This Compatibility Test Will Tell You If You're Compatible With Someone

A compatibility test evaluates whether two people are likely to have an easy, harmonious relationship based on the degree to which their personalities, lifestyles, values, beliefs, and behavioral patterns work well together.

Being compatible means being able to exist harmoniously together with someone or something. In the context of romantic relationships, being compatible with someone means that your various individual qualities work well together such that you're able to date and share life with each other with minimal conflict.  

"Compatibility is a natural, effortless way of relating to another person and feeling a connection," explains licensed couples' therapist Racine Henry, Ph.D., LMFT. "It can also be the ability to work together well and compromise around tough issues."

Two people need not be similar to be compatible. Sometimes two people are compatible because they have differing qualities that complement each other or work together synergistically.

However, not all of these things need to align between two people for them to be compatible. 

"Personally, I don't believe a couple has to agree on anything," says Henry. "I think you have to be able to compromise repeatedly and have a mechanism for solving problems. None of these factors (personality types, family backgrounds, politics, etc.) guarantee compatibility or harmony. These can be starting points for a bond or help establish those initial feelings of interest, but when there's tension or a lack of positivity, being from the same hometown won't matter."

Any issue, disagreement, or area of disconnect can be worked through and managed if both people are committed to putting in the effort.

You can get some insight into whether you're compatible with someone by taking a compatibility test online. Some dating apps focused on serious relationships also offer compatibility scores to help you evaluate potential partners, including eharmony, Match.com, and OKCupid.

However, the best way to know whether you're compatible with someone is simply by spending time with them and getting to know them more deeply.

"You discover compatibility by having a series of conversations and experiencing various environments with a person," says Henry. "Travel together, spend time with their friends or families, pay attention to how they treat others, [and] check in with yourself about how you feel with their decision-making processes and coping methods."

Being compatible with someone means you're likely to be able to date each other with ease, and any number of personal qualities—from how you spend your weekends to how you grew up—can impact romantic compatibility. However, any area that doesn't match up perfectly between two people can still be managed as long as both people have the skills to do so.