Best 5 Contraction Timer Apps in 2026

You’re timing contractions. The last thing you need is an overly complex app.

In those tense moments when you’re in labour, you don’t want to be fumbling around – you want something clear, reliable, minimal. There are dozens of contraction timer apps: some too basic, some bloated with features you’ll never use.
This list selects five that get the job done—no fluff, no unnecessary distractions, so you can focus on breathing.

Let’s dive.

1. Contraction Timer & Counter 9m

Contraction Timer & Counter 9m is a long-time favorite on both iOS and Android. You tap once when a contraction starts, tap again when it ends. That’s it. It tracks duration, spacing, and tells you when it might be time to head to the hospital.

Pros: Simple, familiar, and accurate.
Cons: Free version has ads, and the design looks like it’s from another decade.

Still, it’s one of the most downloaded for a reason.

2. Bump Pulse – Contraction Timer

Bump Pulse is a simple, calm contraction timer made for real labor moments. Tap once to start a contraction and tap again to stop. You get clear timing, spacing, and simple insights that help you understand what’s changing without staring at a confusing list.

When you need support, easy sharing is built in. You can quickly share your contraction log with your partner, midwife, or birth team. It also adds milestones, so it feels like a birth story you can look back on — not just a list of contractions. And yes, you can share that story too.

Pros:

• Completely free, no setup required
• Sharing logs and birth story is quick and intuitive

Cons:

• Not yet optimized for tablets — looks best on phones

3. Storky – Contraction Timer

Storky is one of the cleanest interfaces around. Just start, stop, and see your pattern evolve. No ads, no sign-ins, no weird popups. It also gives gentle reminders about when to prepare for the hospital.

Pros: Calm design, easy to read, soothing colors.
Cons: iOS only, and not much in the way of customization.

Perfect for anyone who values clarity and simplicity.

4. Contraction Timer and Tracker

Contraction Timer & Tracker is modern and beautifully straightforward. Created by developer James Ots, this one focuses on pure functionality — large buttons, clear stats, and a dark mode that’s perfect for night labor.
It automatically groups contractions, calculates averages, and even lets you share your log with your birth team.

Pros: Crisp interface, automatic pattern detection, and sharing options.
Cons: None worth mentioning — it nails the essentials.

It’s simple enough for the delivery room, yet detailed enough for data lovers.

5. Nerd Contraction Timer

Nerd Contraction Timer is built for women in tech — and for the partners who think in code.
Instead of a wall of numbers, you see your contraction pattern evolve visually, like a GitHub activity chart. It’s instantly clear when you’re entering active labor.

Free. No ads. Just data and calm visuals.
It follows the 5-1-1 rule like the others (contractions every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour) — but the visual layout makes it much easier to see when you’re ready, instead of decoding lists of times and durations.

Pros: Clean, visual, tech-inspired, and completely free.
Cons: None, unless you’re allergic to nerd jokes.

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What to look for in the timer app:

• Big button(s) you can hit without thinking.
• Interval & duration display that’s easy to read.
• Ability to see pattern (are contractions coming every 5 minutes, lasting 60 seconds?).
• Minimal input required — you don’t want to configure settings when you’re focused on breathing.
• Dark mode or low-light friendly interface (labour room often dim).
• Optional share/export if you want to send data to your birth team.
• Optional alert (“time to go to hospital”) but treat alert as guidance, not rule.

Conclusion

You’re in labour. You’re focusing on breath, on your body, maybe your partner is there, maybe your doula. You don’t need a confusing app. You just need a reliable, clear, minimal contraction-timer that does exactly what you expect: start the contraction, stop it, show how far apart they are, how long they last, and let you visually see how things are evolving.
Any of the five apps above will serve you. Pick the one whose interface you like today, try it ahead of time, and you’ll be thanking yourself when the moment comes.
Timing your contractions means you’re making empowered decisions instead of guessing. That clarity is worth its weight in calmness.

Ready when you are. Choose your timer. Breathe. Track. Trust.