Best Period Tracker Apps in 2026: An Honest Comparison
Disclosure: This article is published by Mochi Moon, which is one of the apps compared below. We have tried to be fair, but you should know where it comes from. Details are as of October 2026 and based on each company's own site or App Store listing. Features and prices change, so check them before you subscribe.
There is no single best period tracker. Flo and Clue are full-featured general trackers, Apple Cycle Tracking is the simplest built-in option, Natural Cycles is the one built around birth control, Stardust leans into a moon-and-ritual vibe, and Mochi Moon focuses on a cozy design and on sharing with a partner. The right pick depends on what you want from an app.
Quick summary: Decide first what you need. For simple logging, Apple Cycle Tracking is already on your iPhone. For rich tracking and education, look at Flo or Clue. For birth control, Natural Cycles states it is FDA-cleared, but no other app here should be treated as contraception. For a cozy tracker with an optional partner side, see Mochi Moon.
How to choose
Ask yourself:
- Do I need birth control, or just tracking? Cycle predictions and fertile-window estimates are not birth control for most apps.
- How much do I want to pay?
- How comfortable am I with where my data goes? See are period tracking apps safe?
- Do I want my partner involved?
- Do I want a tool or a vibe?
Flo
What it is: A widely used cycle, ovulation, pregnancy and perimenopause tracker.
What it does well: Per its App Store listing, Flo tracks regular and irregular periods, predicts ovulation, offers Pregnancy Mode and perimenopause tools, and has a "Flo for Partners" feature that lets a partner view cycle information. Premium adds extras such as daily insights, expert videos and a health assistant. Flo also offers an Anonymous Mode intended to keep health data from being linked to personal identifiers.
Pricing: Free to download with core tracking, and an optional Premium subscription. The App Store lists several in-app purchase tiers without clear labels, so check the current price in the app.
Privacy notes: Flo's App Store privacy label (developer-reported) lists categories of data linked to you and some used to track you. In 2021 the FTC announced a settlement with Flo Health over allegations about health data sharing, which we cover in Flo alternatives. Flo says it is not a method of birth control.
Clue
What it is: A Berlin-based tracker with a science-forward tone.
What it does well: Clue's listing describes tracking 200+ symptoms and experiences, period and fertile-window predictions, modes for trying to conceive, pregnancy and perimenopause, wearable syncing, and 400+ educational articles. Clue Plus adds deeper insights, and Clue Connect lets you share your cycle with someone.
Pricing: Free tier plus Clue Plus. The US App Store listing shows $9.99 for monthly options and $39.99 for annual ones. Clue's site promotes a discount for Plus.
Privacy notes: Clue's site says it will never sell your health data or share it with any authority, and cites German and EU data privacy standards. Its App Store privacy label (developer-reported) lists some identifiers used for tracking and other data linked to you. The listing also says the app should not be used as a contraceptive.
Apple Health Cycle Tracking
What it is: A feature built into the Health app on iPhone and the Cycle Tracking app on Apple Watch.
What it does well: Simple logging of periods and symptoms, period and fertile-window predictions, and notifications. Apple describes the fertile window as a six-day estimate using the calendar method, which can be adjusted using a logged positive ovulation test or heart rate data. On compatible Apple Watch models, wrist temperature can produce retrospective ovulation estimates.
Pricing: Included with iOS and watchOS, with no separate subscription.
Privacy notes: Apple says that with two-factor authentication enabled, Cycle Tracking data synced to iCloud is end-to-end encrypted, so Apple cannot read it. Apple states Cycle Tracking is not a method of contraception and should not be used to diagnose a health condition. It is Apple-only, and it is intentionally minimal.
Natural Cycles
What it is: An app built around fertility awareness, with a birth control mode and a trying-to-conceive mode.
What it does well: Natural Cycles says it is FDA-cleared as a birth control app. It uses daily temperature readings, from a thermometer or its NC° Band or a supported wearable, to determine fertile days and shows "green" and "red" days. It states a typical-use effectiveness of 93% and 98% with perfect use, and adds that it does not protect against STIs, does not guarantee you cannot get pregnant, and is for users over 18. Those are the company's own figures.
Pricing: Subscription-based, with annual and monthly plans, and a measuring device or band is needed. Prices vary by region and offer, so check the current price before you sign up.
Privacy notes: The company says it does not sell user data because it earns revenue from subscriptions.
Worth knowing: It is more of a contraception tool than a casual period diary. Do not use any app for birth control without understanding its method and limits. For the broader picture, see how accurate are period tracker predictions?
Stardust
What it is: A cycle tracker with a moon-and-astrology flavor. Its site describes features such as Moon Magic, which syncs with your cycle, and tagline "Your data is private, period."
What it does well: Its pitch is a moon-and-ritual style of tracking, for people who enjoy that aesthetic.
Pricing: We could not verify current pricing from Stardust's site or store listing, so check the App Store.
Privacy notes: Stardust links to a privacy policy and a separate health data privacy policy. Mozilla Foundation has published an independent privacy review of the app, which is worth reading alongside the policies before you decide. As with any app, read the current policies.
Mochi Moon
What it is: An iPhone app (iOS 17+) launching on the App Store this fall, with a hand-drawn pixel-art style, a pet companion and chibi avatars.
What it does: You can log your period, flow, symptoms, moods, energy and sleep. It predicts your next period and estimates a fertile window (estimates only, not birth control), gives late-period heads-ups, and has a phase guide, insights, widgets and reminders.
Partner side: A partner of any gender can install the same free app and choose "I'm here for my partner." After you send an invite, they see only what you choose to share, such as your current phase in plain language, what tends to help, daily "quests," text ideas and a shared pet.
Privacy: Data stays on your iPhone, partner sharing uses your own private iCloud, and there are no ads, third-party analytics or data selling. You can pause or disconnect sharing at any time.
Pricing: A free tier. Mochi Moon Plus is $29.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $5.99 a week. If either partner buys Plus, it unlocks for both.
Limits: It is iPhone-only and new, and it is not a birth control method.
Quick comparison
| App | Best known for | Birth control? | Platform notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flo | Broad features, pregnancy and perimenopause modes, partner view | Says it is not birth control | See App Store |
| Clue | Detailed symptom tracking, education | Listing says not a contraceptive | See App Store |
| Apple Cycle Tracking | Built in, simple, encrypted sync | Not contraception | Apple devices |
| Natural Cycles | Temperature-based birth control mode | States FDA-cleared | Measuring device needed |
| Stardust | Moon-and-ritual style | Not verified | See App Store |
| Mochi Moon | Cozy design, partner sharing, local data | Not birth control | iPhone only |
Final thoughts
Whichever you pick, remember that predictions are estimates, that no tracker replaces medical care, and that you should see a doctor for severe pain, very heavy bleeding, missed periods for three months or more, or anything that affects daily life. If you are new to tracking, start with how to track your cycle.
FAQ
What is the best period tracker app?
There is no single best app, because the right choice depends on what you need: basic tracking, deeper insights, a birth control method, partner features, or tighter privacy. This article lays out what each app does well so you can decide.
Is there a period tracker that works as birth control?
Natural Cycles states that it is FDA-cleared as a birth control app and uses daily temperature readings. Most other trackers, including Apple's Cycle Tracking and Clue's main app listing, say they should not be used as birth control.
Do I need to pay for a period tracker?
Not necessarily. Apple's Cycle Tracking is built into the Health app, and Flo, Clue and Mochi Moon have free tiers with optional paid plans. Natural Cycles is subscription-based. Prices change, so check each app's store listing.
How do I check a period tracker's privacy?
Read the privacy policy and the App Store privacy label, check whether data is used for tracking or advertising, and look at whether you can delete your data. See our guide to period tracker privacy for a full checklist.
Mochi Moon gives partners a free app that explains her phase in plain language and what tends to help, based only on what she chooses to share.
Sources
- Apple Support: Track your period with Cycle Tracking
- App Store: Flo Cycle & Period Tracker
- Clue: Period and cycle tracker
- App Store: Clue Period Tracker & Calendar
- Natural Cycles: Birth control app
- Stardust
- Mozilla Foundation: Privacy Review of Stardust Period Tracker
This article is general information, not medical advice. Everyone's cycle is different. If you have severe pain, very heavy bleeding, missed periods for 3 months or more, or symptoms that affect your daily life, talk to a doctor. Read our editorial policy.