Written by: Dr. Amy Beckley, PhD, Founder and Inventor of the Proov test — the first and only FDA-cleared test to confirm successful ovulation at home.
Since there’s an app for everything these days, it’s probably not a surprise that there are a number of fertility and menstrual health tracking apps on the market (or, that is, the app store). It can be really convenient to have your period tracking right on your phone, especially if you’re tracking fertility symptoms throughout the day or month.
But with so many apps out there, how do you choose which one is right for you? Here’s our top hits list–hopefully you’ll find one below that meets your needs!
How do fertility apps work?
First, some basics. Not all fertility apps are made equal or track the same things. So, it’s important to know what your app is actually doing and how it’s coming up with predictions (if it includes predictions at all, but most do).
Fertility apps in general are doing two things: helping you track your symptoms and periods, and trying to predict when you’re fertile or ovulating. While no app’s predictions are going to be perfect (you’re a human, not a clock), it’s good to look for an app that helps you understand when you’re likely to be fertile in the future or when your period is expected.
Just keep in mind that the predictions aren’t the be-all end all, and that’s where symptom tracking becomes useful too. You can track your periods, ovulation symptoms like cervical mucus, body temperature, or hormone tests (like Proov Predict & Confirm), and interpret your own fertility. A good app will help you do this instead of making it harder.
So without further ado, let’s hit the highlights!
Highly-Rated Fertility, Ovulation and Period Tracking Apps
Flo: Best comprehensive fertility app
Flo is our pick for best overall fertility app! Flo is highly personalized and asks detailed questions to get to know you and your cycle, and provides good symptom tracking and fertility predictions. It’s one of the more expensive options on this list, with a monthly/yearly subscription required, but there is a free trial. Flo also has great cycle education and blog topics, and a pregnancy mode for when you conceive and want to switch to tracking your pregnancy!
Clue: Best Period Tracker
Clue has made a name for itself as a great period tracker, and for good reason. It has comprehensive symptom tracking, is easy to use, and provides fertility predictions if you subscribe to Clue Conceive mode. If you’re using it for period tracking and symptom tracking alone, it’s free. Clue also syncs with Oura rings, and the paid version includes cycle and symptom insights.
Glow: Best social app
A period tracker with a social media component? Might just be the app you didn’t know you needed! Glow, like the other apps here, has a great user interface, symptom tracking, and creates a personalized experience. It can be used for free, but subscription to Glow Premium provides additional insight, predictions, and articles. Where Glow stands out most though is the community aspect–Glow users can post, comment, and share about their TTC, their hormone health journeys, and communicate with each other.
Ovia Fertility: Best free app
Of all the apps on this list, Ovia provides the most content for free. For someone who is detail-oriented, wants to track a lot of symptoms, and do it all without a subscription, Ovia is a great choice. It also has parenting and pregnancy partner versions, although these are separate apps. Ovia is part of a larger health network and includes additional health tools you can take advantage of. Finally, there’s also a community function where users can anonymously ask questions and discuss fertility topics.
Natural Cycles: Best symptom tracking
If you’re beginning to dip your toes in the water of fertility testing, Natural Cycles may be the tracking app for you. It does require a subscription, but users can use an Apple Watch, Natural Cycles Thermometer, or Oura ring to input their temperatures and get personalized fertility predictions based on when they actually ovulated. The app can also use LH testing to help pinpoint ovulation.
How At-Home Fertility Testing Helps Throughout Your Conception Journey
Fertility tracking apps can be great tools for keeping track of all your symptoms (and prompting you with additional things you may not think to track), and whether you’re trying to conceive or just tracking your period, it’s nice to have a reliable idea when your next period is due.
If you’ve been trying to conceive for a few months with no success, though, or if you’re trying to get a better understanding of when you’re actually ovulating, there’s no substitute for good fertility testing. Apps are useful tools, but no app prediction can tell for sure that you’ll ovulate, especially since your cycles can change with stress, diet, exercise, and plenty of other factors.
Most apps already have a place to log ovulation predictor kits (also known as LH tests), which are a great place to start with fertility testing! These are simple at-home urine tests that tell you when your two most fertile days are. Another great place to start is confirming successful ovulation with PdG (the urinary metabolite of progesterone). For more on successful ovulation, check out this article.
If you want to find the entire fertile window, you’ll want something with estrogen testing, like Proov Complete. In fact, Proov Complete can do it all–test ovarian reserve, find your entire fertile window, and confirm that your ovulation was successful.
With all Proov testing kits, you can download the Proov Insight app for free and get the best of both worlds–at-home testing combined with your cycle and symptom tracking all in one place. Afraid you might forget to take your test? Proov has you covered with friendly reminders and tips throughout your cycle.
So go forth, pick the app that suits you best, and happy fertility tracking! And if you want to learn more about your individual fertility and hormones, Proov is here for all your at-home testing needs.
