Long-distance and app-controlled toys: what to check first

App-controlled toys let a partner run the show from across the room or across an ocean. They're also gadgets, which means the app, the account and the warranty matter as much as the toy. Here's what to check before you buy.

Bluetooth range or genuinely long-distance?

• Bluetooth-only toys connect straight to a phone. They work across a room or a restaurant table, not across a city.
• Long-distance toys connect through an app over the internet, so your partner can control the toy from anywhere with a signal. Most need both of you to install the same app, and some need an account.
• Partner toys come in pairs that respond to each other, so moving one makes the other react. Check whether both have to be bought separately.

The product page should say which kind it is. If it says "app controlled" and nothing about distance, assume Bluetooth range only.

The app is part of the toy

• Which app, and on which phones? Check it's in your app store and supports your phone before you pay.
• Does it need an account? Some work without one; others want an email address and a profile.
• What does it collect? Read the privacy policy for what's stored and shared. In 2017 the maker of the We-Vibe settled a class action over collecting usage data from its app, and makers have tightened up since, but it's still worth reading.
• Does the toy work without the app? If the app ever disappears, buttons on the toy are what keep it useful.
• Is there in-app chat or video? Handy for long distance, but it's another place your messages are stored.

Gadget checks

• Battery life and charging: long sessions over video use more battery than you'd think.
• Warranty on the electronics: a year is common; longer is better.
• Waterproofing, if it's going anywhere near a bath.
• Noise, if anyone else is home.

Returns are strict

Once the box is opened, most shops treat app toys like any other intimate item and only take them back if they're faulty. That makes the warranty and the shop's faulty-item policy the things to compare. Our returns countdown shows each shop's rules.

Consent works remotely too

Agree what's on and off the table before handing someone the controls, especially if a toy is being worn out of the house. Every app worth using has an instant off.

Where to buy

Couples and app-controlled toys are a category where shop policies differ more than the toys do. Our where to buy couples and app-controlled toys page compares the shops on range, warranty and returns.