Luke Bailey, the entrepreneur who created the dating app Score, has some big news. The platform is back for real, serving folks of all levels of credit — but especially those with high credit scores! Score as a U.S.-only test right before Valentine’s Day began. To sign up, potential users have to meet at least a 675 credit score. The app was able to take off like wildfire, with 50,000 users within six months, much sooner than its projected 90-day turnaround.
Bailey imagined Score as a way to initiate discussions about personal finance between prospective partners. He now thinks that financial behavior is among one of the best predictors of overall life stability. Research supports this notion. In fact, 54% of Americans report that they think about a potential partner’s debt when evaluating the long-term prospects of a relationship.
The original version of Score featured two tiers: a basic level that did not require any form of identification or credit verification and a second tier that included verification processes. However, even with the very strict entry requirements, we got feedback that the app felt too exclusive. In response to this criticism, Bailey has promised to address these shortcomings and to ensure the new version of Score is more inclusive.
Similar to its former iteration, Score never kept any sensitive information or sold users’ personal information. The platform leveraged an encrypted infrastructure to store and circulate user data securely. Additionally, it employed only a soft pull on credit reports, ensuring that users would not experience any negative impact on their credit scores by registering.
Looking ahead, Bailey hopes to take Score global, with plans to start in Canada. He explores the seductive power of financial stability in relationships, comparing dating to banking. “Banks look for the same thing in customers that we look for in relationships — consistency and reliability,” Bailey stated.
Score’s distinctive approach is what sets it apart from other conventional dating apps. Too many infrastructure platforms are built solely on increasing engagement and lowering attrition. In comparison, Bailey points out that Score holds both attrition and accountability in balance. This dedication to financial transparency is what truly distinguishes it in an industry frequently plagued by disingenuousness.
“Academics have even reached out wanting to study behavior impact.” – Luke Bailey
The move to bring Score back comes on the heels of a successful trial run. Users who truly want to make deeper connections rooted in fiscal harmony have welcomed it. With ongoing feedback from early users, Bailey aims to refine Score’s offerings to better serve a broader audience while maintaining its core purpose.
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