I got divorced at age 44, and for about a year afterward, dating wasn’t even on my radar. But when I was ready to dip my toe back into the dating scene again, my friends talked me into trying a dating app.

I was afraid I’d land on a hamster wheel of dates without finding a real spark, but two weeks later I got lucky and met a wonderful guy. That was over fourteen years ago and we now have a happy, blended family.

I’ve heard friends call online dating a part-time job on top of their real job, their kids, and everything else life throws at them. They spend hours swiping, reading between the lines of profiles to find a decent match, messaging, weeding out the creepy ones, going on dates, and then starting over again a couple dozen times. No wonder dating app fatigue is so common.

That’s what got me curious about Tawkify, a matchmaking service that does the swiping for you, and why I wanted to dig into it and review it for Love You Tomorrow readers. 

Could handing all that work over to a real matchmaker make finding love easier?

What is Tawkify?

Tawkify is a professional matchmaking service rather than a dating app, so users say goodbye to the hours of scrolling, reading profiles and arranging dates. It was created for singles looking for meaningful, long-term relationships. With more than 3 million users, it’s the largest matchmaking network in the United States, with a strong presence in major metropolitan areas. 

Everyone in Tawkify’s matchmaking pool goes through both a video screening and a criminal background check. From there, clients are matched by a concierge-style team that includes a matchmaker, a client experience specialist, and a certified relationship coach, with support before, after, and even during a date.

Profiles stay private, contact information stays confidential, and dates are blind until the first meeting, whether in person or by video. That way, the two people get to know each other through shared interests, personality, and who they are, instead of judging each other by a photo right off the bat.
As a woman, I find these details very comforting when it comes to dating safely.

How Does Tawkify Work?

I can talk a bit more personally here, as I had a consultation with a Tawkify matchmaker as part of my research for this review. I felt confident that Anna got to know me well, asking about relationship history, values, beliefs, and what I would want in a partner. 
There are two ways to join Tawkify: as a client or as a member.

Clients

Clients buy a matchmaking package based on their goals, and dates are guaranteed. The cost depends on how long you want the package to last and how many dates you want to go on. Clients get personalized support from a matchmaking team that searches for, screens, and sets up introductions for them. They also get access to online tools, private events, and certified coaching.

Members

Members join Tawkify’s singles network, usually for an annual fee (listed at $99 on the brand’s site), and Tawkify sometimes offers it free through partner promotions. Members aren’t guaranteed dates and don’t get the high-touch services clients receive. Instead, matchmakers may reach out if a member looks like a good fit for one of their paying clients. My understanding is that some singles try this option first to see how Tawkify works before committing to a client package.

Tawkify at a glance

What you’re getting	Tawkify
Search	No scrolling, matchmaker searches for you
Profile browsing	No public client photo & profile browsing
Introductions	Curated matches, chosen for you by your team
Date planning	All handled by matchmaking team with your input about type of date, time, and place
Screening	Video interviews and criminal background checks of all participants
Feedback	Post-date feedback loop to customize future experiences
Cost	Free or low cost as a member. Package cost of $5,000-$70,000 for client-level customized services
Control	Less selective control at first, more team guidance based upon your specific needs & wants
Contract	Conditions & restrictions apply. As with any meaningful, premium investment, pay attention to the fine print before signing

Critiques and Praise About Tawkify

Tawkify has a generally positive reputation online, but there’s valid criticism out there also. I read reviews from various online sources, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB) where it holds an A+ rating, Reddit where you can find both positive and negative comments for anything under the sun, and a published 4.6-star rating from nearly 8,000 reviews on Trustpilot where it holds the title today, as the nations #1 dating service.

What Reviewers Love

Tawkify’s matchmakers get high praise for being friendly, attentive, and professional. Users appreciated letting a professional service do the work of vetting, swiping profiles, and handling every little detail of a first date, so they could just show up and enjoy themselves. Reviewers also talk about matchmaking teams listening carefully to what they want and don’t want.

Common Complaints

On the other side are complaints about match quality and the overall value for the client’s substantial investment. Some clients who paid thousands to meet their match said they were disappointed that their dates were often non-paying members. Why should they spend that kind of money just to be set up with someone who didn’t pay anything at all?

Some reviewers also reported communication problems with their Tawkify team after dates or when questioning a contract policy. BBB complaints mention mismatched dates, miscommunication, and stiff contract policies when clients asked for refunds. Others noted clunky logistics around pausing their account to explore a relationship or take a break, and some questioned whether they agreed with Tawkify on what counts as a successful date.

My Take

With a high-touch, premium service like Tawkify, I’m not surprised to see both highs and lows in users’ emotions, including a feeling of lost investment. Tawkify reports an 80% success rate for matches within the first 12 dates, but my impression is that your experience will depend heavily on the quality of matches in your area and how closely Tawkify meets your expectations. The pace is also reported to be slower than a dating app because of the hand-curated, team-based approach.

What Happens Once you’re Date-Ready?

Once your matchmaking team gets to work, you can expect to hear from them, receive date-readiness coaching, and get ongoing communication.

Your team will hand select matches for clients based upon their criteria and then go ahead and plan the entire date. They report it’s common to have about one first date each month. Your team will work with you to select the type of atmosphere, venue, day, time, and style of the date. The white-glove concierge piece of this is clear: you receive your team’s attention before, during, and after the dating experience. If a match is long distance, Tawkify arranges the logistics for a video first date so you don’t have to travel. After the date, you and your match each complete a post-date survey. You can also pause and unpause your Tawkify profile, according to the details of your contract, to explore a relationship for a while.

How Long Will it Take for me to Find the Love of my Life?

Tawkify states that their service is not a guarantee of chemistry, love, or a lasting relationship. The Tawkify process is clearly one that takes a bit of time and effort for the matchmaking team, and for the client. Many factors go into this because of your needs, family life, geographic location, and career demands. 

With Tawkify’s 80% success rate within 12 dates, on average, I’d estimate that clients should plan to mentally and heartily commit to this process for about a year or so. With about one first date a month, some communication with your team in between, and maybe a couple of well-timed pauses to explore a good match, you’ll give yourself a real shot at finding someone.

Remember you’re paying a premium investment for this process that’s reported to be 6.5% more effective than a dating app, but you’re not buying a guaranteed long term relationship. 

The Monetary Investment, is it Worth it?

Tawkify is a premium matchmaking service, so it’s a big investment for its clients. Current rates will depend greatly on the level of service, number of introductions, as well as your search scope and package features. Customized packages are published on their site, ranging from $4,900-$70,000 depending on a number of factors including length of time, number of matched dates and any long distance logistics one might need. 

If you’ve looked around at matchmaking services lately, like I have been doing for this review, you’ll notice that Tawkify seems to occupy an interesting middle ground. There are high-touch matchmaking services out there that charge much more than Tawkify does. As well as low cost, self-managed dating apps by the dozens. Tawkify might be a comfortable entry-point for some who are ready to go all-in to find Mr. or Ms. Right.

And if you’re still on the fence, you can sign up to join Tawkify’s matchmaking pool for free. It’s an easy way to test the waters, and if you’re a good fit for one of their paying clients, you might just get lucky with a match.

Wrapping it up

A useful question in looking at any matchmaking app over a dating app, is what are you willing to pay to have a dedicated team handle the search for your life partner? Tawkify offers a very different, and very popular, type of dating experience. 

Many customers praise the personal attention, professionalism, feeling of dating safety, and convenience of having a team handle the arduous process of their dating life. At the same time, negative reviews raise legitimate questions about consistent match quality, communication, and policies surrounding client’s understanding of the contract they agreed to. 

There’s no magic shortcut to finding love. We each have to decide whether to put in the time and effort to search for a partner ourselves, or pay a team to help us cut to the chase. I met my own partner on a dating app many years ago, so I can honestly say there’s nothing wrong with either choice. If you’re burned out on dating apps though or they just haven’t worked for you, Tawkify is worth a look. It’s a way to keep putting yourself out there, instead of just waiting for your someone special to come along.

Wishing you love and success finding your special person!