Is there a serious, science-based couple compatibility test? Seven instruments compared
In short
No serious questionnaire gives a "compatibility percentage". Recognised instruments measure specific aspects of how a relationship works — attachment, satisfaction, dyadic adjustment, conflict — and each was built for a different use: research, work with a professional, or self-guided exploration. This page describes seven instruments, including the RDP published by MKN Coaching, against the same factual criteria so you can pick the one that fits your question.
The table
| Instrument | What it measures | Format | Who administers it | Access and published price | Languages | What the instrument says it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDP — Relational Dynamics Profile (MKN Coaching, 2026) | 9 relational-dynamics dimensions plus a cognitive style; gaps between self-perception and measurement | 72 items (64 scaled + 8 written answers), 35 to 45 minutes | Online, self-guided; couple report only under double consent | €29.90 individual · €55.90 couple | 6 (EN, FR, DE, ES, PT, KO) | No diagnosis, no prediction, never advises staying or leaving |
| ECR-R — Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised (Fraley, Waller & Brennan, 2000) | Adult attachment on 2 dimensions: anxiety and avoidance | 36 items, 7-point scale | Research instrument | Items freely posted on the author's lab page | Many research adaptations | — |
| ECR-RS — Relationship Structures (Fraley et al., 2011) | Attachment anxiety and avoidance, one relationship at a time (partner, parents, best friend) | 9 items per target relationship | Research instrument | Items freely posted on the author's lab page | — | — |
| Gottman Relationship Checkup (The Gottman Institute) | Friendship and intimacy, stress and conflict, shared rituals, values and goals, trust and commitment, health concerns | 337 questions, about 1 hour (official page) | By invitation from an approved clinician; designed for use with a therapist | $39 per couple (reassessment included) | Not stated | Designed for a professional setting, not solo use |
| PREPARE/ENRICH (Customized Version) | Core scales, relationship-dynamics scales and personality scales | About 30 minutes per person | Certified facilitator only | $35 per couple | 12, including French | "No pass or fail aspect"; does not replace professional judgment |
| RELATE (Relate Foundation, originating at Brigham Young University) | 10 aspects: personality, family background, communication, conflict resolution, values, emotional health… | 200+ questions, under an hour | Online, self-guided; optional professional review | $25 per person · $40 per couple | English; validated Spanish version (Carroll et al., 2001) | "Not a compatibility test"; does not tell you to stay or break up |
| DAS — Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976) · RDAS (Busby et al., 1995) | Dyadic adjustment: consensus, satisfaction, cohesion (+ affectional expression for the DAS) | DAS: 32 items · RDAS: 14 items | Research and clinical | DAS: copyrighted, distributed by MHS · RDAS: use with attribution | Many translations | — |
| CSI — Couples Satisfaction Index (Funk & Rogge, 2007) | Relationship satisfaction only | 32-, 16-, 8- or 4-item versions | Research and clinical | Free to use, no further permission needed | — | — |
A dash means the publisher does not state it or it could not be verified.
How to choose, depending on your question
- "I want to understand my attachment style."
- The ECR-R and ECR-RS are the research references for adult attachment. They measure two dimensions — fear of abandonment and avoidance of closeness — and nothing else. The RDP includes the same two axes in its "attachment security" dimension, within a broader profile.
- "We are preparing to marry and want guidance."
- PREPARE/ENRICH is built for this: it must be taken with a certified facilitator who walks the couple through the results. The Gottman Relationship Checkup is also part of guided work, by invitation from a clinician.
- "We want to measure our relationship satisfaction, or track it over time."
- The CSI and RDAS are short, widely used in research and clinical settings, and measure current satisfaction or adjustment — not underlying compatibility.
- "I want to explore, alone or as a couple, what drives the way I love, without seeing a professional first."
- RELATE and the RDP are taken online, self-guided. RELATE is available in English and Spanish. The RDP is available in six languages, includes eight written answers analysed alongside the scaled measurement, and produces a strictly private individual report; the couple report is only generated under explicit double consent.
What you should know about the RDP, plainly
The RDP is a recent instrument (methodology published July 2026). Its nine dimensions draw on published models — the ECR model for attachment, John Gottman's work on conflict — but its weighting is theoretical (version 1) and empirical calibration is under way: no reliability figures are published yet. The research instruments in the table (ECR-R, DAS, CSI) have decades of published data. What is established and what remains to be measured is detailed on Methodology — what the RDP measures.
None of these instruments, the RDP included, replaces a healthcare professional. If you are in distress, facing violence or carrying thoughts that feel too heavy, please reach out to a professional or to support resources.
Sources
- ECR-R: R. C. Fraley lab page, University of Illinois — https://labs.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/measures/ecrritems.htm
- ECR-RS: Fraley, Heffernan, Vicary & Brumbaugh (2011), Psychological Assessment, 23, 615-625 — https://labs.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/measures/relstructures.htm
- Gottman Relationship Checkup: https://www.gottman.com/couples/checkup/ · pricing: https://support.gottmanconnect.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260806679749
- PREPARE/ENRICH: https://www.prepare-enrich.com/the-assessment/ · https://www.prepare-enrich.com/faq/
- RELATE: https://relatefoundation.com/relate-assessment/ · https://relatefoundation.com/faq/
- Carroll, J. S. et al. (2001), Family Process, 40(2), 211-231 — https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2001.4020100211.x
- DAS: Spanier (1976), Journal of Marriage and Family, 38(1) — https://elcentro.sonhs.miami.edu/research/measures-library/das/index.html
- RDAS: Busby, Christensen, Crane & Larson (1995), Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21(3), 289-308 — https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/4591
- CSI: Funk & Rogge (2007), Journal of Family Psychology, 21(4), 572-583 — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18179329/ · terms of use: https://couples-research.com/measures/
- RDP: Methodology · FAQ · Glossary
Names cited are those of the instruments described and belong to their respective publishers; mentioning them implies no affiliation.