Two years in the past, Luke Bailey had what grew to become a controversial app concept — a courting app referred to as Rating for individuals with good to wonderful credit score.
Launched simply days earlier than Valentine’s Day, the app required customers to have a credit score rating of not less than 675 to register. On the time, Bailey mentioned he created the app to encourage companions to speak extra about private finance since doing so is commonly uncomfortable for many individuals.
“Fifty-four p.c of individuals say a associate’s debt is a purpose to think about divorce,” Bailey informed TechCrunch. “Monetary compatibility is quietly one of the essential relationship components, but no courting platform addresses it instantly.”
The app had its fair proportion of critics, and many individuals certainly referred to as it classist due to its give attention to those that deal with cash effectively. Nonetheless, the app, which was alleged to be obtainable for 90 days, grew to become so common that Bailey stored it round for six months. It amassed 50,000 customers and made headlines worldwide for its premise.
Then, it went away, and all went again to regular on the planet of courting. Till Friday.
Bailey informed TechCrunch that he’s determined to formally deliver Rating again — for good, this time.
“We initially launched Rating to combine monetary duty into one thing individuals deeply worth — love,” Bailey mentioned. “After we shut it down, we assumed the dialog would proceed with out us. It didn’t.”
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June 23, 2026
As a substitute, he mentioned individuals stored asking him why he shut it down. “Lecturers have even reached out wanting to check conduct influence,” he continued. “It grew to become clear this wasn’t only a viral second. It tapped into one thing unresolved in relationship tradition.”
This time round, Rating might be obtainable on the iOS App Retailer (final time it was only a cellular app, he mentioned, as a result of he and his workforce constructed it so rapidly). Bailey additionally mentioned this model of the app might be extra inclusive, having taken under consideration the suggestions that it was too unique. “So now, everybody can be part of.”
There might be two tiers: the essential tier, the place no ID or credit score verification is required, and anybody can browse and join. After which the verified tier, the place members should confirm their ID and credit score rating to unlock premium options. The app makes use of Equifax to confirm each identification and credit score scores, with customers giving consent for the app to take action. It does solely what Bailey described as a gentle pull, so there isn’t any influence to credit score.
“We don’t retailer full credit score stories or delicate private and monetary information. We merely obtain affirmation that somebody meets the Verified standards,” he mentioned.
The verified plan consists of options that allow individuals see different members close by, see who has saved their profile, ship video intros to potential matches, and ship messages to customers earlier than they’ve swiped again.
He’s nonetheless bullish on utilizing credit score scores, saying that it’s not a measure of wealth however somewhat one in all consistency. “Banks look for a similar factor in clients that we search for in relationships — consistency and reliability,” he mentioned. “Courting apps measure attrition. We measure attrition plus accountability.”
Bailey mentioned the app doesn’t retailer any delicate information, doesn’t promote private information, and secures every thing utilizing an encrypted infrastructure.
The final iteration of Rating amassed quite a lot of information on its customers, serving to present how every era has been affected by socioeconomic components. For instance, it discovered that millennial males had credit score scores about 11% increased than these of girls. However for Gen Zers, that hole was a lot smaller, with males having a credit score rating solely 3% increased.
“We’ll be watching how that information [has] developed,” he mentioned.
The unique Rating was a U.S.-only experiment, he mentioned, however this time, the corporate plans a world enlargement, beginning with Canada. Preserve an eye fixed out for some partnerships, too, he mentioned.
“Monetary conduct is without doubt one of the strongest predictors of life stability,” Bailey mentioned. “We consider compatibility algorithms ought to replicate that.”
