Do the 'Married at First Sight' Couples Get Paid to Be on the Show?

Over the years, dozens of couples have been matched together on Married at First Sight. The Lifetime reality series offers singletons in a set city the chance to let matchmaking experts take over the reins on their love lives.

Though meeting your spouse for the first time at the wedding altar seems like a recipe for disaster for most, several MAFS alums have stayed together. 

In addition to the prospect of meeting the love of your life, the contestants also get compensated for appearing on the show.

What do the Married at First Sight couples get for appearing on the experimental series? Do they get paid? Keep reading to find out.

While the main incentive to appear on MAFS should be the chance to find love with your perfect match, the contestants do reportedly get paid for their time.

Outlets have differed on reports of the amount that the stars make per episode, but most have agreed that it isn't much. Because the pairs are supposed to continue working their day jobs during filming to give their marriages an authentic shot, they aren't paid enough to allow them to quit work.

An inside source told Women's Health that the cast members receive a stipend that is based on the number of hours that filming lasts each week. 

"They receive a stipend — essentially a per diem since we often film 50 to 60 hours a week with them," the source shared. 

Plus, the producers don't want people to sign up for the show in order to get a paycheck. 

In 2014, after Season 1 finished airing, Executive Producer Chris Coelen spoke with Reality Blurred about what the contestants received monetarily for their time on the show.

He referred to their payment as "a nothing stipend," because "we did not want people who were motivated by the wrong things."

In 2015, Chris confirmed to The Wrap that the stars were getting paid "honestly almost nothing."

However, it is important to note that Season 1 aired on FYI and that the series has grown in popularity in the years since it first premiered. 

According to a 2018 Radar Online report, each Season 1 castmate earned $18,000 for the full season. The Season 3 stars got a salary bump, and they reportedly each earned $25,000.

It's unknown whether this number has increased further in subsequent seasons, although it's somewhat fair to assume that it has (at least, slightly).

Aside from their salaries and the potential love connections, some MAFS stars might be encouraged to sign up because of the fame and exposure that they receive. 

The couples who stay together after filming wraps are often asked to appear on the MAFS spin-off shows. This can lead to further money and more opportunities.

The 12 current couples who have remained married from the franchise are appearing on MAFS: Couples' Cam.

Even those who split up with their spouses have gone on to use their Instagram platforms for advertising opportunities.

Married at First Sight Season 12 airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.