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Healthcare · head to head

Flo vs Medscape

Flo logo

Flo

Healthcare

Period and cycle tracking app that settled with the US FTC in 2021 over sharing health data with third parties despite promising not to

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medscape logo

Medscape

Healthcare

Medical information, education, and news for healthcare professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Flo flo Health settled with the US FTC in 2021 over allegations it shared sensitive health data, including pregnancy and menstruation details, with Facebook, Google and other third parties despite telling users the data would stay private, a fact directly relevant to how much a user should trust current privacy claims without independently checking the published policy.; Medscape medscape is free to use but requires mandatory account registration through profreg.medscape.com and login before content can be viewed; the site describes itself as 'a free resource for physicians', restricting the intended audience to registered healthcare professionals rather than the general public (31 Dec 2020 archive capture).
  • They diverge on capability: Flo covers Cycle and ovulation tracking, Medscape covers Medical News.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flo and Medscape actually diverge.

Attributes where Flo and Medscape differ
AttributeFloMedscape
Pricing modelFree with a Premium subscriptionfreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, Mobile
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Flo

  • Cycle and ovulation tracking
  • Pregnancy mode
  • Anonymous Mode
  • Symptom and mood logging
  • Expert content library
  • Community and forums

Only in Medscape

  • Medical News
  • Drug Database
  • Medical Calculators
  • CME Courses
  • Disease Information
  • Specialty Content
  • EHR Systems
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Flo

  • Someone tracking cycle and ovulation who wants to weigh app convenience against the sensitivity of the data being loggednot Medscape
  • A user in a jurisdiction with legal risk around reproductive health data who wants to check Anonymous Mode and current data sharing policy before logging pregnancy or fertility attemptsnot Medscape
  • A buyer wanting to compare Flo directly against Clue on published data practices before choosing which app to trust with this informationnot Medscape
  • Someone who wants pregnancy tracking content alongside cycle tracking in one app rather than switching apps mid-pregnancynot Medscape

Medscape

  • Patient Carenot Flo
  • Medical Recordsnot Flo
  • Practice Managementnot Flo
  • Telehealthnot Flo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Flo

  • Flo Health settled with the US FTC in 2021 over allegations it shared sensitive health data, including pregnancy and menstruation details, with Facebook, Google and other third parties despite telling users the data would stay private, a fact directly relevant to how much a user should trust current privacy claims without independently checking the published policy.
  • Reproductive health data, including logged periods, fertility attempts and pregnancy status, has been the subject of law enforcement data requests in some jurisdictions following changes to reproductive rights law, and cloud-stored logs are a real category of exposure regardless of a vendors intentions.
  • Anonymous Mode, the privacy feature introduced after the settlement, is a setting that must be checked and understood rather than assumed, and its exact scope and default status should be verified in the current privacy policy rather than taken from marketing copy.
  • Free tier predictions rely on self-reported symptom data and general population models, so accuracy for irregular cycles or specific medical conditions is limited compared with clinical tracking.
  • The subscription auto-renews and, like most mobile subscriptions, must be cancelled through app store account settings rather than inside the app itself.

Medscape

  • Medscape is free to use but requires mandatory account registration through profreg.medscape.com and login before content can be viewed; the site describes itself as 'a free resource for physicians', restricting the intended audience to registered healthcare professionals rather than the general public (31 Dec 2020 archive capture).

Pricing, plan by plan

Flo

Free
  • Flo Premium$11.99/month
    • Free tier covers core cycle tracking, predictions and symptom logging
    • Premium adds deeper personalised insights and expert content, around $11.99 a month
    • Annual and lifetime purchase options typically offered at a lower effective rate

Medscape

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Medical news
    • Drug database
    • CME

Which should you pick?

Choose Flo if

  • You need cycle and ovulation tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want pregnancy mode.
Flo review

Choose Medscape if

  • You need medical news.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want drug database.
Medscape review

Questions people ask

Is Flo or Medscape better?
Neither clearly leads. Flo starts at Free and Medscape at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flo or Medscape?
Flo starts at Free and Medscape at Free.
Does Flo or Medscape run on more platforms?
Flo runs on iOS, Android, Web. Medscape runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Flo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flo best used for?
Flo is most often used for someone tracking cycle and ovulation who wants to weigh app convenience against the sensitivity of the data being logged, a user in a jurisdiction with legal risk around reproductive health data who wants to check anonymous mode and current data sharing policy before logging pregnancy or fertility attempts, a buyer wanting to compare flo directly against clue on published data practices before choosing which app to trust with this information, someone who wants pregnancy tracking content alongside cycle tracking in one app rather than switching apps mid-pregnancy. Of those, someone tracking cycle and ovulation who wants to weigh app convenience against the sensitivity of the data being logged and a user in a jurisdiction with legal risk around reproductive health data who wants to check anonymous mode and current data sharing policy before logging pregnancy or fertility attempts are not what Medscape is typically brought in for.
What can Flo do that Medscape cannot?
Flo covers Cycle and ovulation tracking, Pregnancy mode, Anonymous Mode, Symptom and mood logging. Medscape covers Medical News, Drug Database, Medical Calculators, CME Courses.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Flo: What happened with the FTC in 2021?

The US FTC alleged Flo Health shared sensitive health data, including pregnancy and menstruation details, with third parties like Facebook and Google despite promising to keep it private. Flo settled without admitting liability, agreeing to obtain consent for future sharing and to an independent privacy review.

Flo: What is Anonymous Mode?

A privacy setting Flo states disconnects entered health data from an identifiable profile. Check the current app and privacy policy for whether it is on by default or must be turned on manually, since this affects what data is linked to your identity.

Flo: Is Flo free?

Core cycle tracking and predictions are free. Deeper personalised insights and expert content require Flo Premium.

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