Master Matchmakers Review: Cost, Process & Honest Verdict

JoAnn Ward founded Master Matchmakers in Philadelphia more than 25 years ago. She is now semi-retired, and her son Steve Ward owns and runs the company as CEO from Palm Beach, Florida.

The pair hosted and executive produced VH1's Tough Love from 2009 to 2013, coaching singles through a matchmaking boot camp. They also co-wrote Crash Course in Love, published by Simon & Schuster.

Master Matchmakers is licensed in Palm Beach County and works with clients in all 50 states, with matchmakers serving metros including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC. Read more about the founders in our profiles of JoAnn Ward and Steve Ward.

You buy a set number of guaranteed matches. Your matchmaker searches the company's network, recruits new candidates when needed, and presents people who are already interested in meeting you.

1. Book a free consultation. Fill out the Get Started form, and a matchmaker calls to discuss your criteria, deal-breakers, pricing options and an estimated timeline.

2. Review and sign your agreement. It sets your price, your number of guaranteed matches and your terms. You pay online once you decide to move forward.

3. Complete verification. Master Matchmakers checks your government ID and age, confirms your photos, runs a public-record criminal background check and conducts an in-depth interview.

4. Review presentations. Your matchmaker pitches you to promising candidates, then presents those who are interested, with verified photos and a detailed profile.

5. Talk by phone, then meet. When you both say yes, phone numbers are exchanged so you can talk before your first date.

6. Share feedback. After each date, the team gathers feedback from both sides to refine your next introductions. Coaching runs alongside the search if your package includes it.

Presentation vs. match: A presentation is a verified candidate who is interested in meeting you. A match is when you both say yes and exchange phone numbers. Your guaranteed number counts matches, not presentations.

Premium matchmaking costs $3,500 to $35,000, according to Master Matchmakers' pricing page. Your fee reflects the scope of your search: how open or strict your criteria are, how marketable you are to the people you want to meet, how many matches you want, how much coaching and recruiting you need, and your local market.

At $3,500, expect very open criteria, a small number of presentations and matches, and no personal coaching. At $35,000, expect strict criteria, many presentations and matches, and full personal coaching. Master Matchmakers doesn't publish fixed packages, so your exact quote comes after the free consultation.

The Private Registry is a separate $450 one-time membership. It places you in Master Matchmakers' vetted database, where you may be contacted if a premium client's criteria fit your profile. It includes no active search, no personalized matchmaking and no guaranteed introductions, and the company states registry fees are non-refundable.

Master Matchmakers cost at a glance

At $3,500 to start, Master Matchmakers is one of the more accessible national services for a package with guaranteed matches. It's also one of the lower entry points among executive matchmakers.

Here's how its pricing compares with other national matchmakers in 2026.

Three Day Rule

Founded by Talia Goldstein and based in Los Angeles, Three Day Rule serves select major US cities. Packages start at $6,300 for at least 3 matches over 3 months, and $9,500 covers at least 6 matches over 6 months. Read our Three Day Rule review, or see VIDA Select vs Three Day Rule.

Tawkify

Tawkify is a national service with packages from about $4,900 to $70,000+, depending on how many matches you want and whether your search covers multiple locations. Read our Tawkify reviews, or see VIDA Select vs Tawkify.

LUMA Luxury Matchmaking

Founded by April Davis in 2010 as Cupid's Cronies, LUMA is headquartered near Minneapolis. Packages range from $20,000 to over $250,000 based on your criteria, contract length and number of matches. Read our LUMA review.

Enamour

Enamour searches an invite-only database first, then recruits outside it with scouts and recruiting technology. Packages start around $20,000 for a 6-month contract.

For a wider view of the market, see How Much Does a Matchmaker Cost?

Both services verify matches and share photos before you meet. The biggest differences are how you pay, how quickly introductions arrive and how much control you have over each one.

This dating service has an A+ BBB rating, and it's listed as an accredited business. They have over 40 reviews, mostly positive, resulting in a 4.76 out 5 star rating.

Positive reviews tend to mention two strengths: the quality of the personal coaching and how well-matched clients felt to the profiles their matchmaker presented. Several reviewers say they felt heard during intake and describe the match reasoning as thoughtful rather than algorithmic.

Critical reviews cluster around the pace of introductions. Because you buy a set number of matches with no fixed timeline, wait times depend on how specific your criteria are and who is available. Recruiting is now included in every package, but it's still worth asking for an estimated timeline during your consultation.

Master Matchmakers offers one of the more accessible entry points among national matchmakers, and its founders bring more than 25 years of experience plus real media credibility. For the right client, it's a solid option.

Master Matchmakers is a strong fit if you

• Have fairly open criteria. That's where the $3,500 end of the range applies.

• Want coaching alongside introductions. Personal coaching comes with higher-tier packages.

• Prefer one package fee over a monthly membership. You know your total cost before the search begins.

• Are flexible on timing. You pay for a number of matches, not a search window.

Look elsewhere if you

• Have very specific criteria on a moderate budget. Strict criteria push pricing toward $35,000.

• Want steady, predictable introductions. With no fixed timeline, gaps between matches depend on who is available.

• Prefer to pay month to month. Master Matchmakers sells packages rather than memberships.

How VIDA Select compares

VIDA Select is a modern matchmaking service for accomplished professionals. A dedicated matchmaker sources and screens every candidate, drawing on VIDA's member database and proactive scouting, and you approve each introduction before meeting. Month-to-month memberships are available with no long-term contract, and you can pause or stop anytime.

VIDA's consultation is free and confidential, so you can compare both approaches before you decide.

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