# GentleBirth Contraction Timer vs The Thompson Method

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Thompson Method at none against GentleBirth Contraction Timer's 4. The Thompson Method also leads on ads (none vs shown). GentleBirth Contraction Timer's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GentleBirth Contraction Timer sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. The Thompson Method asks for nothing beyond the download.

GentleBirth Contraction Timer ships an update every 9 days, The Thompson Method every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GentleBirth Contraction Timer | The Thompson Method |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gentlebirth-contraction-timer/id1543780051/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **91** | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 78 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Positive Birth App Development](https://appshunter.io/developer/1499302191) | [4 Good Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727239060) |

## What reviewers say

### GentleBirth Contraction Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gentlebirth-contraction-timer/id1543780051)

This app helps track labor contractions with real-time monitoring, editing, and manual entry. It offers individualized audio labor coaching, background sound options, and visual charts to analyze trends. The app also provides notifications for when to go to the hospital or contact a care provider.

**Highlights:** Real-time contraction tracking, Manual contraction editing and addition, Individualized audio labor coaching, Customizable background sounds, Labor trend charts and statistics, Email surge history to care providers, Hospital arrival and care provider contact notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Contraction Timer Premium | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium - One Time Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium - Discount Offer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Contraction Timer - Email Data | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and efficient
- 🧘‍♀️ Guided meditation for contractions
- 😌 Calming voice and narration
- ⏱️ Easy contraction timing
- 📊 Helpful data tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😵 Insane amount of pop-ups
- 😵‍💫 Pop-ups persist after submission
- 🖱️ Poorly designed interface
- 🖱️ Unresponsive buttons
- 😵‍💫 Clunky app experience

**Reported bugs**

- Pop-ups won't close without submission
- Pop-ups reappear after submission
- Buttons on bottom bar unresponsive or hard to hit
- Text doesn't fit screen
- Audio pauses when screen times out or app switches

**Requested features**

- Dark mode feature
- Option to live share with someone
- More varied coaching after 16 hours


### The Thompson Method

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-thompson-method/id6476578738)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GentleBirth Contraction Timer free?

GentleBirth Contraction Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Thompson Method free?

The Thompson Method is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do GentleBirth Contraction Timer or The Thompson Method have ads?

GentleBirth Contraction Timer shows ads; The Thompson Method does not.

### Which is updated more often, GentleBirth Contraction Timer or The Thompson Method?

GentleBirth Contraction Timer ships an update every 9 days, and The Thompson Method every 3 weeks. Most recently, GentleBirth Contraction Timer was updated on September 30, 2026 and The Thompson Method on September 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*