This Relationship App Helps Couples Rediscover the Spark — and Deepen Their Bonds

The Short Version: When your relationship started, it was probably like your favorite rom-com: filled with spontaneous adventures, conversations that lasted for hours, and undeniable chemistry that electrified every movement. But as time passes, that initial spark gets dimmer — not that it’s fading entirely, but more that it settles into a grounded reality. It’s almost too easy to let romance take a back seat as you adapt to the demands of everyday life, and sometimes, you forget the essence of who you were together during those early days. That’s where Flamme, the couples-exclusive app, comes in. Certified couples coach Ankit Nayal founded Flamme to provide affordable and accessible relationship guidance through an easy-to-use platform. 

I’ve been in a relationship for about a decade, so I know something about familiarity. We’ve got our routine down: He tackles mornings with breakfast while I handle dinner. He does outdoor chores like trash duty, while I prefer to vacuum and mop. He drives the highways, and I drive the city streets. 

But even with our well-oiled machine, I’ll admit it sometimes feels like we’re just going through the motions. We add some excitement each weekend and the occasional weeknight, but it’s easy for the weekday grind to make us feel monotonous. 

And yet, I believe we’ve made it this far because of some sage advice: Never stop dating each other. Keep exploring, keep surprising, and always keep each other as a top priority.

Of course, this is easier said than done. We’ve had our fair share of struggles, more times than I can count, over the years. If you’ve ever felt stuck in a routine or overwhelmed by life’s demands, I’ll be the first to tell you Flamme can help. It’s a practical couples app designed to strengthen relationships, whether you’ve been together for a few months or several years.

Flamme aims to assist couples in deepening their connection and staying in love — even after the honeymoon phase is long over. The couples app offers users 500-plus insightful questions, more than 1,000 curated date ideas, and resources that include an expert-sourced blog and an AI-based relationship advice coach. 

“Couples are a little hesitant about seeking help or guidance, but we want to show them that it doesn’t have to be the case,” said Ankit Nayal, the Founder and CEO of Flamme. “Our app is in the palm of your hands and can break down the stigma around relationship coaching.”

Flamme offers a unique avenue to connect with your partner without the need for formal sit-down conversations about sensitive topics like sex, communication, or family dynamics. Instead, it provides bite-sized pieces of information that can help both of you better understand each other. Is it the perfect way to let your partner know you prefer more eye contact during sex? Maybe not — but it definitely can.

With an MBA in Business Administration, Ankit is from India and currently lives between New York City and Barcelona. But it was when he spent eight years in China that he got the idea for Flamme. 

China’s relationship culture differs from India’s, so Ankit was drawn to explore the psychology behind that. It wasn’t long before he noticed a clear need for accessible and affordable guidance.

“I realized this industry was a bit broken, mostly because many people couldn’t access affordable coaching,” Ankit explained. 

Soon enough, Ankit was certified in Level One coaching from the Gottman Institute.

Ankit also noticed social media tended to be harmful to the success of many relationships: Whether it’s an influencer couple on TikTok or a pop psychology post on Instagram, the way relationships are displayed on social media gives people unrealistic expectations about what their lives should be like.

“It’s easy to think things should be done in a certain manner and be perfect, but nothing is perfect. So when people get into relationships, they realize there’s a lot more struggle, but then they can’t afford the health aspect of practicing relationships,” Ankit said.

When unsure of what defines a healthy relationship, we often look to the media for answers. But that highlight reel on social media or your favorite TV couple are portrayals that gloss over the complexities of real-life relationships. 

“Falling in love is the easy part! It’s the staying in love part that’s tough.”

Ankit may be a licensed couples coach, but he’s also a former bodybuilder, so workout metaphors are his forte. 

“You go to the gym because you want to be healthy. It’s also a preventative measure, so you don’t have to go to the doctor as often,” Ankit said. “We want Flamme to be the gym for your relationship, so you can go in there, improve on different facets, and help it grow.”

With this in mind, Flamme was born. 

“Falling in love is the easy part! It’s the staying in love part that’s tough.” 

Something clicked in my head when I read this on the Flamme FAQ. It’s not like most of us don’t already know this — that’s why there’s a honeymoon phase for most relationships — but many of us don’t have the resources or tools to keep the relationship healthy and thriving. 

Flamme wants to help couples learn how to do that. Here’s what you can do on Flamme:

• Answer Daily Discovery Questions with your partner so you can learn new things daily. The question topics include intimacy, communication, family, money, and vacations, among others. 
• See your Relationship Tracker, which tells you how many days you’ve been together. Converting that number into days rather than years may surprise you!
• Build your Memory Bank, where you can cherish some of your favorite memories together with an image and date, like an anniversary or vacation. 
• See your partner’s feelings — including whether they’re in the mood. (Hint: Notifications are only sent out if you both toggle this, so no hard feelings here.)
• Select from a curated list of date ideas, and then enter the date into your Date Planner to schedule it. 
• Share a Bucket List for travel destinations, recipes, and activities to do together. 
• Access FlammeAI, a carefully curated LLM (large language model) tool that offers tailored guidance and advice on any relationship topic. 

“My biggest piece of advice is to remember to take time out for your partner. So many people start with the honeymoon phase, and they always want to do exciting things, but when things get a bit more stable, they’re more likely to slack on it and say they’re too busy with other things in life,” Ankit emphasized. But remember, your relationship is a big part of your life, so you need to be conscious about taking your time out.”

Ankit recommends integrating an intentional date night into your weekly routine. 

This isn’t your typical “let’s order Chinese and watch TV” Tuesday night. Instead, it’s about deliberately setting aside a day, time, and place to enjoy each other’s company. Ankit also advises taking turns planning these date nights. One week, you take the reins and plan something; the next week, it’s your partner’s turn. 

Generative AI is the powerhouse behind the FlammeAI tool. It’s a unique feature in the world of dating apps, which is fascinating considering the current boom of AI in the tech industry. 

But Ankit emphasized it’s not just any chatbot — it’s a sophisticated algorithm that provides personalized advice based on your profile, activity, and past interactions with your partner.

“We put in a daily question so you can learn more about your partner across different facets,” Ankit explained. “Now the advantage is we know how to anonymize and leverage the user data and use it with retrieval augment generation technology to provide them a personalized answer.”

For instance, say you previously mentioned communication issues with your partner in a daily question. Later, if you approach FlammeAI with a communication-related query like, “How do I address my partner working too much without causing conflict?” the algorithm will leverage the insights it has learned about your relationship to provide targeted suggestions and techniques. 

“The differentiating factor is that we have a lot of data about the user to solve it, and we can use that to provide them with something much more personalized than what ChatGPT or other platforms can offer,” Ankit explained.

Flamme acts as the playful wingman you need to break the ice on tricky topics and reignite the excitement that lives in some of your favorite memories. Download, sign up, and invite your partner to Flamme today.