Comparison

Beacon vs Tide

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Beacon

Connect with other mothers during challenging postpartum moments. Share your experience anonymously on a live map, track your baby's needs, monitor your mood, and access helpful resources and community support.

Highlights
  • Live map of awake mothers
  • Baby feeding, sleep, and diaper tracker
  • Mood and wellness tracking
  • Postpartum journaling
  • Community forum
  • Expert resources and guides
  • Helpful tools and calculators
Features
Read full description

Motherhood is beautiful, but at 2AM when you're the only one awake, it can feel impossibly lonely. Beacon shows you that you're not alone and lets you connect with other moms in your neighborhood or across the globe. Open the app and see a live map of mothers who are awake right now, near you. Light your own beacon so another mom knows she's not the only one up. Track your mood, log your baby's feeds, sleep, and diaper changes and connect with a community of women who truly get it. LIGHT YOUR BEACON Share your light anonymously and see thousands of other moms' beacons glowing across the map. Locations are randomized within 10 miles of your true location to keep you safe while helping you feel connected. Knowing other mothers are awake and showing up is a powerful reminder: you are not alone in this. CIRCLES: YOUR SMALL GROUP OF MOMS Get matched into a private Circle of a few moms like you, based on where you are in your motherhood journey. Circles are small on purpose, so it feels like real friendship. BABY TRACKER Log your baby's feedings, sleep, and diaper changes in seconds. See patterns over time and simplify those conversations with your pediatrician or partner. Whether you're breastfeeding, pumping, or formula feeding, Beacon makes tracking effortless. MOOD & WELLNESS TRACKING Log your mood, sleep, energy, and emotions each day. Watch patterns unfold over time and gain real insight into your mental health during postpartum recovery. Use your mood data to start honest conversations with your partner, provider, or therapist. POSTPARTUM JOURNAL Capture your thoughts, milestones, and feelings as you navigate early motherhood. Write when you need to process, celebrate, or simply vent. Your journal is private and always there when you need it. COMMUNITY FORUM Connect with other moms in a private, supportive space. Ask questions, share your story, offer encouragement, or just vent without judgment. No highlight reels — just real mothers supporting each other through the ups and downs. TRUSTED GUIDES & RESOURCES Access expert-backed information written specifically for postpartum life — from healing tips and nutrition guidance to relationship advice, mental health tools, and newborn care essentials. HELPFUL TOOLS & CALCULATORS Simplify your day with breastfeeding and pumping calculators, postpartum exercise guidance, recovery checklists, and daily self-care reminders including mindfulness exercises and gentle movement ideas. SAFE & PRIVATE Your location, data, and personal information are always protected. Beacons appear only as randomized points within 10 miles of your true location. WHY MOMS LOVE BEACON Real, honest, and supportive — not another highlight reel. Beacon helps you see that you're part of something bigger: a network of mothers lighting up the world together. Whether you're a first-time mom navigating sleepless nights, a seasoned parent balancing it all, or someone healing from postpartum anxiety or depression, Beacon is a gentle reminder that your light matters. Download Beacon today. Even in your darkest nights, there are lights shining with you. Subscription Information: Beacon offers optional premium subscriptions with auto-renewable billing: Monthly: $9.99/month Annual: $59.99/year (save 50%) Premium features include detailed mood tracking, baby tracker, AI-powered insights, advanced analytics, community forum access, postpartum journal, and premium guides. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://kindred-spirits-beacon.lovable.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Tide

This app simplifies tracking labor contractions with a single tap. It allows real-time sharing of progress with a private link and creates a lasting birth story. Designed for calm and presence during labor, it offers hands-free updates and an Apple Watch app.

Highlights
  • Single-tap contraction timing
  • Real-time progress sharing
  • Hands-free voice dictation
  • Birth story journal
  • Apple Watch app
  • Home Screen widget
Features
Read full description

Tide is a beautifully simple contraction timer and labor companion — built to keep you calm and present while everyone you love follows along. When labor starts, the last thing you want is a cluttered app. Tide gives you one big button: tap to start a contraction, tap when it eases. It quietly tracks how long each one lasts and how far apart they are, so you always know where things stand — without squinting at your phone mid-wave. And when everyone keeps asking "any updates?", Tide answers for you. Share one private link with your partner, doula, or whole family, and they can follow your progress in real time — no more juggling a dozen text threads. WHAT YOU CAN DO Time contractions with a single, calming tap — duration and spacing tracked automatically Share a private link so your birth team can follow along live Post updates as you go — notes, photos, and videos in one running feed Add updates hands-free with voice dictation Announce baby's arrival with the details that matter Keep it all as a birth story you can revisit for years to come PRIVATE BY DESIGN No accounts. No ads. No tracking. Everything you log stays on your device unless you choose to share it — and your share link expires on its own once things settle down. ALWAYS A GLANCE AWAY Tide includes an Apple Watch app and a Home Screen widget, so your timer is right where you need it. A ONE-TIME UNLOCK Unlock everything with a single purchase. No subscriptions, ever. Tide is a personal timer and journal to help you record and share your labor. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your doctor, midwife, or other qualified healthcare provider, and in an emergency call your provider or your local emergency number. ——— Privacy Policy: https://katiep.me/privacy Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Beacon4 screens
Tide4 screens

Verdict

The call

Beacon and Tide both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 91% of Beacon's written reviews are positive against 47% of Tide's. Beacon also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Beacon sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Tide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Beacon against 4.9 for Tide. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 483 and 216 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Beacon's written reviews are positive against 47% of Tide's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Beacon ships an update every 8 days, Tide weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Beacon versus Tide: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeaconTide
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (483 ratings)4.9 (216 ratings)
Positive reviews91.3% of reviews — better47.4% of reviews
Number of ratings483 — better216
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKeagan ScottB Gilmore, LLC

Customer experience

Beacon

All ratings483 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews184 reviews
Positive91.3%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.4%

Tide

All ratings216 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive47.4%
Neutral10.5%
Negative42.1%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Beacon

Subscriptions3
  • Beacon Premium (Weekly)$4.997 Days
  • Beacon Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Beacon Premium (Annual)$44.991 Year
2 purchases

Tide

Subscriptions1
  • Tiny Voices Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Tide Contractions and Labor Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Beacon free?
Beacon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tide free?
Tide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Beacon or Tide?
Beacon and Tide are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 483 and 216 ratings respectively.
Do Beacon or Tide have ads?
Neither Beacon nor Tide shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Beacon or Tide?
Beacon ships an update every 8 days, and Tide weekly. Most recently, Beacon was updated on October 13, 2026 and Tide on October 11, 2026.

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