Relationship Problems? There’s an App For That

In the age where apps can tell you how to manage your finances, food purchases, and film choices, it's no surprise that an app can help you manage a relationship as well. But can an app really fix your relationship?

Kahnoodle Mobile App for Couples from Kahnoodle on Vimeo.

Kahnoodle, an app that launched in 2011, tries to help liven up the relationships of couples that might have gone stale. It strives to "make it easier for busy couples to do more of the fun and thoughtful things that brought them together in the first place," according to a promotional website video.

The CEO and Founder of Kahnoodle wrote that the app is supposed to make every day feel like Valentine's Day. "Love is a verb. It requires action. Gadgets don't take action, people do. So here's a novel idea, instead of blaming technology for our tech obsession, how about we use technology to actually make it easier for couples to become better partners and give each other what they need to feel loved more often?" wrote Zuhairah Scott Washington for Women 2.0."Frustrated that there were online tools that allowed you to proactively achieve other life goals like losing weight or saving money but nothing available that helped good couples become and stay great, I decided to build a tool that could help other committed couples more proactively manage their relationship success."

Kahnoodle uses "positive reinforcement and game mechanics" in order to inspire couples to put more spark in their offline lives by earning points, or "kudos," via the app.

This app is a definite departure from other sex, love, and relationship-themed apps such as Tinder, Grindr, Bang With Friends, and Lulu, which all emphasize sex. (Lulu does, however, offer women the option of rating men by their gentlemanly capabilities as well as their prowess in the bedroom.)

Some might argue that having an app for your relationship limits the couple's option of being spontaneous. As The Atlantic points out, "It turns out spontaneity and creativity don't necessarily predict lasting relationships, though Cosmo's recurring ice cube-centric sex tips would have us believe otherwise." Relationships that are built on a "solid, comfortable, interesting, and pleasurable bed of reality succeed above all others," according to an article by relationship psychologists John Adams and Constance Avery-Clark.

Even though Kahnoodle isn't new, its newest service — Kahnoodle Concierge — takes the basic premise into overdrive with its date-planning service.

"We eliminate all the elements that prevent happy couples from scheduling fun days and nights together by taking on the planning and prep work ourselves so you can both enjoy a great date without all the hassle," the app's blog reads. 

While Kahnoodle is not a guaranteed cure for a soiled relationship, it might be just the boost that some struggling couples need.