Last updated: July 2026
Lasting is a solid relationship education app, but it’s not for everyone. Maybe the price feels steep for self-guided content. Maybe you need real-time conflict help, not scheduled lessons. Maybe one partner won’t commit to regular sessions. Or maybe you’ve tried Lasting and hit its ceiling.
Whatever the reason, here are the best alternatives, what each does differently, and which one fits your situation.
Quick comparison
| App | Price | Best for | Real-time help | Therapist access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LoveFix | Free sessions to start; $9.99-19.99/mo covers both partners | Conflict repair plus ongoing check-ins | Yes, 24/7 | AI coach (Sage) |
| Paired | Not published; varies by region | Daily connection, light engagement | No | No |
| Relish | $99.99/6 months per Relish’s FAQ; varies by location | Personalized learning path | No | Coaching may vary by plan |
| OurRelationship | $79-249 one-time | Evidence-based program on a budget | No | No |
| Regain | $260-400 per 4-week cycle | Licensed couples therapy online | By appointment | Yes, licensed therapist |
Why look for Lasting alternatives?
Most people looking for alternatives to Lasting fall into one of these camps:
The price. At $29.99/month, Lasting is one of the more expensive relationship apps for what’s essentially self-guided content. The 6-month plan ($89.99, roughly $15/month) is more reasonable, but that’s a significant upfront commitment before knowing if the app works for you. For the dedicated plan-by-plan breakdown, see the Lasting app pricing guide.
The gap in real-time support. Lasting teaches you about conflict patterns during calm moments. But when the actual argument is happening at 11pm, the app has nothing to offer. Several Lasting users have flagged this as the most frustrating limitation.
One partner won’t participate. Lasting works best when both partners are actively engaged. If one person keeps skipping sessions or treats it as homework, the value drops significantly.
You want more than education. Lasting is an excellent classroom. But if you need something that intervenes in the moment, not just teaches, you’ve outgrown what it offers.
1. LoveFix: best for conflict repair and real-time support
Price: Free sessions to start. Essential $9.99/month, Thrive $19.99/month, one subscription covers both partners. Annual billing saves roughly two months, and a 3-session pack at $9.99 covers one-off use. Best for: Couples who fight in patterns they can’t break, need help during or after conflicts Methodology: Grounded in relationship science, drawing on multiple evidence-based frameworks
LoveFix addresses Lasting’s biggest gap head-on. Where Lasting teaches you about conflict patterns as educational content, LoveFix helps you through an actual conflict in real time.
Each partner gets a private conversation with Sage, LoveFix’s AI coach. You process your side of the conflict separately before receiving one shared wrap: what each of you needs, and one next step you both agreed to. This mirrors effective therapy: creating space for each person to feel heard before working toward resolution.
What it does that Lasting doesn’t:
- Real-time support during and after conflicts (24/7)
- Private processing spaces (your partner doesn’t see your initial responses; Sage never shows your partner your words)
- Science-based guidance applied to your specific situation, not as a general lesson
- Available at 11pm on a Sunday when the fight is actually happening
- An ongoing layer between sessions: The Pause for the heat of the moment, weekly check-ins, a follow-up loop that brings agreements back, and Love Notes that arrive when the moment is right
- Attachment style, love language, and conflict style as lenses for seeing each other, not scores
What Lasting does that LoveFix doesn’t:
- Comprehensive curriculum across 12+ relationship topics
- Therapist-led live workshops
- Broader educational scope (finances, family culture, sexual desire as standalone topics)
Sage is an AI coach. Not a person, not a therapist, not a crisis line: a calm coach who helps two people hear each other. If someone is in danger, that needs a real crisis line and a real professional.
The bottom line: If your primary need is help when things go wrong, LoveFix fills the exact gap that makes people leave Lasting, at a lower price. If you want both education and in-the-moment support, they combine well. For the direct head-to-head, see LoveFix vs Lasting.
2. Paired: best for daily micro-connection
Price: Not published. Paired directs you to check inside the app, and the price varies by region and offer. One subscription covers both partners. Best for: Couples who want light, daily engagement as a shared habit Methodology: Expert-created content, gamified approach
Paired takes the opposite approach to Lasting. Where Lasting offers deep, structured education, Paired offers light, daily micro-interactions: questions, quizzes, games, and conversation prompts. It’s designed to feel fun, not like homework.
Expert content includes material from TherapyJeff (popular TikTok therapist). The gamification elements (streaks, challenges) help maintain daily engagement.
Choose Paired over Lasting if: You want a daily question as a shared habit without the commitment of structured sessions. That habit is the job Paired owns.
The limitation: Paired won’t help during a fight. If you’re mid-argument, a daily quiz about your love language isn’t useful. For conflict repair, and for check-ins that follow up on what you agreed, LoveFix is the better tool.
3. Relish: best for personalized self-guided learning
Price: Relish’s own FAQ lists $99.99 for six months, covering two people, and notes the price varies by location. Third-party listings quote around $16.67/month equivalent. Coaching pricing may vary by plan. Best for: Couples who want assessment-based personalization without workshops Methodology: Multi-framework, psychology-based
Relish offers a similar core experience to Lasting: assessment-based personalization, structured lessons, and reflection exercises across topics like communication, trust, intimacy, and emotions. The assessment genuinely shapes your learning path.
The Premium plan has historically added 1-on-1 relationship coaching via messaging, which can move the total closer to therapy pricing for non-therapist guidance.
The caveat: Relish’s visible product and pricing footprint is less straightforward to verify than larger competitors, and some recent reviews describe the app as less actively maintained. Treat it as an option to trial carefully rather than assuming current pricing, coaching access, or product depth from older reviews.
Choose Relish over Lasting if: You specifically prefer Relish’s assessment style and don’t need workshops. Confirm current pricing and coaching details before committing.
4. OurRelationship: best budget alternative
Price: $79-249 one-time, depending on package. Free for active-duty, Guard and Reserve service members. Best for: Couples who want an evidence-based program without a subscription Methodology: University-developed (University of Miami), clinical trial evidence
OurRelationship is the only relationship app with published clinical trial data showing effectiveness. Developed by researchers at the University of Miami, it offers a structured program that walks couples through identifying and addressing a core relationship issue.
Correction: an earlier version of this article listed OurRelationship as free with a $40 full program. That pricing was out of date. The current price is $79 to $249, one-time, with no free trial.
It’s less polished than Lasting and narrower in scope (focused on one issue at a time), but the evidence base is stronger than any commercial competitor, and you pay once instead of subscribing.
Choose OurRelationship over Lasting if: You want a research-backed program with a one-time payment and you don’t need the breadth of topics Lasting covers.
5. Regain: best for licensed couples therapy online
Price: $260-400 per 4-week cycle, billed every 4 weeks (13 cycles a year). Regain’s own listing quotes $60-90 per week; independent testers report $70-100. Best for: Couples who need actual therapy with a licensed professional Methodology: Varies by therapist
Regain is fundamentally different from Lasting. It’s an online therapy platform that connects you with a licensed couples therapist for video, phone, and messaging sessions. Owned by BetterHelp/Teladoc, it’s the most established online couples therapy option. It accepts no insurance.
This isn’t a Lasting alternative in the traditional sense. It’s the next level up. If Lasting’s self-guided education isn’t enough and you need professional clinical support, Regain provides what no app can: a trained therapist working with your specific relationship.
Choose Regain over Lasting if: Your issues are serious enough to warrant professional therapy, not just education. Regain is not an alternative for people who find Lasting too expensive; it costs far more. It’s an alternative for people who find Lasting insufficient.
How to choose
The decision depends on your primary need:
“We need help during fights”: Choose LoveFix. Nothing else on this list provides real-time conflict support.
“We’re drifting and need to reconnect”: LoveFix’s weekly check-ins and Love Notes cover reconnection with follow-through. Choose Paired if what you want is specifically a light daily question as a habit.
“We want structured learning but cheaper”: Choose OurRelationship ($79-249 one-time) or LoveFix (free to start, then $9.99).
“We want personalized education”: Choose Relish if you confirm the current plan details, or Lasting itself if you want the more established structured curriculum.
“We need an actual therapist”: Choose Regain, or find a local couples therapist. No app replaces clinical help for serious issues.
A different approach: LoveFix
If you’re leaving Lasting because it couldn’t help you in the moments that matter most, LoveFix was built specifically for those moments. Real-time science-based support during and after conflicts, private processing for each partner, and an ongoing layer that keeps agreements alive between sessions.
| What | LoveFix | Traditional therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free sessions to start, then $9.99-19.99/month; one subscription covers both partners | $100-200/session |
| Availability | Any hour, including the night of the fight | By appointment |
| Wait to start | Minutes | Days to weeks |
| Between sessions | The Pause for the heat of the moment, weekly check-ins, a follow-up loop that brings agreements back, and Love Notes that arrive when the moment is right | Homework, if assigned |
| Privacy | Your private talks stay yours. Sage never shows your partner your words | Confidential with a licensed professional |
| Approach | Grounded in relationship science, drawing on multiple evidence-based frameworks | Varies by therapist |
| Both partners | Separate private spaces, one shared wrap | Same room |
Sage is an AI coach. Not a person, not a therapist, not a crisis line: a calm coach who helps two people hear each other. If someone is in danger, that needs a real crisis line and a real professional, and we will say so plainly.
For a closer Lasting-only assessment, read the Lasting app review and is Lasting worth it? guides.
FAQ
What is the cheapest alternative to Lasting?
LoveFix starts with free sessions before its $9.99/month Essential plan, covering both partners. OurRelationship is $79-249 as a one-time payment. Paired does not publish its pricing, which varies by region and offer.
Which Lasting alternative is best for conflict?
LoveFix. It’s the only option on this list designed specifically for real-time conflict repair. All other apps (including Lasting) provide education or connection, not in-the-moment support.
Can I use a Lasting alternative with my therapist?
Yes. LoveFix, Paired, and OurRelationship all work well as between-session tools. Many therapists appreciate when clients have a way to practice skills between appointments.
Is there a free version of Lasting?
Lasting offers a seven-day free trial rather than an ongoing free tier. If starting free matters, LoveFix begins with free sessions before any subscription.
Which alternatives work for long-distance couples?
All of them work remotely. Paired is particularly popular with long-distance couples because of its daily engagement model. LoveFix’s private processing model is useful when you can’t be in the same room during conflicts.