How we compared them
Each row comes from the app’s own listing on the US App Store, checked on 23 October 2026: what the developer says it does, where it says the widget appears, its rating and its price. Lovly is our app, so we have kept to the same facts for it and said plainly where another app is the better pick.
| App | What you send | Where it shows up | US rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovly | Drawings, moods, notes | Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets | New, no ratings yet | Free to start; Lovly+ $44.99/year |
| Paint Love | Drawings, live together | Lock Screen widgets | 4.5 (1,060 ratings) | Free download |
| Drawing Together on Lockscreen | Drawings, in real time | Lock Screen | 4.5 (360 ratings) | Free download |
| LoveSketch | Sketches and notes | Home Screen widget | No ratings yet | Free download |
| Couplio | Notes, drawings, plans, memories | Home Screen widgets | 5.0 (2 ratings) | Free download |
| Locket Widget | Photos, with friends | Home Screen widget | 4.8 (582,317 ratings) | Free download |
Other apps: their own US App Store listings, checked .
What to look for
- Lock Screen or Home Screen. A Lock Screen widget is seen every time they pick up their phone; a Home Screen widget only when they unlock it and land on that page.
- Who pays. Couple apps need two phones. Check whether one purchase covers both partners or each of you pays.
- Streaks. Some apps reward sending every day and reset a count if you miss one. If that feels like pressure, look for an app without them.
- Your drawings stay yours. Check whether drawings are kept if you close the app mid-stroke, and whether older ones disappear on the free plan.
- Both phones. Every app here is iPhone-first. If your partner uses Android, check the store before you both commit.
The apps, one by one
Lovly
One shared canvas for the two of you: draw, tap Send, and it appears on your partner’s Lock Screen widget. It also has moods, mini notes, a daily doodle prompt, gifts that open on a date, and your partner’s city and local time, which helps across time zones. No ads and no streaks. Drawing together is free; your drawings reach each other’s Lock Screen free for the first 3 days after you pair, then with Lovly+. Lovly+ is $7.99 a month or $44.99 a year (US), and one purchase covers both of you. It is new, so it has no ratings yet.
Paint Love
Built around drawing together live: its listing says you can draw at the same time across any distance, put drawings on Lock Screen widgets, and pair without an account. The most-rated app in this list that is made for drawing. Pick it if real-time drawing together matters most.
Drawing Together on Lockscreen
Real-time drawing on each other’s Lock Screens, aimed at friends and family as well as couples, according to its listing. A good fit if you want one app for a group rather than a space for two.
LoveSketch
Sketches and love notes that appear on your partner’s Home Screen widget, with three widget sizes and Apple Pencil support, per its listing. New, with no ratings yet.
Couplio
A broader couples app: notes, drawings, date planning, memories and quizzes, with Home Screen widgets. Choose it if you want planning tools more than a drawing on their Lock Screen.
Locket Widget
The best known widget app, with over half a million ratings. It shares live photos with friends on the Home Screen, not drawings. If you want something only for the two of you, see Locket alternatives for couples.
Which one should you pick?
- You want your drawing on their Lock Screen, just for the two of you: Lovly.
- You want to draw at the same time, live: Paint Love.
- You want a whole group drawing together: Drawing Together on Lockscreen.
- You want photos, with friends too: Locket.
- You want date planning and quizzes: Couplio.
Ready to try it? Here is how to draw on your partner’s Lock Screen, step by step.