What to Expect vs BabyCenter: Pregnancy Apps Compared 2026
What to Expect suits you if you want expert-reviewed articles and a parent community. BabyCenter suits you if you want 3D development videos, Birth Clubs grouped by due-date month and a bump timelapse tool. Both are free and published by Everyday Health, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. Veya suits private daily logging alongside either.
Full Transparency
This comparison is published by Holland Neurotech Inc., the company behind Veya. We've included Veya as a third option where relevant. We've done our best to compare What to Expect and BabyCenter fairly based on what each app and its parent company, Everyday Health Group, publish about features, ownership, and pricing. If What to Expect or BabyCenter is the better fit for you, use it.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. No app replaces prenatal care. Always consult your OB-GYN, midwife, or healthcare provider about your pregnancy and any symptoms or concerns. Individual results may vary, and what works for one person may not work for another.
Quick Answer
What to Expect and BabyCenter are both published by Everyday Health, Inc., a Ziff Davis company, according to their App Store listings, and both are free to download and built around week-by-week pregnancy content. The difference is emphasis: What to Expect pairs expert-reviewed articles with a parent community, while BabyCenter pairs 3D development videos with Birth Clubs grouped by due date. Here's how they compare:
- If you want expert-reviewed articles and a parent community: Go with What to Expect.
- If you want 3D development videos and a due-date-matched community: Go with BabyCenter.
- If you want a private, ad-free tracker for the actual day-to-day logging: Try Veya alongside either one.
If you're weighing a third option, see the Veya pregnancy tracker.
What to Expect and BabyCenter show up together in nearly every "best pregnancy app" list, usually described as competitors. Their App Store listings show the same publisher, Everyday Health, Inc., "a Ziff Davis company."[1][2] That doesn't make the apps identical, so what follows is what each one offers, plus a third option some people pair with either.
The Short Version
If you're in a rush, here's the quick breakdown across the dimensions that matter most:
| What to Expect | BabyCenter | Veya | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owned by | Everyday Health, Inc., a Ziff Davis company | Holland Neurotech Inc. | |
| Best for | Expert-reviewed articles, community | 3D videos, due-date Birth Clubs | Private daily tracking |
| Platform | iOS + Android | iOS + Android | iOS only (+ web app) |
| Week-by-week content | ✅ With 3D videos | ✅ With 3D videos | ✅ Trimester timeline |
| Community | Community groups | Birth Clubs by due-date month | None |
| Data model | Free; advertising per listings | Free; advertising per listings | No ads, no data selling |
| Price | Free to download | Free to download | Free + ~$9.99/mo premium |
Want more detail? Keep reading.
Are What to Expect and BabyCenter owned by the same company?
Both App Store listings name Everyday Health, Inc. as the seller and carry a copyright line reading "a Ziff Davis company."[1][2] We haven't verified when or how each brand came under that umbrella, so we don't state a date here.
What this doesn't mean: the apps aren't merged. They're separate listings with different features, such as BabyCenter's Birth Clubs and Bumpie tool versus What to Expect's expert-reviewed articles and community groups.
What it does mean: if you're hoping for two independently owned products, that's not quite what you're getting, and decisions like ad models and privacy practices may be set at the same company. Reading each app's privacy policy is the way to see the differences.
What do you get with What to Expect?
What to Expect pairs week-by-week pregnancy tracking and 3D videos with expert-reviewed articles and a parent community, per its App Store listing.[1]
Features
- Week-by-week pregnancy tracking with 3D development videos
- Log for symptoms, weight, kick counts, medications and memories
- Community groups and a "Buzzing" feed of trending conversations
- Kick counter, baby size comparisons, registry tool, and twin mode
- Ovulation and due date calculators, plus a newborn and baby log
Strengths
Expert-reviewed content and community are the draw. The listing describes expert-reviewed articles alongside a parent community, which sets it apart from a purely community-driven app.[1]
It's free to download and covers a lot. The listing shows tracking, 3D videos, and community groups with no price listed.[1]
Limitations
Its privacy labels include third-party advertising. The developer-provided labels list third-party advertising among the purposes for data linked to you.[1]
It doesn't advertise Birth Clubs by due-date month. If you specifically want to talk to people due the same month as you, BabyCenter's listing describes that structure directly.
No nutrition or broader health tracking. What to Expect is focused on pregnancy content and symptom logging rather than broad mood, sleep, or nutrition tracking, based on its listing.
Pricing
Free: The listing shows the app as free, with a 4.9 rating from about 380K ratings, as of October 2026.[1]
Download: Available on iOS and Android
What do you get with BabyCenter?
BabyCenter pairs 3D fetal development videos with Birth Clubs for people whose due dates fall in the same month, per its App Store listing.[2]
Features
- 3D fetal development videos
- Birth Clubs: community groups for people due in the same month
- Kick counter and contraction timer
- Pregnancy calendar, baby name generator, registry tool, and due date calculator
- Bumpie, a timelapse tool for bump photos
Strengths
3D development videos are a headline feature. The listing leads with 3D fetal development videos so you can see growth during pregnancy.[2]
Birth Clubs are grouped by due-date month. If you want to talk specifically with people due around the same time as you, this structure gets you there directly, rather than a general forum.
Community plus a rewards program. Alongside Birth Clubs and forums, the listing describes a free BabyCenter Rewards program where members earn points toward discounts and products.[2]
Limitations
Its listing says it contains advertising. The developer-provided privacy labels also list third-party advertising among the purposes for data linked to you.[2]
Narrower than a whole-health tracker. Like What to Expect, BabyCenter focuses on pregnancy content and community rather than broad mood, sleep, or nutrition tracking, based on its listing.
Due-date-grouped community can feel narrow. If your due date changes, or you want broader topic-based discussion, the Birth Club structure is less flexible than a general forum.
Pricing
Free: The listing shows the app as free, with a 4.9 rating from about 298K ratings, as of October 2026.[2]
Download: Available on iOS and Android
Where does Veya fit alongside them?
Switching from a cycle app to a pregnancy app means starting a fresh log.
Veya's pregnancy mode keeps the same sleep, mood and symptom log running week by week, so the history you built before pregnancy is still there afterwards. You keep one record instead of two disconnected ones. It also has a kick counter and a contraction timer for later in pregnancy, with nutrition and wearable data in the same place as your symptoms. The point is that nothing you tracked before gets thrown away.
Checked October 24, 2026 against the current App Store listings and Veya's web app.
Veya is a tracker and not medical care, and the full app is iPhone only, with a web app for everything else.
Side-by-Side Feature Comparison
Here's a pregnancy-relevant feature comparison across all three apps. Check marks mean the feature appears on the app's listing (or in the app, for Veya), warning signs mean it's worth double-checking, and X marks mean it isn't available. "Not listed" means the App Store listing doesn't mention it, which isn't proof the app lacks it. Listings checked October 2026.[1][2]
| Feature | What to Expect | BabyCenter | Veya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week-by-week pregnancy content | ✅ With 3D videos | ✅ With 3D videos | ✅ Trimester timeline |
| 3D fetal development videos | ✅ Listed | ✅ Listed | ❌ |
| Community forums | ✅ Community groups | ✅ Birth Clubs (due-date matched) | ❌ |
| Kick counter | ✅ Listed | ✅ Listed | ✅ Free |
| Expert-reviewed articles | ✅ Per listing | Not stated on listing | ❌ |
| Nutrition, mood, sleep tracking | Not listed | Not listed | ✅ 350+ metrics |
| Ownership | Everyday Health, Inc. (a Ziff Davis company) | Everyday Health, Inc. (a Ziff Davis company) | Holland Neurotech Inc. |
| Data model | ⚠️ Third-party advertising in privacy labels | ⚠️ Contains advertising | ✅ No ads, no data selling |
| Free tier quality | Free to download | Free to download | ✅ Generous, no ads |
| Platforms | iOS + Android | iOS + Android | iOS only |
| Price | Free to download | Free to download | Free + $9.99/mo |
What does ad-supported mean for your data?
Both apps are free to download, and both App Store listings carry developer-provided privacy labels. What to Expect's lists contact info, identifiers, usage data and sensitive info as data used to track you, and BabyCenter's lists the same categories.[1][2] BabyCenter's listing also says the app contains advertising.[2] Apple notes these labels are developer-provided and not verified by Apple.
That's a different model than a paid or ad-free app, and it's not automatically a red flag; being free is a real advantage for many people. Read each app's current privacy policy before entering sensitive pregnancy data, the same way you would with any free app that uses advertising.
Some people pair What to Expect or BabyCenter, for the content and community, with a separate private tracker for the actual day-to-day logging of symptoms, weight, mood, or nutrition. You get the editorial content or the due-date community from one app, and keep the more sensitive daily tracking data in a second, non-ad-supported app.
Which Should You Choose?
Since the two apps share a publisher, this comes down more to feature preference than to picking a side. Here's the breakdown:
Choose What to Expect if:
- You want expert-reviewed articles and 3D development videos
- Community groups and a trending-conversations feed fit how you want to ask questions
- You want a baby log and ovulation and due date calculators in the same app
- You're comfortable with an app whose privacy labels include third-party advertising
Choose BabyCenter if:
- 3D fetal development videos matter to you
- You want a community grouped specifically by due-date month (Birth Clubs)
- A timelapse tool (Bumpie) for tracking your bump appeals to you
- You're comfortable with an app that contains advertising
Choose Veya if:
- You want pregnancy tracking (kick counter, contraction timer) alongside nutrition, mood, and sleep
- You want a private, ad-free place to log the day-to-day data, paired with What to Expect or BabyCenter for content and community
- You're on iOS (or okay using the web app on other platforms)
- Community and editorial content aren't what you're looking for from a tracking app
If neither fits, our BabyCenter alternatives guide compares seven other pregnancy apps by what each does well and where it falls short.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are What to Expect and BabyCenter owned by the same company?
Their App Store listings both name Everyday Health, Inc. as the seller, with a copyright line reading "a Ziff Davis company." They're separate apps with different features, so the choice comes down to features rather than two independent companies. We haven't verified when each brand joined that company, so we don't give a date.
What's the actual difference between What to Expect and BabyCenter if they have the same owner?
The apps are built around different strengths even under shared ownership. What to Expect's listing highlights expert-reviewed articles and a parent community, with 3D development videos. BabyCenter's highlights 3D development videos, Birth Clubs organized by due-date month, and a Bumpie timelapse tool. If you want articles plus a general community, What to Expect fits. If you want due-date-matched groups, BabyCenter fits.
Are What to Expect and BabyCenter free?
Both apps are listed as free to download on the App Store (checked October 2026), and neither listing shows in-app purchase prices. BabyCenter's listing says it contains advertising, and both listings' privacy labels include third-party advertising purposes.
Which app has a better community, What to Expect or BabyCenter?
It depends on the kind of community you want. What to Expect's listing describes community groups and a trending-conversations feed. BabyCenter's Birth Clubs connect people with due dates in the same month, which some people find more relevant. It often comes down to which structure you prefer.
Should I use both What to Expect and BabyCenter, or just one?
Some people do use both, since they're free and cover slightly different ground, but there's overlap in features such as 3D videos and kick counters. Another pattern is picking one of the two for content and community, then pairing it with a separate, private tracker for the actual day-to-day logging of symptoms, weight, or mood, so that data isn't tied to an ad-supported platform.
Is my data private on What to Expect or BabyCenter?
Both apps' developer-provided App Store privacy labels list third-party advertising among the purposes for data linked to you, and both list sensitive info among data used to track you. Apple notes the labels aren't verified by Apple. Read each app's current privacy policy before entering sensitive information.
Want to See More Apps Compared?
This guide focused on What to Expect vs BabyCenter, but there are other pregnancy apps worth a look depending on what you need, including ones from other publishers.
- Ovia vs What to Expect vs BabyCenter: Full 3-Way Comparison →
- Flo vs Ovia: Cycle & Pregnancy Compared (2026) →
Related Articles
- Best Pregnancy App 2026: 6 Apps Compared for Expecting Parents
- Pregnancy Tracking Guide: What to Log Each Trimester
- Postpartum Recovery Guide: What to Track After Birth
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References
- What to Expect (Pregnancy Tracker App - WTE) App Store listing: seller Everyday Health, Inc. "a Ziff Davis company," features, 4.9 rating from 380K ratings, developer-provided privacy labels. apps.apple.com, accessed October 2026
- BabyCenter App Store listing: seller Everyday Health, Inc. (BabyCenter, LLC, a Ziff Davis company), 3D videos, Birth Clubs, Bumpie, kick counter, contraction timer, 4.9 rating from 298K ratings, advertising disclosure, privacy labels. apps.apple.com, accessed October 2026