Business analyst Alisa Balakirska and her husband created My Red Flag, a swipe game for couples and friends that checks relationship compatibility.
Business analyst Alisa Balakirska and her husband created My Red Flag, a swipe game for couples and friends that checks relationship compatibility.
This is a smartphone game app built on swipe mechanics that invites couples and friends to discuss «red flags» and «green flags» in a relationship and check how much their ideas about healthy and unhealthy patterns of behavior match. The app was created by a married couple — developer Alisa Balakirska and her husband.
In the official account of the application on Threads, the founders reported that as of now My Red Flag ranks 11th in the «Lifestyle» category of the Ukrainian App Store. They describe their idea humorously: first, get acquainted on Tinder or Badoo, and then check in My Red Flag how many «red flags» of a partner could have gone unnoticed during the acquaintance stage.
The app features intentionally provocative relationship situations, and for each one, you have to decide whether you consider it a «red flag» or a «green flag.» You can then compare your scores with another player—a partner or friend—and see where your views coincide and where they radically diverge. Each card can be opened for additional context and examples, and answers can be verified via QR code, without the need to create a joint account.
Among the topics the app offers to explore are: texting habits, jealousy, loyalty, personal boundaries, responsibility, emotional maturity, communication, respect, social media behavior, compatibility, and dating expectations.
The application also has a personalized analysis function — after going through the cards, the user gets an overview of their own patterns in relationships and which topics evoke the greatest emotional response.
According to the founders, the game can spark quite lively discussions: according to them, friends who tested the application almost got into a fight while going through the cards together — which is why the team offers to «test the strength of their relationship» to those who dare to download the game.
The developers position the application as both a tool for couples who want to playfully test their compatibility, and as a way for friends to discuss the culture of modern dating — that is, not only as a test for relationships, but also as a format for spending time together.
There is no single «right» answer in the game — there is only each player’s personal position. The idea is to first independently determine for yourself whether it is a red flag or a green flag, and then discuss with a partner or friend why this is so — and, according to the team, even in couples who have been together for several years, the answers can sometimes be truly surprising.
The authors propose the app as an alternative to a TV show night — a way to better understand yourself or your partner in a single session. The team describes Full Access as costing less than a cup of coffee but potentially yielding a much more interesting conversation.
My Red Flag is free to download and includes free introductory content. Full access—over 100 situation cards, QR comparison with another player, and personalized pattern analysis—is available with a one-time purchase of $2.99, no subscription required.
The application is only available for iPhone, requires iOS 17.0 or later, has an age restriction of 16+, and, according to the developer, does not collect any user data.
As the founders themselves summarize: the game can be funny, it can be uncomfortable — but it will definitely give a reason for conversation.
