Dating on the apps can sometimes feel like playing roulette. You’re swiping on profiles, crossing your fingers, and waiting for your number to come up. It’s a game of chance that can leave singles feeling frustrated and confused.
Working with a matchmaker can tilt the odds in your favor. The pros at matchmaking firms have worked with singles, listened to their dreams and gripes, and created a plan of action to get better results. Their compatibility insights can streamline the path to love.
A good matchmaker doesn’t just set up dates but offers feedback and guidance that can help a single person grow into a worthy partner.
But not all matchmakers are created equal. We’ve conducted hundreds of interviews with matchmakers at firms big and small, so we know how to spot the good ones. Read on to learn about the best matchmakers our experts trust.
Best Overall
Our favorite matchmakers have proven track records, excellent bespoke services, and many testimonials from happy couples. It’s hard to go wrong with these expert matchmakers.
Three Day Rule employs a team of seasoned dating experts to guide single professionals to a love match. The process begins with an in-depth screening and personalized dating coaching to ensure client readiness. A dedicated matchmaker will work closely with you and recommend matches based on your individual must-haves and dealbreakers. Three Day Rule is focused on long-term compatibility, so its team of 50 matchmakers dive deep to find the best fit.
- Active in 15 major cities
- 92% client satisfaction rating
- Concierge date planning
- Browse Three Day Rule profiles 100% free »
Three Day Rule excels at creating a curated dating experience. The matchmaking team boasts a 92% client satisfaction score and a database of over 250,000 singles.
The matchmakers are there to ensure the dating process goes smoothly. And that goes beyond simply setting up compatible dates.
Pros
- Handpicked matches
- Styling help and photo shoots
- High compatibility standards
Cons
- Not good for casual dating
- Must be willing to travel if you don’t live in TDR’s 15 cities
At Three Day Rule, clients are paired with a dating coach who offers style advice, communication tips, and confidence work to make sure singles are ready for that first date with a perfect match. The emotional work is just as important to them as the arranging of dates.
“Three Day Rule helps clients recognize that healthy attraction often feels comfortable, consistent, and easy rather than intense or chaotic,” Adam Cohen-Aslatei, Three Day Rule CEO, told our team. “Matchmakers guide clients to look for signals like emotional availability, reliability, shared values, and how they feel after spending time together — not just the initial spark.”
2. Tawkify
Tawkify is an esteemed matchmaking company that takes the stress out of dating. The matchmakers handle the hard work of vetting dates and identifying compatibility, so clients can enjoy the fun part of dating people who meet their standards. Single professionals can rely on their matchmaker to provide tailored advice, hands-on coaching, and insightful matches. The Tawkify team is dedicated to finding that perfect match and ensuring the client is ready for love.
- Consistent constructive feedback
- Over 200,000 success stories
- Singles events invites
- Browse Tawkify profiles 100% free »
High-end matchmaking can be prohibitively expensive for many singles. That’s why Tawkify has made efforts to have lower price points while maintaining the same personalized service.
You work directly with a matchmaker who handpicks your matches from a national database, but you don’t take on an exorbitant financial burden.
Pros
- Matchmakers handle all date planning logistics
- Criminal background checks
- Clients go on one date per month
Cons
- Photos are not shared before the date
- Not good for rural areas
When we spoke to Michele Presley, vice president of sales and marketing for Tawkify, she told us, “We do think this is a revolutionary, new, and better way to date. Before we came along, people only had two options: do all the work online or hire a matchmaker for tens of thousands of dollars. We’re a middle ground for regular, successful single people.”
Sifting through dating apps can become a full-time job. The Tawkify team takes that on for their clients, doing all the work of curating a high-quality dating experience and even planning the first date, so all a client has to do is show up.
3. Matchmaker Maria
Technology can be a great asset in matchmaking, but not every part of the process has to be impersonal computing. There’s wisdom in the old-school methods of matchmaking that Matchmaker Maria knows extremely well.
Pros
- Clearly outlined dating blueprint
- Decades of experience and insight
Cons
- Her dating feedback can be blunt
- Expensive rates
- Clients are mostly men
Maria is a fourth-generation matchmaker and an expert in the craft. She works as a matchmaker and dating coach for modern, high-achieving women and men. She’s successfully matched over 5,000 couples in her 20 years of matchmaking experience.
And if you want to benefit from Maria’s matchmaking wisdom, you don’t need to wait until you’re signed as a client. Her book and podcast, Ask a Matchmaker, distill her expertise about dating, relationships, and love into advice that is incisive and impactful.
4. Lisa Clampitt Matchmaking
The team at Lisa Clampitt Matchmaking doesn’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to finding love. At every stage of the matchmaking process, they pride themselves on an individual, curated approach to connecting their clients with dates who share the same values and long-term goals.
Pros
- Emphasis on psychology and human intuition
- Large network of 10,000 singles
- 95% success rate
Cons
- Expensive pricing tiers
- Only available in New York City
“Matchmaking is a highly personalized, high-touch process built on understanding chemistry, values, and long-term compatibility, not just what appears in an online search,” Lisa Clampitt told us in a recent interview. For Lisa and her team, finding love through an algorithm will never match up with what a specialized matchmaking team can offer.
Lisa Clampitt Matchmaking has spent the last 27 years inspiring love stories. And Lisa has drawn from her networking skills to create The Global Love Institute, the world’s only matchmaking school offering certifications.
5. It’s Just Lunch
Clients who work with It’s Just Lunch are guaranteed to go on a date. Probably during lunchtime. This matchmaking service puts in the extra effort to set up the mechanics of your date: The time, location, and reservation are all arranged by the team. Your only responsibility is to be on time.
Pros
- More affordably priced
- Date planning includes reservations
- Personalized feedback
Cons
- Complaints about incompatible dates
- No criminal background checks
“We do all the work from the client interview to matching, scheduling, and arranging the date. It’s always best to leave dating to the professionals at IJL,” Julie Yarworth, IJL’s Vice President of Matchmaking, told our team. “We take all the work and stress out of dating for our clients, all they have to do is show up and have fun!”
It’s Just Lunch boasts having arranged over 2 million first dates (you read that right) over the last 35 years, making them among the most successful matchmakers in the world.
Jewish Matchmakers
Some singles have particular priorities – like finding partners of the same religion or ethnicity – when they approach matchmaking. Jewish matchmaking is a longstanding tradition going back to Biblical times, and it’s still going strong in the Jewish community.
These top Jewish matchmakers have our hearts for Jewish singles looking to connect within their faith.
6. Aleeza Ben Shalom
Aleeza Ben Shalom is the face and the gold standard of Jewish matchmaking at the moment. After starring in Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking, Aleeza refamiliarized viewers to the concept of matchmaking and showed how it can be an empowering process for love-driven singles.

Aleeza and her team of matchmakers help Jewish singles find their person. And while her global network certainly helps the chances of success, it’s her deep knowledge of the nuances of the Jewish people and their desires in relationships – like their levels of religiosity and adherence to Jewish practices – that makes her so adept at pairing singles who are truly compatible.
In addition to Jewish Matchmaking, Aleeza offers plenty of resources and guidance for singles – Jewish or not – looking to find the right relationships that will lead to marriage. Her book, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, presents singles with the tools they need to get honest about who they are, what they’re looking for, and how to get there.
7. Saw You At Sinai
Saw You At Sinai is a Jewish matchmaking company with an impressive track record of 5,260 engagements. The organization includes 300 global matchmakers who really know their stuff.
In addition to one-to-one matches, Saw You At Sinai organizes Jewish singles events in the U.S., Canada, Israel, and other countries. Perhaps most unique event is their Shabbat dinners where a matchmaker sits alongside six to eight singles for a night of in-person connection through faith and tradition.
These matchmakers are hands-on. They encourage clients to give them updates about how they’re feeling about their matches, even long after the first date and into the relationship.
7. Fass Pass to Love
Since 2013, Jessica Fass has helped Jewish singles find love through her dating coaching and matchmaking service. Fass Pass to Love is a global matchmaking organization that offers a variety of services, including VIP matchmaking and online dating assistance.

The first 10-minute consultation is free and helps Jessica determine how she can best help Jewish singles improve their dating outcomes and reach their goals.
“You’re often helping clients navigate vulnerability, build confidence, heal from past relationships, and make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. It’s an incredible responsibility, but also one of the most meaningful careers I can imagine,” she told us in an interview.
Singles can join the Fass Pass to Love database for free, or they can hire the bespoke matchmaking service to do everything from photo shoots to date planning to post-date feedback.
Jessica also hosts Jewish singles events in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Tel Aviv, working in partnership with Jewish organizations.
LGBTQ+ Matchmakers
Some matchmakers only take on men seeking women or vice versa because they simply don’t have the network to support LGBTQ+ matches. That’s why gay and lesbian matchmakers have arisen to specialize in helping this underserved community.
These LGBTQ+ matchmakers are the best in the business, and they’re worthy of entrusting with your dating life.
9. H4M
Led by Tammy Shaklee, H4M is one of the top names in LGBTQ+ matchmaking. Tammy believes there’s someone for everyone, and her decades of experience working with LGBTQ+ clients has made her a top authority on LGBTQ+ dating and relationships.
She started H4M in 2012 in Austin, Texas, and she grew her business into a national matchmaking firm.

“When I realized I could serve an underserved population of LGBTQ singles, I leaned in with objectivity, diplomacy, and compassion,” Tammy told us. “I wanted gay and lesbian singles to feel heard, understood, and the true desire from a team of straight allies who help them find love.”
Tammy understands that her clients have a diverse array of experiences when it comes to dating and their sexualities, and she’s determined to meet them where they’re at. Some of her clients have been out their whole adult lives, while others are newly out when working with Tammy. Either way, Tammy knows how to offer a supportive presence and work through next steps.
10. Little Gay Book
Since 2009, Dr. Frankie Bashan’s team at Little Gay Book has made over 100,000 introductions between LGBTQ+ individuals. Dr. Frankie understands the unique difficulties that queer people face in dating for long-term relationships, and she uses her experience to help her clients find real connections.
Little Gay Book also organizes LGBTQ+ singles events in cities across the country. “It’s growing like wildfire,” Frankie told DatingAdvice.com about the events. “We’ve designed a scalable system so now there’s infinite opportunities, and we don’t have to turn people away.”
11. Best Man Matchmaking
Many gay men looking for relationships find themselves facing a problem: The most popular gay dating apps are all about hookups. Best Man Matchmaking seeks to solve that by setting up gay men who are interested in love and marriage.
Founded by Anthony Canapi in 2022, this gay-run team focuses on matching men who truly want long-term love and connection. It’s free to join the “gay-tabase,” and VIP matchmaking service includes guaranteed dates and invites to social events.
Best Man Matchmaking is unique in how the team handles the emotional and social aspects of dating as a gay man. Gay dating coaching is a big part of their work with singles.
In a testimonial, a 28-year-old actor wrote: “Super comfortable being and talking with you. Just speaking with and opening up to you about it helped! Thank you, Anthony, for being so open and talking about everything. I’m very lucky I ran into you.”
International Matchmakers
Some single professionals are open to dating in other cities or even other countries because they travel often for work or because they have the flexibility and resources to move for the right person. That’s where international matchmakers come in.
These overseas matchmakers help individuals expand their dating pool and meet high-quality people they might never have encountered otherwise.
12. Kelleher International
For 40 years, Kelleher International has remained one of the top matchmakers for high-achieving singles looking for love that transcends borders. The company has locations in 20 major cities, including London, San Francisco, New York City, Toronto, and Miami.

Once you become a Kelleher member, the team searches their elite network for the perfect date that meets, or even exceeds your standards. The goal, according to the website, is to “reignite the joy and anticipation of meeting someone truly special.”
For those who need some guidance in their dating journey, Kelleher International offers dating coaching and strategy work. The “More Than a Match” program means learning new tools to navigate the early days of a new love connection.
13. Drawing Down the Moon
London is a notoriously difficult dating market, but the team at Drawing Down the Moon is combating that, one introduction at a time. Drawing Down the Moon is the clear choice for singles seeking a U.K. matchmaker.
Since 1984, Drawing Down the Moon’s London-based matchmaking team has brought together singles throughout the United Kingdom. They help between 800 to 1,000 singles at a time. It’s a huge undertaking for this plucky team.

Drawing Down the Moon’s team is skilled at finding excellent matches, and they boast a 100% success rate for the clients they work closely with. The team is dedicated, compassionate, and deeply knowledgeable about the challenges of modern dating.
“We tend to hire kind people who are engaged in the larger world and want to change people’s lives,” Gillian McCallum, Drawing Down the Moon CEO, told our team. “We hire people who really care about clients and want to make a difference.”
14. Maclynn International
Maclynn International has offered top-tier matchmaking services since 2011, and it expanded to include international offerings in 2013. Maclynn offers an array of services that range from public membership (the ability to get paired with members) to private membership (guaranteed matches) to VIP membership (bespoke help).
“The only thing all our clients have in common is that they are extraordinary in some way. They are international, sophisticated, ambitious, and dynamic.” -Gina Yannotta, COO
Gina Yannotta, Maclynn International Chief Operating Officer, told us, “We bring our clients three unique elements: the science of psychology, an exclusive international network of exceptional singles, and a matchmaking experience delivered by a team of authentic, sincere experts who apply positive psychology and passion to our work.”
If you aren’t putting your best self out there, you won’t get as much out of going on dates – even when meeting excellent people – so it’s worth doing that self-work. The team offers practical help via dating coaching, relationship counseling, and dating boot camps.
15. Cinqe
Cinqe is a luxury matchmaking firm that doesn’t take on just anybody as a client. From years working with elite clients, they understand the importance of discretion, efficiency, and human-led connections. When you work with Cinqe, you can expect personalized help.
“If we accept someone as a client, there is nothing that we won’t do for them,” Erica Arrechea, Cinqe founder, told our team. “We want to work hard for them and make sure they are getting quality matches that they otherwise never would have met.”
Since its founding in 2010, Cinqe has made over 1,000 introductions between clients spread out from Chicago to Sydney. They have clients in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. What’s even more amazing is the team is only composed of eight matchmakers.
FAQs: How Does Modern Matchmaking Work?
Modern matchmaking shares a lot in common with online dating…except that instead of an algorithm you’re talking to an actual person every step of the way.
It starts with a one-on-one interview with a matchmaker. Singles talk about who they are and what they want in a partner. Usually they dive a bit deeper and are a bit more honest than they’d be in a dating profile.
The best matchmakers are personable, discreet, and know how to ask the right questions. If they determine that their services are a good fit, they’ll offer a quote, a contract, and a plan for dating success.

Then they start matchmaking. Some rely solely on their database of singles, while others go recruiting in real life and on social media. All date prospects are vetted, sometimes even with a criminal background check, and personal compatibility is at the forefront of the search criteria.
If two singles are found to have enough in common to merit a first date, the matchmakers will present the potential match to both of them for their approval. Importantly, modern singles always have a choice on whether they want to go out with someone (though they may not see a photo or get more than a basic description).
Some matchmakers count this offering as a successful match, while others go the extra step of planning the date or setting up an event where clients can meet. Extra services the firm might offer include:
- Professional photo shoots
- Style tips
- Dating coaching
- Wingman outings
- Online dating help
- Event invites
Another big differentiating factor of matchmaking is the personalized support that goes into it. Matchmakers often offer their advice, sometimes even wardrobe tips and wingman services, to help singles show up as their best selves.
A healthy feedback process is part of the matchmaking process, and that insight can be invaluable to a single person because it tells them what they’re doing right and wrong starting with the first impression.
Now, matchmakers are more about quality than quantity. So clients likely won’t be going on a date a week like they could on the popular apps. The pace is more like one date a month. Some matchmakers have quotas they are obligated to fill, while others simply promise to provide matches as they find them.
Is Matchmaking Expensive?
Yes. Matchmaking is a luxury, bespoke service. Working directly with a matchmaker is usually in the range of $5,000 to $100,000. Sometimes more if the matchmaker works exclusively with millionaires.
Some matchmakers, like Tawkify, offer lower price points (usually around $1,000-$3,000) that fit into the budgets of middle-class America.

We’ve also heard reports of a “rude tax” or even a “bald tax” where matchmakers decide after meeting a client to up their usual price for their services. Try to look your best and be on your best behavior when having that intro session with a matchmaker because that pro is assessing you just as much as you’re assessing them.
Now, if you want to go a cheaper route, many matchmakers have databases that you can join for free by filling out basic profile information. No intro meeting required. You’re not guaranteed to get any dates that way – you’re just marking yourself as available in case you match with one of their paying clients.
What Type of People Use Matchmakers?
Matchmaking appeals to singles in the upper class. Busy, wealthy professionals value their time and are used to hiring pros to handle different aspects of their life. They have budgets that allow for the thousands of dollars (sometimes over $10,000) that matchmakers can charge. And they truly want a love match.
You might think that matchmaking clients are all older, but actually matchmakers have reported a 400% surge Gen Z clients who are fed up with dating app burnout and want an alternative way to make real connections.
“Matchmakers guide clients to look for signals like emotional availability, reliability, shared values, and how they feel after spending time together.” -Three Day Rule CEO Adam Cohen-Aslatei
Of course, some actors, models, CEOs, and millionaires turn to matchmakers because they are too famous to go on the typical dating app. They value their privacy and want a discreet way to meet high-value individuals.
But make no mistake: People working with matchmakers are motivated to find love. They understand that marriage is a big commitment, and they want to meet people who can be the other half of their power couple.
What Is the Success Rate of Matchmaking?
Matchmaking companies define success differently. Some consider making a match to be a success, no matter if it results in a relationship or not. Others value the satisfaction rate of clients. Three Day Rule has a 92% client satisfaction score, which certainly suggests successful experiences for clients.
Many matchmakers guarantee that you’ll go on at least one date. So setting you up once could count as a success to them.
Often the success that clients most care about, of course, are the actually happy couples and marriages that result from the service. Look for a testimonials page for those stories. Some matchmakers post engagement announcements without putting numbers on it.
Matchmaking Companies Offer a Helping Hand
Let’s face it: Dating is a big gamble. There’s just as much luck as skill involved, and some singles simply don’t have the time or opportunity to meet the type of person who’d be most compatible with them.
Working with a matchmaking company can help you meet wonderful singles you never would have known otherwise. It’s also a time-saving solution that takes the busy work of finding online dating matches off your plate.
If you’re struggling to find love, matchmaking is a wonderful tool to add to your toolkit.