An app for long-distance couples

One place for the two of you, wherever you are

In Parella a couple shares a calendar, a chat, lists, goals and an album. What one of you adds, the other sees right away, or the next time the app opens if the connection dropped. Your phones can differ: one on iPhone, the other on Android, and you are still one couple. There is a browser version too — app.youwithme.space, same account, same data.

Only the two of you see what you share. There is no feed, no strangers and no ads.

A countdown to your next visit

The Ours tab has Counters, each with a name, a day and what to count: “Until this day” or “Since this day”. Call it “Until we meet”, set the day of the visit, and both of you see the same number on the app’s home screen. A couple can have up to three counters, and either of you can edit them. From version 1.48 a counter can also go on your phone’s home screen as a widget.

Next to them lives Days together, which counts from the day you started dating. To count without the app, use “How many days have we been together”.

Touch: feeling each other through the screen

Touch is a shared field for two. Each of you puts a finger on your own screen, and when the fingers meet, both phones buzz. While you hold on, the screen counts how many seconds you have been together, and the phone gives a short tap-tap once a second. “Call your partner” sends them a notification, no more often than once every five minutes.

If you see the text but feel no vibration, check the phone’s settings: haptic feedback on Android, System Haptics on iPhone.

A voice, a face and a photo of the day

The couple’s chat has voice messages, video clips, reactions and stickers with Clay and Sage. Without the paid Plus a couple gets five video clips and fifteen voice messages a month; text has no limit. Each of you can also mark a mood once a day and post a photo of the day, so you see how the other’s day went even when you didn’t get to talk.

Each of you keeps your own time zone

The calendar takes event times from your phone’s time zone. If you live in different zones, open Settings → Notifications → Time zone: the app uses it so that notifications about your partner’s changes and games don’t arrive at night, and hints and emails come only during the day.

Games you can play from two cities

You play Secret answers, Guess my pick, Stories, Tic-tac-toe, Battleships and Dilemma each on your own phone. Your partner’s move appears by itself, and you can close the app: the game will wait. More on each one in “Games for couples”, and forty Secret answers questions are on “Questions for couples”.

A letter for the day you meet

Letters to the future are sealed until the day you choose. Before then neither your partner nor you can open them: the server does not hand out the text early. Write one when your time apart begins, set the date of the visit, and it opens on that very day.

How to start together

1. One of you installs Parella and creates the couple — the app gives you a code and a link for your partner.
2. The other installs the app and enters the code or opens the link. Your phones can be different.
3. On the Ours tab, add an “Until we meet” counter with the day of the visit.
4. If you live in different time zones, pick yours in Settings → Notifications → Time zone.

Mikhail, I make Parella

Questions