The best apps for long distance relationships
We compared six apps that couples apart use most, by what they let you share and what they cost. Phorb is our app and our pick: moods, touch, doodles and a countdown to the next visit in one place.
Pulse and doodles in Phorb
What each app lets you share
 Phorb | Paired | Between | Locket | Cupla | Bond Touch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partner's mood at a glance | – | – | – | – | – | |
| A touch they can feel | – | – | – | – | ||
| Draw together live | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Daily questions | – | – | – | – | ||
| Games to play apart | – | – | – | – | ||
| Photos, notes or messages | – | – | ||||
| Countdown to a visit or date | – | – | ||||
| Shared calendar | – | – | – | |||
| Home Screen widgets | – | – | – | |||
| Online date ideas | – | – | – | – | – | |
| One subscription for both | – | – | – |
✓ means the app or its official store listing shows it. – means it isn't listed. Phorb is our app, and we listed its limits too. We checked the official listings on November 1, 2026. This compares features; we did not test the other apps hands-on.
The 6 apps, ranked for couples apart
1. Phorb
Our pickBest for: Feeling close between calls
Share your mood on an emotion wheel, hold your thumb on the screen so your partner's phone vibrates, draw on one canvas live, and leave notes with a photo or your voice. Widgets show their mood and count down to your next visit.
- Phones
- iPhone and Apple Watch; Android waitlist open
- Cost
- Free to download; one Premium covers both partners
- Good to know
- No video messages and no clock for your partner's time zone.
- 2
Paired
Best for: Daily questions and games
You each answer a daily question and see your partner's answer once you've given yours. The listing also offers quizzes, guided journeys and games for long distance couples.
- Phones
- iPhone and Android listings
- Cost
- Free download; Paired support says one Premium covers both
- Good to know
- Its listing shows no widgets, touch or shared calendar.
- 3
Between
Best for: A private chat for two
A messenger only you two share, with photo and note storage, a shared calendar, countdowns to special days and free calls.
- Phones
- iPhone and Android listings
- Cost
- Free; the listing says Plus unlocks for you and your partner
- Good to know
- Nothing for moods, touch or daily questions.
- 4
Locket
Best for: Photos on each other's Home Screen
A photo you take appears in a widget on your partner's Home Screen, with reactions and a photo history.
- Phones
- iPhone and Android listings
- Cost
- Photo sharing is free; optional Locket Gold
- Good to know
- Locket built it for close friends, so it has no countdown, questions or couple features.
- 5
Cupla
Best for: Planning visits and calls
A shared calendar that syncs with Apple, Google and Outlook calendars, with key dates, countdowns, shared lists and widgets.
- Phones
- iPhone and Android listings
- Cost
- Free download; optional subscription
- Good to know
- A planner first, with nothing for feelings or touch.
- 6
Bond Touch
Best for: Touch bracelets
Tap your bracelet and your partner's buzzes. The app adds touch history, a private space for texts and photos, a Next Encounter countdown and optional location sharing.
- Phones
- iPhone, Apple Watch and Android listings
- Cost
- Free app; bracelets cost extra; optional subscription
- Good to know
- You get the most from it with the bracelets on both wrists.
What helps when you live apart
Small contact, often
In a 2021 survey of 647 young adults by Holtzman and colleagues, long distance partners who texted more often and more responsively were more satisfied. Video calls didn't predict satisfaction in either group, so a quick mood, pulse or note between calls counts.
Share the ordinary day
Jiang and Hancock (2013) found long distance couples felt at least as close as couples nearby, partly because they shared more about themselves. Photos, notes and doodles from a normal Tuesday give your partner that view.
Count down to the next visit
A couples therapist on Reddit's r/LongDistance recommends a shared countdown, and one commenter who goes four or five months between visits uses a widget for it. Phorb's countdown widget works on both of your Home Screens.
Plan for the reunion too
Stafford and Merolla (2007) found couples apart stayed together while apart, but many broke up after moving to the same city. Those who went longest between visits or idealized each other most had the hardest time, so talk about real plans and daily habits before you close the distance.
Long distance app questions
What is the best app for long distance couples?
Pick by what you miss most. Phorb covers moods, touch, doodles, daily questions and a countdown to the next visit in one app. Paired is for questions and games, Between for private chat, Locket for photos, Cupla for planning, and Bond Touch for bracelets you feel on your wrist.
Do both partners need to pay?
Not for Phorb or Paired: both say one Premium covers the paired partner, and Between's listing says Plus unlocks for you and your partner. The listings for Locket, Cupla and Bond Touch don't say, so check inside the app before either of you pays.
Which app shows my partner's time zone?
None of these six puts your partner's local time front and center. Bond Touch shows your partner's city and weather if you both turn on location sharing. Without sharing a location, add your partner's city to the Clock app's World Clock widget on iPhone.
Can we watch shows together from far away?
Yes, with a separate app. Teleparty syncs playback on streaming sites and adds a group chat, and on iPhone you can watch together during a FaceTime call with SharePlay. Couples on Reddit also play co-op games as a standing date.
Do long distance relationships last?
Many do. In a nationally representative study of 870 people by Kelmer and colleagues (2013), long distance partners reported higher relationship quality on several measures, and by the follow-up they had broken up as often as partners nearby.
Does Phorb work if we speak different languages?
Yes. Phorb runs in 10 languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Romanian. Each partner sees it in their own language, which helps couples from two countries.
Read next
- Send a pulse your partner can feelHold and drag your thumb on the home screen, and your partner feels it as a vibration on their phone in real time.
- Draw together on a shared canvas, even miles apartDraw on a shared canvas with your partner in real time, pin a doodle to the day and show it in a home screen widget.
- Date ideas for your city, your living room or long distancePick a day and a setting, like your city, anywhere or long distance, and get date ideas to add to your shared calendar.
- Thinking of You Messages for Your Partner, by MomentThinking of you messages for your partner for every moment: mornings, busy days, bad days, long distance, after a fight. Plus what not to send and how to reply.
- Couples appsCompare 11 couples apps, from Paired and Lasting to Between and Cozi, by what they help with: talking, feeling close, planning, solving problems and play.