from the maker's desk
Notes from the maker.
Honest writing about why Dew exists, how period apps usually work, and what we're building next. No marketing posts. No SEO filler. Just notes.
what's new
See the latest in Dew — every update, and the honest why behind it →
start with a guide
What's new in Dew 1.1.2 — ask your own cycle anything
Dew can now answer questions about your own cycle — privately, on your iPhone. Plus logging by voice, a journal for the hard days, a trying-to-conceive lens, and your cycle on your calendar. Everything new in 1.1.2.
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What's new in Dew 1.1.1 — trust you can see, and a year you can hold
Dew now shows how accurate it's really been, explains why your next period lands where it does, gathers your months into a private journal, and makes a clean summary for your doctor. Everything new in 1.1.1.
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What's new in Dew 1.1 — cycle modes & reminders you control
Dew now follows you through pregnancy, the pill, a hormonal IUD, and menopause — and we rebuilt reminders from scratch, because two-thirds of you couldn't be reminded. Everything new in 1.1.
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Is a 28-day cycle normal? What the research actually shows
The 28-day cycle is a myth of averages. When researchers looked at hundreds of thousands of real cycles, only about 1 in 8 was exactly 28 days. Here's what's actually normal — and how much healthy cycles really vary.
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How period predictions work — and how we made Dew's sharper
A prediction is a probability, not a promise. How period forecasting actually works, why most apps overstate it, and the signals that genuinely narrow the window.
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Basal body temperature and ovulation, explained
A small, sustained rise in body temperature is the clearest at-home sign that ovulation already happened. What BBT is, how wrist temperature fits in, and what it confirms.
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Can you track your period on the pill? Yes — here's how
On the combined pill, your “period” is a scheduled withdrawal bleed, not a real period. What that means for tracking, and why a tracker should follow the pack, not guess a cycle.
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The hormonal IUD and your period: what to expect
Spotting for months, then lighter periods — or none at all. What a hormonal IUD does to your cycle, when it settles, and what's worth a check.
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Tracking your cycle through perimenopause: a calm guide
In perimenopause, cycles lengthen and space out — that's the signal, not a glitch. What the menopause-transition stages mean, what's normal, and how tracking the trend helps.
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Using a period tracker during pregnancy: what to know
When you're expecting, there's no period to predict — but your dates still matter. How gestational weeks and a due date are estimated, and what a tracker should switch to.
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The best ovulation tracking app in 2026 — ranked by privacy
Most apps estimate ovulation; a few can help confirm it. Either way, fertility data is the most sensitive thing you can log — here's which apps respect that, ranked.
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Is Flo safe? An honest 2026 privacy review
Flo says it never sells your data — and in 2021 settled FTC allegations that it shared health data with third parties despite its privacy promises. Here's what's actually true in 2026, and what Anonymous Mode does and doesn't cover.
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Is Clue safe? What the privacy policy actually says
Clue is often called one of the more private big trackers. That's mostly fair — with caveats. What Clue stores, what it shares, and where your cycle data really sits.
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The best period tracker for irregular cycles (2026)
Irregular cycles break most apps' predictions. Here's what actually helps — and the trackers that handle PCOS, perimenopause, and unpredictable cycles without nagging you.
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Private alternatives to Flo (that don't sell your data)
If you love Flo's features but not its data history, here are the private trackers worth switching to — ranked by exactly what happens to your cycle data.
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How to switch from Flo to a private period tracker
Leaving Flo without losing your history. How to export your data, delete your Flo account for real, and start fresh on a tracker that keeps your cycle on your phone.
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Is Apple Health private for period tracking?
Apple Health keeps cycle data on your device and in end-to-end encrypted iCloud — genuinely private. But it's a vault, not a tracker. Here's the honest trade-off.
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Do you need a period tracker that works offline?
A tracker that needs the internet — or your location — is a tracker that can send your cycle somewhere. Why offline, on-device tracking is the most private kind.
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What is the fertile window? A calm explainer
The fertile window is shorter than most people think — and it moves. When it opens, why it's hard to predict from a calendar, and what tracking can and can't tell you.
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What is ovulation? The moment your cycle turns on
Ovulation is a single moment, not a phase — and everything else in your cycle is timed around it. What happens, how to spot the signs, and why dates alone miss it.
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Period late but not pregnant? 8 common reasons
A late period rarely means something is wrong. Stress, travel, exercise, sleep, and more — the usual reasons your period runs late, and when it's worth a check.
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Why your period tracker keeps getting the prediction wrong
Your app said "2 days to go" and your body said "surprise." It's not broken, and it's not you. Here's the real reason no app can predict your period perfectly — and what tracking is actually good for.
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The best private period tracker apps in 2026
Six period apps, ranked by exactly one thing: what they do with your cycle data. No marketing speak. No tier lists. Just the privacy mechanic.
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Are period tracker apps safe? What we found in 2026
What "safe" actually means for a period app: data sale, ad targeting, post-Dobbs subpoena risk, and breach history. The honest version.
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Period trackers that work without an account
Five apps that let you log a period without an email, a password, or a profile sitting on someone else's server. Reviewed for real.
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How to find a period tracker that doesn't sell your data
Three tells in a privacy policy that mean your cycle data is being sold. And five trackers that pass the test.
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How to delete your period tracker data (Flo, Clue, Apple Health, Stardust)
Step-by-step removal for the four most-used trackers. Including the dark patterns that make deletion harder than it should be.
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Flo, Clue, Stardust, Dew: a privacy comparison
Four trackers, the same six privacy questions. Where your data goes, who can see it, what's encrypted, and what's gone if you uninstall.
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What is the luteal phase? A calm explainer
The second half of your cycle, in plain language. What's happening, when it starts, why energy dips — and what's normal vs worth a check.
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Period tracker iCloud sync, explained
What end-to-end encrypted iCloud sync actually means for a health app. Why Apple can't read it. Why Dew can't read it either.
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Why I built Dew
A short note from the maker. Why a calm, private period tracker — and the line I won't cross.
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Why a private period tracker actually matters in 2026
What happens to your cycle data after you log it in a typical app — and why we built one that can't do any of that.
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More notes coming as we ship.