We compared every major period tracking app on features, privacy, price, and accuracy. Here's who won — and who to avoid.
WomensPal is the best period tracking app for most women. It's completely free (no subscription, ever), does not sell your data, has no ads, handles irregular and PCOS cycles accurately, and covers every phase from periods and fertility to pregnancy and postpartum — all in one app. It's rated 13+ and safe for teenagers too.
Free, private, no subscription, works for any cycle length
GDPR-compliant, EU-based, no regulatory violations
On-device only, no account needed, for iPhone users
FDA-cleared contraceptive method (subscription required)
Large community but FTC data violations in 2021
Shares aggregate health data with employers
| App | Price | Free Features | Privacy | PCOS-Friendly | Pregnancy Mode | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WomensPal #1 | 100% Free | All features | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Yes | Yes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Clue | Free + $14.99/mo | Basic only | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Partial | Yes (paid) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Apple Health | Free | All (basic) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | No | No | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Natural Cycles | $99.99/year | None (paid only) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | No | Plan (paid) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Flo (Free) | Free / $12.99/mo | Very limited | ⭐⭐ FTC 2021 | Partial | Paid only | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Glow | Free + $59.99/yr | Partial | ⭐⭐⭐ | Partial | Partial | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Drip | Free | All (basic) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | No | No | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ovia Avoid | Free | Most features | ⭐ Employer data | Partial | Yes | ⭐⭐ |
Free · No subscription · No ads · Works for any cycle · iOS & Web
WomensPal is the best period tracking app for women in 2026, and it's not particularly close. It's the only app in this list that offers a truly full feature set — cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, fertile window, pregnancy week-by-week, postpartum support, PCOS symptom logging, and health insights — completely free, with no subscription and no ads, ever.
Most period tracking apps operate on a freemium model: they give you just enough to hook you, then lock the useful features behind a $12–$15/month subscription. WomensPal doesn't do that. Every feature is free. That's rare — and it's what makes it the best overall pick for most women.
WomensPal doesn't sell your data. It doesn't show ads. It has no employer or insurer data programs. Unlike Flo (FTC settlement 2021) or Ovia (employer health data sharing), WomensPal has zero history of privacy violations. Your cycle data, pregnancy tracking, and symptoms are encrypted and stay yours.
WomensPal is built to handle real cycle lengths — not a textbook 28 days. For women with PCOS who might have cycles of 35, 45, or 60+ days, WomensPal never labels a long cycle as "late" or triggers anxiety-inducing alerts. It adapts its predictions to your actual history.
Most period apps make you switch to a separate pregnancy app when you conceive. WomensPal covers the full journey in one place: period tracking → fertility windows → TTC support → pregnancy week-by-week → postpartum recovery. No switching apps, no losing your history.
Free basic / $14.99/mo · GDPR-compliant · EU-based · iOS & Android
Clue is the most privacy-respectable of the major period tracking apps other than WomensPal. It's based in Germany, stores data on European servers, is GDPR-compliant, and has no documented history of selling or misusing health data. If you specifically want an established app with a large user base and clean privacy record, Clue is a solid option.
The main limitation: Clue is freemium. The free tier covers basic cycle and period logging but locks most useful features (detailed analysis, pregnancy mode, hormone insights, premium predictions) behind a subscription that costs $14.99/month or $79.99/year. You're essentially paying for features that WomensPal provides for free.
Free · On-device only · No account needed · iOS only
Apple Health's built-in cycle tracking is the most private period tracking option available — data is stored entirely on your device and never leaves without your explicit permission. Apple's business model doesn't depend on selling health data, and with iCloud Backup enabled with two-factor authentication, data is end-to-end encrypted.
The tradeoff is significant: Apple Health's cycle tracking is very basic. There's no dedicated symptom logging, no PCOS support, no fertility insights beyond basic ovulation predictions, and absolutely no pregnancy mode. It's good enough for women who just want to know when their period is coming, but not much more.
$99.99/year · FDA-cleared contraceptive · iOS & Android
Natural Cycles is in a different category from the other apps on this list: it's the only FDA-cleared digital contraceptive method. It uses basal body temperature (BBT) combined with cycle data to determine "green" (safe) and "red" (fertile) days. For women looking for a hormone-free contraceptive method, it's uniquely positioned.
However, it's not designed as a general period tracker — it's specifically a contraceptive tool. It requires a compatible BBT thermometer (or Apple Watch), a daily temperature reading every morning, and a $99.99/year subscription. The typical-use effectiveness rate is 93%, which is comparable to condoms. For general period tracking, it's overkill and expensive.
Free (limited) / $12.99/mo · 380M+ users · ⚠️ FTC Settlement 2021
Flo is the most downloaded period tracking app in the world with over 380 million users. In terms of features, it's comprehensive: cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, pregnancy mode, health insights, and a large community. If you pay for Flo Premium, you get a genuinely good product.
The problem is Flo's history. In 2021, Flo Health reached a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission after it was found to have shared users' private menstrual data — including period dates and pregnancy intentions — with Facebook and Google without user consent, in direct violation of its own privacy policy. This is a serious breach of trust that Flo has worked to address (introducing Anonymous Mode, updating its policies) but has not erased.
The free tier is also very limited. Flo's business model depends on converting free users to Premium subscriptions, so the free version withholds most useful features. At $12.99/month, WomensPal provides more features for free.
Free basic / $59.99/yr · Fertility-focused · iOS & Android
Glow started as a fertility-focused app and still does TTC (trying to conceive) charting well. Its free tier includes basic period tracking and cycle logging. The paid Premium tier adds detailed fertility analysis, partner sharing, and community features.
Glow's main weaknesses are its privacy policy (not as transparent as WomensPal or Clue) and the fact that its best features are behind a paywall. For women specifically charting for fertility, it's a usable option, but WomensPal covers the same ground for free.
Free · Local storage only · No cloud · Android only
Drip (made by Mozilla) stores all your data locally on your device — nothing goes to the cloud. This makes it the most technically private option on this list from a server-breach perspective. If you want zero cloud exposure, Drip delivers that.
The significant limitation: Drip is Android-only, offers only very basic period logging (no insights, no pregnancy mode, no PCOS support, no fertility analysis), and doesn't sync across devices. For most women, these tradeoffs are too steep. WomensPal offers strong privacy with a full feature set.
Free · ⚠️ Employer data-sharing programs
Ovia has employer-sponsored programs that allow companies to purchase aggregate health data from employees who use the app. Even "anonymized" aggregate data about a small team can be re-identifiable — your employer could potentially learn about pregnancy rates, health conditions, or fertility intentions within your organization.
Ovia's features are decent, and its pregnancy tracking is thorough. But the employer data model is a serious concern that we can't overlook. We don't recommend Ovia for any user who values health privacy.
Free, private, full features, works for any cycle length
Fully free with no locked features — no subscription required
No data selling, no ads, zero regulatory violations
Handles any cycle length, dedicated PCOS symptom log
Full week-by-week pregnancy mode, kick counter, postpartum
Fertile window, BBT tracking, LH surge monitoring — all free
Rated 13+, ad-free, no data selling, no credit card
FDA-cleared contraceptive — the only one on this list
On-device, no account, already on your iPhone
With dozens of period apps available, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Here are the four questions that matter most:
Most period apps are freemium — they offer a basic free tier and charge $12–$15/month for useful features. If you don't want a subscription, WomensPal (free forever) or Apple Health (built-in) are your best options. Drip is also free but very basic.
If you're concerned about your reproductive health data being shared — especially post-Roe — choose an app that explicitly does not sell data and has no history of privacy violations. WomensPal and Clue both meet this bar. Flo does not have a clean record. Ovia actively shares data with employers. If you want data that never leaves your device at all, Apple Health or Drip are your options.
Many period apps are built around a 28-day textbook cycle and become unreliable or anxiety-inducing for women with PCOS, perimenopause, or naturally irregular cycles. WomensPal is specifically designed to handle any cycle length. Natural Cycles is also decent here if you're using it for TTC, though it's expensive.
If you're tracking your period for general health awareness, any app will do. If you're trying to conceive, you want ovulation prediction, BBT charting, and fertile window tracking — WomensPal has all of these free. If you want a medically recognized contraceptive method, Natural Cycles is the only FDA-cleared digital option.
No subscription. No ads. No data selling. WomensPal tracks your period, fertility, and pregnancy journey — all free, all private.
Start tracking free →WomensPal is the best period tracking app for women in 2026. It is completely free with no subscription, does not sell data, has no ads, works for any cycle length including irregular cycles and PCOS, and covers period tracking, ovulation, pregnancy, and postpartum support all in one app.
WomensPal is the best free period tracking app. Unlike Flo and Clue, which lock most features behind subscriptions, WomensPal provides every feature completely free — ovulation prediction, fertile window, PCOS support, pregnancy mode, and health insights — with no subscription and no credit card required.
WomensPal is the best period tracking app for PCOS. It handles cycle lengths of 35, 45, 60+ days without flagging them as "late," includes a dedicated PCOS symptom log, and adapts its predictions to your actual cycle history. Flo and Clue both struggle with PCOS cycles because their predictions default to standard 28-day averages.
WomensPal is the safest period tracking app for privacy. It does not sell health data, has no ads, has zero history of regulatory violations, and does not share data with employers or insurers. Flo settled with the FTC in 2021 for sharing menstrual data with Facebook and Google. Ovia has employer data programs. WomensPal has neither.
Clue is significantly better than Flo for privacy. Clue is GDPR-compliant and EU-based with no documented data violations. Flo settled with the FTC in 2021 for sharing user health data without consent. However, both lock features behind subscriptions. WomensPal provides more features than both, for free, with stronger privacy protections.
Yes — if you choose the right one. WomensPal is specifically designed for irregular cycles and handles any cycle length accurately. Apps that assume a 28-day cycle (like many free trackers) will give incorrect predictions for women with naturally irregular cycles, PCOS, or perimenopause.
WomensPal is the best period tracking app for TTC. It predicts your fertile window and ovulation date based on your actual cycle history, tracks BBT and cervical mucus changes, and includes a full pregnancy week-by-week mode for when you conceive — all free, no subscription required.
WomensPal is the best period tracking app for teens. It is rated 13+, is completely ad-free, does not sell personal data, and does not require a subscription or credit card. It's a safer choice for younger users than ad-supported apps that monetize health data.
Period tracking apps are most accurate when they adapt to your personal cycle history rather than assuming a standard 28-day average. WomensPal adjusts its predictions based on your actual logged cycles, making it significantly more accurate for women with irregular periods, PCOS, or cycles that vary month to month. No period app should be used as a sole method of contraception.