Comparison

Candle vs Den

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

Den

This app offers a cozy space for couples to deepen their connection through daily activities, fun games, and shared memories. It features over 1,100 curated questions, interactive widgets, and customizable avatars to foster growth and fun together.

Highlights
  • 1,100+ curated questions
  • Daily activities and relationship goals
  • Interactive widgets (distance, time, selfies)
  • Couples games (Guess Whose Photo, Pitch Dash)
  • Customizable bear avatars
  • Shared couples journal and memory map
  • Encrypted and privacy-first design
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Den - The Best Couples App for Growing Closer with Your Partner Den is a cozy space for couples to have fun and grow together. Den has daily challenges, games, curated questions, shared memories, widgets, customizability, and more to help you grow closer with your partner. Daily Activities: - There are new activities every day - these include questions, photo prompts and audio prompts. - Complete daily activities to grow your streak and earn honey, which can be spent on new items for your den and cute outfits for your bears. Grow Your Den: - The core app is centered around you and your partner's den. The Den is a cozy space where your bears hang out. - As you progress in the app, you will earn "honey" which will allow you to unlock outfits and skins for your bears, as well as new items for your den. - Make your Den your own! Couple Streak: - Every day you and your partner are active on the app grows your streak. - Unlock exclusive items and even new Dens for growing your streak! Widgets: - Distance apart: See your distance apart update in real time as both of your locations change - Time together: Count every second you've been together - Selfie widget: Send each other pictures and have them appear on your home screens - Drawing widget: Send each other doodles on a shared canvas and have them appear on your home screens - Countdown widget: Count down to your next date, trip, or special moment together - Mood widget: Update your partner on how you're feeling - Love notes: Send your partner little notes throughout the day Questions: - Den has curated quizzes consisting of over 3500 questions designed to bring you and your partner closer across a variety of categories - whether you're feeling playful, having a deep discussion, or planning for the future - Answer similarity: See how similarly you think based on your quiz results! Games: - Play Guess Whose Photo with your camera rolls, classic arcade games like four in a row, and much more - Test your singing skills with Pitch Dash - Games are designed to be simple, fun, and spark emotional connection - There are currently 10 (and growing!) different arcade-style games you can play with your partner Memories: - Add memories to your shared couples journal. Private, just for the two of you - See a map with the locations of all your memories. Watch your relationship expand across the world! Activity Feed: - Every quiz you complete, memory you add, and activity you complete will be sent to a shared activity feed - Follow up on any activity and chat about it with your partner Built with Privacy in Mind: - Encrypted and privacy-first - All memories, messages, and app activity stay between the two of you Ad-Free - No unnecessary noise Terms of Use: https://www.tryden.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://www.tryden.app/privacy/ Contact us: support@borglabs.us Built with love in Seattle

Screenshots

Candle4 screens
Den4 screens

Verdict

The call

Candle and Den both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Den's written reviews are positive against 68% of Candle's. Candle's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 26) and chart position (#174 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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 Den sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.8 for Den. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Candle has 12K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Candle's written reviews are positive against 100% of Den's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Candle ships an update fortnightly, Den every 11 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Candle versus Den: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCandleDen
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (12K ratings)4.8 (26 ratings) — better
Positive reviews67.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12K — better26
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#174 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.416.4
Further details — not scored
Size127 MB141 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperEncore AI Labs, Inc.Borg Labs, LLC

Customer experience

Candle

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

Den

All ratings26 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Candle

Requested features

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

Den

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
9 purchases

Den

Subscriptions5
  • Den Premium Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Den Premium Monthly2 variants$12.991 Month
  • Den Premium Yearly (Special Offer)$24.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Den Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Den Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time4
  • Small Honey Jar$1.99
  • Den Streak Restoration$2.99
  • Medium Honey Jar$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Large Honey Jar$7.99

Questions

Is Candle free?
Candle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Den free?
Den is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Candle or Den?
Den is rated higher. Candle averages 4.8 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Den averages 4.8 from 26 ratings.
Do Candle or Den have ads?
Neither Candle nor Den shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Candle or Den?
Candle ships an update fortnightly, and Den every 11 days. Most recently, Candle was updated on October 28, 2026 and Den on October 28, 2026.

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