Honest alternatives
The best Candle alternatives
Looking for a Candle app alternative? Six couples apps compared by what they're best at, platforms and US prices, plus when Candle is still the right pick.
Checked · By the Miles Apart team
The short answer
The usual reasons to look past Candle are the price (Premium starts at $4.99 a week in the US App Store), wanting more than a one-minute ritual, or wanting features built for long distance. If you're long distance, try Miles Apart, which is on iPhone and Android. For widgets and mood sharing, Couple Joy; for a shared pet and home, Cozy Couples. For the lightest habit, Agapé; for expert-led help, Paired.
Why look for a Candle alternative?
The weekly price adds up
Candle Premium starts at $4.99 a week in the US App Store, with $12.99 monthly and $39.99 to $49.99 yearly plans. If you stay, the yearly plan is much better value.
One minute a day feels too light
Candle is designed around one-minute rituals. Some couples, especially long distance, want more to do together: games on their own schedule, or decks for their next call.
You want features built for distance
Candle's Thumb Kisses are made with distance in mind, but letters that travel between your locations or a shared map of your trips aren't in its listing.
Stay with Candle if
- You love the one-minute format and both of you open it every day.
- You want local date ideas that refresh weekly, for when you're in the same city.
- You use Thumb Kisses, where you tap together to feel a vibration, and don't want to give them up.
6 alternatives to Candle
1. Miles ApartOur app
Best for: Long-distance couples who want more to do together
- Platforms
- iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Android (9 or later)
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with optional Miles Apart Pro. One subscription covers both partners.
Our app, so weigh this accordingly. Like Candle it has a daily ritual, but a bigger one: three quick questions, a written answer and a photo prompt, revealed once you've both finished. Around it are 22 games (a daily mini crossword, Groups of 4, trivia, races against your partner's ghost), letters carried by a pigeon that flies the real distance between you, and a shared memory map. It's on iPhone and Android, and an iPhone user can pair with an Android user. The limit: it's new, launched on the App Store in August 2026 and on Google Play in September 2026, so it has far fewer reviews than Candle.
2. Couple Joy
Best for: Widgets, mood sharing and a distance counter
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with Premium plans from $12.99 to $39.99 in the US App Store
Couple Joy has been around since 2022 and has over 37,000 App Store ratings. It swaps Candle's photo prompts for presence: couple widgets, real-time mood sharing, a distance tracker that shrinks as a visit gets closer, daily questions you can chat about, and a shared photo journal. Premium plans are listed from $12.99 to $39.99 in the US App Store.
3. Cozy Couples
Best for: Couples who want a shared pet, bonsai and home to look after
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with Plus plans at $4.99 to $7.99 and $29.99 to $39.99, plus in-app stars and streak repair
If Candle's streak is the part that keeps you coming back, Cozy Couples builds a little world around it: a bonsai you nurture together, a virtual cat or dog, and a home you decorate with stars you earn. It also has mood sharing, love notes, daily questions and games, and it's on iPhone and Android. Note that stars and streak repairs are sold separately from Plus.
4. Agapé
Best for: The lightest habit: one question a day
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with Premium from $9.99/month or $19.99 to $99.99/year
If you like Candle's questions and not much else, Agapé is even simpler: one personalized question a day, with answers hidden until you've both replied. You can opt into categories like long distance or reconnecting, and use it with family and friends too. Its listing says thousands of questions are free; Premium categories start at $9.99 a month.
5. Paired
Best for: Couples who want expert-led help with communication
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with Premium at $14.99/month or $29.99 to $74.99/year
Paired is one of the most established couples apps, launched in 2020 with over 200,000 App Store ratings. Its daily question works much like Candle's, and Premium adds expert-guided journeys on communication, conflict and topics like money. It's less playful and more like a course, which is exactly what some couples want.
6. Widgetable
Best for: Couples who mainly want each other on the home screen
- Platforms
- iPhone and Android
- Price (US App Store)
- Free, with Premium at $1.99 to $4.99/month or $19.99/year, plus in-app diamonds and pet items
If what you liked most about Candle was the feeling of your partner nearby, Widgetable puts them on your home and Lock Screen: a distance widget, mood and status widgets, notes and doodles pinned to each other's screens, and virtual pets you raise together. It works with friends too, and Premium starts at $1.99 a month.
At a glance
| App | Best for | Platforms | Price (US App Store) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles Apart | Long-distance couples who want more to do together | iPhone (iOS 17 or later) and Android (9 or later) | Free, with optional Miles Apart Pro. One subscription covers both partners. |
| Couple Joy | Widgets, mood sharing and a distance counter | iPhone and Android | Free, with Premium plans from $12.99 to $39.99 in the US App Store |
| Cozy Couples | Couples who want a shared pet, bonsai and home to look after | iPhone and Android | Free, with Plus plans at $4.99 to $7.99 and $29.99 to $39.99, plus in-app stars and streak repair |
| Agapé | The lightest habit: one question a day | iPhone and Android | Free, with Premium from $9.99/month or $19.99 to $99.99/year |
| Paired | Couples who want expert-led help with communication | iPhone and Android | Free, with Premium at $14.99/month or $29.99 to $74.99/year |
| Widgetable | Couples who mainly want each other on the home screen | iPhone and Android | Free, with Premium at $1.99 to $4.99/month or $19.99/year, plus in-app diamonds and pet items |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Candle alternative for long-distance couples?
Miles Apart is built around long distance, with a daily photo challenge that reveals together, 22 games, pigeon letters and a shared memory map, and it works on iPhone and Android, including for couples with one of each. If you'd rather have mood sharing and widgets, Couple Joy and Cozy Couples are the closest matches.
Is there a free alternative to Candle?
Every app on this list is free to download with an optional paid upgrade. Agapé's listing says you can answer thousands of questions for free, and Miles Apart's free version includes its daily challenge and games like Guess the Word, Groups of 4 and the Mini Crossword.
How much does Candle Premium cost?
In the US App Store, Candle Premium is $4.99 a week, $12.99 a month, or $39.99 to $49.99 a year, as checked in September 2026. Prices vary by region and change over time, so check the listing before you subscribe.
Is Candle on Android?
Yes. Candle is on iPhone and Android, so it works for mixed-phone couples. So do all the alternatives on this page: Miles Apart, Couple Joy, Cozy Couples, Agapé, Paired and Widgetable are on both platforms too.
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