Comparison · 14 material differences
Soho House vs The Union League of Philadelphia
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026 Private club
Dr. Mirko Junge · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0Soho House
People working in the creative industries, described by the club as "a home for the world's creatives to come together"; the application asks for occupation and interests rather…
Private club
The Union League of Philadelphia
The League describes its members as leaders in business, education, technology, healthcare, law, government, religion, art and culture.
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining: Soho House: Applicants under 27 qualify for Under 27 pricing; The Union League of Philadelphia: No published maximum age at joining.
- Gender: Soho House: No published gender; The Union League of Philadelphia: Open to men and women.
- Geographic restriction: Soho House: Local House membership is tied to the House nearest the member's home; Cities Without Houses is for applicants based where the group has no House; The Union League of Philadelphia: No published geographic restriction.
- Annual dues: Soho House: $6,000 a year; The Union League of Philadelphia: Not publicly disclosed.
Side by side
| Soho House | The Union League of Philadelphia | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 1995 (Founded by restaurateur Nick Jones above his Cafe Boheme restaurant on Greek Street in London's Soho, per Wikipedia's account of the club. The corporate parent is incorporated in Delaware; operational headquarters and the original House are in London.) | 1862 (Founded in 1862 as a patriotic society supporting the Union and the policies of President Abraham Lincoln; Wikipedia dates the founding to 22 November 1862. Motto: Amor Patriae Ducit.) |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Philadelphia, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Houses across the United Kingdom, continental Europe, the Middle East, North and South America and Asia; the club states Every House members reach 48 Houses in 19 countries | League House at 140 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, plus club-owned properties in Philadelphia, Gladwyne and Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, Stone Harbor, New Jersey, and Swainton, New Jersey |
| Members | 269,606as of September 2025 | 4,000as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 48 | No chapters; the League owns several properties operated as one membership |
| Primary audience | People working in the creative industries, described by the club as "a home for the world's creatives to come together"; the application asks for occupation and interests rather than income or job title | The League describes its members as leaders in business, education, technology, healthcare, law, government, religion, art and culture. |
| Typical member | Members are drawn largely from film, television, music, art, design, fashion, media and adjacent creative businesses. The club publishes no income, net-worth or seniority test, and Wikipedia records that the club has publicly emphasised creativity over net worth and job title. | Members are drawn from Philadelphia-area business and professional life. The League says it is home to over 4,000 men and women; it does not publish an age, wealth or seniority profile. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Applicants under 27 qualify for Under 27 pricingThe club states the discount runs "until your 30th birthday", so the age test applies at joining rather than throughout membership. There is no published upper age limit on membership itself.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published maximum age at joining |
| Gender | No published gender | Open to men and womenThe League describes itself as home to over 4,000 men and women; the first female member, Mary Roebling, was admitted in 1983 and Joan Carter became the first female president in 2010verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | Local House membership is tied to the House nearest the member's home; Cities Without Houses is for applicants based where the group has no HouseEvery House membership carries no geographic restriction.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published geographic restriction |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | Not documented | Yes |
| Application process | Applicants complete an online form on the club's application portal, which the club says takes around 15 minutes and requires a recent profile photograph, credit or debit card details and information about the applicant's interests and occupation. The portal also offers a pricing calculator before submission. Soho House does not publish the criteria used to assess applications, nor whether proposers or seconders are required. | A candidate first identifies a proposer who has known them for at least a year, then attends a monthly Prospective Member Reception and submits a formal proposal. Six sponsors who know the candidate personally are required. Once added to the monthly Posting List the candidate attends civic events run by Founding Forward, interviews with the Admissions Committee, and is then elected and inducted at a dinner. |
| Selectivity | Not disclosed as a rate. Soho House told members in December 2023 that it would stop accepting new members for New York, Los Angeles and London from 2024 after complaints about crowding; CNN reported the club then had about 185,000 members and 98,000 people on its waitlist. | Not publicly disclosed. The League publishes the steps but no acceptance rate, waiting time or rejection figures. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $6,000 a yearEvery House membership, New York or Los Angeles home House, standard (non-Under-27) rate. The club's own pricing calculator returns "Quarterly cost $1,500.00 / Annual cost $6,000.00".verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | $1,000 one-time"One-off House Introduction Fee $1,000.00" for Every House and Local House membership at New York and Los Angeles. The club states it "will be converted to Members credit and can be used on food, drinks and bedrooms across the Houses".verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Rolling membership billed quarterly or annually, plus a one-off House Introduction Fee | Not documented |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Houses are open daily; the club advertises more than 2,400 member events and experiences a month | Clubhouse open daily; monthly Prospective Member Receptions; year-round member, civic and Founding Forward programming |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | Could not be independently verified | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Clubhouse premises, Chapter-based, Event-focused | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | Yes | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | Yes | No |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Partial | Yes |
| Leadership development | No | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Family programming | Not documented | Yes |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Not documented | Not documented |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Yes |
| Networking emphasis | Medium | High |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Soho House · The Union League of Philadelphia