EliteSingles vs eHarmony: Which Is Better in 2026?
EliteSingles vs eharmony in 2026: eharmony is the safer bet for most people who want a serious relationship, because it has a large, long-running member base and a proven compatibility system. EliteSingles is only worth trying if you specifically want an education-focused crowd and a shorter, cheaper commitment, and you are fine joining a site that was shut down in April 2026 and relaunched by a new company with a fresh member base.
EliteSingles vs eharmony at a glance
Most pages ranking for this question still describe the old EliteSingles run by Spark Networks. This table uses each company’s current terms and app store listings.
| EliteSingles | eharmony | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Educated, career-focused singles who want a smaller niche site | Marriage-minded daters who want guided matching and a big pool |
| Run by | SuccessfulMatch.com, Inc. (since the 2026 relaunch) | eHarmony, Inc. (since 2000) |
| How matching works | Suggested matches based on preferences, education, location and personality profile | Compatibility Quiz, then matches with a score from 60 to 140 |
| Free version | Free sign-up with “some, but not all” features | Basic: likes, a first message, limited messaging, mostly blurred photos |
| Plan lengths | 1, 3 or 6 months | 6, 12 or 24 months in the terms (3 to 12 on its cost page) |
| Published prices | None on its own pages | Only after login; App Store items $59.99 to $349.99 |
| Refund window | 3 business days, everywhere | 3 business days in 11 states only |
| Verification | Profile review, optional selfie Photo Verification | SMS Verified badge |
| Minimum age | 20 | 18 |
| App Store rating | 4.0 (246 ratings) | 4.1 (49K ratings) |
| Google Play | 3.9 (267 reviews), 10K+ downloads | 3.2 (67.1K reviews), 10M+ downloads |
Sources: the EliteSingles service agreement, the EliteSingles App Store listing, EliteSingles on Google Play, eharmony’s terms and conditions, the eharmony App Store listing and eharmony on Google Play. Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
What happened to EliteSingles in 2026
If you searched “why did EliteSingles shut down”, here is the short version. EliteSingles belonged to Spark Networks, the group behind Zoosk, SilverSingles, Christian Mingle and Jdate. On January 16, 2026, a Berlin court placed Spark Networks Services GmbH, the unit that runs much of the group’s operations, under preliminary insolvency administration. Members got an email on April 28, and the site shut down on April 30, 2026, with profiles, matches and conversations deleted.
The brand did not stay dark. New terms dated May 12, 2026 name SuccessfulMatch.com, Inc., a Delaware company with an office in Vaughan, Ontario, as the operator of EliteSingles. The App Store seller is now Successful Information LLC, and the Android app on Google Play was released on May 19, 2026. Industry news reported the relaunch under new ownership on September 1, 2026, with an “independent member database”: old accounts and connections did not carry over.
What this means for you: the EliteSingles name, its positioning (educated, ambitious singles) and its domain are the same, but the company, the app, the rules and the people on it are new. Reviews written before May 2026, including most of the ten Google results for this comparison, describe a product that no longer exists. The new apps are small so far: 246 ratings on the App Store and 10K+ downloads on Google Play, against eharmony’s 49K ratings and 10M+ downloads.
How matching works on each
eharmony: quiz first, then a scored list
eharmony makes everyone take its Compatibility Quiz before you see anyone. Its quiz page says it takes about 20 minutes, covers your personality, communication style, attitudes to relationships and your outlook, includes some picture-pair questions, and saves your answers so you can finish later. Every match then shows a Compatibility Score from 60 to 140; eharmony calls 110 and up “an off-the-charts result”. You send Likes and a first message, and a mutual Like makes a match, as the App Store listing describes.
EliteSingles: suggested matches built around education
EliteSingles says on Google Play that its matching “considers your relationship preferences, education, location, and personality profile”, with advanced filters on top. The App Store listing adds that new profiles go through a review before going live, and mentions an Events section for one-on-one dates. Older comparisons describe a long Big Five personality test and 3 to 7 hand-picked matches a day: that was the Spark-era product, and none of the new operator’s pages I could open spell out the current test or daily limits, so treat those details as unconfirmed.
The practical difference: eharmony shows you exactly why it thinks someone fits, with a number and a quiz you know you took. EliteSingles leans on who is on the site (education, ambition) more than on a published method.
Who you will meet on each
- EliteSingles markets itself to “educated and ambitious singles” and its homepage claims that 85% of members are highly educated and that every profile you see is verified. Those are the company’s own claims, and after the relaunch they apply to a member base that started over in 2026. Expect a smaller pool, especially outside big cities.
- eharmony is the mainstream option of the two: on the App Store it says it has “helped over 2 million couples find real love”, and its Android app has 10M+ downloads. It does not publish a current US member count. The quiz and long plans filter out casual daters, so intent is mostly serious.
Both suit people in their 30s, 40s and up. If that is you, my list of the best dating apps for over 40 compares them with Match, Hinge and others, and my serious dating sites page covers the wider field.
What you get for free, and what it costs
Both are free to join, and both make you pay to really talk.
- eharmony free (Basic): no time limit. After the quiz you can see your matches, send Likes and a first message, with limited messaging, says its cost page. The terms add that Basic members generally see blurred photos and can send unlimited predefined messages such as a smile, but have only a limited ability to send and read personalized messages.
- EliteSingles free: the service agreement says free registration gives access to “some, but not all” features, and that paid features need a subscription and a verification step. It does not list which features are free, so plan on paying to message.
| EliteSingles | eharmony | |
|---|---|---|
| Official price list | Not published on its site or in its terms | Not published; shown on the Subscription page after login |
| Plan lengths | Monthly, 3 months or 6 months | Premium light, Premium plus, Premium UNLIMITED in 6, 12 or 24-month terms |
| Reported or listed prices | $64.99 for one month, $34.99 a month on 3 months (reported at the relaunch) | App Store items $59.99 to $349.99; Google Play $4.49 to $399.99 per item |
| Cheapest way in | One month | The shortest plan offered at checkout |
Prices checked October 2026. EliteSingles plan lengths from its service agreement; the relaunch prices were reported by Global Dating Insights, which warned they may change. eharmony plans from its terms and app store listings.
One number to ignore: a top-ranking review lists EliteSingles at “$499” for one month and “$999” for three. That matches the in-app price line on the Google Play listing (“$499.00 - $999.00 per item”), which looks like a display error rather than real plan prices. No EliteSingles page publishes those figures, so check the price at checkout before you pay.
On cost alone, EliteSingles is the cheaper way to test the waters because you can stop after a month. eharmony asks for a longer commitment, but you get a much bigger pool for it.
Renewal, refunds and cancelling
This is where the two differ most, and no other comparison covers it.
- EliteSingles subscriptions renew automatically at the then-current price until you cancel. You can cancel at any time with the Cancel Subscription button in your account, by emailing support@elitesingles.com, or through the contact form. Payments are “final and non-refundable”, except that you can cancel within three business days of starting a subscription for a refund. The company must give 7 to 30 days’ notice of a price change. All from the service agreement.
- eharmony plans “automatically renew for consecutive 12 month terms” unless you agreed to another length, and you must cancel at least 24 hours before the term ends. On the web: click the arrow next to your photo, Data & settings, then Amend subscription (labeled Cancel auto renewal in the US). Apple and Google subscriptions are cancelled in the store. Turning off renewal does not end your plan early, and if you paid in installments the remaining payments are still due, per its cancellation help page. Unused days are not refunded, except that residents of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island can cancel until midnight of the third business day after purchase (Wisconsin has a similar rule), according to the terms.
Deleting either app does not stop billing. Put a reminder in your calendar two days before any renewal date, whichever site you choose.
Safety and verification
| EliteSingles | eharmony | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile review | New profiles go through a review process (App Store listing) | Profiles must be at least 50% complete (App Store listing) |
| Photo or identity check | Photo Verification Feature (selfie-based, not available everywhere); a “Verified” badge the company does not guarantee | SMS Verified badge, which confirms a phone number |
| Background checks | “Does not conduct criminal background checks” | “Does not currently conduct criminal background screenings” |
Sources: the EliteSingles service agreement and privacy policy; eharmony’s SMS Verification FAQ and terms. Checked October 2026.
On paper, EliteSingles’ selfie check is the stronger tool, since a phone code only proves someone has a phone. In practice, neither site screens criminal records, so the same rules apply on both: video call before you meet, meet in public, and never send money. The FTC’s romance scam guidance lists the classic pattern: someone who wants to move off the app fast, cannot meet, then needs money for a ticket, a medical bill or a crypto “opportunity”. Report it to the site and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. My online dating safety guide covers the red flags in more detail.
Pros and cons
EliteSingles
- Built around education and career, if that matters to you
- One-month plans and a three-business-day refund window
- Selfie-based Photo Verification
- Shut down and relaunched in 2026 with a new, smaller member base
- No published prices or list of free features
- Small app footprint so far (246 App Store ratings)
- Minimum age 20, and older reviews no longer apply
eharmony
- Large, long-running pool (10M+ Android downloads)
- Compatibility Quiz and score explain each match
- Free Basic tier with no time limit
- No one-month plan; renewals run in 12-month terms
- Prices hidden until you log in
- Refund right only in 11 states
- SMS badge is the only verification
EliteSingles or eharmony: which should you pick?
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Want the best odds of a serious relationship | eharmony | Far bigger, established pool |
| Care most about a partner’s education and career | EliteSingles | That is its whole positioning |
| Only want to pay for one month | EliteSingles | eharmony has no one-month plan in its terms |
| Live in a small town | eharmony | A rebuilt niche pool is thin outside cities |
| Want a refund window outside the 11 listed states | EliteSingles | Three business days for every member |
| Want to try before paying | eharmony | Basic has no time limit and shows your scored matches |
| Were an EliteSingles member before May 2026 | Either, but re-register | Old accounts did not carry over |
The tie-breaker: join both for free, then count how many people in your age range and distance actually show up. A promise of “elite” members means little if only a handful live within an hour of you.
If neither fits
If you like eharmony’s focus on commitment but want to search for people yourself, Match is the usual next stop, since you search and filter the pool yourself; see my Match review. If money and status are part of what you want, my wealthy dating sites category covers the upscale niche. And for every head-to-head I have published, see my dating app comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to EliteSingles?
EliteSingles was shut down by its owner Spark Networks on April 30, 2026, after a Spark unit entered preliminary insolvency in Germany. The brand was then relaunched by SuccessfulMatch.com, Inc., whose terms are dated May 12, 2026. Old accounts, matches and messages did not carry over, so former members have to sign up again.
Is EliteSingles a reputable dating site?
It is a working, legal dating site with published terms, a profile review and optional selfie Photo Verification. But it is now run by a new company with a member base rebuilt in 2026, and its apps are small so far (246 ratings on the App Store, October 2026). Start with one month rather than a longer plan.
How much does EliteSingles cost?
EliteSingles does not publish prices on its own pages. Its terms list monthly, 3-month and 6-month subscriptions that renew automatically, and industry news reported $64.99 for one month and $34.99 a month on a 3-month plan at the relaunch. Check the price at checkout before you pay.
Can you use EliteSingles without paying?
You can register for free, but the terms say free members get only some of the features and that paid features need a subscription and verification. Expect to pay to message. You can cancel within three business days of subscribing for a refund.
Is eharmony better than EliteSingles?
For most people, yes: eharmony has a much larger, long-running pool (10M+ Android downloads against 10K+ for EliteSingles) and a clear compatibility score. EliteSingles is better only if you care most about a partner’s education and want a one-month plan.
What is the least scammy dating app?
No app is scam-free, and neither EliteSingles nor eharmony runs criminal background checks. Favor apps with photo or selfie verification, video call before meeting, and never send money to someone you have not met, as the FTC advises.