# Beacon vs Tide

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Beacon | Tide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (483 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-postpartum-support/id6754093355/reviews) | [4.9 (216 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-contraction-timer/id6795967947/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **483** | 216 |
| Positive reviews | **91.3% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Keagan Scott](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846614886) | [B Gilmore, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/915478595) |

## What reviewers say

### Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-postpartum-support/id6754093355)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beacon Premium (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Beacon Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Beacon Premium (Annual) | $44.99 | per year |


### Tide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-contraction-timer/id6795967947)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Voices Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Tide Contractions and Labor Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


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