How Much Does Natural Cycles Cost?

Natural Cycles is a fertility-tracking app that helps women prevent or plan pregnancy using personalized cycle data and algorithmic insights. But how much does this high-tech form of birth control actually cost? This guide covers Natural Cycles’ subscription plans, deals, and value relative to alternatives so you can determine if it fits your budget.

How Much Does Natural Cycles Cost?

Natural Cycles costs between $80-$120 (≈1 day working for this purchase at $15/hour) per year for digital subscription plans that include fertility tracking and contraceptive guidance. Pricing ranges from the cheapest $79.99 (≈5.3 hours of your workday at a $15/hour wage) annual rate up to $119.88 (≈1 day working for this purchase at $15/hour) paid monthly, with additional costs if choosing the bundled version with a thermometer.

Natural Cycles offers monthly and annual digital subscription options:

• Monthly - $9.99 per month, automatically renewed each period
• Annually - $79.99 (≈5.3 hours of your workday at a $15/hour wage) per year, equal to just $6.67 per month

Both plans provide access to the personalized fertility algorithm, cycle tracking and predictions, contraceptive or conception guidance, and customer support.

The NC° Bundle ($99.99 (≈6.7 hours of continuous work at a $15/hour job)/year) includes a basal thermometer.

International Pricing

Pricing is comparable but may vary slightly in different countries:

• UK: £8/month or £65/year
• Europe: €9.99/month or €79.99/year

Automatic Renewal

Subscriptions automatically renew at the regular rate unless canceled in advance.

The cost of a Natural Cycles subscription in the US depends on your chosen plan and whether you want to pay monthly or annually. According to Natural Cycles’ official FAQ, the app offers both monthly and annual subscription options, and these are eligible for FSA/HSA reimbursement.

Medical News Today reports the monthly subscription is $14.99 (≈1 hour of uninterrupted labor at $15/hour) per month, while the annual subscription is $9.99 per month (billed as $119.99 (≈1 day working for this purchase at $15/hour) per year) and includes a free basal thermometer. Today's Parent lists the same annual price and notes the monthly plan can sometimes be as high as $16.99 (≈1.1 hours of labor required at $15/hour) per month depending on current promotions or location.

Additional costs may apply if you choose to use a compatible wearable, such as the Oura Ring, which is offered at a discount when bundled with a Natural Cycles subscription. The app itself is free to download, but a paid subscription is required to access its full features.

The Natural Cycles

What is Natural Cycles?

Natural Cycles is an FDA-cleared, CE-marked class II medical device that provides a hormone-free approach to pregnancy prevention and planning. The system uses an algorithm to analyze basal body temperature data and identify a woman's daily fertility status.

How It Works

Users take their temperature first thing each morning and enter the reading into the Natural Cycles app. The algorithm detects subtle patterns to pinpoint ovulation and provide red and green days indicating high or low risk of pregnancy if sexually active.

Who It's For

Natural Cycles is designed for women 18 and over seeking an effective, non-hormonal method of contraception or a high-tech aid for getting pregnant.

Natural Cycles vs. Alternatives

Vs. Hormonal Birth Control

Natural Cycles has a higher upfront cost than condoms or IUDs. But it avoids prescription costs, doctor visits for refills, and side effects over time.

Vs. Fertility Apps

Natural Cycles is competitively priced against Clue ($8/month) and Flo ($80 (≈5.3 hours of your workday at a $15/hour wage)/year), with more regulated accuracy.

Vs. Calendar Methods

It provides ovulation insights beyond just counting days, but costs more than free calendar tracking.

Here’s how Natural Cycles’ costs stack up to other fertility awareness and contraception options:

Value for the Price

You might also like our articles on the cost of Intrauterine Insemination, IVF, or a surrogate mother.

With 93-98% effectiveness for preventing pregnancy in clinical studies, Natural Cycles provides accuracy on par with hormonal methods when used correctly over time.

For women seeking hormone-free contraception or conception support, the technology and personalized insights generally merit the subscription cost according to user reviews. However, individuals comfortable with more basic fertility awareness tools may find the price unnecessary.

Additional Cost Factors

• Basal thermometer replacement: ~$15 (≈1 hour of uninterrupted labor at $15/hour)-30
• Apple Watch integration: Requires Apple Watch ($279+ (≈2.3 days of non-stop labor at a $15/hour salary))
• Oura Ring integration: Requires Oura Ring ($299+ (≈2.5 days of desk time at a $15/hour wage))
• Insurance coverage: Natural Cycles is not currently covered by insurance

Saving on Natural Cycles

Ways to reduce the cost of Natural Cycles:

• Take advantage of free trial offers (when available offered for 1-3 months)
• Use student discounts if eligible for rates as low as $59.99 (≈4 hours to sacrifice at work earning $15/hour)/year
• Leverage promo codes and referral bonuses
• Buy an annual plan to maximize savings
• Use Apple Watch instead of purchasing Natural Cycles thermometer

• Refer friends and earn discounts like $20 (≈1.3 hours of your life traded for $15/hour) off annual plans

Carefully review cancellation and refund policies before signing up.

Natural Cycles Cost Considerations

Pros justifying the cost:

• Non-hormonal, effective birth control
• Backed by clinical research
• Cutting-edge fertility insights
• Avoid prescription and visit fees
• App-based convenience

Cons to weigh regarding pricing:

• Higher upfront cost than condoms or simple tracking
• Must be used diligently and consistently
• Not covered by insurance
• Advanced features unnecessary for some

Expert Tips

Natural family planning educator Monica Thielen, RN advises:

"For women seeking an effective non-hormonal option, Natural Cycles provides value competitive with other fertility apps. Take advantage of annual pricing and any discounts available to maximize savings."

Women's health expert Dr. Chelsea Clark of NYU Langone Health notes:

"The insights may merit the premium price for women who desire high-tech ovulation tracking. But individuals comfortable charting cycles manually could use a basic thermometer and calendar for free."

Final Words

Natural Cycles requires a more significant upfront investment than traditional contraception methods or using just a thermometer and calendar. However, the FDA-cleared technology provides unique value for women seeking hormone-free insights into their cycles and fertility. For those who will use the app diligently long-term, Natural Cycles merits its premium price for the convenience, personalized guidance, and peace of mind it offers. But more casual users may prefer free or lower-cost fertility awareness alternatives.

Answers to Common Questions

Has anyone gotten pregnant using Natural Cycles?

Yes, pregnancies can occur with Natural Cycles since no birth control method is 100% effective. Clinical studies show it is 93-98% effective with typical use.

How to get Natural Cycles for free?

Natural Cycles does not currently offer a free version, but you can get discounts via promo codes or student pricing. A free trial may be available.

What is the failure rate of Natural Cycles?

With typical use, Natural Cycles has a 5-7% failure rate, meaning about 5-7 women out of 100 may get pregnant during a year of use. With perfect use, the failure rate is 1-2%.