded people working in similar creative fields.

Hinge is the only free dating app designed to be deleted, meaning it tends to help users build serious long-term relationships with a suitable match so that they won't need a dating app anymore.

It is a free app that users can download from both the iPhone App Store and Google Play Store, and free to use, although there are upgrades you can pay for.

To sign up for the Hinge account, you must provide the standard name, email, date of birth, and location information. You'll also get the option to give more details about yourself, including your height, religion, political beliefs, etc. The app does not focus only on pictures; rather, profiles are made up of questions and quotes.

Aside from basic information, you must answer three "prompts"that are a great conversation starter and let you express yourself truly in front of potential partners.

Users can reject or accept people based on their profiles, and to start a conversation, you can either send the best opening lines to your match or leave a pickup line on their photos or prompts.

Raya and Hinge are both popular dating apps, but they have some key differences in features, pricing, and user experience. Here's a comparison of the two:

Features

Raya is a more exclusive dating app than Hinge, as it is geared towards people in creative industries and has a more curated user base.

The app works by offering features such as "Community," where members can connect and network with other creatives, "Concierge," which allows users to get personalized matches and a feature called "Explore," where users can see profiles of users who are not necessarily in their immediate close proximity but in other parts of the world.

Hinge, unlike other apps, is more geared towards people looking for a long-term relationship and offers features such as "We Met," which allows users to provide feedback on their dates, and "Most Compatible," which provides users with a daily match based on their preferences.

Hinge-free membership comprises filters, eight daily likes, messages with matches, and one rose a week.

Premium users receive unlimited likes, advanced filters, travel mode to see who's swiping in certain places, and unlimited backtracks in case you swipe the wrong way on someone, among many other features.

Pricing

Unless you're searching for something very particular, most applications provide a free, straightforward version to download and use. Raya is one of these applications that charges a nominal monthly subscription for all users.

Its subscription-based pricing model is one of the most expensive dating apps. Its various subscription options include:

A one-month subscription costs $7.99, a six-month subscription costs $29.99, and a 12-month subscription costs $49.99.

Unlike Raya, Hinge offers a freemium model where users can access basic features for free but need to pay for premium features such as "Hinge Preferred," which allows paid users to see who likes them, and "Standouts," which gives users the ability to make their profiles visible to potential matches.

Hinge's premium subscription costs range from $9.99 to $19.99 per month, depending on the subscription length.

User Experience

Raya and Hinge have user-friendly interfaces, but the user experience differs. Raya is an invite-only dating app with a more upscale feel, as users need to apply or get an invitation from current members.

It has a rigorous screening process that only admits 8% of applicants. Once accepted, users can view other members' profiles and swipe left or right to indicate interest.

On the other hand, Hinge is the perfect one to try if you're not into hookup culture**.** It emphasizes conversation and connection-building. Users are encouraged to comment on specific parts of other users' profiles. They are limited in how many likes they can send daily, encouraging more thoughtful and intentional interactions.