# Tethered vs luv

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tethered | luv |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tethered-long-distance-games/id6754725037/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luv-note-widget/id6763015481/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 10.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 119 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kazuo Corp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1839565770) | [JUSTIN GJONI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895121880) |

## What reviewers say

### Tethered

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tethered-long-distance-games/id6754725037)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly, 7-Day Free Trial | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly, 7-Day Free Trial | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly, 7 Day Free Trial | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly, 7-Day Free Trial | $39.99 | per year |
| Tethered Flowers #1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Streak Restore | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tethered Bonus Deck Package #1 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tethered Flowers #2 | $6.99 | one-time |


### luv

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luv-note-widget/id6763015481)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $7.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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