Comparison

Ember vs Relate

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

Head to head
About

Ember

This app provides AI-powered coaching to help couples improve communication and connection. It offers tools for analyzing conversations, daily prompts for connection, and research-backed plans for relationship growth. Designed for proactive relationship care.

Highlights
  • AI couples coaching sessions
  • Real-time argument analysis
  • Daily conversation prompts
  • Research-backed relationship plans
  • Text communication analysis
  • Relationship style quiz
Features
Read full description

Ember is a relationship wellness app for couples who want to stay close - not just fix things when they go wrong. Most couples don't fall apart dramatically. They just get busy - and the small moments that kept them close quietly disappear. Ember gives those moments back. A Spark on the couch before bed. A check-in that takes ten minutes and actually covers something real. A question that takes you somewhere you didn't expect. Relationships do better with regular attention. Ember is the tending. ***Meet Em*** Em was created by Ellie Baker, a couples coach and Ember's founder. She's the AI at the heart of the app - sharp, warm, and built on real relationship expertise. She brings a systems-thinking perspective to your relationship, spotting patterns before drift becomes distance. ***Key Features*** Sparks Short prompts you and your partner answer separately, then compare. You don't see their answer until you've done yours. Takes minutes - gets you past the logistics and into something real. Talk to Em Voice or text conversations with Em, available whenever you need her. Talk to her solo to think something through privately - what you share stays between you and her. Or bring her in as a couple when you have something specific to work through together. Em keeps things on track and sends a useful summary at the end. Set up a recurring relationship check-in and Em handles the structure so you actually cover what matters, not just what's top of mind. Plans Guided programs on communication, conflict, and connection. Each chapter pairs short expert content with something to actually do - a conversation with Em, a challenge, or a nudge. Work through them at your own pace. Quizzes Find out something new about yourself and your partner. Start with the Love Animals Quiz - discover your relationship personality type, whether you're the dolphin, the hawk, or one of six others - and understand what drives you both. ***What you’ll get*** - Playful, lighthearted, straightforward practices that take less time than scrolling Instagram. - See your patterns clearly enough to actually change them. - A habit that builds quietly - without it feeling like work. **Subscription Information** Ember offers an auto-renewing 1-month and annual subscription – both of which give you full access to the entire library of content, app features and two hours of talk time with Em per month for as long as you maintain an active subscription. Payment will be charged to your Apple account at the time of initial subscription purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel your subscription at least 24 hours before the current subscription period ends. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period end date. You may cancel your subscription at any time by going to your Account Settings and tapping on “Manage Membership” after the purchase. --- Ember is designed for users 18+. Ember is not therapy, and is not a replacement for any medical diagnostic or treatments. Ember cannot, and does not intend to, provide medical advice or diagnosis. Ember is not designed to be used in crisis. If you are in crisis, please seek out professional help, or a crisis line. You can find resources at www.findahelpline.com. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy: https://www.embercouples.com/privacy-policy

About

Relate

This app helps couples improve communication by providing a private space to process feelings and craft clear messages. It offers evidence-based strategies to foster understanding and suggest fair compromises, transforming difficult conversations.

Highlights
  • Private emotional processing
  • Clear message crafting
  • Evidence-based communication strategies
  • Fair compromise suggestions
  • Partner understanding enhancement
  • Judgment-free environment
Features
Read full description

Every relationship hits rough patches. Misunderstandings pile up. The same arguments keep coming back. You know what you feel, but saying it the right way is hard. Relate changes that. Talk to Relate like you would a trusted friend or therapist. Share what's on your mind, process your feelings, and get help expressing yourself clearly, before the conversation with your partner even starts. Vent freely in private. Relate listens, understands, and helps translate your raw emotions into calm, clear messages your partner can actually receive using evidence-based communication strategies. When both partners use Relate, you stop talking past each other. You start understanding each other. Relate suggests fair compromises that respect both of your needs, not just whoever feels more strongly in the moment. Relate is private, judgment-free, and built for real couples navigating real life. Download Relate and start understanding each other better today! Privacy Policy: https://startrelate.com/privacy Terms: https://startrelate.com/terms

Screenshots

Ember4 screens
Relate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Relate at 100% against Ember's 52%. Relate also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). Ember's advantage is ratings volume (711 vs 4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Ember sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Relate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Relate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ember has 711 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Ember's written reviews are positive against 100% of Relate's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ember ships an update weekly, Relate fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Ember versus Relate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmberRelate
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (711 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings711 — better4
Update frequencyWeekly — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB58 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperEmber Couples LtdButterCorp

Customer experience

Ember

All ratings711 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative7.0%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive51.8%
Neutral1.8%
Negative46.4%

Relate

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Ember

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • AI coach sometimes fails to understand context
  • App can feel repetitive and impersonal

Requested features

2 requests
  • Upload feature to share files/images
  • More customization options

Relate

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Ember

Subscriptions13
  • Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Monthly3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Full Access - Monthly$19.991 Month
Show 10 more
  • Monthly3 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Full Access - Monthly$24.991 Month
  • Full Access - Quarterly$44.993 Months
  • Quarterly3 Days trial$44.993 Months
  • Full Access - Quarterly$54.993 Months
  • Annual$59.991 Year
  • Yearly3 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Full Access - Yearly$109.991 Year
  • Yearly3 Days trial$154.991 Year
  • Full Access - Yearly$167.991 Year
One-time2
  • 1 Hour of conversation credits$19.99
  • 10 hours of conversation credits$109.99
2 purchases

Relate

Subscriptions2
  • Relate Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Month
  • Relate Yearly7 Days trial$149.991 Year

Questions

Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Relate free?
Relate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ember or Relate?
Relate is rated higher. Ember averages 4.6 out of 5 from 711 ratings, while Relate averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Ember or Relate have ads?
Ember shows ads; Relate does not.
Which is updated more often, Ember or Relate?
Ember ships an update weekly, and Relate fortnightly. Most recently, Ember was updated on October 24, 2026 and Relate on October 18, 2026.

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