Comparison

Dovee vs OurRitual

OurRitual is online couples therapy with licensed clinicians, weekly video sessions, between-session exercises, and a built-in AI guide called Ora. It raised a $5.2M seed in July 2024 and brought on Dr. Orna Guralnik - the therapist from Showtime's Couples Therapy docuseries - as Chief Clinical Officer. Dovee is the AI Relationship Assistant for couples - voice-first, hears both partners separately, available every day. They're in adjacent categories. The question is which one you need.

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TL;DR

The short answer

OurRitual is real licensed therapy with an AI companion on top. Weekly 20-min individual or 40-min couple sessions, $190+/month subscription, grounded in Gottman and EFT. If you want a licensed clinician guiding the work and don't mind the weekly cadence, OurRitual is genuinely good. Dovee is the AI Relationship Assistant: daily, voice-first, no scheduling, no licensed therapist. Different jobs. Many couples will want both at different stages.

About OurRitual

Founded
2021 - David Pruwer (CEO), Nir Shtern, Gilad Meir (Tel Aviv)
Parent
Independent - $7.2M total raised; $5.2M seed July 2024 (Venrex-led)
Pricing
Individual $190/4wk · Couple $310/4wk (20%/3-month discount)
Scale
Thousands of members; 300+ licensed therapists

OurRitual (originally "Hey Ritual") was founded in 2021 in Tel Aviv by David Pruwer (CEO), Nir Shtern (CPO), and Gilad Meir (CTO). The product is structured as online couples therapy with three layers: weekly live video sessions with a licensed clinician, between-session guided exercises, and Ora - an AI relationship guide available 24/7. The clinical bench is real: 300+ vetted MSW, LMHC, LMFT, or registered psychotherapist credentials, with methodology explicitly grounded in Gottman and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).

OurRitual's standout moat is Dr. Orna Guralnik joining as Chief Clinical Officer in July 2024 - announced the same week as the $5.2M seed close. Guralnik is the star of Showtime's Couples Therapy docuseries and a faculty member at NYU's psychoanalysis program. That's an unusual celebrity-clinician anchor for a digital therapy startup; it materially raises OurRitual's credibility in a crowded space.

Pricing is subscription-based: Individual Plan is $190 every 4 weeks (or $432 for 12 weeks - 20% off); Couple Plan is $310 every 4 weeks (or $720 for 12 weeks). Sessions are weekly: 20 minutes for individuals, 40 minutes for couples. There's a 14-day money-back guarantee. Insurance, HSA, and FSA are not confirmed as accepted - it's cash-pay only based on current site documentation.

Dovee is intentionally not therapy. Dovee is the AI Relationship Assistant for couples - voice-first, available every day, no scheduling, no licensed clinician in the loop. The pitch isn't "replace your therapist" - it's "the always-on layer that lives in the other 167 hours of the week between sessions, or that helps couples who don't need or can't access ongoing therapy."

Head-to-head

FeatureDoveeOurRitual
Live licensed therapist
×
✓300+ MSW/LMHC/LMFT
AI between-session companion
✓
✓Ora
Voice-first conversations
✓
×Video sessions
Available 24/7 without scheduling
✓
~Ora 24/7; sessions weekly
Hears each partner privately
✓
✓Solo or couple plan
Synthesizes both perspectives
✓
✓Therapist does it
Daily nudges and check-ins
✓
~
Built on Gottman / EFT frameworks
✓
✓
Celebrity clinician (Dr. Orna Guralnik)
×
✓
Solo plan option (one partner)
✓
✓
Insurance / HSA / FSA accepted
×Subscription
×Cash-pay confirmed
Sessions per week
✓Daily, on demand
~1 weekly, 20-40 min
Crisis routing (988, DV hotline)
✓
✓
Available outside US
✓
~US-primary; intl unverified
Money-back guarantee
×
✓14 days
✓ Yes~ Partial× No

Where they differ

Therapy with a clinician vs. an AI assistant

OurRitual is licensed therapy. The product is real - 300+ vetted clinicians with proper credentials, weekly video sessions, methodology rooted in Gottman and EFT. The AI guide (Ora) is the between-session layer; the therapist is the substantive work. The bar is high and the clinical structure is real.

Dovee's take: Dovee is explicitly not therapy. We're not licensed clinicians and we don't pretend to be. Dovee is the AI Relationship Assistant - the always-on voice-first layer that helps couples stay connected in daily life. The two are complementary. A couple in active care at OurRitual can use Dovee for daily check-ins between weekly sessions. A couple who doesn't need or can't access ongoing therapy can use Dovee as the standalone layer.

The Dr. Orna Guralnik factor

Bringing Guralnik on as Chief Clinical Officer is OurRitual's biggest credibility play. She's well-known from Showtime's Couples Therapy, brings serious psychoanalytic depth from her NYU faculty work, and her involvement shapes the clinical content standards across the platform. That's a real moat that's hard to replicate.

Dovee's take: Dovee's job isn't to compete on clinical celebrity. We're an assistant, not a therapy brand. Where Dovee differentiates: we're voice-first by default, each partner gets a private channel (not a shared therapy room), and we're available the night you actually need help - not on Thursday at 7pm when the therapist is free.

Weekly cadence vs. daily availability

OurRitual is structured around weekly sessions: 20 minutes for individuals, 40 minutes for couples. That's intentional - the rhythm matches traditional therapy. Between sessions, you have async exercises and Ora the AI guide for lightweight help.

Dovee's take: Dovee lives in the rhythm of daily life. The fight you had at 11pm Tuesday; the thing your partner said in passing that landed wrong; the conversation you've been avoiding for two weeks. Voice in, real response back, both perspectives synthesized. Not a session you wait for - a daily layer.

Cost & access

OurRitual is $190-$310 every 4 weeks (cheaper on the 3-month plan). That's significantly less than $200/session in-person therapy but still a real budget commitment. Insurance, HSA, and FSA are not confirmed as accepted. US-primary; international availability is claimed but the supported countries aren't published.

Dovee's take: Dovee's subscription is lower-cost than ongoing therapy and is globally available. It's not a substitute for clinical care when you need it - but it's accessible to many more couples on many more days. The honest framing isn't either/or - it's that OurRitual and Dovee solve different parts of the problem at different price points.

Which one fits your situation

Pick OurRitual

We want real licensed couples therapy without paying $200/session

OurRitual is exactly this. Licensed clinicians, Gottman/EFT methodology, Dr. Guralnik shaping the clinical content. Pay the $190+/mo if you want the rigor of therapy without the in-person price.

Pick Dovee

We need help daily, not just one 40-minute session a week

Therapy is heavy for daily life. Dovee is the layer for the other 167 hours - voice check-ins, nudges, conversation help when life is chaotic.

Pick Dovee

We're already in therapy and want help between sessions

OurRitual has Ora for this, which is fine. Dovee is more dual-perspective by design - private channel for each partner, voice-first, synthesis built around the couple. Many therapists actively recommend a between-session tool.

Either works

One partner won't engage with anything new

Both products have a solo option. OurRitual's Individual Plan lets the willing partner work with a licensed therapist on the relationship. Dovee works solo first and your partner can join when ready. Pick OurRitual if you want clinical guidance; Dovee if you want daily, voice-first.

What to pick, when

Both products help couples. They’re built for different jobs. Here’s the honest read.

Pick Dovee if…

  • You want daily help between sessions (or when you don't need sessions).
  • You'd rather talk than do video appointments.
  • You want each partner to have a private channel they can use any time.
  • You can't access or don't need ongoing licensed therapy right now.
  • You're outside the US (Dovee is globally available; OurRitual's international coverage is unverified).

Pick OurRitual if…

  • You want a real licensed therapist guiding the work, not just an AI.
  • You specifically value Dr. Orna Guralnik's clinical leadership.
  • You can commit to a weekly cadence and want the rigor of therapy.
  • You're in the US and the cash-pay subscription works for your budget.
  • You're processing infidelity, attachment trauma, or another situation that needs clinical depth.

Pricing & value

OurRitual at $190-$310 every 4 weeks is roughly half the cost of weekly in-person therapy at $200/session. The 3-month plan saves 20%. Insurance, HSA, and FSA are not confirmed as accepted - treat it as cash-pay. Dovee's subscription is structured differently and is meant as the always-on layer, not a session-based product. Many couples will want both at different stages.

FAQ

Is Dovee a replacement for OurRitual?

No. They solve different parts of the problem. OurRitual is licensed therapy with an AI companion (Ora) between sessions. Dovee is the AI Relationship Assistant for daily life. Many couples will use one, the other, or both at different stages.

What's the difference between Ora (OurRitual's AI) and Dovee?

Ora is the in-app between-session AI guide built into OurRitual's therapy product. Dovee is a standalone AI Relationship Assistant for couples - voice-first by default, each partner has a private channel, and Dovee is the primary product, not a feature layered onto something else. Different scope.

Does OurRitual accept insurance?

We did not find any source confirming insurance, HSA, or FSA acceptance as of this writing. OurRitual appears to be cash-pay only. Verify directly with OurRitual if reimbursement matters to your decision.

Is OurRitual available outside the US?

OurRitual is US-primary. They claim international availability but the supported countries aren't published in our sources. If you're outside the US, contact them directly to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.

What credentials do OurRitual's therapists have?

300+ licensed clinicians with credentials including MSW, LMHC, LMFT, and registered psychotherapist. Clinical methodology is explicitly grounded in Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy, both of which have strong empirical bases. Chief Clinical Officer is Dr. Orna Guralnik (Showtime's Couples Therapy; NYU psychoanalysis faculty).

Can I use Dovee while in OurRitual therapy?

Yes - and many couples will. OurRitual's Ora handles the between-session layer inside their app. Dovee gives each partner a separate voice-first channel and synthesizes both sides. The two products don't conflict; they target different parts of the daily-vs-weekly rhythm.

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The AI Relationship Assistant for couples. Voice-first. Hears both of you. Helps you stay close, daily.

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