Comparison

Tethered vs luv

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

Head to head
About

Tethered

This app helps couples stay connected through daily shared activities and instant surprises. It offers mini-games, conversation starters, and a shared timeline to build closeness and strengthen bonds, even during busy times.

Highlights
  • Daily challenges for connection
  • Instant homescreen widget messages
  • Relationship games and conversation starters
  • Shared timeline for memories
  • Streak tracking for consistency
  • Milestone and anniversary reminders
Features
Read full description

Tethered is built for couples who spend time apart. Share small moments throughout the day, send drawings and photos straight to your partner’s homescreen, see where they are on the map, track the distance between you, and save the memories you create together. Whether you’re long distance, spending the day apart, or simply looking for more ways to connect, Tethered helps couples feel closer throughout the day. Stay Close From Anywhere: Send drawings, notes, photos, and little surprises directly to your partner’s homescreen or lock screen. See Where Your Partner Is on the Map: View your partner’s shared location on the map and use location widgets to feel a little closer, even when you’re far apart. Track the Distance Between You: See how far apart you are with distance widgets designed for long-distance couples. Together For: Track how long you’ve been together and celebrate your relationship milestones over time. Daily Moments: Complete photo prompts, questions, and challenges that give you something small to share every day. Games for Two: Play mini-games and answer relationship questions together, even when you’re in different places. Track Your Memories: Save photos, milestones, and favorite moments in a shared timeline that grows with your relationship. Stay Consistent: Build a streak together and make staying connected part of your everyday routine. WHY CHOOSE TETHERED: • Built for long-distance and busy couples • Shared map and partner location widgets • Distance widgets • Homescreen and lock screen couple widgets • Together For relationship milestones • Drawings, photos, and notes for your partner • Daily challenges and games for two • Shared memories and relationship timeline PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION Unlock unlimited drawings, advanced insights, and exclusive challenges. Subscriptions renew automatically based on your selected plan. By using Tethered, you agree to our: Privacy Policy: https://www.usetethered.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://www.usetethered.com/terms End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Contact: support@usetethered.com Download Tethered today and make every day memorable with your partner.

About

luv

Send sweet messages directly to your partner's lock screen without needing to open an app. Your words appear like magic, always visible, fostering a constant reminder of your connection.

Highlights
  • Message on partner's lock screen
  • Silent, instant updates
  • No social feed or notifications
  • Shared premium for couples
  • Scheduled message surprises
Read full description

Your words, their lock screen. Luv is a one-to-one note app for one connected pair. Write a short note and send it to the person you are connected with. When a send succeeds, Luv stores the note for them. Luv can request a background refresh, but iOS decides when the widget updates. HOW IT WORKS • Create an account or sign in • Connect with one person using a link or code • Add Luv to the Lock Screen or Home Screen • Write a note of up to 96 characters • See your connected person’s latest note in the app and reply BUILT FOR THE TWO OF YOU • One active connection, with no public feed or follower count • A note archive and saved drafts that stay with the connection they were written for • Thought starters when you need help finding the words • Optional note-ready reminders • Connection milestones and a shared sending streak when Premium is active for both partners PREMIUM Premium unlocks unlimited notes, is shared with your currently connected partner, and is available through the plans shown in the app. Prices, billing periods, introductory-offer eligibility, and renewal terms come from the App Store and appear before purchase. Restore Purchases is available in the paywall and Settings. IMPORTANT Widget timing is controlled by iOS, device settings, connectivity, and service availability. A sent note may not appear on the widget immediately. Visible reminder alerts are optional and separate from background widget refresh. Terms of Use: https://luvnote.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://luvnote.app/privacy Support: https://luvnote.app/support

Screenshots

Tethered4 screens
luv4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: luv at 100% against Tethered's 11%. luv also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Tethered's advantage is ratings volume (1K vs 7) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Tethered sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and luv sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

luv holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tethered has 1K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of Tethered's written reviews are positive against 100% of luv's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tethered ships an update every 6 days, luv every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Tethered versus luv: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTetheredluv
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1K ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews10.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1K — better7
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB30 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperKazuo CorpJUSTIN GJONI

Customer experience

Tethered

All ratings1,019 ratings
Positive87.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative10.2%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive10.6%
Neutral6.1%
Negative83.3%

luv

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Tethered

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly, 7-Day Free Trial7 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Weekly, 7-Day Free Trial7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly Subscription$4.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Monthly, 7 Day Free Trial7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Yearly, 7-Day Free Trial7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time4
  • Tethered Flowers #1$2.99
  • Streak Restore$2.99
  • Tethered Bonus Deck Package #1$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Tethered Flowers #2$6.99
1 purchases

luv

Subscriptions1
  • Premium7 Days trial$7.991 Month

Questions

Is Tethered free?
Tethered is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is luv free?
luv is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tethered or luv?
luv is rated higher. Tethered averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while luv averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do Tethered or luv have ads?
Both Tethered and luv show ads.
Which is updated more often, Tethered or luv?
Tethered ships an update every 6 days, and luv every 10 days. Most recently, Tethered was updated on November 9, 2026 and luv on October 31, 2026.

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