What can you expect from Raya if you are admitted? How do you get admitted? Is it worth it? In our review of the Raya app, we did our best to answer those questions. So, read on and find out if this app lives up to its hype

— Pros and Cons —

Pros

• Highly exclusive
• Application process is fast and simple
• If accepted, membership is surprisingly affordable
• Used by real celebrities

Cons

• Few people get accepted
• Requires an Instagram account to apply
• May be seen as elitist by some

— In-Depth Raya App Review —

Let’s face it, there are countless hookup apps to choose from out there. Some are good, others are bad — a great number of them are just plain vanilla. Imagine looking for your next hookup on a platform that real-world celebrities and the social elite go to when they need their dose of fun, company, and romance.

We are talking of course of the Raya app. This exclusive online hookup app has received plenty of press coverage. It has been reported by the entertainment press that Amy Schumer met her now ex-boyfriend, Ben Hanisch, on Raya. Other news reports link plenty of famous professional athletes, singers, actors and other celebrities to Raya.

Not anyone can get in — you have to undergo a review process to see if you measure up to Raya’s standards. Even so, for some people being admitted to such an exclusive hookup app is something to aspire to — like being admitted to a swanky club’s VIP room.

Exclusive dating and hookup apps are not new. The overall concept behind apps such as Raya is that they offer a barrier to entry based on popularity, income or social status. While some may see this as elitist, others will see it as an efficient way to vet possible matches and filter out those who do not clique.

The magic formula behind Raya’s barrier to entry is not revealed to the public. Understandably, it is a closely guarded secret. Suffice it to say that both celebrities, as well as regular folks, have been accepted and denied for membership.

— Applying for Membership —

Your journey for Raya membership starts by downloading the Raya app. It is only available for iOS devices running iOS version 9.0 and higher. A version for Android and desktop platforms is not available. Based on what the developers of Raya have publically stated, there are no immediate plans to bring Raya to other ecosystems beyond iOS anytime soon. In our opinion, this is likely just to add a level of distinction to the app by ensuring that only people with Apple devices can join, thus removing those with Android-based budget smartphones access to Raya.

Once you have installed the app you will be asked to sync your application to your Instagram account. What comes next is surprisingly simple. Honestly, we were expecting some long and drawn out application form requiring us to submit confidential information about ourselves. The reality is that the Raya application only requires you to provide your real first and last name, email address, your date of birth, gender, and place of residence and origin. Before you finish the application you are given the option of submitting the Instagram usernames of current Raya members who referred you to the service. A maximum of three referrers can be included. As it states on that part of the application screen, “this is optional, but strongly recommended.”

Once you submit this information, you will be directed to a simple screen that reads “Thanks for applying. We’ll be in touch soon.” With that, all that is left is for you to wait and to keep your fingers crossed.

— The Review Process —

As we stated earlier, the review process is proprietary and secret. From what we can deduce, new applicants to Raya first go through an algorithmically-based review process. It would seem that this algo places a large level of importance on two factors — if you were referred by an existing Raya member and the caliber and size of your Instagram following.

If you pass muster for the Raya algo, your application is then most likely submitted to a human team of reviewers. They would assess the genuineness of your Instagram profile and evaluate you on personality, style, and presence in order to determine if you are a good fit for the platform.

Again, this is just an educated guess as to how Raya screens new applicants. Raya has never revealed any part of their review process.

— Acceptance —

Unfortunately, even though four of our testers applied for Raya membership, at the time of this writing — four weeks after applying — none have received acceptance notifications.

If you are lucky enough to be approved you should be notified within a week. There are rumors online that Raya has a waiting list reserved for those applicants who may have a large Instagram following but who lack any significant notoriety beyond that. Again, we have no way to confirm this, but if the rumors are correct, this may account for how some applicants get accepted weeks or months after applying.

This likely occurs because Raya may be pulsing out membership acceptance to the less famous. Similar to how bouncers at a nightclub open the velvet ropes and let a handful of “ordinary” people in every hour or so to keep the club steadily full. So, if you don’t receive an acceptance notification early on, hope is not lost.

If and when you finally get a membership, the cost of being a part of Raya is $9.99 per month, $7.99 per month if you pay for a full year in advance. We know, the pricing structure is remarkably “common” for what is otherwise an exclusive app.