Period tracker apps can be a handy way to record your periods, symptoms and changes in your cycle. They can help you get to know what is usual for your body, estimate when your next period might arrive and keep information together if you ever want to discuss changes with a healthcare professional.
They do have limitations. Period and ovulation predictions are estimates based on the information you enter and shouldn't be treated as a diagnosis or relied on as contraception.
And you don't have to use an app at all. If you prefer pen and paper, you can also use our free printable period trackers.
Contents
- How do period tracker apps work?
- Period tracker apps and alternatives
- How to choose a period tracker
- How accurate are period and ovulation predictions?
- What about period tracker app privacy?
- How to start tracking your period
- When should you seek healthcare advice?
How do period tracker apps work?
At their simplest, period trackers are digital diaries. You record when your period starts and ends and, depending on the tracker, you may also be able to record your flow, cramps, headaches, mood, discharge, sleep or other symptoms.
Over time, the app uses the information you enter to estimate when your next period may start. Some trackers also provide estimates of ovulation or a possible fertile window.
Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and continues until the day before your next period begins. Adult menstrual cycles are commonly around 21 to 35 days, although your cycle doesn't have to be exactly the same length every month. Periods can also be more irregular in the first few years after menstruation begins and during stages such as perimenopause.
Tracking can help you recognise your own pattern rather than comparing every cycle with the often-quoted 28-day cycle.
You can read more about menstruation on our comprehensive guide to the menstrual cycle.
Period tracker apps and alternatives
There are plenty of period tracking apps available and they don't all work in the same way. Some focus on simple period dates while others allow you to record detailed symptoms, fertility information or changes associated with pregnancy and perimenopause.
The options below are examples to explore rather than a ranking or endorsement. App features, subscriptions and privacy settings can change, so it's worth checking the current information from the developer before choosing one.
| Option | Worth exploring for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Clue | Cycle and symptom tracking | Free versus paid features, tracking options and how your data is handled |
| Flo | Cycle records, symptoms and reproductive health information | Free versus paid features, account settings and privacy controls |
| Glow | Period and fertility tracking | Which Glow app suits what you want to track, subscription features and data-sharing settings |
| Period Tracker by GP Apps | Straightforward calendar-style period tracking | Current platform availability, backups and privacy settings |
| Ovia | Cycle, fertility and reproductive health tracking | App availability, Ovia+ features and data-sharing arrangements |
| Apple Health Cycle Tracking | Period tracking within Apple's Health app | Device compatibility, iCloud privacy settings and the limitations of fertile-window predictions |
| Period Shop printable trackers | Paper-based tracking without an app account | Where you keep completed trackers if privacy is important |
Apple's Cycle Tracking can record periods and symptoms and provide period and fertile-window estimates. Some compatible Apple Watch models can also use wrist-temperature information to provide retrospective ovulation estimates. Apple states that Cycle Tracking shouldn't be used as contraception or to diagnose a health condition.
You don't necessarily need the tracker with the longest list of features. If you simply want to remember when your period started, a basic calendar may be all you need. If you're investigating changes in your cycle or recurring symptoms, being able to see a more detailed history may be useful.
How to choose a period tracker
Start by thinking about why you want to track your cycle.
If it's mainly for planning, look for something that makes it quick to enter the first day of your period and see previous cycle dates.
If you want to understand symptom patterns, you may prefer a tracker that lets you record things such as cramps, headaches, bleeding, mood or sleep without requiring you to fill in dozens of fields every day.
If you want information to take to a healthcare appointment, look for an app that makes it easy to view your history or export your records.
Privacy may also influence your choice. Check whether you need to create an account, what information is collected, where it is stored and whether you can download or delete your information.
And if you'd rather keep things simple, a notebook, calendar or printable period tracker can work just as well for recording dates and patterns.
How accurate are period and ovulation predictions?
A period tracker doesn't know exactly when your next period will start. It uses your previous cycle information to make an estimate.
The more consistent your cycles are, the easier it may be for an app to estimate when your next period is likely to arrive. If your cycle length varies, the prediction may be less accurate.
Your cycle can also change over time. Stress, illness, changes in weight or exercise, starting or changing hormonal contraception, breastfeeding, perimenopause and health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can all affect menstrual patterns. Read more about theย reasons your period may be late.
What about ovulation predictions?
Ovulation and fertile-window predictions need a little more caution.
A 2021 study entered menstrual cycle information for five hypothetical users into 10 period tracker apps. The apps produced conflicting predictions for periods, ovulation and fertile windows. The researchers concluded that accurately identifying ovulation requires an ovulation marker such as basal body temperature, an ovulation test or changes in cervical mucus.
The study was small and period tracking apps have continued to change since it was conducted, so it is more useful for demonstrating the limitations of calendar-based predictions than for judging any particular app.
A predicted fertile window doesn't confirm that ovulation has happened.
If you're trying to avoid pregnancy, don't rely on an ordinary period tracker alone as contraception. Fertility awareness methods involve monitoring specific signs of fertility and need to be used correctly. Natural family planning methods can be less effective than many other forms of contraception and don't protect against sexually transmissible infections.
You can learn more in our guide to contraception options in Australia.
If you're trying to conceive, tracking your cycle may provide useful context, but an app can't confirm why you may or may not be conceiving. Speak with a healthcare professional if you would like personalised fertility advice.
What about period tracker app privacy?
A period tracker can hold quite personal information. Depending on what you choose to record, this might include your menstrual cycle, symptoms, sexual activity, pregnancy information or other reproductive health details.
In Australia, health information is considered sensitive information under privacy law. Guidance from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner also emphasises data minimisation, meaning organisations should limit the personal information they collect to what is reasonably necessary.
That makes privacy worth considering before you start entering detailed information into an app.
Before choosing a tracker, consider:
- what personal and health information the app collects
- whether all of the information requested is actually necessary for how you want to use the app
- whether information is stored only on your device or also on company servers
- whether information may be shared with analytics, advertising or other partners
- what permissions the app requests from your phone
- whether you can download your information
- how to delete your account and stored data
- whether privacy or advertising settings can be changed
Don't assume an app is private simply because it's password protected or describes its information as encrypted. Have a look at the privacy settings and policy and decide how much information you're comfortable providing.
If you'd rather not enter menstrual information into an app account at all, paper tracking is another option. Just remember that a completed paper tracker also contains personal information, so keep it somewhere private.
How to start tracking your period
You don't need to record everything from day one. Start with the information that is useful to you.
- Record the first day of your period. This is day 1 of your menstrual cycle.
- Note when your period ends. You might also like to record whether your flow is light, medium or heavy. Our guide to how much you bleed during your period can help you understand menstrual flow.
- Add symptoms if they're useful. You could record cramps, headaches, mood changes, digestive symptoms or anything else you're interested in following.
- Keep tracking over several cycles. Patterns can be easier to see once you have more than one cycle to compare.
- Look back occasionally. You may start to notice what is typical for you or changes you want to discuss with a healthcare professional.
There's no need to record every detail. Tracking is meant to help you understand your cycle, not become another daily job.
When should you seek healthcare advice?
A period tracker can show you that something has changed, but it can't tell you why.
Periods naturally vary and an occasional change isn't necessarily a sign that something is wrong. However, it is worth talking with a GP or other qualified healthcare professional if you notice a significant or persistent change in what's normal for you.
Seek medical advice if, for example:
- your periods have become unusually heavy
- you regularly need to change a pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours
- your periods regularly last longer than about a week
- your periods have become much more frequent or much further apart
- you haven't had a period for 3 months or more and you're not pregnant
- you bleed between periods or after sex
- you have period pain that is severe or interferes with everyday activities
- you're concerned about a change in your menstrual cycle
- you haven't started menstruating by age 16
You can read more about irregular periods, heavy periods and our guide to spotting between periods.
If you experience very heavy bleeding and feel faint, dizzy, weak or seriously unwell, seek urgent medical care.
Keeping a record of when your periods start and finish, how long they last, how heavy they are and any other symptoms can give your healthcare professional useful information when discussing changes.
Finding a tracking method that suits you
Period tracking doesn't need to be complicated.
For some people, an app makes it easy to see previous cycles, recognise patterns and remember roughly when a period might be due. Others may prefer a basic calendar or paper tracker.
Whichever method you choose, remember that predictions are estimates. Use tracking to learn more about your own cycle and what is usual for you rather than expecting your body to follow a perfect 28-day calendar.
Choose the amount of information you're comfortable recording, think about where that information is stored and use your tracker as a tool rather than a diagnosis.
Prefer something you can print and keep yourself? Download our free printable period trackers.
Related blogs
- A comprehensive guide to the menstrual cycle
- A guide to contraception options in Australia
- What is spotting? Bleeding between periods explained
- How much do you bleed during your period?
- 7 signs your period may be coming
References
- Healthdirect Australia: Menstruation (periods)
- Healthdirect Australia: Irregular periods
- Healthdirect Australia: Heavy periods
- Better Health Channel: Contraception choices
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: Australian Privacy Principles Guidelines
- Worsfold L, Marriott L, Johnson S, Harper JC. Period tracker applications: what menstrual cycle information are they giving women? Women's Health. 2021.
- Apple Support: Track your period with Cycle Tracking