When you’re working on your relationship, counseling is a great start – but what happens between sessions is just as important. That’s where apps come in. They provide tools to help you practice communication, manage conflicts, and build habits that align with therapy goals. Here’s a quick look at some of the best options:
- Lasting: Offers research-based exercises and workshops to improve communication, intimacy, and conflict resolution (subscription required).
- Gottman Card Decks: Free app with conversation prompts based on decades of research to strengthen emotional connection.
- Love Nudge: Based on the 5 Love Languages, this app helps you act on your partner’s emotional needs (free with optional premium features).
- Agapé: Encourages daily emotional connection through shared questions (freemium model).
- Deeper Talks: Gamifies tough conversations with prompts on finances, intimacy, and future planning (subscription).
- Paired: Daily quizzes and exercises for communication and intimacy (freemium).
- Between: A private space for couples to share messages, photos, and calendars (freemium).
- Happy Couple: Quiz-based app to spark meaningful conversations and improve understanding (freemium).
- PIQLE: Interactive quizzes to assess relationship dynamics and encourage communication (freemium).
These apps are great for building connection and practicing skills between counseling sessions. However, they’re not a replacement for professional therapy. If your relationship needs deeper support, consider structured programs like Growth and Change Counseling’s 12-week Marriage Rescue Institute. Combining professional guidance with app-based tools can help you make lasting progress.
4 Couples Apps Your Relationship NEEDS for 2026
1. Lasting: Marriage Counseling
Lasting promotes itself as the leading marriage counseling app, offering therapy techniques rooted in research directly to your phone. It’s been spotlighted on Good Morning America and NBC [1], showcasing its science-based approach to improving relationships. The app is designed to complement professional counseling, giving couples structured tools to practice essential skills between sessions.
Core Focus: Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Intimacy
The app places a strong emphasis on improving communication and resolving conflicts. It begins with a brief evaluation, followed by targeted exercises aimed at addressing common relationship challenges like trust, emotional connection, sexual intimacy, and financial disagreements. These activities are designed to help couples organize their thoughts before diving into tough conversations. Additionally, live workshops provide practical strategies for better communication and conflict management.
Pricing: Free Access and Subscription Options
Lasting operates on a subscription-based model, offering limited free content. A paid subscription unlocks the app’s full library of resources. For the latest pricing details in USD, visit your app store or Lasting’s official website. Its evidence-driven approach pairs well with its practical, easy-to-use design.
Backed by Research
The app’s exercises are not just feel-good tasks – they’re grounded in proven methods aimed at fostering lasting improvements in relationships.
A Perfect Fit for Telehealth Counseling
With quick, self-guided sessions that require only a few minutes a day, Lasting works seamlessly with telehealth counseling. Whether you’re using it to complete homework between virtual therapy sessions or to stay engaged through live workshops, the app offers a flexible way to support couples on their journey to growth.
2. Gottman Card Decks
The Gottman Card Decks app brings over 50 years of relationship research straight to your smartphone. Created by The Gottman Institute – founded by psychologists John and Julie Gottman – the app transforms proven therapy techniques into easy-to-use prompts for couples to try between counseling sessions.
Core Focus: Communication and Emotional Intimacy
The app features themed decks like Love Maps, Expressing Needs, and Fondness & Admiration. These decks guide couples through meaningful conversations, encourage shared appreciation, and help build a stronger understanding of each other. For those focusing on conflict resolution, decks such as Expressing Needs and Fondness & Admiration teach partners how to communicate their needs constructively, avoiding common pitfalls like criticism, defensiveness, or contempt.
Free and Easy to Access
One of the best parts? The app is completely free to download and use. With its core decks available at no cost, it’s a practical tool for therapists to recommend without adding any financial burden. It’s an excellent way to complement professional counseling while keeping things accessible for everyone.
Backed by Research
The app is built on the foundation of the Gottman Method, which is supported by decades of research involving thousands of couples[1]. Every prompt is designed to strengthen essential relationship skills – whether it’s fostering fondness, responding to your partner’s bids for connection, or navigating conflict in a constructive way. This evidence-based structure makes it a natural fit for telehealth practices.
A Perfect Fit for Telehealth Counseling
With its research-driven prompts, the app doubles as a mobile tool that integrates seamlessly with telehealth counseling. Therapists can guide couples to work through specific decks during video sessions or assign them as homework to discuss later. For programs like The Marriage Rescue Institute’s 12-week intensive format, the app provides daily practice opportunities, helping couples reinforce their progress in between sessions.
3. Love Nudge
Love Nudge takes the guesswork out of meeting your partner’s emotional needs by turning the principles of Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages into actionable steps. This app helps couples bridge the gap between abstract ideas like "quality time" or "words of affirmation" and real-life, trackable behaviors. By focusing on emotional connection and intimacy, Love Nudge encourages users to discover their partner’s primary love language through a quick quiz and then offers daily reminders to act on those preferences. It’s all about translating love into meaningful, everyday actions.
Core Focus: Communication and Intimacy
Let’s say your partner’s love language is acts of service. The app might suggest simple but thoughtful actions, like brewing their morning coffee or taking care of a household chore without being asked. These small, intentional gestures can go a long way in reducing misunderstandings and making your partner feel appreciated. While Love Nudge isn’t designed to resolve conflicts on its own, it complements therapy by promoting positive interactions that support emotional growth and connection.
Pricing Model: Free Core Features
Love Nudge is available for free on both iOS and Android, offering essential tools like the love language quiz, goal-setting features, and daily reminders. For those who want more, premium features – priced at about $4.99 per month or $49.99 annually – include advanced tracking and personalized scheduling options. However, many couples find the free version perfectly adequate for maintaining consistent and meaningful relationship habits.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Love Nudge also aligns well with telehealth counseling. Couples engaged in virtual therapy sessions, including intensive 12-week programs, can use the app as a form of daily homework. Therapists might assign specific love language tasks during sessions, and couples can track their progress using the app’s dashboard. Since it only takes a few minutes a day, it’s easy to incorporate into even the busiest of schedules, making it a practical tool to complement therapy.
4. Agapé: Feel Close When Apart
Agapé is designed for busy couples, offering a simple way to stay emotionally connected. The app encourages a quick, one-minute daily interaction: each partner answers a single, thought-provoking question independently. Once both have responded, their answers are revealed, creating a sense of anticipation and fostering connection. This straightforward approach is especially helpful for couples who are often apart or have hectic schedules.
Core Focus: Communication and Intimacy
Agapé prioritizes strengthening communication and intimacy by encouraging partners to focus on the positive aspects of their relationship. Each daily question serves as a gentle nudge to reflect on their bond. According to a survey conducted by the app’s creators, 97% of users noted that answering just one question a day had a positive impact on their relationships[1]. While the app doesn’t specifically tackle conflict resolution, its consistent, low-pressure prompts can complement professional counseling by helping couples maintain a foundation of emotional connection.
Pricing Model: Free vs. Subscription
Pricing details for Agapé aren’t prominently displayed, so it’s best to check the App Store or Google Play Store for the most up-to-date information.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Agapé fits seamlessly into telehealth counseling routines by offering quick, daily exercises that build relationships without adding stress to busy schedules. Its asynchronous format allows couples to engage at their convenience, making it an excellent tool for maintaining connection between virtual therapy sessions. Therapists can even use the app as a resource, suggesting it as daily homework to spark meaningful discussions. With availability on both iOS and Android, Agapé ensures accessibility for users across California and beyond.
5. Deeper Talks: Relationships
Deeper Talks takes the stress out of tough conversations by turning them into a game. With prompts, challenges, and practical advice, this app gives couples a way to approach tricky subjects – like finances, intimacy, or future plans – without triggering defensiveness. By adding a playful, interactive element to conflict resolution, it helps partners communicate more effectively.
Core Focus: Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Intimacy
This app goes beyond simple Q&A formats by tackling a wide range of relationship topics, from emotional connection and intimacy to lifestyle choices and financial planning[1]. By framing these heavy subjects as challenges, it encourages structured discussions instead of falling into the same old argument patterns. Whether it’s sharing household duties or discussing long-term goals, Deeper Talks provides a space for couples to practice their communication skills on both everyday matters and deeper, more personal issues – all within one platform.
Pricing Model: Free vs. Subscription
You can find detailed pricing information on the App Store or Google Play Store.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Deeper Talks integrates seamlessly with telehealth counseling. Its design allows couples to work through challenges and prompts at their own pace between therapy sessions. These activities can then serve as a starting point for deeper discussions during their next appointment. For therapy programs focused on building skills, the app’s structured exercises – covering topics like money, lifestyle, and future planning – make for excellent homework. By keeping partners engaged in meaningful conversations, it helps bridge the gap between sessions, ensuring progress even outside of formal counseling.
sbb-itb-596b85d
6. Paired
Paired brings relationship care into your daily routine with quick, engaging prompts and quizzes sent directly to your phone. Couples connect their accounts, answer questions individually, and then compare their responses to spark meaningful conversations. Topics range from intimacy and communication to finances and conflict, making it easy to address important issues. With check-ins that take just 1–2 minutes, even the busiest couples can stay connected without carving out large blocks of time for discussions.
Core Focus: Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Intimacy
Paired helps couples navigate key areas like communication, conflict resolution, and intimacy by offering a low-pressure way to share thoughts and feelings. It encourages partners to express gratitude, discuss sensitive topics, and explore their relationship dynamics through thematic quizzes. For instance, quizzes on attachment styles or conflict patterns provide actionable insights that couples can bring into therapy sessions, making it easier to practice and refine communication skills at home.
Pricing Model: Free Versus Subscription
The app uses a freemium model, offering a free version with limited features and a subscription plan for full access. The subscription unlocks a broader library of prompts, multi-part courses, and in-depth quizzes, with pricing available on a monthly or annual basis in U.S. dollars. The free tier is perfect for testing the waters, while the subscription version can serve as a valuable tool for therapists, who might assign specific modules as homework between sessions. This flexible pricing structure makes Paired accessible for both casual users and those looking for more structured support.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Paired fits seamlessly into telehealth counseling by simplifying daily check-ins and homework assignments between virtual sessions. Therapists can ask couples to respond to daily questions or complete topic-specific quizzes aligned with treatment goals. For example, in a structured 12-week program like Growth and Change Counseling’s Marriage Rescue Institute, therapists might use Paired to reinforce key themes: communication in Week 2, conflict resolution in Week 4, and intimacy in Week 7. Its mobile-friendly and asynchronous format makes it an ideal companion for remote therapy, helping couples stay engaged and on track between appointments.
7. Between: Couple Relationship
Between offers a private digital space designed exclusively for two people, acting as a dedicated hub for couples to connect without outside distractions. It allows partners to share photos, exchange heartfelt messages, mark important dates on a shared calendar, and create a memory album together. This focused setup emphasizes communication centered on the relationship, free from the noise of group chats, work emails, or social media. For couples engaged in counseling, Between can complement therapy by encouraging consistent and meaningful interactions, fostering intentional connection every day.
Core Focus: Communication and Daily Connection
The app is built to nurture emotional closeness through small but consistent interactions. Users can send quick notes, share stickers, upload photos, and set reminders for significant dates. Therapists often recommend using its private chat feature to practice techniques like "I-statements" or to exchange simple messages of appreciation. The shared calendar plays a key role in safeguarding time for essential activities, whether it’s scheduling a telehealth appointment or planning a serious discussion. Additionally, the memory album provides a way to revisit joyful moments, helping couples balance tough times with positive shared experiences. These tools work together to encourage daily bonding and intentional support.
Pricing Model: Free Versus Subscription
Between operates on a freemium model. Its basic features – private messaging, a shared calendar, and standard photo sharing – are available for free, making it easy for couples to explore the app. For those seeking more, the premium subscription (priced at around $4.99/month or $29.99/year) unlocks additional perks like an ad-free experience, increased cloud storage, extra sticker packs, and more customization options. This flexible pricing allows couples to choose the level of functionality that best supports their relationship or counseling goals.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Between integrates well with telehealth counseling by providing a structured platform for activities between therapy sessions. It supports counseling goals by offering tools that encourage accountability and connection. For instance, therapists might suggest logging telehealth appointments in the shared calendar, using the chat for reflective writing exercises, or setting reminders for weekly discussions based on session topics. In programs like Growth and Change Counseling’s Marriage Rescue Institute, couples could use Between to schedule connection rituals, track commitments from therapy, or send affirmations that reinforce new communication habits. Its mobile-friendly format makes it especially helpful for partners managing busy schedules or living apart, ensuring continuity and progress in their relationship work.
8. Happy Couple
Happy Couple makes relationship-building fun and engaging with its quiz-based format. The app provides quick prompts that both partners answer separately before comparing their responses. These quizzes cover topics like love languages, date preferences, intimacy, and conflict resolution styles. For example, a question like "How do you prefer to resolve arguments?" can open the door to meaningful conversations. By keeping things light and playful, the app helps couples explore each other’s perspectives without the pressure of formal therapy sessions. It’s a simple way to spark deeper communication and connection.
Core Focus: Communication and Intimacy
Happy Couple is all about improving communication and building intimacy through daily interactions. Each quiz takes just a minute or two, allowing partners to answer independently and then compare their results. This process helps uncover preferences and feelings that might otherwise go unnoticed, paving the way for better understanding and fewer misunderstandings. While the app doesn’t directly tackle conflict resolution, it fosters empathy and mutual respect, which are key to healthier interactions.
Pricing Model: Free Versus Subscription
The app operates on a freemium model. Couples can access a limited number of daily quizzes for free, while a premium subscription – around $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year – offers unlimited quizzes, additional features, and an ad-free experience. This setup lets users try the app risk-free before deciding if they want to invest in the full range of features, making it adaptable to different budgets and relationship goals.
Compatibility with Telehealth Counseling Goals
Happy Couple complements telehealth counseling by acting as a practical tool for daily relationship work. It aligns well with structured, tech-assisted approaches, serving as a bridge between therapy sessions. Therapists can recommend the app as “homework,” encouraging couples to practice communication skills through its low-pressure quizzes. Partners can then bring their quiz results to counseling sessions, offering insights into their communication patterns or areas of misalignment. For couples following a structured program, Happy Couple reinforces new habits with easy daily exercises, keeping the momentum going between appointments.
9. PIQLE: Relationship Quiz
PIQLE offers a simple yet effective way for couples to explore their relationship through interactive quizzes. These quizzes help partners evaluate their compatibility and pinpoint areas that may need improvement. Covering topics like love languages, conflict resolution styles, intimacy, and trust, the app provides personalized reports that couples can review together. For example, a "Relationship Health Quiz" might score various aspects of your partnership, showing where you’re thriving and where there’s room to grow. These tools make it easier to track progress and open up meaningful conversations – without the awkwardness that can sometimes come with addressing sensitive topics.
Core Focus: Communication and Relationship Insights
The app emphasizes communication and self-awareness by encouraging couples to answer questions individually before comparing their results. This process helps uncover differences in how each partner views the relationship, allowing them to address potential misunderstandings early on. While PIQLE isn’t a substitute for professional counseling, it’s a great way to build awareness around patterns – like how partners manage conflict or express affection. The quizzes are grounded in psychology and offer practical insights into the dynamics of a relationship.
Pricing Model: Free and Paid Options
PIQLE likely uses a freemium model, where basic quizzes are free, but advanced features – such as in-depth reports or unlimited quiz access – are available through a subscription. Pricing is expected to be around $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. This setup allows couples to try the app without a financial commitment, while those looking for more detailed tools can opt for the premium version. It’s a flexible option, especially for couples on a budget.
A Perfect Fit for Telehealth Counseling
With its interactive and accessible features, PIQLE complements telehealth counseling beautifully. The app’s quizzes can serve as homework between virtual therapy sessions, giving couples a chance to reflect independently and bring their insights to the table. For instance, a therapist might assign a conflict resolution quiz ahead of a session, using the results to guide the discussion and target specific issues. This flexibility is ideal for busy couples who need tools that adapt to their schedules and enhance their counseling experience – even when both partners can’t participate at the same time.
App Comparison Table
Comparison of 9 Best Relationship Counseling Apps: Features, Pricing and Research Support
Each app takes its own approach to enhance your counseling journey, whether through research-backed exercises or daily connection prompts. To help you find the best fit for your needs, here’s a quick breakdown of their standout features.
Both Lasting and Gottman Card Decks shine for their solid research foundations. Lasting incorporates evidence-based activities and has been spotlighted on Good Morning America and NBC, while Gottman Card Decks builds on over 50 years of marital research from the Gottman Institute. Meanwhile, Agapé boasts impressive user feedback, with 97% of users reporting positive outcomes [1].
| App | Main Features | Pricing (US) | Research Support | Telehealth Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasting | Guided activities, relationship assessments, live workshops | Subscription (check app store) | Evidence-based; featured on Good Morning America and NBC | Short, guided sessions that integrate with virtual counseling |
| Gottman Card Decks | Conversation starters, intimacy building, conflict resolution | Freemium with in-app purchases | Based on 50+ years of Gottman Institute research | Structured exercises for between-session use |
| Love Nudge | Love language quizzes, daily nudges, reminders for acts of service | Starts at $6.99/month | Built around the 5 Love Languages framework | Daily nudges for ongoing relationship care |
| Agapé | One daily question with simultaneous response reveal | Freemium | 97% of users report positive effects [1] | Perfect for busy or long-distance couples in counseling |
| Deeper Talks | Questions on intimacy, finances, lifestyle; gamified conversations | Subscription | Covers diverse relationship topics | Game-like format to simplify tough discussions |
| Paired | Daily quizzes on sex, money, conflict, and communication | Subscription (check app store) | N/A | Encourages deeper conversations between therapy sessions |
| Between | Private messaging, shared calendars, photo albums, date planners | Freemium | N/A | Enhances communication and organization during counseling |
| Happy Couple | Daily quizzes on love languages, compatibility, and fun scenarios | Subscription | N/A | Sparks discussions and insights for therapy |
| PIQLE | Quizzes on compatibility, conflict styles, intimacy, and trust | ~$4.99/month or $49.99/year | Psychology-based quizzes | Serves as reflective homework between virtual sessions |
These apps are designed to complement virtual counseling by offering tools that help you stay engaged and work toward your therapy goals between appointments.
Conclusion
While these apps offer practical tools for daily communication and connection, they are no substitute for professional counseling. Apps like Lasting and Gottman Card Decks provide research-based exercises that can help couples strengthen their bond, but they fall short when it comes to addressing the deeper, more complex issues that trained therapists are equipped to handle.
These tools are great for practicing skills and sparking important conversations between sessions, but they can’t resolve critical challenges like recurring conflicts, breaches of trust, or emotional disconnection. These deeper issues require professional intervention tailored to uncover and address root causes.
When daily exercises aren’t enough, programs like the Marriage Rescue Institute step in to provide the intensive support needed for struggling couples. Offered by Growth and Change Counseling, this 12-week program is designed to rebuild marriages in crisis by focusing on the underlying issues rather than just surface-level symptoms. It’s an approach that apps simply can’t replicate.
"We understand that our mental health conditions are related to the breakdown in our relationships and that we can’t simply make depression, anxiety, or other problems go away by simply treating the symptoms. We have to get down to the roots of the problems in order to help people effectively heal." – Jamula Taylor, LMFT, Growth and Change Counseling
Whether you’re using apps for daily practice or seeking comprehensive support through programs like the Marriage Rescue Institute (available in Campbell, San Jose, Los Angeles, Roseville, and via telehealth throughout California), the key is blending self-guided tools with expert clinical care. This combination offers the best chance for creating meaningful, lasting change in your relationship.
FAQs
How can relationship apps enhance couples counseling?
Relationship apps can complement couples counseling by providing practical tools to improve communication, navigate conflicts, and strengthen your bond outside of therapy sessions. They offer a convenient way to apply what you’ve learned during counseling, helping to maintain momentum and encourage ongoing growth in your relationship.
Are there any free apps that can help couples strengthen their relationship?
Yes, plenty of free apps are out there to help couples strengthen their relationship. These apps typically include tools to enhance communication, resolve conflicts, and deepen emotional bonds. While the basic versions are free, some apps might offer optional paid features for additional resources and support.
If you’re facing difficulties in your relationship, professional counseling can be an excellent option. Growth and Change Counseling offers specialized couples counseling through their Marriage Rescue Institute program, which focuses on helping couples reconnect and rebuild their relationship.
What is the best app for couples with busy schedules or long-distance relationships?
For couples managing hectic schedules or dealing with the challenges of long-distance relationships, apps aimed at strengthening connection and communication can be incredibly useful. Popular choices like Between and Couple come packed with features such as private messaging, shared calendars, and a dedicated space to save cherished memories. These tools help couples maintain emotional closeness, no matter the hurdles of time or distance.
Related Blog Posts
- Q&A: Managing Anger and Communication in Marriage
- Ultimate Guide to Resilient Marriages
- Couples Therapy for Trauma Recovery
- Top Strategies for Couples in Recovery
