Comparison

Candle vs Mellow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Candle

This app helps couples deepen their connection through quick daily rituals. Engage with meaningful questions, share private photos, play games, and discover local date ideas to foster presence and curiosity in your relationship.

Highlights
  • Daily conversation starters
  • Private photo sharing
  • Syncing thumb kisses
  • Local date ideas
  • Relationship games and challenges
  • Daily check-in streaks
Features
Read full description

Candle – The Ultimate Couples Game for Staying Close Most relationships don’t end in one moment, they drift apart over time. Missed check-ins, surface-level conversations, busy lives, and routines replace real connection. Candle helps couples stay emotionally close through 1-minute daily rituals that bring back presence, play, and curiosity. Effortless Connection, Lasting Impact Whether you're long distance, busy, or just want to reconnect more deeply, Candle fits into your life. One minute a day is all it takes to strengthen your relationship. Conversation Starters That Matter - Swipe through meaningful, expert-designed questions - Unlock your partner’s answers to reflect, laugh, and grow together Daily Photo Prompts - Share real-time snapshots like BeReal, just for the two of you - Capture authentic moments and build a private photo journal - Create a visual history of your relationship over time- From lighthearted to deep, always have something to talk about Thumb Kisses - Tap your thumbs in sync to feel a gentle vibration - A playful way to say “I’m here,” even from miles away - Perfect for long-distance couples Curated Local Date Ideas (Beta) - 60+ unique ideas tailored to your location that refresh every week - Swipe to match on something new to try - Updated weekly with real-world, spontaneous experiences Games and Challenges - Play “Who’s More Likely,” fast-paced Q&As, and more - Discover new sides of each other in a low-pressure, fun format - Designed to spark joy and emotional connection Keep Your Streak, Keep Your Spark - Track daily check-ins and build a shared rhythm - Celebrate milestones and keep your momentum alive - Form long-term habits through small, consistent moments Perfect for Every Couple - Long-distance or living together - Just started dating or years in - Busy schedules or just needing more intentional time Private, Secure, and Ad-Free - No ads, no noise. Just time for each other - Encrypted and built privacy-first - Your memories stay between the two of you Why Couples Love Candle - Just one minute a day for real emotional impact - Based on relationship science and expert insights - Flexible for all stages of love and connection Download Candle today and bring back the spark, one question, one photo, one moment at a time. Visit: https://www.trycandle.app Privacy Policy: https://www.trycandle.app/privacy Terms: https://www.trycandle.app/terms Follow us: Instagram: @trycandle.app TikTok: @trycandle.app Reddit: r/candleapp Made with love in San Francisco. Shoutout to Fluent Emoji for the base icons!

About

Mellow

Strengthen your bond with daily check-ins, engaging couple games, and shared creative activities. Discover personalized recaps of your relationship journey and set countdowns for special moments. This app helps couples connect more deeply through fun, interactive experiences.

Highlights
  • Daily mood check-ins
  • Couple games
  • Shared drawing canvas
  • Deeper conversation questions
  • Special date countdowns
  • Relationship recaps
  • Home and lock screen widgets
Read full description

Mellow is the relationship app that brings you and your partner closer — one check-in, game, and shared moment at a time. Check in daily with your mood, keep your streak alive, and watch your connection grow. Play fun couple games like Would You Rather, Two Truths & a Lie, Sketch Duel & Mellow tiles. Draw for each other on a shared canvas. Answer deep questions from curated decks. Set countdowns for your next trip or anniversary. Write sealed letters to your future selves. Features: - Daily mood check-ins with streak tracking - Couple games - Shared drawing canvas - Question decks for deeper conversations - Countdowns for special dates - Letters to Future Us — sealed time capsules - Memory Timeline to track your memories over a period of time with photos - Home screen widgets - Lock screen widgets for distance and time together tracking - Daily challenges Free to download. Premium unlocks unlimited games, all question decks, Wrapped recaps, letters, and more for both you and your partner. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.mellowapp.app/privacy

Screenshots

Candle4 screens
Mellow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Candle at none against Mellow's shown. Candle also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 16) and chart position (#164 vs unranked). Mellow's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Candle sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Mellow sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Candle against 4.7 for Mellow. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Candle has 12K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Candle ships an update fortnightly, Mellow every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Candle versus Mellow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCandleMellow
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (12K ratings) — better4.7 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews67.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings12K — better16
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#164 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size127 MB74 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperEncore AI Labs, Inc.Tejaswi Wadhwa

Customer experience

Candle

All ratings11,637 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews594 reviews
Positive67.5%
Neutral8.6%
Negative23.9%

Mellow

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral18.2%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Candle

Requested features

1 request
  • Different decks or categories for prompts to mix things up

Mellow

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

24 purchases

Candle

Subscriptions19
  • Pro Weekly$3.997 Days
  • Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Premium Weekly$4.997 Days
Show 16 more
  • Pro Weekly$5.997 Days
  • Premium Weekly$5.997 Days
  • Premium Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly2 variants$12.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly3 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Candle Pro - Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly2 variants$39.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly$49.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly$59.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly$89.991 Year
One-time5
  • Bag of Sparks (80)$0.99
  • Word Hint$0.99
  • Streak Reignite$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Bag of Sparks (500)$4.99
  • Pro Lifetime$149.99
7 purchases

Mellow

Subscriptions6
  • Mellow Weekly$3.997 Days
  • Mellow Weekly$5.997 Days
  • Mellow Monthly$7.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Mellow Annual Discounted$39.991 Year
  • Mellow Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Mellow Anually7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Streak Renewal$0.99

Questions

Is Candle free?
Candle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mellow free?
Mellow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Candle or Mellow?
Candle is rated higher. Candle averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Mellow averages 4.7 from 16 ratings.
Do Candle or Mellow have ads?
Mellow shows ads; Candle does not.
Which is updated more often, Candle or Mellow?
Candle ships an update fortnightly, and Mellow every 4 days. Most recently, Candle was updated on November 3, 2026 and Mellow on October 31, 2026.

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