Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony: which should you pick?
Pick BharatMatrimony for a Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Malayalam search; pick Shaadi.com everywhere else and for NRIs. BharatMatrimony's regional portals hold the most southern profiles, it has retail centres parents can walk into, and its six-point Trust Badges are the most detailed verification of the three. Shaadi.com has the bigger pan-India pool. Prices are close: Gold is about Rs 4,900 on BharatMatrimony's website and Rs 4,650 on Shaadi.com's, more in both apps. Google Play rates Shaadi.com 4.4 against 4.0.
| Side by side | Shaadi.com | BharatMatrimony |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | People Interactive, Mumbai. Private company; WestBridge Capital holds about 44%. | Matrimony.com, Chennai. Listed on NSE and BSE. |
| Claimed size | 35 million+ members, 8 million+ marriages claimed (App Store listing, Sep 2026) | 0.96 million paid subscriptions in FY26 (company results); '6 million+ active' in marketing |
| What free members get | Profile, search, daily matches and 'express interest' are free; phone numbers and chat need a plan | Profile, search and 'express interest' are free; messaging, phone numbers and video calls need a plan |
| Paid plans | Gold about Rs 4,650 (web) to Rs 5,200 (app) for 3 months; Diamond 6 months about Rs 6,950; VIP Shaadi Rs 65,000 for 3 months | Gold about Rs 4,900 (web) to Rs 5,900 (app) for 3 months; Platinum 3 months Rs 9,900 in-app; Assisted Service Rs 21,000 to 30,000 per quarter |
| Verification | Phone OTP; optional government ID via partners; selfie checks; inactive unverified profiles deleted after 30 days | Six-point Trust Badges (mobile, ID, education and salary proof, selfie, location, social); documents hidden from members |
| Google Play (India) | 4.4 / 5 (478k ratings) | 4.0 / 5 (193k ratings) |
| Trustpilot | 1.2 / 5 (421 reviews) | 1.4 / 5 (56 reviews) |
| Best for | Families who want the widest pan-India and NRI pool and are willing to pay for a 3-month contact plan. | Families searching within a South Indian or regional-language community, especially Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. |
| Biggest complaint | Free members cannot read or reply to messages, so many matches go silent | Free members cannot contact anyone; one side must pay to chat |
What does the entry plan cost?
Shaadi.com: Gold about Rs 4,650 (web) to Rs 5,200 (app) for 3 months; Diamond 6 months about Rs 6,950; VIP Shaadi Rs 65,000 for 3 months.
BharatMatrimony: Gold about Rs 4,900 (web) to Rs 5,900 (app) for 3 months; Platinum 3 months Rs 9,900 in-app; Assisted Service Rs 21,000 to 30,000 per quarter.
The same plan usually costs more inside the app than on the website; the full ladder and the five things to check before paying are on free vs paid.
What do paying members complain about?
Shaadi.com (Google Play 4.4, Trustpilot 1.2):
- Free members cannot read or reply to messages, so many matches go silent
- Many reviewers say interest requests dry up right after paying
BharatMatrimony (Google Play 4.0, Trustpilot 1.4):
- Free members cannot contact anyone; one side must pay to chat
- Many reviewers say profiles that showed interest vanish after payment
The pattern behind these, site by site, is on ratings and complaints.
Pick Shaadi.com if
- Families who want the widest pan-India and NRI pool and are willing to pay for a 3-month contact plan.
Skip Shaadi.com if: you expect a free contact channel or want to avoid sales follow-up calls.
Pick BharatMatrimony if
- Families searching within a South Indian or regional-language community, especially Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Skip BharatMatrimony if: you want caste-specific pools (use CommunityMatrimony) or dislike upsell calls.
Both are one of the four separate databases; neither covers the other's pool. Full profiles: Shaadi.com, BharatMatrimony. The three-way table is on the main page.
Frequently asked questions
Is BharatMatrimony better than Shaadi.com?
In the south, usually yes: BharatMatrimony's regional portals (TamilMatrimony, TeluguMatrimony, KeralaMatrimony, KannadaMatrimony) hold the most profiles there, it has retail centres that parents can walk into, and its six-point Trust Badges are the most detailed verification of the three. Everywhere else Shaadi.com has the bigger pool. Prices are close: Gold is about Rs 4,900 on BharatMatrimony's website and Rs 4,650 on Shaadi.com's, and more in both apps. Google Play rates Shaadi.com higher, 4.4 against 4.0; Trustpilot rates both under 1.5.
Which is cheaper, Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony?
Shaadi.com: Gold about Rs 4,650 (web) to Rs 5,200 (app) for 3 months; Diamond 6 months about Rs 6,950; VIP Shaadi Rs 65,000 for 3 months. BharatMatrimony: Gold about Rs 4,900 (web) to Rs 5,900 (app) for 3 months; Platinum 3 months Rs 9,900 in-app; Assisted Service Rs 21,000 to 30,000 per quarter. The same plan usually costs more inside the app than on the website.
Which has more profiles, Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony?
Shaadi.com: 35 million+ members, 8 million+ marriages claimed (App Store listing, Sep 2026). BharatMatrimony: 0.96 million paid subscriptions in FY26 (company results); '6 million+ active' in marketing. Google Play rating counts, a rough proxy for active Indian users: Shaadi.com about 478k, BharatMatrimony about 193k.
Which is better for NRIs, Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony?
Both list families outside India among the people they serve. Shaadi.com is best for families who want the widest pan-India and NRI pool and are willing to pay for a 3-month contact plan. BharatMatrimony is best for families searching within a South Indian or regional-language community, especially Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
Can you chat free on Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony?
Shaadi.com: Profile, search, daily matches and 'express interest' are free; phone numbers and chat need a plan. BharatMatrimony: Profile, search and 'express interest' are free; messaging, phone numbers and video calls need a plan.
Which verifies profiles more thoroughly, Shaadi.com or BharatMatrimony?
Shaadi.com: Phone OTP; optional government ID via partners; selfie checks; inactive unverified profiles deleted after 30 days. BharatMatrimony: Six-point Trust Badges (mobile, ID, education and salary proof, selfie, location, social); documents hidden from members.
Part of SendRishta's field guide to matrimony sites in India. Prices, ratings and counts were recorded on 11 Sep 2026; method, sources and corrections are on the main page.