Best Contraction Timer App in 2026: 7 Apps Compared

Contraction Timer IO is the most focused timer in this list, and that focus is its strength. You tap once to start a contraction and once to stop it, and the app calculates duration, frequency, and intervals, then shows averages and a history you can share with your birth team. It also offers labour-phase detection and alerts based on common timing patterns, such as contractions every five minutes lasting a minute each, which helps a tired birth partner know when to check the guidance you were given. The app is free for core timing, without ads in its published description, and it works on iPhone, Apple Watch, and Android, so a partner can time from a watch while supporting you. Extra pregnancy tools, such as a kick counter and checklists, sit alongside the timer on some plans. For parents who want a timer that does one job clearly, in the middle of the night, under stress, Contraction Timer IO is the first app to install and practise with before labour starts. A note that matters: alerts use general timing rules, and your own provider may use a different rule for your pregnancy, such as 4-1-1 or 3-1-1. Set the app to match the guidance you were given, and treat any alert as a prompt to call, not as a diagnosis. Practise with the app before labour, so tapping start and stop feels automatic when contractions begin.

Contraction Timer, from the makers of the Pregnancy App and ZenPregnancy, pairs a straightforward timer with calming tools for labour. Timing is one tap to start and one tap to stop, with averages, pattern analysis, and a log you can show a nurse or midwife. Around the timer, the wider app offers meditation, breathing exercises, and hypnobirthing content, which suits parents who want calm support as well as numbers during labour. The timer itself is simpler than Contraction Timer IO in some respects, with less emphasis on labour-phase alerts, and full hypnobirthing content sits behind a paid plan. For parents who already use the Pregnancy App for week-by-week content, or who want timing plus breathing guidance in one place, that trade-off is reasonable. Install it early, test the timer with a few practice entries, and decide who will hold the phone during labour, because a partner running the timer frees you to focus on breathing.

Freya calls contractions surges, and it is built around hypnobirthing rather than around a clinical stopwatch. During a surge, a gentle expanding visualisation helps you breathe in a steady pattern, with coaching audio to keep your focus on breathing, and between surges, relaxation audio plays to help you rest. The app logs duration and frequency over time, and that log can be shared with a birth partner, midwife, or doula. Freya does not offer the same pattern alerts as Contraction Timer IO, and it feels most natural if you have practised hypnobirthing techniques during pregnancy. It is a paid app, with pricing on the vendor and app store listings, and it is available on iPhone, Apple Watch, and Android. For parents planning a hypnobirthing birth, Freya turns timing into part of the coping strategy, rather than a separate task to manage during labour.

GentleBirth offers a free contraction timer as part of its wider birth preparation programme, which includes meditation, breathing practice, and partner-focused content. The timer logs duration and frequency, so parents who already use GentleBirth for preparation do not need a second app for labour itself. The interface is calm and simple, which helps when contractions demand attention. The limit is scope: the timer is useful, but it is not as feature-rich for pattern analysis as Contraction Timer IO, and the full GentleBirth programme needs a paid subscription. Parents who only need a timer should pick a dedicated timer instead. Parents already preparing with GentleBirth, or who want preparation and timing in one app, will find the timer a convenient, free addition to a programme they already trust.

Ovia Pregnancy is a full pregnancy tracker that includes a contraction timer alongside a kick counter, symptom logging, and personalised content. That breadth suits parents who already track their pregnancy in Ovia and want to stay in the same app when labour begins, rather than learning a new timer under stress. The timer records contractions and shows patterns, and the wider app keeps weight, symptoms, and milestones in one history. Because timing is one feature among many, Ovia does not offer the same labour-phase alerts or partner-focused timing tools as a dedicated timer. Some features also sit behind paid plans, so check the app store listing for current premium details. For parents who value one pregnancy app for the whole journey, Ovia is a practical choice, and pairing it with a dedicated timer for labour itself is also reasonable if you want stronger alerts.

BabyCenter is best known for pregnancy content and due-date communities, and its app includes a contraction timer and kick counter in the free version. Parents who already read BabyCenter week by week, or who value peer support from others due around the same date, can time contractions without installing a separate app. The timer covers the basics: start, stop, duration, and frequency, in a familiar interface. The timer is basic next to Contraction Timer IO or Freya, with less pattern guidance and no hypnobirthing coaching. The app also includes ads and optional paid features, which some parents find distracting during labour. For a free, all-in-one pregnancy app with community support, BabyCenter is a solid choice, and its timer is enough for parents who want a simple log to share with their care team.

What to Expect, based on the well-known pregnancy book, offers week-by-week content, videos, and community groups, plus a contraction timer and kick counter in its app. Parents who already follow What to Expect through pregnancy can keep using the same app in labour, which removes one learning curve at a stressful time. The timer records contractions and helps parents see patterns to discuss with their care team. As with other all-in-one apps, the timer is basic compared with dedicated tools, and some features may need a paid plan depending on version, so confirm on the app store listing before labour. For parents who want trusted reading, community, and basic timing in one free app, What to Expect is a strong choice, and it pairs well with a dedicated timer if you want stronger alerts on the day.