Key Takeaways
I’ve joined hundreds of dating apps over the years, and this is my assessment of apps that tout helping single professionals.
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The League is a dating app with a highly selective application process.
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Luxy is similar to The League, but its upgrades cost less.
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If you’d rather skip the waitlists and required payments, I recommend using Match.
If you’re someone who pours yourself into your work, online dating shouldn’t feel like a second job. But I know from experience how quickly swipe fatigue and burnout can happen. When you’re on overcrowded mainstream apps, trying to keep up with matches and sifting through profiles can feel more like another never-ending work task.
For highly successful — and busy — professionals, highly curated and selective dating apps like The League can be tempting as a time-saving solution. Does it work, though? That’s what I wanted to find out.
How The League’s Waitlist and Approval Process Works
I decided to try out The League, an exclusive online dating site geared toward professionals, to see if it could live up to its own high standards. According to the app, 39% of The League members have advanced degrees, and 42% are in management and director roles.
The League isn’t exclusive because of a paywall; it’s exclusive because not everyone can get in! Users have to go through an application process that involves setting up a complete profile. Once your application is approved, The League presents users with three curated profiles with a high likelihood of a match each day.
Applying for membership was free and took about 15 minutes.
It was a fairly standard profile setup process, except that I knew my profile would ultimately be reviewed by in-app members to see if I was worthy of joining The League. The pressure was on!
Here were all of my profile application requirements:
- I could set up my account either through my Apple account or my phone number. When I used my phone number, I was sent an authorization code.
- First and last name (although my profile only showed my first name and last initial).
- My email, although no verification was required.
- My birthday.
- My gender (I could only input “man” or “woman”).
- For my dating preferences, my options were “women, men, or everyone.”
- My height.
- Which city I live in.
- My ethnicity.
- Photos: I could upload up to six photos, and I had to upload at least three to move forward with my application.
- My highest degree: I could choose from high school diploma all the way up to doctorate.
Given the weight that The League places on its users being educated and ambitious, I wasn’t surprised when I was prompted to verify my education and profession through LinkedIn. For non-LinkedIn users, there was the option to use a work email, university email, or Doximity. I opted to skip this step entirely, knowing I probably would have to come back and verify my profession if I wanted to get off the waitlist.
I was asked what industry I work in. I scrolled through the dozens of alphabetized options until I got to “writing” at the end.
For my hobbies, I could choose a handful of interests from different areas, such as “food and drink” and “technology and finance.”
I wrote a short bio for my “About me” section. And finally, I reached the lightning round where I chose three prompts to answer in three words or less.
Once my application was sent in, I received an email that “in-app League members review and vote on applications, which helps us screen out fakes and bad actors.”
“Our review team has flagged your application as being incomplete. It is important that you update your application for your best chance of getting into The League.” -Concierge message
Throughout the week, I received messages from Connor, my in-app Dating Coach and concierge, assuring me my application was being actively reviewed and gently reminding me to upload more photos and write a bio.
How It Compares to Luxy: Luxy is another exclusive dating app with a screening process. It’s self-described as “Tinder minus the poor people.” While The League is for career-oriented singles, Luxy is for the wealth-minded. With optional income verification and a selective application process, I’d only recommend Luxy to daters who want to match within their tax bracket.
For users who are less concerned with their match’s income and more concerned with their occupation, I would recommend trying The League.
Cost Comparison: The League Versus Luxy
For both The League and Luxy, the biggest access barrier is getting through the application process. While both apps have paid membership options, there are plenty of free options as well.
| Price Tiers | The League | Luxy |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Three potential matches per day, view profiles, send messages, join League groups. | Browse recommended matches, send likes, send messages after a match. |
| Paid Membership | More daily potential matches, read receipts, profile boosts, video chatting, see everyone who liked you, skip the waitlist, and get priority review (with the two highest-tier memberships) | Double daily profile recommendations, more filter options, search by location, unlimited messaging, seven times the daily profile recommendations with Luxy PLATINUM |
| Cost Comparisons | Select: $299.99/month Premium: $399.99/month Unlimited: $999/month Omni League: $2,499/month | PLUS: $49.99/month BLACK: $99.99/month PLATINUM: $333.99/month |
The League’s paid membership is noticeably pricier than Luxy’s. Both apps have a high barrier to entry via their waitlists and robust profile reviewing, so I would hold off on getting a paid membership for either.
With The League’s LinkedIn verification and Luxy’s income verification, both apps already have measures to select financially successful applicants.
My Pro Tip: The League’s higher tier memberships come with the added bonus of skipping the waitlist, which could make a difference if you are eager to begin matching.
3 Popular Apps for Single Professionals With No Waitlist
I don’t know about you, but it kind of turns me off when I want to join an app, and its answer is, “Maybe.” I prefer apps that have high-quality memberships because of their reputations, not a manufactured elitism in the signup process. Here are three apps I prefer to use over The League or Luxy:
Match
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: “Match pairs a large dating pool with search filters specific enough to make that size useful rather than overwhelming.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Match is one of the oldest dating sites in the game and is known for helping serious daters find a committed relationship. Users can upload up to 26 photos and are asked questions about their lifestyle, interests, and goals.
Match doesn’t have a waitlist, and it doesn’t put a price tag on chats. Free members can chat with any of their mutual matches. And the upgraded features start at a significantly lower price point (between $7-20) too.
Match is a site for high-effort online daters, and its personality matching has been working well for going on 30 years now.
eharmony
- Relationships: Casual Dates, Deep Relationships
- Match System: Personality test suggests matches
- Our Experts Say: “eharmony helps relationship-minded singles meet compatible people who share their values and long-term outlook.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
eharmony is a serious dating site known for helping single professionals over 30. It’s been around since 2000 and has earned a lot of trust as a successful matchmaker for more than just hookups.
Perhaps eharmony’s most well-known feature is its lengthy compatibility quiz during profile setup. The algorithm uses the quiz results to match you with other users based on your predicted compatibility.
You can’t view photos or send messages without a paid membership on eharmony, so like The League, it is an investment of time and money. Although it’s not exclusive like The League, it certainly has a self-selective dating pool of serious daters and users looking for marriage.
Hinge
- Relationships: Chatting, Friends, Dates, Relationships
- Match System: Swipe on profiles and chat with matches
- Our Experts Say: “Hinge is a serious dating app with swipe-based browsing and free messaging with mutual matches. The profiles require six photos and three prompt responses, and users can add voice notes, polls, friend testimonials, and videos if they wish. The ability to customize your profile and see people’s relationship intent upfront help serious daters find one another more quickly in the swipe lists.” Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Famously “designed to be deleted,” Hinge is a great option for those looking for, or at least open to, a serious relationship. Its profile includes more prompt options than The League, and you’re allowed to start swiping as soon as you add six photos and three prompts.
With a younger user base, a large active user base, and a high usability with a free membership, Hinge is a great alternative to The League with minimal barriers to entry.
Who The League Helps & Who Should Skip It
I’d recommend The League to high-earning, career-oriented people whose top priority in a relationship is someone with similar ambition.
The League favors people who have climbed the ranks in their career and don’t have the time or inclination to play the swiping game!
With its small, curated user base, The League is most worthwhile if you live in a big city like New York or San Francisco.
For casual daters, people living in small cities, and people in entry-level jobs, I’d recommend other dating sites without an application process.
FAQs: What Can I Do If The League Rejects or Waitlists Me?
The League rejects and waitlists more users than it accepts. However, if you get rejected or you’re stuck in the waitlist limbo, I recommend you keep working on your profile. Make sure your photos are good quality and that you have the full six pics uploaded; answer all prompts, and link your LinkedIn for verification.
If you deem it worthy, you can pay for League Unlimited or Omni League to skip the waitlist and get your profile priority reviewed, although this still doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get accepted. So, personally, I wouldn’t go that route when so many other apps out there are free to join.
Is The League Worth Paying For?
Perhaps paid memberships fall comfortably within your budget. Perhaps you’re used to paying extra for better service. The extra daily prospects and priority application review could speed along your dating process. However, if you’re not in a rush to find your partner, I recommend sticking with a free membership for the first few weeks.
Is The League Better Than Luxy?
Personally, I prefer The League to Luxy, but which one you use depends on your values. While The League’s branding focuses on career, education, and ambition, Luxy is upfront in marketing toward extremely wealthy people.
The League Helps a Slim Minority of Singles
If you are a highly successful professional in a major city hub — and you make it past The League’s competitive application process — the app could save you time and help you find other highly successful matches.
While a small number of single elite professionals benefit from The League, there are plenty of other apps for the rest of us to enjoy!
