Long distance relationships are hard work, but these free apps and sites can help you keep the fire burning with your partner.
Technology helps build or maintain a connection with someone miles away from you. As a result, long distance relationships are more common than ever before. But that doesn't mean they are suddenly easy. You need to look beyond simple things like a chat app to stay in touch and occasionally watching movies online together. If you're serious about having a healthy and happy long distance relationship, consider these additional tools.
1. Agapé (Android, iOS): Connect Daily to Solidify Relationships
Agapé is an app for a couple to connect on a daily basis and discover more about each other, in a way that solidifies the relationship further. It's also a relationship mood tracker so you can see how you are feeling about your bond.
While Agapé isn't built for long-distance relationships, several app store reviewers say it helped. The base of the app is the daily question, which each person has to answer. Only after recording your answer do you see the other's response. It takes just a minute or two, but this daily ritual of thinking deeply about something in your relationship can help build deeper bonds.
All answers are saved in the Connect pane so you can revisit them later. Agapé will tailor questions to your relationship as you use it more, especially with the mood tracker's input. You can also customize the categories that Agapé will ask questions from (limited in the free version, but expanded in the paid version).
Agapé makes it more of a game by giving each of you points for your responses. It also includes a few other mini-games to spark conversation topics that will help you learn more about each other while you are on a video call.
Download: Agapé for Android | iOS (Free)
2. Tinkovu (Android, iOS): Send "Thinking of You" Taps and Vibrations, Privately
Tinkovu is a private messaging app for couples to connect when you aren't physically around each other. The base form of communication is a "tink", which you tap to send when you're thinking of your partner. Similarly, you can tap a button to make their phone vibrate, for a more tactile message of love. It's a lovely non-messaging way of staying in touch without trying to think of something to say each time.
The app protects your and your partner's privacy by never requiring you to log in or identify each other's name. Instead, it will generate a special four-digit code for your phone, which your partner has to enter into theirs. Once you are connected with this code, you're free to send tinks.
Apart from tinks, you can send photos, voice messages, notes, and drawings. There's also a simple chat window, again kept anonymous. Tinkovu includes a special section of games to find out more about each other, where you answer a series of multiple-choice questions and your partner tries to guess what you picked.
Download: Tinkovu for Android | iOS (Free)
3. Lasting The Distance (Web): Long Distance Relationship Advice and Tips
After 18 months of a long-distance relationship that included all the common ups and downs, Lolo and Nate finally closed the distance and are still going strong. To help other couples navigate the tricky waters of a long-distance relationship, they put together this list of resources in one place.
Through their blog, they cover a variety of topics like advice for common situations, ideas and tips, and other articles with sound advice. They also review gadgets and gifts for couples to stay connected, like touch bracelets. It's not earth-shattering advice, but it's nice to get most of the basics in one place, from people who have been through it.
Lasting the Distance also features a 7-Day LDR Challenge, as an email newsletter. Every day, you'll get a new exercise with an explanation of why it's important in a long-distance relationship. Lolo and Nate say that the course will help you build a trusting connection, gain clarity on your relationship, and reduce vulnerability.
4. Desire (Android, iOS): Send Romantic and Sensual Dares, Earn Points
Desire is a game for couples to spice up their love life in a private but fun format. The idea is to compete against your partner in a series of romantic and sensual dares, and earn points for completing it successfully.
Once you and your partner register for the apps, you can send dares from different categories like romantic, improve communication, adventurous, long distance, home, outdoors, etc. The dares range in difficulties like mild, spicy, hot, and chili. Each type of dare carries a different level of points.
You can discuss your dares with your partner in a private, encrypted chat. Desire doesn't save any photos to your phone's gallery to make it more secure. The app also includes a roulette wheel that you can customize, a to-do list you can both add to, and a shared journal to add diary entries.
Download: Desire for Android | iOS (Free)
5. r/LongDistance (Web): Discussion Board With List of Resources and Apps
The subreddit r/LongDistance is a place to talk to other people who are actively in a long-distance relationship or have gone through one before. It's a community to share advice, tips, and support about how to cope with the trials and tribulations of being away from your partner for long durations.
Often, the stress of long-distance relationships can take its toll on you. The community is an excellent source of support to vent about your frustrations, get actionable advice from those who can empathize with you, and share your good moments to help get others through their rough patches.
The community also has a wiki of useful resources for long-distance relationships which you should check out. This includes apps for messaging, activities to do as a long-distance couple, language-learning suggestions for those in a multilingual relationship, and other tools to travel and meet your partner.
Get Creative With Virtual Date Nights
The common advice in all of these resources for long-distance relationships is to try your hardest at virtual date nights. Since you can't meet physically, the virtual date is doubly important. Free video calling apps make it easier than ever to set this up, but you need to go the extra mile and try to make it as close to a real date as possible.
Most experts suggest dressing up and sprucing up like you were going out. You should also make an effort to plan the evening as you would have otherwise. There are apps to help you set up romantic virtual dates. But most importantly, relax and have fun. Long-distance relationships are hard work, but the whole point is to enjoy yourself.
