Paired

Market position

Paired describes itself as the leading app for improving romantic relationships and the #1 app for couples. It frames its category as "relationship care" positioned between everyday relationship maintenance and couples therapy — described by its CEO with the analogy that if couples therapy is a dentist, Paired is a toothbrush. Coverage placed it within the broader wellness and self-care app trend, extending self-care to a couple rather than an individual, and investors framed the opportunity relative to a dating app market generating more than $3 billion in revenue in 2020.

Content is developed with named relationship therapists and academics, including Dr Jacqui Gabb, Aly Bullock, Laura Caruso LMHC, TherapyJeff and Anjula Mutanda, and earlier collaborators including Dr Pepper Schwartz, Mark Rivett, Hannah Sherbersky and Dr Terri Orbuch. The company points to an independent academic evaluation of its efficacy and to a preventative, habit-forming approach aimed at all couples rather than only those in distress.

Technology

A consumer iOS and Android app built around daily question and quiz prompts, relationship satisfaction tracking, audio courses and tips. Partners link accounts via a unique code, which creates a shared channel where each can unlock the other's answers. Following the 2021 seed round the company invested in personalisation, hiring engineers, a product manager and a data scientist to tailor conversations to a user's interests and relationship stage.

Go-to-market

Direct-to-consumer distribution through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on a freemium subscription basis, with growth via influencers, partnerships and other marketing channels. The company maintains dedicated press and partnerships contact channels.

Couples in committed relationships, particularly busy couples seeking to maintain communication habits rather than couples in acute distress. At the time of the 2021 seed round the average user was described as a straight millennial in their early 30s who had been in their relationship for two to three years, with about 5% of users LGBTQ+ and a fairly even split of women and men; relationship lengths ranged from six months to over ten years. At launch, the majority of users were aged 30-50 and used the app with a partner.

Geography

UK-based, with the app available globally. Main markets are the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia; the app was piloted in Australia prior to launch.

History

After founding in September 2019, the app was piloted and iterated in Australia for roughly six months before launching publicly in October 2020 alongside $1 million in disclosed funding. In March 2021 an independent evaluation by The Open University and the University of Brighton was published. In May 2021 the company announced a $3.6 million seed round led by Eka Ventures, bringing total funding to $4.6 million, with plans to grow the user base from 5,000+ subscribers to 100,000 over 18 months by building out the product team and adding personalisation. By the time of its About page the company reported more than four years of operation and 4 million couples. A direct-to-consumer store selling games and conversation cards was later opened and subsequently closed.

Risks & controversies

Efficacy claims rest partly on self-reported relationship satisfaction, a subjective measure; TechCrunch noted that quantifying it as a percentage increase may not suit all readers. The product does not obviously cater to open or polyamorous couples. The subscription model depends on continued engagement from users whose stated goal may be to need the app less over time, and the direct-to-consumer physical store has been discontinued.