You are searching for The Ex Factor vs Save The Marriage, and you have landed here because the stakes are high and you cannot afford to buy the wrong program. Both of these are serious, well-established relationship recovery programs — but they are built for completely different situations. Getting clarity on which one fits your circumstances right now is more valuable than any detailed feature breakdown.
Here is the short answer before we go deeper: The Ex Factor is for people whose relationship has already ended. Your ex has left, the breakup has happened, and you want to get them back. Save The Marriage System is for people whose marriage is still intact but in serious trouble — divorce is looming, a spouse is checking out, and you are trying to stop the deterioration before it reaches the point of no return.
These are not two versions of the same solution. They are two different solutions for two different problems. This comparison will help you figure out exactly which one you need — and why choosing the right one matters far more than which program has the better reviews.
TL;DR — At-a-Glance Comparison
| Factor | The Ex Factor | Save The Marriage |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | Relationship ended (ex recovery) | Marriage struggling (prevent divorce) |
| Creator | Brad Browning | Lee Baucom |
| Primary method | Re-attraction psychology (3R System) | Marriage communication framework (3 C’s) |
| Format | PDF guide + 20-part video course | PDF ebook + audio lessons |
| Price | ~$47 | ~$47 |
| Guarantee | 60-day ClickBank | 60-day ClickBank |
| One-person capable | Yes — built for the person who was left | Yes — explicitly designed for one partner trying |
| Best for | Broken-up couples, post-split reconnection | Married couples in crisis, divorce prevention |
| NOT designed for | Saving an intact marriage | Reconnecting after a definitive split |
Your relationship has ended and you want your ex back? The Ex Factor gives you a structured, step-by-step plan with a full 60-day money-back guarantee.
The Ex Factor vs Save The Marriage: The Situation That Decides Everything
This is the most important section in this entire article, and it is also the most underappreciated when people are doing their research.
When you search for “the ex factor vs save the marriage,” what you are really asking is: which situation do I actually have? And the answer to that question makes everything else secondary.
Has the relationship ended?
If yes — if your partner is now your ex, if the breakup or separation has happened, if the emotional reality of the relationship is that it is over even if divorce paperwork is still pending — then The Ex Factor is the program built for your situation. Its entire architecture is designed for the post-breakup dynamic. It does not assume you have regular access to your partner. It does not require a cooperative spouse. It is a plan for re-engaging, re-attracting, and reconnecting with someone who has left.
Is the relationship still technically intact?
If yes — if you are still married, still in the same orbit, still having regular contact with your partner, but the marriage is in serious trouble — then Save The Marriage System is the more relevant tool. It is a systemic program designed to shift relationship dynamics while the relationship still exists, working on the root causes of disconnection rather than the post-split challenge of winning someone back.
The reason people get confused is that both programs sit in the broad category of “relationship recovery.” Both are frequently reviewed together. Both promise to help you get the relationship you want. But if you apply The Ex Factor’s no-contact framework inside an active, intact marriage, you will accelerate the breakdown rather than prevent it. And if you apply Save The Marriage’s systemic repair approach after a definitive split, you will be working on dynamics that no longer structurally exist.
The situation is the filter. Everything else follows from that.
The Three Situations — and Which Program Applies
Situation A: The relationship has clearly ended. Your partner broke up with you, moved out, or filed for divorce. They may already be moving on. You want them back. → The Ex Factor
Situation B: The marriage is intact but deteriorating. You are still living together, still in contact, still legally married — but emotional distance, communication breakdown, or a threat of divorce is present. → Save The Marriage System
Situation C: Separated but not yet divorced. Your spouse has moved out or is talking about divorce, but no legal proceedings have started. The relationship is somewhere between B and A. → Complicated — we cover this below in its own section.
Understanding which situation you are genuinely in — not which you wish you were in, but which one is actually true — is the single most important step you can take before opening your wallet.
What Is The Ex Factor?
The Ex Factor 2.0 is a digital ex-back and breakup-recovery program created by Brad Browning, a Canadian relationship coach and breakup specialist based in Victoria, British Columbia. Brad holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and has spent over a decade building what has become one of the most widely watched breakup-recovery YouTube channels in the world — with more than 614,000 subscribers and a reputation built specifically around helping people reconnect with an ex after a relationship has ended.
Unlike many relationship programs, The Ex Factor is not a general “improve your relationship” guide. It was built from the ground up for one specific scenario: the relationship has ended and you want to get your ex back. Every strategy in the program is calibrated for the post-breakup dynamic — the phase where your ex has already left and where direct emotional appeals, desperate texts, or reactive behavior will reliably make the situation worse.
What’s Inside The Ex Factor?
The program delivers a substantial amount of content at its price point:
- The main guide — approximately 163–200 pages in PDF format, covering the full framework from the immediate post-breakup window through reconnection and relationship rebuilding
- A 20-part video course — video lessons that supplement the written content and go deeper on specific scenarios and communication strategies
- Two gender-specific versions — one version tailored for women trying to reconnect with an ex-boyfriend, and a separate version for men trying to reconnect with an ex-girlfriend; the strategies are calibrated for the different psychological dynamics at play in each scenario
- Communication templates — scripted text and message frameworks for the re-engagement phase, so you have concrete tools rather than just general principles
- Audio version — the full guide in audio format for accessibility
The core framework is Brad’s 3R System: Recovery, Rekindling, and Reattraction. These are not just labels — they are sequential phases with specific strategies and timelines, designed to address the three distinct challenges of post-breakup reconnection.
Price: $47 one-time payment, 60-day money-back guarantee through ClickBank.
For a complete breakdown of everything inside the program, see our full Ex Factor review. If you have questions about the program’s legitimacy, our is The Ex Factor a scam? article addresses those concerns directly.
What Is Save The Marriage System?
Save The Marriage System is a digital program created by Dr. Lee Baucom, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with a PhD in counseling. Dr. Baucom has been in private practice for over two decades, working directly with couples in marital crisis. He is also one of the few people in the self-help marriage space who can claim both clinical credentials and a substantial following as an online coach and author.
Where The Ex Factor is the work of a coach who specializes in post-breakup reconnection, Save The Marriage System is the work of a clinician who has spent a career in the room with couples whose marriages were deteriorating. That distinction matters for how each program is constructed.
What’s Inside Save The Marriage System?
The program is delivered as downloadable guides and audio files — it is notably not video-based, which means the delivery format is different from The Ex Factor. Content includes:
- The main ebook — the complete framework, covering Dr. Baucom’s systemic approach to marriage repair
- Audio lessons — full audio of the program content
- Bonus modules — additional material covering specific high-stakes scenarios: dealing with a spouse’s anger and resentment, navigating a midlife marriage crisis, recovering from an affair, and handling the situation where a spouse has emotionally withdrawn or checked out
The core framework is the 3 C’s: Connection, Communication, and Commitment. Dr. Baucom’s approach draws on Bowen Family Systems Theory — a foundational model in marriage and family therapy — and specifically on the concept of differentiation: the ability to remain grounded in your own identity and values even when a relationship is in crisis, rather than reacting with panic or emotional flooding that accelerates breakdown.
One of the program’s most important features is its explicit design for the one-person scenario: you can work the program alone, without your spouse’s cooperation, and it will still produce change in the relationship dynamics. The theory behind this is systems-based: when one person in a relationship genuinely changes their patterns and responses, the entire relational system must adjust.
Price: ~$47 one-time payment, 60-day money-back guarantee through ClickBank.
For a complete breakdown, see our full Save The Marriage review. For the evidence question, see our does Save The Marriage work? analysis.
The Ex Factor vs Save The Marriage — Deep Comparison
Creator Credentials: Brad Browning vs Lee Baucom
This is where the two programs diverge most clearly — and where neither is better so much as different.
Brad Browning is a relationship coach with a psychology background who has built his reputation through applied experience: years of coaching clients, a massive body of video content on breakup scenarios, and the practical observation of what strategies consistently produce results in post-breakup reconnection. He is sometimes called “Breakup Brad” — and that nickname is accurate. He is a specialist in a specific domain.
Lee Baucom is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a PhD. He comes from clinical practice, where his approach is grounded in evidence-based therapeutic frameworks rather than observational coaching. He has worked with thousands of couples in actual crisis, in actual sessions, using approaches developed and refined by generations of family therapy researchers.
For the ex-back scenario: Brad Browning’s applied, behavioral approach is well-matched. He has seen what works in hundreds of post-breakup situations and built a program around it.
For the marriage-in-crisis scenario: Dr. Baucom’s clinical background is a significant advantage. The systemic framework he teaches is drawn from a therapeutic tradition with decades of research behind it — not just personal observation.
Neither is “better.” They are appropriate for different situations.
Program Approach: Ex-Back Psychology vs Marriage Communication
The Ex Factor operates on re-attraction psychology. The foundational insight is that after a breakup, the behaviors most people instinctively resort to — reaching out constantly, expressing their feelings, trying to “talk things through” — are the behaviors most likely to confirm the ex’s decision to leave and push them further away. The program teaches you to stop those behaviors, stabilize yourself emotionally, and then execute a structured re-engagement designed to rebuild attraction and curiosity rather than reinforce the ex’s perception of you as desperate or reactive.
Save The Marriage System operates on systemic therapy principles. The foundational insight is that marital breakdown is not about specific incidents or conversations — it is about patterns. Communication patterns, emotional response patterns, the dynamics of connection and disconnection that have built up over years. Changing those patterns — even from one partner’s side — shifts the entire relational system. The program teaches differentiation: how to stop being reactive, how to show up differently, and why that shift is more powerful than any conversation or negotiation.
These are not interchangeable frameworks. Re-attraction psychology assumes your partner is no longer with you and needs to be won back. Systems therapy assumes your partner is still with you and the relationship needs structural repair. Applying one framework to the other’s situation will not work.
Content and Format Comparison
| Dimension | The Ex Factor | Save The Marriage |
|---|---|---|
| Main guide length | ~163–200 pages | Full ebook (length not publicly specified) |
| Video content | 20-part video course | None — PDF and audio only |
| Audio content | Yes | Yes |
| Gender-specific versions | Yes — separate male/female tracks | No — single program |
| Communication scripts | Yes — text and message templates | No — framework-focused, not script-based |
| Bonus modules | Yes | Yes — affair recovery, anger/resentment, midlife crisis, emotional withdrawal |
The Ex Factor is the more format-rich program — the video course is a meaningful addition that makes it easier to absorb the content in different contexts. Save The Marriage is more text and audio-heavy, which suits a more methodical, framework-first approach.
Price Comparison
Both programs sit at approximately $47 for the core program, sold through ClickBank with a 60-day money-back guarantee. Neither program requires a subscription or ongoing payment. Prices can vary slightly depending on when you access the offer pages, and both may present upsells for additional content.
At this price point, either program represents a fraction of the cost of a single session with a professional counselor or therapist. The 60-day guarantee on both makes the financial risk minimal — if the program does not fit your situation, you can request a refund.
Who Each Program Is Designed For
The Ex Factor is designed for:
- People in a dating relationship that has ended
- People who are separated from a spouse and the relationship is effectively over
- People who are legally divorced and want to reconnect with an ex-spouse
- Anyone in the early weeks or months after a breakup who wants a structured plan
- People who are stuck in a pattern of impulsive contact attempts — texting, calling, social media stalking — that is not working
Save The Marriage is designed for:
- Married people whose spouse is emotionally distant or threatening divorce
- The “one person trying” — when your partner is checked out but you are still committed
- Couples experiencing persistent communication breakdown, contempt, or emotional withdrawal
- People dealing with a spouse who has had or is suspected of having an emotional affair
- Anyone in the “roommate phase” — still coexisting but with no emotional connection
- People who want to understand the root patterns behind the disconnection, not just surface tactics
Success Evidence
Brad Browning’s program has been available for years and has accumulated a substantial volume of user feedback. Reported successes tend to come from people who followed the structured no-contact period consistently, did the inner work the recovery phase requires, and executed the re-engagement phase methodically rather than impulsively. The most common failure mode is abandoning the no-contact phase too early, usually because it feels counterintuitive when you desperately want to reach out.
Save The Marriage has reportedly helped over 82,000 couples, according to the program’s marketing. The most commonly cited successes come from people who applied the differentiation framework consistently over several weeks — not people who implemented it once and expected immediate results. The systemic approach requires patience, because pattern change does not happen overnight.
When to Choose The Ex Factor
The Ex Factor is the right program when the relationship has a clear ending — when the goal has shifted from repairing what exists to reconnecting with someone who is no longer there.
Choose The Ex Factor if:
- Your partner has officially broken up with you, moved out, or separated
- You are legally divorced and want to reconnect with your ex-spouse
- Your ex is no longer in regular contact with you, or has started dating someone else
- You are currently in the impulse-contact cycle — sending long messages, making late-night calls, checking their social media constantly — and you know it is not working
- The relationship ended over issues that were not fundamental incompatibility — there is real potential, and the breakup was driven by circumstances that have changed or could change
- You want a format-rich program with video walkthroughs and specific communication scripts, not just abstract principles
- You are in the early weeks post-breakup and want to begin the no-contact rule with a clear roadmap for what comes after it
The Ex Factor’s structured 3R approach — Recovery, Rekindling, Reattraction — gives you a sequential plan for a situation that can otherwise feel completely formless. The recovery phase stops the damage you might be inflicting through desperate contact. The rekindling phase re-opens the emotional channel methodically. The reattraction phase rebuilds the conditions that made your ex want to be with you in the first place.
For general principles on how to get your ex back, our guide covers the fundamentals The Ex Factor teaches. The program itself goes much further — it is not a blog post, it is a comprehensive, sequential system.
Ready to get your ex back? The Ex Factor is $47 with a 60-day money-back guarantee. If it does not work, you pay nothing.
When to Choose Save The Marriage
Save The Marriage System is the right program when your marriage is still alive — when there is still something to save rather than something to recover.
Choose Save The Marriage System if:
- Your spouse is still at home, even if emotionally withdrawn or checked out
- Your spouse has said “I want a divorce” or “I don’t love you anymore” — but has not yet left
- You are experiencing persistent communication breakdowns, contempt, or stonewalling
- You are the only one willing to engage with the relationship right now — your spouse has disengaged
- Your spouse has had or is suspected of having an emotional affair, but you are still together
- You have reached the “roommate phase” — you coexist but the emotional connection is gone
- You want to understand the structural patterns driving the disconnection, not just learn what to say
- You want a program informed by clinical training and evidence-based therapeutic models
The key distinction worth emphasizing: Save The Marriage is explicitly designed for the one-partner scenario. You do not need your spouse’s buy-in to begin working the program. In fact, Dr. Baucom’s approach specifically accounts for the fact that the partner in crisis is often the last person the checked-out spouse wants to engage in a “let’s fix us” conversation. The program teaches you to change your own patterns — which changes the relational system — rather than trying to convince, persuade, or pressure your partner into repair.
For people who want to save a relationship before it reaches the breakup stage, Save The Marriage System’s systemic approach is the most credentialed and methodically grounded tool in this price range.
Still in your marriage but afraid of losing it? Save The Marriage System is backed by a full 60-day guarantee.
What If You’re Separated But Still Married?
This is the gray zone, and it deserves honest attention because it is more common than people expect — and it genuinely does not have a clean answer.
Separated but still legally married means your spouse may have moved out, you may be living apart, communication may have nearly stopped — but no divorce has been filed or finalized. Emotionally it can feel like a breakup. Legally and practically, it is not one yet.
So which program applies?
Choose Save The Marriage First If:
- The separation is recent — within the past few months
- No divorce proceedings have started
- You are still in some form of contact (coparenting, shared finances, shared social circle)
- Your spouse has not definitively said “this is over” and moved on emotionally
- There is residual goodwill — it is painful, but it is not hostile
- Your goal is to reconcile while the marriage still exists, rather than to reconnect after a legal ending
In early separation, the relationship is still technically intact. Dr. Baucom’s systems framework — particularly the differentiation work — can help you stop the panic-driven behaviors that typically accelerate the breakdown during this phase, and begin showing up differently in the limited contact you do have.
Consider The Ex Factor If:
- The separation has been long and the emotional reality has shifted to “this is a breakup”
- Your spouse has filed for divorce or is actively pursuing one
- Your spouse is in a new relationship and has emotionally moved on
- Communication has completely stopped and you are functionally in a no-contact situation already
- Your spouse has used the language of finality — “I’m done,” “it’s over,” “I’ve moved on”
In this scenario, the relationship has functionally ended even if the legal status has not yet caught up. The Ex Factor’s re-attraction framework is more applicable to the dynamic you are actually dealing with.
The Overlap Scenario
Some people in the gray zone find it useful to work with both programs — beginning with Save The Marriage’s systemic framework to understand the root patterns and stabilize their own responses, then drawing on The Ex Factor’s reintroduction and re-engagement strategies for the communication phase when they begin reaching out.
This is not the standard use case for either program, and both programs are independently complete. But for someone in a genuinely ambiguous separation, the two frameworks are not mutually exclusive — they address different aspects of a complex situation.
The 60-day guarantee on both programs means the combined financial risk is still manageable.
For broader perspective on where your marriage actually stands, our article on the mirror comparison from the Save The Marriage angle covers this same territory with Save The Marriage as the primary lens — which may be a useful read if you are in the separated-but-unsure category.
Our Pick — Which Program Wins?
Let me give you the honest assessment without hedging.
If your relationship has ended: The Ex Factor wins for your situation.
Brad Browning has built a program specifically engineered for the post-breakup scenario. The 3R framework — Recovery, Rekindling, Reattraction — gives you a sequential, structured plan for a situation that is otherwise disorienting. The 20-part video course, the gender-specific versions, the communication templates, and the explicit guidance on the no-contact phase make this the most complete ex-back program available at this price point. Nothing in Save The Marriage’s framework is designed to address the post-split re-attraction dynamic. The Ex Factor is.
If your marriage is still intact: Save The Marriage wins for your situation.
Dr. Lee Baucom’s clinical background, his systems-level framework, and his explicit design for the “one person trying” scenario make Save The Marriage System the most credentialed and practically powerful tool for preventing divorce while a marriage is still active. Applying The Ex Factor’s re-attraction strategies inside an intact marriage would be actively damaging — the no-contact approach, in particular, would accelerate the breakdown rather than prevent it. Save The Marriage is the right tool.
Neither program is universally “better.” The Ex Factor is not a superior version of Save The Marriage, and Save The Marriage is not a more credentialed version of The Ex Factor. They are built for different stages of a relationship’s trajectory. The question is not which program wins in the abstract — the question is which one matches your actual situation right now.
Both carry a 60-day money-back guarantee. The financial risk of starting with the correct option is low. The cost of starting with the wrong one — measured in weeks spent on strategies that do not fit your situation — is much higher.
Bottom line:
- Relationship ended → The Ex Factor
- Marriage intact but struggling → Save The Marriage System
- Separated and unsure → Start with Save The Marriage System while the relationship still technically exists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between The Ex Factor and Save The Marriage?
The key difference is the situation each program is designed for. The Ex Factor is for people whose relationship has already ended and who want to get their ex back. Save The Marriage System is for people who are still in a marriage but it is in serious trouble — divorce is being considered but has not happened yet. If your partner is already your “ex,” The Ex Factor is the right choice. If you are still married and trying to prevent divorce, Save The Marriage is the better fit.
Can I use The Ex Factor if I am still married but separated?
It depends on your situation. The Ex Factor focuses on re-attracting an ex and rebuilding from a breakup. If you are legally separated or your spouse has moved out and the marriage is effectively over, The Ex Factor’s approach may be applicable. If you are in an intact marriage that is struggling, Save The Marriage System’s approach — which focuses on the marriage relationship itself — is likely more relevant.
Who created The Ex Factor and Save The Marriage?
The Ex Factor was created by Brad Browning, a Canadian relationship coach known for his large YouTube following and expertise in breakup recovery. Save The Marriage System was created by Lee Baucom, a licensed therapist and marriage coach with decades of practice. Both are real, verifiable creators with substantial credentials in their respective areas.
Which program is more expensive?
Both programs are in a similar price range, typically around $47 as one-time digital purchases through ClickBank. Both include the standard 60-day money-back guarantee. Check the official pages for current pricing as offers may vary.
Which program is right for me?
Use this as a guide: choose The Ex Factor if your relationship has ended and you want to get your ex back. Choose Save The Marriage System if you are still married and trying to prevent or recover from a divorce-track situation. If you are somewhere in between — separated but still legally married — the answer depends on which direction the relationship is heading.
Can I use both programs?
In most cases, you would use one or the other based on your situation — they target different phases of a relationship’s trajectory. However, if your situation involves a separation that could go either direction, reading both could provide useful perspective. Both have 60-day guarantees, so the risk is manageable.
Further Reading
If you are still building your picture of both programs, these articles from Lovewise go deeper on specific aspects:
- The Ex Factor — full review: complete breakdown of what Brad Browning’s program contains, who it is for, and what results buyers report
- Is The Ex Factor a scam?: addressing the legitimacy question directly
- Does The Ex Factor work?: an honest look at the evidence and success patterns
- How to get your ex back: the foundational principles before you choose a program
- The no-contact rule explained: the cornerstone strategy The Ex Factor teaches, covered in depth
- Save The Marriage System — full review: the complete breakdown of Dr. Baucom’s program
- Does Save The Marriage work?: evidence and honest assessment
- The mirror comparison from Save The Marriage’s angle: same two programs, Save The Marriage as the primary lens — useful if you are leaning toward marriage repair
- How to save a relationship: broader framework for relationship repair at any stage
- Mend The Marriage review: another marriage-repair program worth considering if Save The Marriage is not the right fit
- Relationship Rewrite Method review: an alternative program for reconnection and repair
Your relationship has ended and you want your ex back? The Ex Factor is $47 with a 60-day money-back guarantee — no questions asked if it does not work for your situation.
Your marriage is struggling and you want to stop a divorce? Save The Marriage System is backed by a 60-day guarantee and designed for people working alone.
Educational information only. Lovewise provides general educational information about dating and relationships. It is not a substitute for professional counseling, therapy, or mental-health care. If you are experiencing abuse or are in crisis, please contact a licensed professional or a support hotline such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233).
By Jenna Hart — Certified Relationship Coach.