How to get on Raya, and the celebrities you may bump into: Joe Jonas and Channing Tatum were spotted, and Amy Schumer, Simone Biles and Lily Allen met their husbands on the exclusive dating app

Apr 1 , 2024

Channing Tatum, Trevor Noah and Joe Jonas have all reportedly used the Raya dating app. What other celebrities have dallied with the “illuminati Tinder”, and how can you get involved? Photo: Getty; TNS; sophiexjoe/Instagram

Also known as ‘Tinder for celebrities’ or ‘the Soho House of dating apps’, Raya has been matching famous people and creatives with each other since 2015 – so how do you get on it in 2024?

If you’re one of the lucky ones to be approved by the secret group of 500 who review applications, you could bump into celebs like Joe Jonas, Trevor Noah and Liza Koshy

Bumble is one thing, but if you’re a celeb trying to find The One, putting yourself out there can be a risky strategy. Enter the Raya dating app, which has been dubbed “Illuminati Tinder” and the “Soho House of dating apps” for its exclusivity and high bar to entry.

Amy Schumer and her husband Ben Hanisch, who reportedly met on Raya. Photo: @lifeandstyleweekly/Instagram

“The majority of people on Raya are definitely tens,” said one user talking to Entertainment Tonight on condition of exclusivity, adding that “waiting to be accepted to Raya is like waiting outside in a line at a club”. So how does a normal person get on to Raya, and just who might you get the chance to match with? Here’s everything you need to know …

What is Raya?

Daniel Gendelman, who founded the app in 2015. Photo: @danielgendelman/Instagram

The origins of the app were shrouded in mystery until its founder Daniel Gendelman emerged from the shadows to give an interview to The New York Times in 2018, three years after its founding. He said he had realised celebrities didn’t use dating apps out of embarrassment and that those in creative industries preferred to meet others in similar fields, so he decided to create an app that would “solve a big problem for a small amount of people”. He named it Raya – Hebrew for “friend” – assembled a small team, and the app quickly took off.

How does Raya work?

Not everyone gets to see the insider workings of Raya. Photo: Apple App Store/Raya

In keeping with its exclusivity – or snobbishness, depending on your point of view – the app is only available on Apple IOS (Android users need not apply). Users sign up by inputting basic information about themselves (name, profession, Instagram handle) and then are told to share the details of friends who are already on Raya that will act as referees.

According to Gendelman, the screening process is left to a secret group of “500 trusted members who vote on every application”. No wonder it’s difficult to be accepted!

How much does Raya cost?

If you’re one of the lucky ones accepted to the platform, subscriptions start at US$9 per month for an annual subscription or US$19.99 per month if you want to pay as you go, according to the Dating By Blane website.