Braxton Hicks vs Contraction Timer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Braxton Hicks
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A fast, private counter for Braxton Hicks, baby's kicks, and real contractions. Free, with no ads and no account ā made by a dad for his wife, and shared so it can help other moms too. Made for the moment itself: one tap logs a Braxton Hicks, and the two numbers that matter ā today's count and the rolling 60-minute count ā are always on screen. KICK COUNTER ⢠Turn it on and a second button appears beside the Braxton Hicks one, on iPhone and Apple Watch ⢠Kicks today, and how long the last ten took ā the count-to-10 measure providers ask about CONTRACTION MODE, READY FOR LABOR ⢠Switch in one tap from the Track screen when it's the real thing ⢠Start/Stop timer records each contraction's length ⢠Live "since last started" and "last one lasted" counters ā the numbers you actually watch ⢠The 5-1-1 pattern as a checklist: about 5 min apart, about 1 min long, for about an hour, each with its current value and a tiny trend of how far apart they're getting ⢠A notification when the pattern is reached ⢠Discard a false start; a forgotten Stop is closed automatically and stays editable STATS THAT STAY OUT OF THE WAY ⢠Hour-by-hour chart for any day, with scrubbing ⢠7-day view with weekly totals and daily average ⢠In contraction mode: a minutes-apart trend and a log with length and spacing columns ⢠Tap any entry to edit its time or duration, down to the second APPLE WATCH + WIDGETS ⢠Full watch app: log from your wrist with the same counters ⢠Watch-face complications and iPhone lock-screen widgets ⢠Phone and watch sync instantly, both directions SHARE WITH YOUR PROVIDER Export a one-page PDF summary for appointments, or a complete CSV spreadsheet. OPTIONAL EXTRAS ⢠Hourly alert: a notification if the rolling 60-minute count reaches your threshold (default 6 ā the common "call your provider" guidance before 37 weeks) ⢠Pregnancy week: set your due date to see the current week and time remaining PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No ads. No analytics. Your data lives on your devices and in your own private iCloud ā nowhere else. This app is a tracker, not medical advice. Contact your provider about anything that concerns you.
Contraction Timer
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Waves is a calm, one-tap contraction timer and labor tracker. Tap once when a contraction starts, tap again when it stops. Waves does the rest - duration, the interval since the last one, your rolling hourly averages, and a plain-English read on which stage of labor the pattern looks like. WHEN YOU'RE IN IT, ONE TAP IS ALL YOU HAVE Start and stop with a single tap on a target big enough to hit without looking at the screen. No menus, no forms, no setup while you're breathing through a contraction. Lock Screen controls let you start and stop timing without unlocking your phone. KNOW WHICH STAGE YOU'RE IN Most timers hand you a table of numbers and leave you to work out what it means at 3am. Waves reads the pattern for you and tells you where you are: practice contractions, early labor, active labor, or time to go. It watches for the well-known 5-1-1 rule - five minutes apart, lasting one minute, holding steady for one hour - and surfaces it the moment your log matches. BRAXTON HICKS OR THE REAL THING? Short, irregular contractions are usually Braxton Hicks - practice, nothing to worry about. Rather than making you label each one, Waves looks at the whole pattern and tells you whether it currently looks like practice or real labor. SEE THE TREND, NOT JUST THE MOMENT Pattern Insights breaks the last six hours into hourly windows, so you can see at a glance whether things are picking up, holding steady, or easing off. Waves also estimates when the current pattern began - useful information for your midwife or doctor when you call. FEATURES ⢠One-tap contraction timer - a big target you can hit without looking ⢠Automatic duration, interval and rolling hourly averages ⢠Labor stage tracker: practice, early labor, active labor, time to go ⢠5-1-1 rule detection ⢠Braxton Hicks vs real labor pattern read ⢠Pattern Insights: a six-hour trend in hourly windows ⢠Estimated labor start time ⢠Due date with a gentle heads-up if a real pattern shows up unusually early ⢠Optional intensity slider to rate each one as it happens ⢠Optional paced breathing animation to breathe along with ⢠Auto-stop, in case you forget to end a contraction (1ā15 minutes, your choice) ⢠Full history you can edit - fix a time, add one you missed, delete a mistake ⢠Lock Screen controls, where Live Activities are supported ⢠Follows your system dark mode ⢠Works completely offline FOR THE PERSON HOLDING THE PHONE Plenty of contraction tracking happens on a partner's phone while the person in labor breathes. Waves is built for that too - big targets, high contrast, calm colors, no reading required. FREE, PRIVATE, NO ACCOUNT Waves is free. No ads, no account, no sign-up, no subscription. Your history is stored on your own device and never uploaded anywhere. If the app helps you, there's an optional tip jar inside - entirely up to you, and every feature works without it. IMPORTANT Waves is a timing and organizing tool, not a medical device. It does not diagnose labor and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different - always follow your provider's specific guidance, and call them if anything feels wrong, even before the 5-1-1 pattern is reached. Privacy Policy: https://waves.klavins.dev/privacy/ Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Braxton Hicks at none against Contraction Timer's 3. Contraction Timer's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Contraction Timer sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Braxton Hicks asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Braxton Hicks | Contraction Timer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | ā |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch ā better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 16.4 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Dallen Burwell | Armands Klavins |
In-app purchases
Braxton Hicks
No in-app purchases
Contraction Timer
- Coffee Tip$2.99
- Lunch Tip$9.99
- Dinner Tip$24.99





