90 Day Fiancé seemingly has no shortage of people wanting to join the TLC franchise. At present, fresh faces are popping up on the flagship series and across the various spinoffs amid the 2025 TV schedule. I'm not sure if it's because they're seeking fame or fortune, though the latter probably shouldn't be expected. That assumption may be surmised due to Stephanie Matto's recent talk about how much she was paid during her time with the franchise.
Stephanie notably made headlines for making a lot of money by selling her farts in jars to fans. She then retired after being hospitalized for that practice. Now, one might have a better understanding of why she launched that enterprise. She shared a video to YouTube after her 90 Day Fiancé NDA expired. In it, she revealed how much she was paid, and I was honestly surprised to hear these numbers:
You do not make a lot of money being on reality television. Actually for me, I think I spent more money when I was on the show in order to be on the show than I actually made. I was making about anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 an episode, and I know that the pay rate does go up for cast members who are repeatedly brought back for future seasons...Pillow Talk, I believe they did $1,500 an episode. So after a whole season of the show, it's maybe like ten to thirteen episodes you're getting paid for, which is not enough money. And sometimes you're filming that show over the course of an entire year. That's $30k for a whole year.
The news is revealing to me, though not entirely shocking. It seems nearly every 90 Day cast member keeps their day job while appearing on the show, with the exception of some of its biggest stars like Angela Deem and Natalie Mordovtseva. I would imagine they're getting paid more than Stephanie made and have used their fame to spin off into different TV specials or opportunities.
Even then, I can't help but think about all the people who watch 90 Day Fiancé on TLC and stream it with a Max subscription and wonder if these cast members are getting a raw deal. Sure, they're gaining fame and an audience they can use to jumpstart their careers as influencers. However, I would love to know how much money cast members on other reality shows are making in comparison.
While the pay isn't great, I can understand why 90 Day Fiancé wouldn't want to keep cast members too flush with cash. It is reality TV after all and, if no one has a day job and they're just getting all the time in the world to work on their relationship, where is the drama? I would also reckon that the prospect of getting paid more is a way to ensure new cast members find ways to keep their stories entertaining. All that said, if I ever get tied up in an international romance, maybe I'll just stick to my day job rather than send an application to the show.
90 Day Fiancé airs on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. As the show continues, I remain curious as to what other details Stephanie Matto might divulge, considering her non-disclosure agreement has expired.
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