Lasting
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Lasting is one of the most clinically rigorous relationship apps on the market, positioned not as entertainment or a general relationship tool but as a therapy program designed to function alongside or instead of live couples counseling. Now owned by Talkspace, a major telehealth therapy platform, Lasting commands deep trust from the mental health community itself. Thousands of licensed marriage and family therapists actively recommend Lasting to their clients and use it to supplement their own clinical work. This is not a casual endorsement. It means therapists who are trained to spot pseudoscience and marketing language have verified that Lasting's content holds up to clinical scrutiny. With three million couples and families using it, and 94 percent reporting stronger relationships after using the app, it's the closest thing available to bringing marriage therapy home in an app format.
The foundation of Lasting rests on decades of relationship science. The content is built on frameworks developed by researchers and clinicians who have studied thousands of couples to understand what actually helps relationships improve. This is not a company that hired a writer and a designer to build an app. This is a company built by relationship experts who recognized that access to live therapy is expensive, hard to find, and not feasible for many couples, and who wanted to democratize evidence-based interventions. The app functions as a structured couples therapy program condensed into a mobile format. Each exercise or lesson is grounded in the research, not designed to be cute or viral. Every feature solves a real problem that couples therapy addresses.
The app's structure reflects this therapeutic approach. Rather than a library of random activities like some relationship apps, Lasting offers a pathway through specific relationship skills and conflict patterns. Users work through modules on communication techniques, including how to listen without defending and how to express needs without blame. There are sections on understanding your partner's attachment style and how that affects the relationship. The app walks couples through conflict resolution frameworks based on proven de-escalation techniques that therapists use in sessions. There's also content on rebuilding trust after betrayal or other ruptures, which is a core part of couples therapy work. For parents, there are modules specifically on co-parenting and how to support each other through the stress of raising children. These aren't trendy features. They're the substance of what a couples therapist would address in actual sessions.
One of the crucial differences between Lasting and more consumer-focused apps is the depth of the material. Many relationship apps serve as daily prompts or conversation starters, designed for brief engagement. Lasting assumes you're going to spend real time in the app, working through exercises that require thinking, writing, and sometimes difficult conversations between sessions. The app provides worksheets, reflection prompts, and structured exercises that mirror what you'd do with a therapist in an office. This requires more commitment from users, but it also means users who follow through are actually doing therapeutic work, not just participating in a game.
Pricing for Lasting is not published on the main website, which follows a pattern common in therapy apps: they prefer potential users to explore the app's free components first and then see subscription pricing inside the app itself. Based on the standard pricing for therapy-level apps and subscription services in the mental health space, Lasting's paid tiers typically fall into the $15 to $30 per month range, though prices may vary by subscription length (monthly vs. annual). Like most app subscriptions, an annual plan would offer better value than month-to-month. The lack of public pricing is a friction point for comparison shopping, but it does lower the barrier to trying the app before committing.
A significant factor in Lasting's credibility is its integration into the professional therapy ecosystem. Thousands of marriage and family therapists trust the app enough to recommend it directly to clients. Some therapists use Lasting as homework between sessions, assigning specific modules that reinforce work done in the therapy room. This is a level of clinical validation that most apps don't achieve. For users, it means that if you're also seeing a therapist, Lasting can be a direct extension of that work, not a separate or conflicting resource. The app wasn't built to replace therapy, but it was built to mirror what therapy does, which makes it useful both as a standalone tool and as an adjunct.
The app works best for couples who are committed to the relationship but recognize they need help with specific skills or patterns. Someone going through couples therapy and wanting to do more work between sessions will find Lasting incredibly valuable. A couple recognizing they're drifting and wanting to intentionally rebuild connection will find structured frameworks that actually work. Parents struggling to stay connected while parenting will find relevant support. Where Lasting is less effective is in situations involving active abuse, severe mental health crises, or fundamental incompatibility. It's therapy-level content but not a substitute for a licensed therapist in a crisis situation. It also requires that both partners are willing and engaged. If one partner isn't interested, no app can create that will for them.
An important consideration with Lasting is the accountability and shared investment it requires. The app is most effective when both partners regularly engage with the modules and exercises. This is different from an app like some others where one person can use it individually. Lasting is built for dual commitment. That's a strength when both people are in, and a weakness if one person is dragging the other along. The shared structure also means relationship history and exercises are stored within the app, creating a record that both partners can see. This transparency is therapeutic when trust exists and the relationship is reasonably safe, but it can be a barrier for couples with control issues or power imbalances.
The research backing Lasting is substantial. With three million users and tracking data showing that 94 percent report stronger relationships and 80 percent of parents report more confidence in their parenting, these aren't marketing claims with no basis. That said, the self-reported nature of these results means some selection bias exists. Couples motivated enough to regularly use a therapy app are likely already invested in improvement. The app is not solving relationship problems for people who aren't doing any work. It's empowering couples who are ready to do the work but lack access to therapy.
What sets Lasting apart from casual relationship apps is the absence of gamification designed to addict. There's no streak counter, no social comparison, no flashy animations designed to keep you clicking. The app is deliberately clinical in its design. This makes it less fun than something like Paired, but it also means the app doesn't manipulate your attention. You engage with Lasting when you're ready to do the work, and you stop when you've worked through the modules you need. That's a mark of a therapy-first design rather than a consumer-first design.
Lasting works exceptionally well for couples who want therapy-based guidance and structure but need flexibility on timing and cost. If you're in therapy and want to accelerate progress between sessions, it's ideal. If you're dealing with specific skills like communication or conflict resolution and want a structured pathway to learn them, it delivers. The tradeoff is that it requires genuine commitment from both partners and won't rescue a relationship where one or both people aren't willing to engage. For couples ready to do serious work on their relationship, Lasting is one of the most clinically sound apps available.
Grade: A- (Strong clinical foundation, therapist-approved content, substantial depth and scope, but requires dual commitment and significant time investment, and opaque pricing may deter price-shopping comparisons.)