Top Period Tracker Apps Clue Period Tracker vs Period Tracker Deluxe vs Eve Period Tracker ... and 2 more
Edited by Jasmin, Eng, Maria Quinney
5 Methods:
Understanding your menstrual cycle can help you to be proactive about certain diet and lifestyle choices. For example, if you know you typically get bloated around the first few days of your period you can plan to avoid foods and activities that will only exacerbate the issue. Or, perhaps you've noticed that your sex drive is higher on particular days throughout the month, so why not use that information to plan an evening of fun with your significant other? It's an easy way to keep track of when you'll be the most fertile, which is great information to know whether you're trying to get pregnant or avoid it all together. And of course, knowing when your next period is due will ensure you don't get caught without the necessary supplies like your preferred feminine hygiene products, painkillers, chocolate, etc.
While tracking your cycle could be done with a regular old calendar and a few sticky notes, apps make the process a whole lot easier. On top of keeping your information all in one place, they can also provide you with alerts and reminders of when your expected period will arrive. Many of the apps now available also come with health tips, built-in social communities, and advanced features for logging birth control and fertility patterns. They use your personal data to create custom charts and deliver tips based solely on your unique needs. That's way more than a standard calendar can provide.
Here are 5 great apps for both iPhone and Android to help you track your period and take control of your cycle.
Method 1: Clue Period Tracker
- 1FreePricing/Upgrades.
- 2Pros.
- Tracks your periods and get reminders before your next one begins.
- Sends alerts for times when PMS symptoms are typically experienced.
- Tracks details on a ton of information such as cramps, emotions, skin, hair, sleep, exercise, sexual activity and drive, cervical fluid, and more.
- Helps you avoid or plan for pregnancy naturally; log birth control or track ovulation dates. Get calendar reminders for either one.
- Provides in-depth information on menstrual cycles with added scientific and medical references.
- Uses a built-in algorithm that gives you more detailed results with the more data you put in. Within a few month's use, the app can help you discover a unique pattern in your menstrual cycle.
- Supports data exports.
- Rated the top free period tracking app by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- iOS: integrated with Apple Health and provides optional Today page widget.
- 3Cons.
- Doesn't provide enough custom features for tracking pain; not every woman has the exact same symptoms.
- Tends to work better for women with fairly regular cycles (though the developers are working on making it better for women with irregular ones.)
- 4Clue's color scheme and design sets it apart from the sea of very pink, very flowery period tracking apps. While there's nothing wrong with liking pink, it's nice to find an app that appeals to women and teens who don't. The wealth of medical information provided in Clue makes it valuable as an educational tool, too. Download here.Verdict.
Method 2: Period Tracker Deluxe
- 1Requires a one-time purchase of $1.99 for iOS and $1.69 for Android.Pricing/Upgrades.
- 2Pros.
- Tracks your periods and uses averages based on the past 3 months to predict your next period. You'll also be notified if the app has calculated that you may be late.
- Logs daily notes on a wide variety of menstrual symptoms such as spotting and flow, cramps, bloating, headaches, back pain, tender breasts, nausea, and more.
- Allows you to add custom symptoms and moods.
- See current and past symptoms displayed in icon format in the calendar view.
- Provides charts of all your monthly details: period lengths, overall cycle lengths, weight, symptoms, etc.
- Offers automatic monthly backups or you can choose to manually backup whenever necessary.
- Tracks your temperature and uses the information to create an ovulation dates chart.
- Optional pregnancy mode starts a countdown to the baby's due date and provides weekly articles on relevant information.
- Connect with a community of other users to get advice and support from other women experiencing similar issues.
- Set a passcode to keep all your info private.
- Personalize app appearance with themes and colors.
- Supports export to email.
- iOS: syncs with Apple Health, and supports 3D touch and touch ID.
- 3Cons.
- Lacks helpful medical information.
- Users moving from the Lite to Deluxe versions cannot bring their data with them.
- 4Period Tracker Deluxe is a great choice for women who need to track a wide variety of symptoms, both during their period and while pregnant. The app's icon simply says PTracker, which is nice for women and teens who prefer to be discreet. Download here.Verdict.
Method 3: Eve Period Tracker
- 1Free, with a variety of in-app purchases. You can also upgrade to the Premium version at $7.99 per month or $47.99 per year and get access to advanced social features, custom profiles, enhanced support, and more.Pricing/Upgrades.
2
Pros
.
- Tracks sexual activity, PMS symptoms, and emotions.
- Organizes health and data and symptoms into easy to read charts.
- Calendar view shows you fertility windows, peak ovulations days, and upcoming periods.
- Delivers a Daily Gem, which could be a quiz, piece of trivia, or an interesting fact about women's health. Could also come in the form of a Cyclescope, which is a look into what you're likely experiencing during this day in our cycle.
- Provides a community where young women can discuss sexual and reproductive health with women their age or those who are older with more experience.
- Offers information on birth control and sex from Bedsider, a known and trusted birth control network for women.
- Presents information on important issues in a lighthearted yet factual manner, making for a very welcoming environment.
- iOS: Syncs with Apple Health.
3
Cons
.
- Caters largely to the straight, cis demographic.
- Some users find the icons and graphics to be juvenile and not appealing for a mature audience.
4
Verdict
. Method 4: Glow Ovulation & Fertility
- 1Free, with Premium upgrade options. $7.99 per month, $47.99 per year, or a one-time purchase of $59.99 for lifetime access to advanced social features, custom profiles, enhanced support, and more.Pricing/Upgrades.
- 2Pros.
- Tracks your periods and lets you know when one is approaching.
- Tracks PMS symptoms as well as pregnancy indicators like BBT, cervical fluid, weight, and more.
- Sends personalized reproductive health and fertility insights based on your data.
- Uses an ovulation calculator to provide easy to read fertility charts.
- Works for women undergoing IVF or IUI treatments.
- Provides an in-depth explanation of what Basal Body Temperature is and why it's important in fertility tracking.
- Provides male fertility tracking too.
- Stores data on past periods, ovulation dates, and overall cycle; helps the app get smarter over time and allows you to easily review your history.
- Supports PDF exports through email.
- Syncs with MyFitnessPal, Jawbone, Misfit, and Google Fit.
- Has partnerships with select fertility clinics.
- iOS: Syncs with Apple Health and iCloud.
- 3Cons.
- Caters largely to the straight, cis demographic.
- Tracking of symptoms and types of contraceptives could be more varied.
- 4Glow is definitely best suited to women who want to use their menstrual cycles as a way to track ovulation. It's produced by the same team behind Eve so if you buy a subscription to one you have it for both, which is a definite bonus. Download here.Verdict.
Method 5: Spot On
- 1Free.Pricing/Upgrades.
- 2Pros.
- Tracks your period's flow rate from spotting to heavy.
- Tracks your symptoms: cramping, fatigue, stomach pain, and more.
- Tracks your lifestyle during every stage of your cycle: exercise levels, sexual activity, sleep quality, and more.
- Tracks your moods and emotions: frisky, fabulous, stressed, blah, angry, and more.
- Supports users of a wider variety of birth control methods: the pill, IUD, ring, implant, shot, or patch. It also includes reminders for when to take the pill and a countdown to your next shot and IUD or implant removal.
- Sends personalized advice on what to do if you've gone off track with your contraceptive method, and provides tips on how to switch methods.
- Keeps a record of your cycle history.
- Connects you to Planned Parenthood experts in-app for resources and help with common sexual and reproductive health questions.
- Links you to the closest Planned Parenthood and even allows you to schedule appointments in-app.
- Inclusive to people who don't get periods but still want to track their cycle.
- Fertility tracking is optional and can be turned off.
- Supports data import from other tracking apps
- iOS: Syncs with Apple Health.
- 3Cons.
- No options to create custom moods, pains, or other symptoms.
- 4Created by the team at Planned Parenthood, Spot On does what most period and fertility trackers do without putting the emphasis on getting pregnant. It's the only app to include tracking methods for all contraceptive options making it a perfect choice for those who use something other than the pill. Download here.Verdict.
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