# Candle vs Mellow

The clearest difference is ads: Candle at none against Mellow's shown. Candle also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 16) and chart position (#165 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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Candle | Mellow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candle-couples-and-relationship/id6743355635/reviews)** | [4.7 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mellow-couples-date-night/id6758855358/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 67.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#165** | — |
| Size | 127 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Encore AI Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1802415524) | [Tejaswi Wadhwa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875277100) |

## What reviewers say

### Candle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candle-couples-and-relationship/id6743355635)

**Currently charting:** #165 Top Grossing · Lifestyle (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Candle Pro - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $89.99 | per year |
| Bag of Sparks (80) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Word Hint | $0.99 | one-time |
| Streak Reignite | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Sparks (500) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Perfect app for long distance couples
- 👍 Unexpectedly great for reconnecting
- 👍 Low-commitment, high-impact way to encourage connection
- 👍 Doesn't require subscription for full use
- 👍 Fun games and prompts

**Requested features**

- Different decks or categories for prompts to mix things up


### Mellow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mellow-couples-date-night/id6758855358)

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mellow Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Mellow Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Mellow Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Mellow Annual Discounted | $39.99 | per year |
| Mellow Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Mellow Anually | $59.99 | per year |
| Streak Renewal | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*