Random Things That You Need To Know About Raya (11 items)

• 

  (#1) John Mayer Is Just One Notable User

  The exclusivity and privacy-oriented nature of Raya was deliberately designed to appeal to celebrities, who make up a significant portion of the user-base. Members can expect to find people like John Mayer, Chelsea Handler, and Diplo while swiping through its roster of stars. The app is absolutely full of models, pro athletes, actors, Internet celebrities, fashion designers, and basically anyone with a recognizable face – hence its nickname, "Illuminati Tinder."
• 

  (#2) It's The Fight Club Of Dating Apps

  Raya is one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood, but not for a lack of trying. The people in charge have made it very clear that privacy and secrecy are some of the most important aspects of the product, and there are penalties for those who try to expose those secrets. 

  Screenshotting is expressly forbidden and could lead to having your membership revoked. Taking a screenshot will prompt a message that warns the user that they are risking their membership if they post the image online. Even still, multiple high-profile celebrities have had their accounts posted online by leakers. Kelly Osbourne was one of the first people to be outed, and that leak very likely introduced the world to Raya.
• 

  (#3) An Anonymous Committee Decides Who's Allowed To Join

  Raya prides itself on exclusivity, and it's easy to understand why. Celebrities don't want to be members of a dating service where they can be harassed by uber-fans desperate for an autograph.

  There is an extensive application process for all potential members, and they apparently reject a lot of people. According to the official Raya website, an anonymous committee of hundreds of people weighs in on every application. Then, some sort of algorithm decides who is allowed in and who is shown the door. Of course, it helps if you're referred by an existing member, too.
• 

  (#4) You Better Have A Few Thousand Instagram Followers If You Want To Join

  Part of Raya's application process is an in-depth evaluation of the prospective member's Instagram page. Every member has at least a few thousand followers, but quantity is not the only factor used to determine membership. Raya's administrators also take into account how many existing Raya users follow the person's Instagram page, probably as a way to keep the user-base as exclusive as possible. Those who pass the Instagram test are one step closer to membership.
• 

  (#5) Only People With Awesome Or Creative Jobs Are Approved

  While Raya is known for its celebrity users, there are a lot of non-celebs with amazing jobs on the app as well. What you do is one of the most critical elements when it comes to being accepted by the committee. Having a creative career is a big plus, but other desirable job titles include NASA scientist and cancer researcher. Raya seems to favor innovators from all walks of life, not just the rich and famous.
• 

  (#6) There Is A Subscription Fee

  Raya charges its users a fee, but it's not as expensive as you might think: it costs $7.99 a month. That's less than a Netflix subscription, and chances are you'll see just as many celebrities on Raya as you would on the world's largest streaming platform.

  The competitive pricing is most likely to keep the app accessible to creative professionals and other interesting characters who might not be as loaded as the famous actors and musicians that also populate the app.
• 

  (#7) Matches Aren't Restricted By Location

  One thing differentiates Raya from Tinder is the lack of location restrictions. Tinder only allows you to view people in a certain radius, but Raya is globally minded. You could even match with someone on another continent – though that's not exactly convenient for a date.
• 

  (#8) Profiles Include Slideshows Set To Music

  One feature that makes Raya stand out is the layout of the profiles. Instead of swiping through someone's photos, profiles consist of moving slideshows set to a song of the user's choice. There is also a link to the user's Instagram page, which helps prove the identity of the member. Raya doesn't want anyone to get catfished on their platform, especially since at least one member, Nev Schulman, is actually known for the movie and show Catfish.
• 

  (#9) It's Not Just A Dating App

  While Raya is definitely a place to attempt a hookup with a rock star or model, it's also a place where industry professionals make business connections. As a networking tool, Raya gives you access to an extensive community of creatives that are looking to collaborate.

  Of course, that has downsides. A writer for Vogue said, "Raya is the only app on which a match has asked me to tweet a link to their Kickstarter."
• 

  (#10) It Was Founded By Jesse Johnson

  Jesse Johnson comes from a famous family. His father is Don Johnson, and his mother is actress/model Patti D'Arbanville. His half-sister is famous, too: Dakota Johnson, star of Fifty Shades of Grey, and the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. Jesse is an actor himself, though he doesn't have many major credits to his name. Maybe that's why he got into the app game.

  Johnson founded Raya with a few others, but his sister seems skeptical of it. During a 2016 press tour, Dakota said, "I have no idea how it works and I refuse to be a part of it!"
• 

  (#11) It's One Of Many Exclusive Apps

  Like it or not, Tinder revolutionized the world of online dating. Now Raya is hoping to take it to the next level, but they have to contend with some serious competitors. Tinder launched their "Select" feature in the early months of 2017, with the goal of creating a more exclusive experience. Users must be invited to join Tinder Select, and no one is really sure how the app decides whom to invite.

  There are plenty of other dating apps that pride themselves on their selectivity. The League is a business-oriented app that brags about having 100,000 people on their waitlist to join. Luxy is another app that caters to the rich; they claim that over 50% of their users make more than $500,000 dollars a year.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking