- Tinder Select is a $499 monthly subscription which lets users message without matching.
- The company has been sending out invitations for the exclusive service.
- However, while the website explains five simple criteria, applications are currently closed.
Tinder has been expanding access to Select, its premier $499-a-month subscription service which first launched in September.
For the same price, you could buy a PlayStation 5, a return flight between New York and London, or one month's rent for some apartments in Indianapolis.
Although if you've got the taste for dating apps and money to spare, maybe Tinder Select could help you save on rent by coupling up.
The main feature of the hefty pricetag — nearly $6,000 a year — is the ability to send two direct messages a week to people you haven't matched with.
It's a controversial addition to an app which has previously required two users to agree before a direct message can be sent.
Select also unblurs your profile in other users' "Likes You" tab, even if they aren't paying for the premium subscription usually necessary for that.
And it bumps the visibility of your profile, so it's seen by the app's "most sought after profiles."
But as a "VIP Experience," spots are limited to less than 1% of Tinder users.
According to the app's website, there are five criteria you need to apply for Select, and they're all pretty simple.
Users must be photo verified, indicate a relationship goal, and have a profile with four pictures, five interests, and a bio at least 15 characters long.
Tinder's website says if this "5-Point Select Screen" is met, then you can apply for the elite subscription at tinder.com/SELECT.
However, that site currently says it isn't accepting applications, and to "continue to check this page for updates."
According to CNN, Tinder has been giving out invitations for Select, but it's unclear how users are selected for these invites.
It's also unclear whether everyone who applies when applications open will be accepted. Tinder's website says "some accounts may be immediately granted access" while others will undergo a "full account review" to ensure they comply with the terms of service.
A Tinder spokesperson told Business Insider, "Members are also evaluated on past behavior within the app."
So if you haven't received one of the elusive invitations that have been sent out over the past few months, it looks like you'll have to keep checking the website until applications open — and even then it's not obvious if you'll be accepted.
In the meantime, you could spend that $499 on a different service like a dating coach or matchmaker.
Or if you'd rather stick to the apps, Hinge has a premium $50 monthly subscription which boosts users visibility without having to wait for an invitation.
