Flo vs Clue vs Apple Health Cycle Tracking (2026)
Apple Health Cycle Tracking is free and built in, Flo adds community and pregnancy tools, and Clue is built around flexible symptom logging. This comparison covers what each does on a current iPhone, what Flo and Clue charge, how they predict your fertile window, how deep their symptom logging goes, and their privacy records, all checked against Apple, App Store and court sources as of October 2026.
Full Transparency
This comparison is published by Holland Neurotech Inc., the company behind Veya. Veya appears as one column among equals, with its limits stated. We compared Apple Health, Flo, and Clue using each product's own pages and primary public records. If one of the three suits you better than Veya, use it.
Quick Answer
Apple Health covers the basics for free, Flo adds community and pregnancy tools, and Clue is built around flexible symptom logging. Here's the fast version:
- Free, built-in, and private by default: Apple Health Cycle Tracking. Period logging, a six-day fertile window, and retrospective ovulation estimates with a compatible Apple Watch.[1]
- Community and pregnancy tools: Flo. Core tracking is free, and Secret Chats and in-depth pregnancy features are Premium.[4]
- Detailed symptom logging and an EU privacy base: Clue. Its listing cites 200+ trackable symptoms, with Clue Plus at $39.99 a year as of October 2026.[5]
How Do Flo, Clue, and Apple Health Compare at a Glance?
The table puts the three side by side, with Veya as a fourth column for reference. Every competitor cell comes from the app's own listing or Apple's support pages, as read on October 16, 2026.
| Apple Health | Flo | Clue | Veya | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, built into iPhone[1] | Free core, Premium purchases up to $59.99[4] | Free, Clue Plus $39.99/yr or $9.99/mo[5] | Free to download, iOS plus web app |
| Fertile window | Six-day calendar window[1] | Predictions plus LH and BBT logging[4] | Conceive mode predicts fertile days[5] | Built from logged signals (LH, temperature, mucus) |
| Ovulation estimate | Retrospective, Apple Watch Series 8 or later or Ultra[2] | Not stated on listing | Wearable sync (Apple Watch, Oura, WHOOP and more)[5] | Wearable temperature import |
| Symptom depth | Built-in symptom list[1] | Symptom logging plus Premium Symptom Checker[4] | 200+ symptoms and experiences[5] | 350+ metrics |
| Pregnancy | Log a pregnancy for gestational age[1] | Pregnancy Mode, in-depth features Premium[4] | Pregnancy mode[5] | Pregnancy tracking |
| Privacy record | End-to-end encrypted in iCloud with two-factor[3] | FTC order 2021, class settlement, Meta verdict 2025[7][9] | Berlin base, no enforcement action found[6] | No ads |
| Community | None | Secret Chats (Premium)[4] | None found | None |
What Does Apple Health Cycle Tracking Do in 2026?
Apple Health Cycle Tracking is free and built into iPhone and Apple Watch. You log periods, symptoms, spotting and basal body temperature, and it predicts your next period and a six-day fertile window. With a compatible Apple Watch, it also adds retrospective ovulation estimates.[1]
Ovulation estimates and the Apple Watch
Apple's ovulation estimates need an Apple Watch Series 8 or later, or any Apple Watch Ultra. Apple says it takes about two menstrual cycles of wearing the watch to sleep with Sleep Focus on, and the temperature data needs at least four hours of sleep on five nights.[2] The estimates are retrospective, so they tell you about a day that already passed. Apple adds that they "do not guarantee that ovulation has occurred." Our explainer on Apple Watch cycle estimates walks through the temperature method.
Deviation notifications and pregnancy logging
Cycle Tracking can notify you when six months of logged history shows a pattern of irregular periods, infrequent periods, prolonged periods or persistent spotting.[1] You can also log a pregnancy to track gestational age and receive health notifications.[1] Apple says the data should not be used to diagnose a condition.
Privacy posture
Apple says health data in the Health app is encrypted when your phone is locked. Data synced through iCloud is end-to-end encrypted when two-factor authentication is on, which Apple says means no one else, not even Apple, can access it.[1][3] That is a different model from a standalone app with its own servers and analytics.
What Does Flo Add on Top of Apple Health?
Flo adds an anonymous community, a 24/7 Health Assistant, fertility insights for trying to conceive, and a dedicated Pregnancy Mode. Its App Store listing says the app is free to download with core tracking tools, and those extras sit under Premium.[4]
The listing shows about 2 million ratings at 4.7 out of 5, and says you can log LH test results and basal body temperature.[4] Premium purchases appear at several price points as of October 2026, up to $59.99, though the listing doesn't label which price maps to which plan, so check the subscription screen in the app. Flo also lists an Anonymous Mode, which it says lets you use the tracker without personal identifiers linked to your health data.[4]
For a head-to-head on this exact pairing, see Flo vs Apple Health Cycle Tracking. Our Flo vs Clue vs Glow comparison covers the three dedicated trackers people shortlist most.
Is Clue Worth It Over the Free Built-In Option?
Clue is worth considering if you want more symptom detail and separate modes than the built-in list offers. The listing cites 200+ symptoms and experiences, modes for period tracking, trying to conceive, pregnancy and perimenopause, and wearable sync with Apple Watch, Oura, WHOOP, Withings and Fitbit.[5]
Clue is free to download. Clue Plus adds deeper analysis, advanced predictions and personalized insights at $39.99 a year or $9.99 a month on the App Store as of October 2026, and the listing shows 4.8 out of 5 from about 406,000 ratings.[5] The company is BioWink GmbH in Berlin. For the full Clue and Flo breakdown, see Clue vs Flo.
How Does Each One Predict Your Period and Fertile Window?
Apple uses a calendar method: predictions begin once you enter your last period, and the fertile window is the six days you're most likely to be fertile.[1] Flo and Clue both describe algorithm-based predictions. Clue's listing calls its ovulation algorithm clinically validated, and its Conceive mode is described as predicting fertile days.[5]
All three share a limit. A prediction built on logged history can miss when your cycle shifts, which is why a wearable-confirmed estimate like Apple's arrives after the fact. Our piece on why period trackers miss and the accuracy review cover that in depth. If your cycles run irregular, see the best period tracker for irregular cycles.
Which Has the Deepest Symptom Logging?
Clue lists the broadest symptom set of the three, at 200+ symptoms and experiences including cramps, PMS, mood, sleep and discharge.[5] Apple Health offers a built-in symptom list, and mood and sleep sit in separate Health categories.[1] Flo logs symptoms too and adds a Premium Symptom Checker, which its listing says isn't available in the UK, EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.[4]
Which Has the Strongest Privacy Record?
Apple Health and Clue have the cleaner public records of the three, and Flo has the longest enforcement history. Apple end-to-end encrypts synced Health data with two-factor on, Clue is EU-based with no enforcement action we found, and Flo settled with the FTC in 2021.[3][6][7]
Flo: The FTC announced a proposed settlement on January 13, 2021, alleging Flo shared health data with third parties including Facebook's and Google's analytics divisions, AppsFlyer and Flurry despite privacy promises. The final order came June 22, 2021.[7][8] A related $59.5 million class settlement across Google, Flurry and Flo has a court final approval hearing on October 29, 2026.[9] In the same case, a jury returned a verdict for the plaintiffs against Meta on August 1, 2025, announced on the docket August 4.[9] Flo's listing now describes an Anonymous Mode.[4]
Clue: Based in Berlin, Clue's privacy policy says its data handling meets German and EU legal requirements and that sensitive health data is never shared with or sold to advertisers.[6] We found no FTC order or state settlement for Clue.
Apple Health: Apps need your permission for each data type they read, and Apple's protections depend on your passcode and two-factor setup, so they're only as strong as how you configure them.[3]
Where Does Veya Fit Alongside These Three?
Veya fits if you want cycle data next to mood, sleep, nutrition and wearable data rather than a standalone cycle tracker. It tracks 350+ metrics, imports temperature from Apple Watch, Oura Ring and Garmin, and is free to download with no ads. It is one option among equals here, not a winner.
The tradeoffs are real. Veya is iOS only (a web app covers other platforms), it has no community like Flo's Secret Chats, and it has a shorter track record than Apple Health, Flo or Clue. For a direct look, see Flo vs Veya. If cycle-only depth is the goal, one of the three above is a sound pick.
Which Should You Choose: Flo, Clue, or Apple Health?
Choose by what you'd miss. If you'd miss nothing from a free built-in tracker, Apple Health is enough. If you'd miss community, pick Flo. If you'd miss symptom detail, pick Clue.
Stick with Apple Health if:
- You want free period predictions with nothing to download
- You already wear an Apple Watch Series 8 or later to sleep
- You don't need community, articles or an assistant
Choose Flo if:
- You want an anonymous community and pregnancy mode in one app
- You're comfortable with Flo's privacy history or will use Anonymous Mode
- You use an Android phone, since Apple Health is iOS only
Choose Clue if:
- You want to log many kinds of symptoms and experiences
- An EU-based company and a no-advertiser-sharing policy matter to you
- You want separate modes for periods, conceiving, pregnancy and perimenopause
Comparing a different trio? See Flo vs Clue vs Stardust or Flo vs Clue vs Glow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apple Health Cycle Tracking enough, or do I need Flo or Clue?
It depends on what you'd miss. Apple Health logs periods and symptoms, predicts a six-day fertile window, and adds retrospective ovulation estimates with an Apple Watch Series 8 or later. Flo and Clue add community, deeper symptom lists, and dedicated fertility and pregnancy modes.
Does Apple Health Cycle Tracking work without an Apple Watch?
Period and symptom logging, predictions and the fertile window work from your iPhone. Ovulation estimates are the part that needs a watch. Apple lists the Series 8 or later or any Ultra model, plus about two cycles of wearing it to sleep.
How much do Flo and Clue cost in 2026?
Clue Plus is $39.99 a year or $9.99 a month on the App Store as of October 2026. Flo's core tracking is free and its Premium purchases are listed at several prices up to $59.99, without plan labels on the listing, so check the subscription screen.
Is Flo safe to use after its FTC settlement?
Flo settled with the FTC in 2021 over sharing health data with third parties. Its listing now describes an Anonymous Mode, and a class settlement has a court final approval hearing on October 29, 2026. Read its current privacy policy and decide with the dates in front of you.
Which is more private, Clue or Apple Health?
Both have clean public records. Apple end-to-end encrypts synced Health data when two-factor authentication is on. Clue is Berlin-based, says its handling meets EU requirements, and says it never sells sensitive health data to advertisers.
Can any of these apps be used as birth control?
Apple says Cycle Tracking should not be used as a form of birth control, and the same caution applies to period predictions in Flo and Clue. A fertile window is a statistical estimate, not a guarantee.
Is there an alternative that tracks more than the cycle?
Veya tracks 350+ metrics across mood, sleep, nutrition and fitness alongside your cycle, with wearable temperature import. It is iOS only and has no community, so it suits people who want a wider health picture rather than the deepest cycle-only tool.
How We Compared These Apps
On October 16, 2026 we read Apple's Cycle Tracking, ovulation estimate and Health privacy support pages, and the live US App Store listings for Flo and Clue (prices are the in-app purchase prices shown that day). We read Clue's privacy policy, the FTC's two press releases on Flo, and the court-approved settlement notice in Frasco v. Flo Health. We did not install or test the apps. Where a listing was silent we left the cell as "not stated" rather than guess. Privacy history is public record, not a safety ranking. Veya is our own app and is described only by features we publish elsewhere on this site.
References
- Apple. Track your period with Cycle Tracking. support.apple.com/120356. Read October 16, 2026.
- Apple. Receive retrospective ovulation estimates on Apple Watch. support.apple.com/120357. Read October 16, 2026.
- Apple. About the privacy and security of your health records. support.apple.com/en-us/111755. Read October 16, 2026.
- Flo Health. App Store listing (in-app purchases, Premium features, ratings, Anonymous Mode). apps.apple.com. Read October 16, 2026.
- Clue (BioWink GmbH). App Store listing (Clue Plus pricing, symptoms, modes, wearables, ratings). apps.apple.com. Read October 16, 2026.
- Clue (BioWink GmbH). Privacy Policy. helloclue.com/privacy. Read October 9, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission. Developer of Popular Women's Fertility-Tracking App Settles FTC Allegations. ftc.gov, January 13, 2021.
- Federal Trade Commission. FTC Finalizes Order with Flo Health. ftc.gov, June 22, 2021.
- U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal., Frasco v. Flo Health, Inc., No. 21-cv-00757-JD. Court-approved settlement notice (Final Approval Hearing October 29, 2026, $59.5 million in settlements, Meta jury verdict). long-form notice (PDF). Read October 16, 2026.
Facts checked against official pages and named sources, October 2026. Prices and policies change, so confirm current terms on each company's site before subscribing.
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