Menstrual Cycle Tracker Showdowns: Which Menstrual Cycle Tracker Is Best for You?
There are so many different menstrual tracking apps because there are so many different reasons to use one: maybe you want to track your fertile days to get pregnant , or maybe you want to track your mood and symptoms every day so you can understand pass out if you have a headache or feel cranky about your cycle. Therefore, we are not going to announce a winner today, but instead we will tell you about the pros and cons of three, in our opinion, the best menstruation trackers.
clue
Plus: Definitely not pink. Wherever women get together to discuss menstruation counters – which happens more often than you think – the clue is usually the one with the most applause. Its most popular feature: it is not pink . The Clue team is comprised of transgender men , so they were well aware that not everyone who needs to track their periods cares about their stereotypically feminine side. The sex icon is a portrayal of a muscular dude, so some heteronormative assumptions are still built into it.
Pros: A quick visual representation of where you are in your loop. Press the center button to enter data for the day (are you bleeding? Do you have any symptoms or gender that you would like to register?) Or just take a look at the circular image that shows where you are in relation to your last period. your next period and your fertile window is the time of the month when sex is most likely to lead to pregnancy. If you prefer a traditional calendar view, it’s just one touch away.
Cons: Few options to describe what else is going on. You can log data in several categories, from whether you are in pain to whether you exercise or have sex. So it’s convenient. But the Clue users I spoke to said they would like to see more options in each section. For example, in the pain section, you can select cramping, headache, ovulation, or breast tenderness. But the app doesn’t tell the difference between mild cramps and those that make you curl up on the couch all day.
Little Known Feature: Because Clue predicts your next period and your fertility window based on your past data, an unusually long cycle (such as being pregnant or simply forgetting to record for several months) can mess up predictions. Go to the analysis screen, touch the Super Long Cycle, and touch Exclude This Cycle From Clue Calculations.
SpotOn
Pros: Made under the Planned Parenthood program. This app is so damn friendly and educational it feels like a hug. There’s a handy FAQ section that will answer your questions about menstruation, birth control, and more. And you can find the Family Planning Health Center right from the app if you have a problem that requires professional experience.
Pro: Tracks your contraception. If you are taking birth control pills, SpotOn will ask you every day if you have taken the pill. The smartest feature of this app is what happens when you screw up. He tells you what to do if you forget a pill, and if you miss enough pills to start ovulating again, he will warn you that today is a potentially fertile day. (The app will also prompt you to set up daily reminders so you don’t forget again.)
Plus: Shows fertility projections only if you understand them. If you are using an IUD, you will not see fertile days. And no matter which method you use, you will only see fertility information if you choose it.
Cons: Does not track condom use. Condoms cannot be used in the birth control section (which is part of your profile) or in the Activities section where you can indicate that you have had sex today. SpotOn also has fewer options for day-to-day symptoms and activities than Clue, and there is no way to add add-ons.
Period Tracker (aka P Tracker)
Pro: Keeps track of a lot of things . There is a huge list of symptoms to choose from (acne, bloating, salt cravings, etc.) and you can add your own. Each one gives you three options, which can be roughly translated into light, medium, and heavy. You can also enter free-form notes and track medications and moods. If you want to know about your fertility – for example, to track your daily body temperature – P Tracker has these features built in as well. (For most of these, you will need the Deluxe version.)
Pro: Understands pregnancy. If you do get pregnant, the Deluxe version has the option to switch from tracking periods to tracking your pregnancy.
Cons: silly visuals. Hope you enjoy hot pink and turquoise! The app’s design isn’t bad, of course, but it doesn’t have a sleek look or simple interface like Clue and SpotOn. The icon on the home screen is a cartoonish pink flower, although it is intended to maintain privacy by calling itself “P Tracker”.
It is impossible to describe every menstrual cycle tracker in one post, so feel free to ask: which app do you like and why?