The 1% of Tinder: Dating app launches a $500-per-month option for elite users

The dating app has introduced a new premium tier that carries a charge of $500 per month, but even if you can (and want to) afford that, you’re still going to have a hard time getting into Tinder Select.

Match Group first teased the premium level in its earnings call last month.

“The general concept is that we are providing an experience for a small percentage of our Tinder members,” said CEO Bernard Kim. “And the value proposition is basically, give these members a better way to get high-quality matches faster and sooner and make the experience overall even more fun. We’ve been actually testing multiple components of this experience with our members today, and we’re seeing actually real benefits. So I’m personally really excited about these testing results.”

The company has started taking applications for membership now, but notes, “For now, Tinder Select has limited availability and not all Tinder users have access.” Less than 1% of users will be eligible for the top-tier level.

Those who do get into the level, which comes to $6,000 per year (sorry, big spenders, there’s no discount for an annual membership) will have access to a few unique perks.

For instance, Select members will be able to send up to two direct messages to someone even if they haven’t matched. They’ll also be able to “see and be seen by Tinder’s most sought after profiles,” the company says. And if a Select user likes someone who isn’t Gold or Platinum level, that person will still see the Select user’s profile unblurred in their Likes You grid. (The Select member’s profile will remain prioritized for seven days.)

Other subscriptions on Tinder start at just $25 per month.

The launch of Tinder Select comes as overall users at Tinder parent company Match Group have been dropping. In the second quarter, the total number of people paying for its services dropped 5% compared to the prior year to 15.6 million.