Flo is the world’s leading fertility-focused app that can track menstrual cycle and ovulation to help women understand their bodies better. It offers AI-based highly precise predictions like PMS symptoms, birth control, and flow intensity followed by personalized health insights, chatbots, and well-being guides by 120+ doctors for 70+ symptoms.
Owing to these factors, this incredible application has landed a $200 million funding, which is a 50% YOY growth, to reach Unicorn status. With this, Flo emerged as the first purely digital consumer-facing women’s platform to attain such significant standing embodying the dream of every startup entrepreneur- to shoot for the moon and reach the pinnacle of success.
If you are wondering how to get started with building something similar, this article gives you a detailed idea of ways to build a period tracking app with high conversion potential. It is a promising venture since menstrual health apps market size stood at $1.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at 18.3% CAGR between 2024 and 2032. So, read on to find out a few essential factors and steps to be taken to create such an app and how to propel it to the forefront of your customers’ minds.
Table of contents
Which features of Flo can businesses imitate?
A set of well-defined features for your app will help you understand which ones could be beneficial for your business and how users are interacting with them to get an idea of their app engagement behavior and preferences. Here’s a walkthrough of the features of Flo Health app that you too can consider:
Period tracking and awareness
Flo sends reminders on users’ expected period dates, unique symptoms at different stages of their cycle, coping mechanisms like tips to ease pain, and some general information. You too can suggest and incorporate such features during the women’s health app development process which are critical to avoid the literacy and awareness gap around periods. It would be a lucrative opportunity since over 2 billion women around the world menstruate every month and would appreciate such an initiative.
Adding on the awareness point, allowing the app to function in countries like Gaza, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Egypt, and Zimbabwe without charges could be extremely useful since period stigma is widespread in these countries in the form of myths and taboos. This could be a strategic move in terms of offering businesses a competitive edge since these markets are untapped in terms of health and hygiene management to a great extent.
Week-by-week pregnancy tracker
Tracking a baby’s growth is necessary to ensure they are reaching their developmental milestones, something which Flo addresses with a week-by-week pregnancy tracker. This could be an important feature for your app as well. You may include parameters like :
- organ development
- heart rate patterns
- fetal movements
- overall progress
Offering these in your pregnancy tracker app will help users ensure that the fetus growth is in sync with the mother’s gestation cycle, that is, gaining weight as they should.
Ovulation tracking and prediction
1 in 6 women experience infertility around the world and not all are due to biological faults. So, optimizing their conception chances naturally is imperative which is also a way to avoid the high expenses of medical intervention. This could be made possible with adequate knowledge and copulation tips along with ovulation prediction and an idea on ways to prepare the body for pregnancy.
So, when you try to build an app like Flo period tracker, add a tracking mechanism which can tell couples which is the best time to plan for a baby.
Data logging
Flo encourages users to input their personal period data manually. They can also edit dates and update their bodily symptoms as and when their cycle changes. This is effective in calculating ovulation, hCG, and pregnancy due dates.
Therefore, it is a good idea to include a similar feature to help users log cramps, mood swings, bloating, tender breasts, cravings, and emotional changes, if any. Additionally, you may also allow users to add their water intake, medicine intake, and sleep schedule. Altogether, it will be useful for them to understand personalized reports and updates to keep their reproductive health in good shape which is one of the top benefits of period tracking apps.
Graphs and charts
Flo provides monthly personalized cycle graphs to let users see if their symptoms are in sync with their cycle length variations. Imitating this in your app would be worth it since women can visually correlate with their body and predict and prepare for their well-being. Further, make sure abnormalities are highlighted by comparing with previous cycles so the user can take the necessary step, that is, visit a gynecologist.
Anonymous mode
Flo makes sure users can access and track personal health insights without fearing for their safety. Businesses should consider this particular feature a top priority in their female health tracking app by introducing an optional anonymous mode. This is important since fortifying your app against potential threats is likely to increase the chance of attracting a higher number of users because consumers are well aware of existing risks and demand secure apps. Being able to cater to this would be an excellent way to be on top of the game.
So, you can remove unique user identifiers like Google/Apple account ID, technical identifiers, IP address or ID for advertisers. Next, use HTTPS protocols for encrypting all data followed by conducting regular privacy checks and track security loopholes. Lastly, avoid selling or sharing users’ data with third parties for ultimate protection.
Community
Flo Health has introduced Secret Chats which is a community of millions with the same female complications who share stories and support each other anonymously. When you develop a women’s health tracker app like Flo, having a similar forum in your app will be beneficial in several ways – make your users feel heard and seen, validate their pain points, and help them accept certain bodily changes as normal. They will get an insight into what others like them are undergoing which will provide the necessary strength to get by in life. Add threads, questions, and polls to simplify the communication.
Health library
This is a detailed blog section of Flo Health with content on health, sex, lifestyle, menopause, pregnancy, motherhood, and LGBTQ+. You too can consider informative articles which will help users live a healthier life. Consider covering sensitive topics as well like ways to conceive or how to adjust into being a new mother for a comprehensive service.
AI chat
The Flo Health Assistant chatbot is specifically designed so women can ask questions about their bodies and can get forecasts and personalized answers regarding period and ovulation. This is quite a helpful feature, especially for women who hesitate to talk about intimate issues or women who do not have quick access to healthcare professionals. Design the chatbot in a way that it is able to provide suggestions on general topics like women’s mood, hormones, skin, energy, or overall fitness as well.
Partner mode
Flo allows simple app pairing among couples with a common code which ensures better understanding and communication between partners. This is because it explains everything that men need to know about their partner during menstrual days or pregnancy days with guides, bite-sized videos, and quizzes.
As a business willing to develop a women’s health tracker app like Flo, consider including such a feature so that men are able to support, care, and pamper their significant other as per their unique symptoms without having to ask them. They can also explore the app together which improves the overall bonding.
Now, let us understand how to develop a women’s health tracker app like Flo.
The core steps to build an app like Flo
The best way to start building something on similar lines as Flo period and pregnancy tracker apps would be to partner with Simublade, the leading healthcare app development company in Houston. We are adept in Android, iOS, and cross-platform app development along with maintenance and modernization. Below are the steps to follow, irrespective of whether you partner with us or other agencies or just handle the development in-house.
Step 1: Discovery and scoping
We brainstorm ideas and analyze the market and technical viability of your app idea in this stage and then create a project roadmap. The discovery workshop session will include project estimations, integrations, and project estimations.
Step 2: Product design
Our UI UX design service team will craft intuitive and innovative apps that are engaging, effective, and enjoyable for the end users. The end result will be an app that is visually appealing and aligned to your business goals and objectives.
Step 3: Product engineering
Our mobile app development service experts write clean and secure codes and transform your pregnancy tracker app idea into a viral application. We also use a wide range of languages and framework combinations and blend them with emerging technologies – our secret to help you win the competitive health app development space.
Step 4: Testing and QA
Simublade’s quality assurance team makes sure your application meets the highest standards of usability, security, and functionality via several testings. This will include unit testing, performance testing, integrated testing, load testing, automation testing, functional testing, system testing, and security testing to avoid every possible loophole.
Step 5: Deployment and launch
A smooth launch is conducted by keeping the submission checklist of app stores in mind. At this stage, we also offer a flawless integration of the app for our enterprise clients with their existing legacy software.
After these main steps, our developers offer a post-launch maintenance service where we track competitor reviews, acceptance rates, and competitor performance to make sure your application is winning the tech race.
What is the cost to build a women’s health tracker app?
The cost to build a period tracking app will range between $8,000 to $30,000 depending on features, tech stack, UI UX design, and overall complexity. Below is a breakdown:
The best way to get an estimate of a period tracking app is to talk to expert developers at Simublade with a free consultation call. We are committed to build secure and scalable software starting at $25/hr. Get an inclusive, real-time, and scalable solution by hiring our developers who have specialized skills and tech expertise on their fingertips to deliver powerful apps. In short, you can trust our in-house industry experts with custom software development for health and fitness tracking applications like Flo without budget overruns.
Key factors affecting the cost of an app like Flo
There are several factors that impact the expenses to develop a period tracking app. Here’s a list to help you adjust the budget accordingly.
Complex features and functions
Female health tracking apps with simple capabilities cost less than apps with advanced features like ovulation, IVF, implantation, and a chatbot for personalized updates. Further, applications with extensive 3D graphics and high-fidelity UI/UX designs require developers’ significant time and resources which are cost drivers. This is because it involves complex backend development and calculations work. So, pick and choose the features accordingly or simply start with an MVP to check the market viability first.
Number of platforms
Launching native apps on Android and iOS separately is costlier than doing so on a single platform. This is because cross platform app development means building an unified code and reusing it at all levels. Further, ongoing maintenance and updates also becomes manageable since changes are made on one platform. So, businesses can lower the overall app development cost by 30%.
UI UX design
The cost-affecting factors are how complex and detailed are the interactivity and aesthetics of the app. Merging tech stack with high-end graphic designs, custom animations, and motion graphics will further impact the costs. However, businesses can get in touch with Simublade’s design studio to figure out the best option to build a women’s health tracker app within their budget.
Tech stack
Incorporating high-performance tech stack like AI, ML, IoT, AV/VR, and blockchain into an app will directly impact the cost. This is because technological intricacies demand time and effort which translates into higher app development spending. However, technology implementation is not just tools and software but also the strategic choices of developers to ensure the tech stack is an ideal fit.
Developers’ team
The cost to develop a women’s health tracker app like Flo will depend on the skills, knowledge,and competency of the app developers to a great extent. For instance, developers with low experience might charge $9 while the ones with advanced aptitude and experience can charge $18 or more. At Simublade, both startup and enterprises can onboard exceptional talent into their app development project at reasonable rates.
How to reduce the cost of developing the app?
Compromising on app functionalities, UI UX design, or tech stack is not feasible if you wish to build an intuitive app. The good news is that you do not have to! There are plenty of hacks that can lower the overall expenses without trading off the goals you wish to achieve with the app. Below are a few tips to follow:
- Consider building an MVP, a minimum viable product, instead of launching a full-fledged application right away. MVPs are typically the first or the basic version of the app with key features to test market acceptance and attract early adopters. This process of MVP development is low risk to your wallet and lets you test and refine the app before launching the final iteration to ensure it is a fail-proof product.
- Consider pre-built UI templates, add simple features, use only necessary technologies, and avoid highly customized interfaces. Pick cross platform instead of distinct iOS and Android apps to save a significant chunk of money.
- Building a product roadmap can be a helpful tool to ease the cost burden. It documents project purpose, objectives, priorities and initiatives which is a fantastic way to cut down unnecessary expenses of an app.
- Outsource your female health tracking app development process to a team of affordable developers who will not trade off quality for price. It is a good idea to set your cost estimations beforehand to keep the air clear.
Legal considerations of building an app like Flo
Let us look at the legal landscape that you need to navigate to protect your commercial interests when building an app like Flo.
- It is necessary to understand that HIPAA does not cover user data since it is solely meant for personal use.
- EU AI Act and GDPR laws, however, are applicable to such female health tracking apps.
- Further, it is absolutely mandatory to address trademark, copyright, and app store agreements by discussing with your developers’ team.
Altogether, keeping these simple tips in mind can help build an app for women to assist them in their lifestyle and pregnancy planning without worries.
How to build a better app than Flo?
Back in 2019, it was found that Flo Health had deliberately sold intimate user data to giants like Google, Meta platforms, and Yahoo-owned Flury Inc without permission. The information included details about menstrual cycle, sex lives, and pregnancies which was a complete breach of user privacy and trust. This is something businesses wishing to build an app like Flo period tracker should avoid at all costs.
Further, strong cybersecurity measures like compliance assessment and consulting, vulnerability management, disaster recovery plan, penetration testing, and multi-factor authentication must be in place to prevent any slips. This is necessary since over 133 million healthcare data records were exposed in 2023
Lastly, users must be able to access tools without having to share personal information right away- something which is currently absent in Flo. For instance, they should not have to share height, weight, and similar details to look at how the app works.
Conclusion
Women’s health apps are expected to grow at 17.7% CAGR between 2024 and 2030 fuelled by rising cases of diseases and smartphone usage. This makes it a fantastic time to build an application which promises to enhance their well-being.
Make sure your app is convenient, easily accessible, and safe. For this, partner with a trusted mobile app development company like Simublade who can build a robust product that can transform your revenue stream.
FAQ
Q. How Much Does It Cost To Build An App Like Flo Health?
Ans. The cost to build a period tracking app is between $8,000 to $30,000 depending on the overall complexity.
Q. How Long Does It Take To Build An App Like Flo Health?
Ans. A simple women’s health tracker app takes around 3-4 months while a complex app takes 8-10 months, approximately.
Q. How can AI be integrated into a period tracking app?
Ans. Yes, businesses can collaborate with Simublade, a top-notch healthcare app development company, to get AI integrated into their app.
Q. How important is data privacy in health apps?
Ans. Robust security measures like vulnerability scanning, incident response, and security patch management are extremely important in health apps since they contain intimate information about a patient’s physical health. Else, there are high chances of cyberattacks leading to data breaches which ultimately impacts your business.
Q. What are the primary challenges in developing a women’s health app?
Ans. Privacy and security are the key challenges to develop a period tracking app and pregnancy tracker. However, it can be mitigated by implementing cybersecurity measures by partnering with a trusted mobile app development company like Simublade.
Q. How to integrate third-party APIs into a health app?
Ans. The best way to integrate third-party APIs successfully into health apps is to hire proficient developers, like the ones at Simublade, for the same. They will register in the system, receive the API key and authorization token, integrate the framework, and finally implement unique functionalities.
