Locket Alternatives for Couples in 2026: 6 Apps Compared
We make BeSeen, a couple mood journal, and mention it where it fits. How we research and write
The short answer: if you love Locket but want to know how your partner is, not just what they see, get BeSeen, the app we make. A thirty-second mood check-in, with a photo if you want one, lands on your partner’s home-screen widget, and you choose how much of it they see. It is iPhone only and free to try; partner features need an account. For a daily photo just for the two of you, Candle. For notes and doodles, noteit. For a private album and chat, Between.
What Locket gets right#
Locket (4.8 from 569K ratings) is the reason this category exists: a photo your partner takes appears on your home screen the next time you unlock your phone. You can add up to 20 friends, and a “Crush” widget that shows photos from one person only. If that is all you want, stay with it. People look for alternatives when they want something only for the two of you, or more than a picture.
The short version#
| App | Best for | Pricing (September 2026) | Platforms | App Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeSeen | A photo plus how you feel, shared as much as you choose | Free to try; BeSeen+ $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr for both | iOS | 4.8 (5 ratings) |
| Candle | Daily photo prompts for just the two of you | Free; Premium $4.99/wk, $12.99/mo or $39.99 to $49.99/yr | iOS, Android | 4.8 (11K ratings) |
| noteit | Notes and drawings on their home screen | Free; Diamond from $1.99 | iOS, Android | 4.8 (99K ratings) |
| Widgetable | Snaps, doodles and virtual pets on shared widgets | Free; Premium $1.99 to $4.99/mo or $19.99/yr | iOS | 4.9 (385K ratings) |
| Couple Joy | Mood, distance and days together on one widget | Free; Premium $12.99 to $39.99 | iOS, Android | 4.9 (38K ratings) |
| Between | A private chat and photo album for two | Free; Plus $2.99/mo, $24.99/yr or $26.99 lifetime | iOS, Android | 4.8 (21K ratings) |
We judged each on four things: how much it tells you about how your partner is actually doing, whether it is private to the two of you, what its App Store privacy label says, and whether it runs on both your phones. BeSeen leads on the first and third; it loses on the fourth, since it is iPhone only. Candle and Between are just as private to the two of you, and four of the others run on Android.
BeSeen: the photo and the feeling#
4.8 (5 ratings), too few to brag about yet · iOS · Free to try; BeSeen+ $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr for both
Ours. BeSeen is a couple mood journal. A check-in takes about thirty seconds: a mood from Heavy to Great, the feelings behind it, and an optional note or photo. Then you choose what your partner sees: just the mood, a summary, or everything, and it shows up on their home-screen widget. They can reply to the moment itself.
In BeSeen
The photo, and how they felt
Open the app and see your partner’s shared check-ins, with the photo and the note if they added them, and reply right there.
Try it free on iPhoneWhat’s good
- A photo with the feeling behind it, not a photo alone
- Private to the two of you, and shared per check-in
- Its App Store privacy label lists no data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
Keep in mind
- iPhone only: skip it if either of you is on Android
- Not a pure photo app; if you only want pictures, Locket is simpler
- Partner features need an account and BeSeen+
Candle: a daily photo for two#
4.8 (11K ratings) · iOS, Android · Free; Premium $4.99/wk, $12.99/mo or $39.99 to $49.99/yr
Candle builds one-minute daily rituals for couples. Its daily photo prompts work like BeReal for just the two of you and add up to a private photo journal, with questions you both answer before either sees the other’s, “Thumb Kisses”, games and local date ideas alongside.
What’s good
- The closest to Locket, but only for the two of you
- A lot to do on quiet evenings
- On Android too
Keep in mind
- Streaks and games, so more app than widget
- Its privacy label includes data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
noteit: notes instead of photos#
4.8 (99K ratings) · iOS, Android · Free; Diamond from $1.99
noteit swaps the photo for a note, pic or drawing that appears live on your partner’s home-screen widget. It is the most Locket-like app here in spirit: add the widget, link, send.
What’s good
- Handwritten-feeling notes and doodles
- Its privacy label lists no data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
Keep in mind
- Nothing beyond the note: no mood, no history
- Built for friends too, not couples-specific
Widgetable: snaps, doodles and pets#
4.9 (385K ratings) · iOS · Free; Premium $1.99 to $4.99/mo or $19.99/yr
Widgetable pins snaps, emojis, doodles and texts to each other’s screens, and adds virtual pets you raise together, a distance widget and a “miss you” counter. Think Locket, turned into a game.
What’s good
- Far more widget types than Locket
- Cheap premium
Keep in mind
- Playful rather than personal
- We could not find it on Google Play
- Its privacy label includes data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
Couple Joy: mood and distance on a widget#
4.9 (38K ratings) · iOS, Android · Free; Premium $12.99 to $39.99
Couple Joy is couples-only: widgets with a shared mood, the distance between you and your days together, plus daily questions, games and a shared photo journal.
What’s good
- Built for two, with a lot in one app
- On Android too
Keep in mind
- Mood is a quick status, with no feelings behind it
- Its privacy label includes data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
More on it in our Couple Joy alternatives guide.
Between: a private album and chat#
4.8 (21K ratings) · iOS, Android · Free; Plus $2.99/mo, $24.99/yr or $26.99 lifetime
Between is a messenger just for two, with a shared store of photos, videos and notes, a shared calendar and countdowns to your special days. It is not a widget app, but if what you want is a private photo album for the two of you, it is built for exactly that.
What’s good
- A chat and album that are only yours
- Cheap Plus, with a lifetime option
Keep in mind
- No home-screen photo like Locket
- Its privacy label includes data used to track you (as of September 22, 2026)
How to choose#
- You want the feeling behind the photo: BeSeen. Start with the daily check-in ritual.
- You want Locket, but only for two: Candle.
- You would rather send notes than photos: noteit.
- You want a private album and chat: Between.
- You want to compare every widget app: see the best widget apps for couples.
Common questions#
What is the best Locket alternative for couples?
If you want the feeling behind the photo, BeSeen (our app, iPhone): a thirty-second mood check-in with an optional photo that lands on your partner's home screen, shared only as much as you choose. For a daily photo prompt just for two, Candle. For notes and drawings instead of photos, noteit. For a private album with chat, Between.
Is there an app like Locket just for couples?
Candle's daily photo prompts are shared only between the two of you, and Between is a private chat and album for two. BeSeen is built for couples too: each check-in, with a photo if you add one, goes to your partner's widget. Locket itself has a one-person "Crush" widget if you want to stay with it.
Is there a free alternative to Locket?
Every app here is free to download, with a paid tier. BeSeen is free to try, and solo journaling needs no account; partner features are part of BeSeen+ after a free trial.
Is Locket private?
Photos go only to the friends you add, up to 20. As of September 22, 2026, its App Store privacy label includes data used to track you, as do Candle's, Widgetable's, Couple Joy's and Between's; BeSeen's and noteit's do not.
Which Locket alternatives work on Android?
Candle, noteit, Couple Joy and Between run on iOS and Android. BeSeen is iPhone only for now, and we could not find Widgetable on Google Play.
Send the photo and how you feel. Thirty seconds, and you choose what they see.
BeSeen is a couple mood journal for iPhone. Free to try; partner features need an account.
Get BeSeen on the App Store