Contraction Timer App — Free Labor Tracker for iPhone & Android

What the Contraction Timer App Does

The Contraction Timer app is a mobile tool that helps you record labor contractions and view the results in real time. When you feel a contraction start, you press a button. When it ends, you press again. The app stores each contraction. It calculates how long it lasted (duration). It calculates how much time passed until the next one (frequency). It also displays running averages.

This information helps you and your healthcare provider understand your labor pattern. Contractions that get longer, stronger, and closer together over time typically mean labor is progressing. The app doesn't tell you when to go to the hospital. It gives you data you can use with your provider's guidance to make that call. For more context on labor timing, see our guide on the 5-1-1 rule for contractions and when to go to the hospital.

App Features

How the App Compares to Manual Timing

Timing contractions by hand—with a stopwatch and paper—works, but it requires you to remember numbers, do math, and stay focused during a physically demanding time. The app automates the recording and calculation so you do not have to.

Manual timing can lead to errors when you are tired or in pain. You might forget to note a start time, misread the clock, or lose track of how many contractions you have logged. The app stores every entry with a timestamp and computes averages for you. It also surfaces your pattern over time, which makes it easier to see whether contractions are getting closer and longer.

That said, the app is only as accurate as your input. If you press start or stop at the wrong moment, the data will reflect that. The advantage is consistency: the same method for every contraction, with no mental arithmetic required. For a deeper look at timing methods, see how to track contractions.

Who the App Is Designed For

The Contraction Timer app is built for anyone who wants to track labor contractions on a phone. It’s useful for first-time parents who are learning what labor feels like and want a clear record of their contraction pattern. It's also useful if you've given birth before and you just want a simple way to log contractions without paper or a separate timer.

If you're planning a home birth, the app can help you and your midwife watch how things are progressing. It can help you decide when to call for backup. It can also help you decide when to transfer if needed. If you are planning a hospital birth, it gives you data to share when you arrive and can alert you when your pattern suggests it may be time to leave. Birth partners can use the app to time contractions. That way, the laboring person can focus on comfort, breathing, or movement.

The app does not replace your care team. It complements the guidance of your doctor or midwife. For more on labor stages and what to expect, see our stages of labor guide and breathing techniques for labor.

How to Use the App

Using the Contraction Timer app is straightforward. There are three main steps.

Step 1: Download the app

Install the app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android). You don’t need an account or sign-up to start tracking. Open the app when you think labor may have started.

Step 2: Press start when a contraction begins

When you feel a contraction start—the tightening or cramping in your abdomen or back—tap the start button. The app begins timing that contraction.

Step 3: Press stop when it ends

When the contraction releases and your uterus relaxes, tap stop. The app records the duration. If you’ve logged previous contractions, the app also records the frequency. Repeat this for each contraction. The app will show running averages and, if enabled, may notify you when your pattern suggests active labor.

That is the core flow. Optional features such as calming music and PDF export are available within the app. For context on what contractions feel like and how to tell them apart from Braxton Hicks, see Braxton Hicks vs. real contractions.

What the App Does Not Do

It is important to understand the limits of the Contraction Timer app.

It is not a medical device. The app is a tracking tool. It does not diagnose labor stages, predict delivery time, or provide medical advice. It records what you enter and calculates averages. Medical decisions should be made with your healthcare provider.

It doesn't detect contractions automatically. The app cannot sense when a contraction starts or stops. Accuracy depends entirely on you pressing the button at the right times. It will not know if you miss a contraction or press too early or too late.

It does not replace your healthcare provider. Alerts and analysis are based on general guidelines such as the 5-1-1 rule. Your provider might give you different instructions based on your pregnancy, your distance from the hospital, or your medical history. Always follow your provider's guidance. If your water breaks, you notice bleeding, or something feels wrong, contact your provider right away, even if the app looks normal.

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Limitations

The Contraction Timer app is not a medical device. It is a consumer tracking tool that helps you record and share contraction data. It does not undergo the regulatory approval required for medical devices. It should not be used to diagnose labor, predict outcomes, or make medical decisions on its own.

Contraction timing is one of many factors your healthcare provider uses to assess labor. Cervical dilation matters. Fetal heart rate matters. Membrane status matters. Your medical history matters. The app can give useful data, but it can't replace clinical judgment. If you have any concerns about your labor, including irregular contractions, severe pain, bleeding, or ruptured membranes, contact your provider immediately. Do not rely on the app to tell you when to seek care.