Love and romance are tricky waters to navigate at times. Whether you’re starting a new relationship or trying to keep the spark alive, these romantic apps for couples will help you connect with your partner.
Just to be clear, we aren’t diving into the best dating apps. This article talks to those already with a partner, be it the excitement of someone new or the comfort of stability.
At times when going out for dates is difficult or you want a fresh way to connect with your loved one, these apps and digital guides are the relationship advice you need.
1. Date Night at Home (Web): First Things First’s Free Videos and Guides
Whether you have just started dating or in a long term relationship, First Things First has all types of guides for couples. The Date Night mini-site is all about adding a little romance while staying at home.
The section has something for both virtual date nights or DIY date nights at home. If you find virtual date nights strange, this is the website to start with.
At the moment, they even have guided videos every Friday for virtual dating beginners to learn the ropes and get comfortable with the medium. Their Facebook posts are full of praise, so it’s worth checking out.
For DIY date nights, you’ll find new ideas posted regularly. It ranges from fun and spicy games of truth or dare to “what’s in the bowl” and other things. There’s a brief guide, a downloadable pamphlet for creative games between two people, and a few pointers on how to take it to the next level.
2. Talk2You (Android, iOS): Conversation Starter for Couples
Conversations are the pillars of relationships. Are you trying to get to know someone new better? Or do you want to discover a new layer to someone you think you know inside out? Talk2You is a conversation starter for couples to explore each other.
The app has 360 questions spread over 10 categories like our history, the two of us, everyday life, dreams, intimacy, and more. The idea is that one person chooses the category and question, and asks it aloud to the partner.
One of you can be the questioner and write what you expect the answer to be. After your partner answers it, you can see how much it matched and how well you know each other.
Talk2You has a few instructions before you start. It’s quick to point out not to take the game too seriously. If a question doesn’t apply to you, or either of you find it uncomfortable, move on to the next one. And if something sparks a conversation, keep the app aside and talk. Your phone isn’t going anywhere.
The free Android app gives access to three categories for a total of over 100 questions. You’ll have to pay to unlock the rest.
Download: Talk2You for Android (Free)
Download: Talk2You for iOS ($0.99)
3. Gottman Card Decks (Android, iOS): Research-Back Relationship App
Drs. John and Julie Gottman of The Gottman Institute study relationships and couples. They turned their findings over the years into a fantastic app for partners to get to know each other better and to level-up the relationship.
The Gottman Card Decks are a pack of 14 flashcard decks: love maps, open-ended questions, rituals of connection, opportunity, sex, date, give appreciation, “I feel”, salsa (or sex life), needs, empathy, and listening. The Gottmans note that these decks prove popular and successful in workshops on the art and science of love.
Each deck has its own rules, where it prompts you and your partner to have a conversation about a topic. These aren’t hard and fast rules, and the objective isn’t to “win” at the game. You want to try and understand each other better, open up communication, or discover something new about your partner.
Apart from the Card Decks, check out the affiliated relationship quiz, “How well do you know your partner?” The Gottman Institute also has an active blog with insights about managing relationships. It’s one of the best websites to improve your communication skills.
Download: Gottman Card Decks for Android | iOS (Free)
4. Love Nudge (Android, iOS): Find What Makes Your Partner Feel Loved, and Do It
Daily life doesn’t need grand romantic gestures. How loved you feel in your relationship is made up of small acts done regularly. Love Nudge is an app to find out what you value and what your partner values, and help you both show your love in ways that the other finds meaningful and touching.
Gary Chapman, the author of the Five Languages of Love, says people like to receive love as physical touch, quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, and receiving gifts. Love Nudge starts you with a 30-question quiz to find out how you like to receive love in these five categories. Then, connect with your partner’s app, who has also taken the same quiz. Through acts that meet those categories, you can express your love in your partner’s language.
Love Nudge also encourages you to set tasks. You can choose from preset recommendations, or make your own goals. If you aren’t overly physical, set that goal to hug your partner and get reminders. Good relationships take time and effort, and the app is here to nudge you in the right direction.
The app also tracks how you feel, like a mood journal for your love life. Over time, you can see stats about how loved you feel and how your partner is feeling. The app is completely free, with no strings attached.
Download: Love Nudge for Android | iOS (Free)
5. YouTube Date Night (Web): How to Setup a Romantic At-Home Date Night
So you can’t go out for a date night. So what? You can have a romantic evening at home, on a budget, and together or over a video call. The Dating Divas have a free “YouTube Date Night” package for couples to try. Download and print out the free PDF before you start, and cut the tasks and keep them ready.
The YouTube Date Night has three parts. Start with the scavenger hunt. It’s a list of 10 types of YouTube videos you have to find, like “a music video from your high school days” or an epic fail video. Make your list of links, then watch them together. If you’re doing a remote date, use an app to watch YouTube together in sync.
Next up is the YouTube Task Game. Pick up a chat and do the task in it. It’s a bunch of funny and endearing tasks, like lip-syncing to Endless Love or the try not to laugh challenge. When you’ve had enough, move on to the voting sheet for the six best videos of the night to make it a permanent memory. The whole thing is a sweet package and completely free.
36 Questions to Find Love
This one can be done online or offline. In a famous study, two psychologists collected their findings on what makes people fall in love, and turned it into a 36-question quiz. You can use this in both a new relationship and with your long-term partner.
If you’re seeing someone new, these 36 questions will bring you closer or make it clear you don’t belong together. And for old couples, they help rekindle your spark. New York Times turned this quiz into a nice little web app, which is one of our best Valentine’s Day apps for a romantic date night. Check it out.
Read the full article: 5 Couples Apps for Romantic Date Nights at Home or Virtual Dates