Curious about period tech? These 9 apps and gadgets are worth trying

Eve is a period tracking app from app developer Glow and is for menstruators who want to track their period and sex habits without placing an emphasis on ovulation or trying to get pregnant. While Eve’s forecast and advice content are locked behind a paywall, a one-time payment of $89.99 pays for premium access to all four of Glow’s reproductive health apps throughout your lifetime, which you can use when trying to conceive, as well as throughout and post-pregnancy if they are in your plans. 

I liked how Eve was much more inclusive in terms of what kinds of sexual activity or symptoms you could log, but I found the fruit drawings and euphemisms for sex a little off-putting. Similar to Flo, Eve’s parent company, Glow also came under fire in 2020 for privacy concerns and vulnerabilities that could be used to identify or harass its users. Since then, Glow updated its apps and has stated that any potential issues were corrected, and there was no evidence to suggest that any of its users’ data had been compromised. 

If you want a simple period app and already have an iPhone, Apple’s Health app seems like a no-brainer. Like many other apps, you can track symptoms like spotting, acne, cervical mucus, and the results of ovulation tests. I liked that you can toggle which symptoms or features you want to use regularly, so you only see tracking that is important to you — the app even automatically turned fertility options off when I indicated that I was using a hormonal IUD. 

Since Health tracks much more than just your menstrual health and symptoms, it isn’t as detailed as some of the other apps I tried, but I still felt it was robust enough to be helpful for most people. The Health app is also great for those concerned about their data privacy, as Apple doesn’t share data with third party advertisers (because the company usually keeps your data for itself). 

Flo is one of the most widely used period tracking apps with more than 150 million users. Not only does Flo use artificial intelligence to create more accurate cycle predictions as you add more data to the app, but it also has tons of wellness guides written with the help of medical professionals that can help menstruators better understand their sexual health. 

There’s a “secret chat” section where menstruators can anonymously find support with other users on various wellness topics. For the privacy-minded, you should know Flo came under fire earlier this year for allegedly sharing users' sensitive data with Google and Facebook, but Flo has since stopped working with Facebook for ad tracking and data analytics. In fact, Flo is actually now one of the better apps when it comes to data privacy, with an easy-to-read privacy policy and options to not include your name and email address.  

Natural Cycles made headlines when it became the first app to be cleared by the FDA for use as contraception. While the concept of a “birth control app” might raise some eyebrows, Natural Cycles helps people use Fertility Awareness Methods of birth control, which have been used for more than a century. Natural Cycles’ algorithm takes both your Basal Body Temperature (lowest resting temperature tracked first thing in the morning) and your previously tracked menstrual cycles to best predict your fertility status each day. I didn’t fully test Natural Cycles fertility predictions because I’m unable to temporarily halt my hormonal birth control, but the app’s methods for birth control are 93% effective with typical use and 98% effective with perfect use. If I were to use Natural Cycles in place of my IUD, I’d likely have the most difficulty remembering to take my temperature first-thing every day. However, the thermometer included with the $89.99 annual plan stores the last recorded temperature, so I think I would get used to popping it in my mouth when I get up to hit the snooze button, then logging the temperature in the app once I’m fully conscious. I did find the color coding of fertile vs non fertile days a bit confusing at first, since red days on Natural Cycles are you fertile days and almost every other app uses red to indicate period days, but that’s a minor complaint. As for your data privacy, Natural Cycles collects your information for its own research purposes, but doesn’t currently sell your data to advertisers.

At $90 dollars per year or $10 a month, Natural Cycles is the most expensive app on our list, but it’s worth it if you’re willing to take the time and effort to use it in place of more traditional forms of birth control. 

When I first tried Stardust’s period tracking and astrology app earlier this year, I found it to be a great period app with a little astrology sprinkled in. Stardust is beautifully designed and doesn’t feel too clinical or girly. While the symptom tracking isn’t as intensive as other apps, I actually like Stardust’s minimalist approach, and the easy-to-navigate user interface makes it easy to add detailed notes about your symptoms. The only downsides I encountered when using Stardust was that it had some trouble tracking my highly irregular cycle, and that it doesn’t yet have a social feature. As for data sharing, when I spoke with Stardust founder Rachel Moranis back in January, she said that Stardust is committed to not selling user data. 

Many period apps focus on ovulation and fertility, but MySysters is designed for menstruators experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Not only can users track what they’re feeling with one of the most robust and thorough symptom trackers I saw during my testing, but you can also track the time, severity, and any notes for each symptom tracked. There are also social features that act as a support network as users navigate perimenopause. Since MySysters’ users may be tracking their symptoms to discuss with their healthcare provider, I also appreciated the fact that you can export your data from the app to share with your doctor to make informed choices about your perimenopause or menopause care. As for data privacy, I found MySysters’ privacy policy harder to read than others, and MySysters states that they do work with third party advertisers. 

Not to be confused with Natural Cycles, Cycles is a free-to-download period tracking app that’s highly adjustable whether you just want to keep tabs on your sexual health or want to use the app as part of your family planning. The design of the app is simple and monochrome, which is great for someone who wants a straightforward minimalist aesthetic, and the symbols for tracking your symptoms aren’t too cutesy or cringey. Cycles' most unique feature is that you can add a partner to your account with paid premium access ($29.99 a year or $4.99 a month) to encourage conversations about menstrual health. While I loved the idea that my partner could see the app’s period predictions, I honestly doubt he’d check it regularly since we live together and I could just tell him how I’m feeling. Still, I could see this being helpful for couples just starting to have conversations about menstrual health, or those who are trying to conceive. Cycles does use and share users aggregate data, although you can choose to store all your information locally by simply using the app without creating an account. 

Ovira is a device that helps menstruators with cramps and other menstrual pain by using TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. The device uses a small electrical current to stop pain signals from traveling to your brain, offering a drug-free way to manage menstrual pain and cramps. I’ve used a TENS machine before for joint pain, so it’s not altogether a new technology, but Ovira is one of the first companies to specifically market the device for menstrual pain relief. It should be noted that Ovira is specifically designed to mask your nervous system’s pain signals, not to stop your cramps entirely. 

When I tried the Ovira device, it was super easy to set up and start using. There are multiple strength settings, so you can increase the stimulation to mask stronger cramps as needed. In my experience, it was a little tricky to place the sticky electrodes onto my stomach at first, but I got the hang of it after a few uses. I did notice a decrease in pain symptoms when I used the device, but it definitely required a bit more set up and effort than, say, taking a few ibuprofen or using a hot water bottle. Still, Ovira can be an absolute game changer for menstruators who are unable to manage their menstrual pain with more traditional methods or painkillers. 

Of all the period tech I tried, I was the most skeptical about NannoCare’s line of pads and panty liners. Nannocare claims that its period products alleviate cramps and other PMS pain symptoms using “a proprietary blend of concentrated particles that emit far infrared energy,” and for best results, users should start using their panty liners a few days before their period is anticipated to start. While there is some anecdotal evidence that NannoCare’s pads can help alleviate pain, the science is a little more dubious. A 2012 study of 51 women wearing far infrared belts showed that far infrared treatments can increase abdominal blood flow and decrease menstrual pain symptoms, but the research on FIR’s efficacy in pads is far from conclusive. 

As for my experience with the pads, I didn’t have any major complaints. Pads are my least favorite type of period product, but I did appreciate the thin profile of NannoCare’s pads and minimalist packaging. I didn’t notice a significant difference in my PMS cramps or pain while using the NannoPads, but to be fair I only used it over the course of one cycle. While I still think the technology behind these pads’ nanno particles is a little gimmicky, I also don’t think they’re harmful either since they’re used externally. If you struggle with menstrual pain management, it could be worth the effort to try NannoCare to see if it helps, especially since they offer a free trial.