Raya dating app review: What is it + how to get on in 2023

When I was single living in NYC in 2016, my favorite dating app was Raya.

Raya is still the most popular app amongst my single girlfriends, and my male clients ask me about it often, so let's check it out!

In this Raya review, we'll cover:

1. What Raya is
2. How Raya works, and how to use it
3. Raya profile examples
4. How to get on Raya
5. How much Raya costs
6. Whether Raya is worth it

Let's dive in!

What is Raya?

Raya is an exclusive dating app that launched in 2015. It's the Soho House of online dating:

• 📰 It’s buzzy. There's a reason you've bothered to read this review! Raya’s been aptly described in the New York Times as the "Illuminati Tinder."
• 🎟️ It’s exclusive. You can’t just sign up for Raya. A current Raya member must invite you, and even then, your application may or may not be approved, as we'll cover later.
• ✨ Celebrities dig it. Folks like Cara Delevingne, Amy Schumer, Kelly Osbourne, Demi Lovato, and Chelsea Handler have all been spotted on Raya.

Functionally, Raya isn't super different from Tinder or Hinge, though it has some unique aspects we'll discuss next.

How does Raya work?

Once you're accepted to Raya, you need to:

• 📸 Create a photo-centric profile in "slideshow" format to spotlight who you are, and what you look like, to potential matches.
• 📲 Review potential matches in a single-file queue, who you can swipe right on to approve, or swipe left on to reject. Raya shows you a few new profiles each day.
• 💬 Swap messages with your matches via the same in-app, text-based chat you're used to from apps like Tinder and Hinge.

Nominally, Raya's "slideshow" photo format is unique.

Rather than presenting your photos as stand-alone images, Raya has you curate photos to play sequentially to a song of your choice.

I've linked a recording of my profile later in this article to illustrate, but here's a teaser in the meantime:

In practice, Raya's slideshow = choosing photos for any other app.

You'll still upload the 6 best photos on your cameral roll to Raya to market yourself to prospective matches. You just also choose a song to play in the background.

Other small differences between your Raya profile, and your profile on other apps:

• Raya requires an Instagram handle. This tells you something about what kind of people use Raya!
• A written bio is optional. This also tells you something about what kind of people use Raya!

Looking beyond your profile, Raya has some other cool functionalities:

• 📍 Map you can use to locate other Raya members near you, plus browse their profiles if you’ve both opted in to location-based browsing — this feature is called “social mode.”
•  🔎 Directory you can use to find other Raya members based on interests, profession, location, and whatever else you want to search for.
• 💬 Pay-to-play DMs you can use to message potential matches before you matched (i.e. premium way to shoot your shot).

Ultimately, though, what makes Raya special is who uses it.

When I opened the app to write this review, the first potential match in my queue was a pro tennis player, and the next was a TV actor I recognized.

Basically, the people using Raya are different from the people using less exclusive apps!

Raya profile examples

If you're curious what a Raya profile looks like, here's a video I took of my old Raya profile:

Note that Raya doesn't allow you to screen record or screenshot in the app, hence me recording this with another phone!

Also, note that I'm happily married, so don't even ask 😜

Here's what a male profile in my review queue looks like:

Here's another Raya profile example:

How to get on Raya

Raya isn’t for everyone!

To obtain Raya membership, typically, a current Raya member must invite you to join the community. Even with a referral (or multiple referrals), there’s no guarantee your application for membership will be approved.

Here's what my referral request queue looks like if you're curious:

Please don't ask me for a referral, btw — I only refer actual friends and certain clients!

If you’re wondering who gets approved for Raya membership, according to Raya’s website, the Raya community values "creativity," and the application criteria are:

• 💼 Your work. Is it interesting and creative?
• 🤝 Familiarity. This is Raya’s way of saying, “Know anyone inside?”
• ✨ Something extra. What special qualities do you bring to the table?

Wondering how to get on Raya without a referral?

You can always download the app, and apply directly without a referral.

Don't hold your breath, though.

I'm not familiar with any Raya members being admitted without referrals, and I'm familiar with many people who have good referrals and are still stuck on the waitlist.

Raya waitlist vs rejection, and Raya rejection message

I've never heard of anyone getting officially rejected from Raya before. Specifically:

• If your Raya application isn't approved, it will stay in "pending" status (i.e. you'll stay on the waitlist)
• There's no "rejection message" you'll receive if you're application isn't approved

⏳ Be patient.

I don't have any special insight into the Raya application process — it's opaque, and anyone outside of the company who claims to know more is pulling your leg — but I have friends who've been stuck on the waitlist for multiple months before being approved, so don't give up hope.

Who gets accepted to Raya

In practice, Raya members tend to be influencer-types, actual and aspiring.

You know who I’m talking about... People who wear Amiri jeans, and talk a lot about where they vacationed last summer.

This isn’t to dunk on Raya or its members. I’ve connected with genuinely cool people on there!

It's just that the tie that binds in the Raya community seems to be less actual creativity, and more 3+ hours of daily screen time on Instagram 😜

Raya requirements for membership

I read a Raya review on Vida Select that claims Raya has a 5,000 minimum Instagram follower requirement.

• 🙄 This is blatantly false. I had a Raya account from when I was single, and my Instagram following was way smaller than 5,000 then. I have several friends on Raya who have <1,000 Instagram followers. I don't know why they made this Raya statistic up!
• 🤷‍♀️ Still, this sentiment is directionally correct. Raya members tend to be actual or aspiring Instagram influencers, and I'd imagine the average Instagram follower count of my friends on Raya is >1,000.

Raya application questions

Raya's application is straightforward.

1️⃣ First, share some basic personal info like your name, email, and DOB.

2️⃣ Next, share some info about your location and career:

3️⃣ Finally, you can add a referral from your phone's contacts:

That's it!

How much does Raya cost? 

As of December 2022, Raya has two membership options.

🅰️ RAYA STANDARD MEMBERSHIP

Raya standard membership costs:

• $19.99 / month (not $9.99/month as some other reviews claim) if paid monthly;
• $89.99 / six months which equates to $14/month if paid semi-annually;
• $119.99 / year which equates to $9/month if paid yearly;

🅱️ RAYA+ MEMBERSHIP

Raya+ membership costs:

• $49.99 / month if paid monthly;
• $239.99 / 6 months which equates to $39/month if paid semi-annually;
• $349.99 / year which equates to $29/month if paid yearly;

For ponying up the extra cash for a Raya+ membership, you get some bonus features, the most important of which are seeing who likes you in advance, and more daily recommendations (i.e. more people you can match with).

Is Raya expensive?

In my opinion, Raya is actually a killer financial deal 🤯

For context, Hinge now charges $34.99/month for their "Premium" membership, which is required to swipe on "standout" users (i.e. most of the attractive people using the app...)

Is Raya worth it?

In my opinion, Raya is 100% worth it, assuming you can get in!

• People on Raya are hot. Raya almost certainly has the highest concentration of physically attractive singles of any app, and I know people who've found both hookups and serious relationships on Raya.
• The price is right. Like we touched on a moment ago, Raya is provides pretty good bang for the buck relative to other apps right now. I'm genuinely surprised Raya membership is so cheap.

Stuck on the Raya waitlist, and feeling frustrated?

Don't sweat it. At the end of the day:

1. You can meet any of the women on Raya in-person. If anything, they'd probably prefer it! Women hate dating apps, too.
2. You can find attractive women on literally every mainstream dating app, and most women use >1 app, anyway.
3. It's not like the quality of your matches on Raya will be super different vs your matches on any other app.

Framed another way, if you can't find your way onto Raya, it's unlikely you'd be drowning in Raya matches anyway... By and large, the type of people who use Raya want to meet the types people who have the connections to get onto Raya 😬

It will almost certainly be higher ROI to improve your profiles on apps like Hinge and Bumble than it will be to expend a ton of time and energy trying to finagle a Raya invite!

Want my help improving your profiles?

Check out my free guides below!

PS. Ready to uplevel your dating life fast?

I'd love to share my best free guides, so you can start making progress immediately:

• 📲 What I Swipe Right On (how to improve your matches on apps like Hinge fast)
• 💬 Master The Message (how to create more chemistry via text)
• 🏀 How To Bounce Back (dating 101 for newly single guys)
• 😅 You're Nice, But... (dating 101 for "nice" guys)

Just pop in your name and email below, and I'll send over your free guides immediately!

Xo Blaine