A period tracker without ads (and what that costs)

Why so many period apps carry ads, why “no ads” and “no tracking” are different questions, and what Bloom charges instead.

Last reviewed 12 October 2026Checked against the sources listed below

This page is for you if you are tired of banners and pop-up offers between you and your own cycle data, or uneasy about what an ad-funded health app does to pay its bills. The short version comes first, because it is the part most people want: Bloom has no ads, and it is not free. After a 14-day trial it costs $6.99 a month or $59.99 a year.

Why so many period apps show ads

An app costs money to build and run. If you are not paying for it, someone else is, and in a free app that is usually an advertiser. That model is not wrong in itself: plenty of good apps are free because of ads. But a period tracker is a particular case, because what you log in it is health information, and ad-funded apps tend to carry code from advertising and analytics companies that learns about the people using them.

U.S. regulators have acted on this more than once. In 2021 the Federal Trade Commission finalized an order against the maker of a popular period app, saying it had shared users’ health information with marketing and analytics firms despite promising to keep it private.^[1] In 2023 the FTC said the maker of Premom, an ovulation-tracking app, had shared users’ sensitive information with third parties, including two China-based companies, and the proposed order banned it from sharing health data for advertising.^[2]

“No ads” is not the same as “no tracking”

An app can show you no adverts and still contain kits from other companies that report what you do: which screens you open and what you tap. Those kits are often how advertising works behind the scenes, even in an app with no banners, and you would never see them on screen.

So when you compare apps, ask two questions, not one:

• Does it show adverts? That is about your experience.
• Does it contain advertising or analytics code from other companies? That is about where your data can go.

How to check any app before you install it

You don’t have to take a developer’s word for it. The app stores ask every developer to declare these things, and they show the answers on the listing:

• Google Play: look for “Contains ads” under the app’s name, then open Data safety to see what is collected and whether any of it is shared.
• Apple App Store: scroll to App Privacy. The heading to look for is “Data Used to Track You”. If it is there, the developer has said some of your data is used to follow you across other companies’ apps and websites.
• The privacy policy: search it for “advertising”, “partners” and “sell”. A short, plain policy is usually a good sign.

These labels are written by the developers themselves, so they are a starting point rather than proof. They are still the quickest honest signal you have.

How Bloom pays for itself instead

Bloom is a subscription business. The money comes from the people who use it, so there is nothing to sell to anyone else. In practice that means:

• No adverts, banners or sponsored content anywhere in Bloom.
• No advertising network and no analytics kit from another company built into Bloom.
• On iPhone, Bloom tells Apple it does not track you.
• Your logs are never sold or rented, and never used to target ads.

The one thing Bloom measures for itself is anonymous: which setup and subscription screens people reach, with no health data and nothing linking it to your account. The privacy page sets out exactly what Bloom stores, who helps run it and how to delete everything.

What it costs, and how the trial works

Both start with 14 days free. You subscribe through the App Store or Google Play, so they handle the payment and Bloom never sees your card. The stores give each person one free trial, and the subscription renews automatically afterwards. If you decide it isn’t for you, cancel in your phone’s subscription settings before the trial ends and you won’t be charged. The app can also remind you a little before the trial runs out.

Everything in Bloom comes with either plan: period prediction, daily check-ins, the focus and planner, Bloom AI (within a daily limit), and the pregnancy and postpartum modes.

What Bloom can’t offer

• There is no free plan. Once the trial ends, Bloom needs a subscription. If cost is what matters most, an ad-supported app or a paper diary may suit you better, and that is a reasonable choice.
• It needs an account. Your data syncs to it so it can move to a new phone, which also means it is not kept only on your device.
• You subscribe in the iPhone or Android app. A browser can’t take payment. Once you subscribe, you can also open Bloom on the web.

Getting the most from an ad-free tracker

• Use the trial properly. Log at least one period and a week of check-ins, so you are judging Bloom on your own data rather than an empty screen.
• Pick the plan after the trial, not before. If you know you will use it, the yearly plan costs less overall; if you are unsure, monthly lets you leave at any time.
• Check the labels again after updates. An app’s store listing can change, and the privacy labels change with it.