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Healthcare · head to head

Flo vs OpenMRS

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
OpenMRS logo

OpenMRS

Healthcare

Open source electronic medical record platform for low-resource settings, with no vendor and paid implementers instead

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.; OpenMRS there is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • They diverge on capability: Flo covers Cycle and ovulation tracking, OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flo and OpenMRS actually diverge.

Attributes where Flo and OpenMRS differ
AttributeFloOpenMRS
Pricing modelFree with a Premium subscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebLinux, Web, Windows

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 OpenMRS

  • Concept dictionary
  • Modular architecture
  • Modern front end
  • FHIR support
  • Offline tolerance
  • Patient matching and registration
  • Distributions

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 OpenMRS
  • 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 OpenMRS
  • A buyer wanting to compare Flo directly against Clue on published data practices before choosing which app to trust with this informationnot OpenMRS
  • Someone who wants pregnancy tracking content alongside cycle tracking in one app rather than switching apps mid-pregnancynot OpenMRS

OpenMRS

  • A ministry of health standardising HIV treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordablenot Flo
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot Flo
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot Flo
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot 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.

OpenMRS

  • There is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • It is a framework rather than a ready product, so a deployment requires clinical content, form design, concept dictionary work and integration before a single patient is registered, and that work is months of skilled effort
  • Funding comes largely from donor programmes, which makes the pace of core development dependent on grant cycles rather than on a commercial roadmap, and priorities can shift when a funder does
  • Distribution choice, core OpenMRS against Bahmni against Ozone, locks in a different set of components and a different implementer pool, and migrating between distributions later is close to a fresh implementation
  • The people cost never goes away: a national deployment needs permanent internal informatics capacity or a permanent support contract, and organisations that budget only the zero licence fee run out of money at the point the system becomes clinically critical

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

OpenMRS

Free
  • OpenMRSFree
    • Openly licensed, no licence fee and no seat limits
    • Community support through forums and the OpenMRS Talk platform
    • No support contract available from OpenMRS itself

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 OpenMRS if

  • You need concept dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Windows.
  • You also want modular architecture.
OpenMRS review

Questions people ask

Is Flo or OpenMRS better?
Neither clearly leads. Flo starts at Free and OpenMRS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Flo or OpenMRS?
Flo starts at Free and OpenMRS at Free.
Does Flo or OpenMRS run on more platforms?
Flo runs on iOS, Android, Web. OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows.
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 OpenMRS is typically brought in for.
What can Flo do that OpenMRS cannot?
Flo covers Cycle and ovulation tracking, Pregnancy mode, Anonymous Mode, Symptom and mood logging. OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support.

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.

OpenMRS: Who supports OpenMRS if it breaks?

Not OpenMRS itself. Support is bought from implementers such as Mekom Solutions, which offers long-term production service level agreements for OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone deployments, or from regional partners.

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.

OpenMRS: Is it really free?

The software has no licence fee. Hosting, configuration, clinical content, integration and support are the real cost, and they are ongoing.

Flo: Is Flo free?

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

OpenMRS: What is the difference between OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone?

OpenMRS is the core platform. Bahmni and Ozone are distributions that package it with billing, laboratory and inventory components. Choosing a distribution constrains your implementer options.

OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

Yes. FHIR support is the standard route for integrating laboratory, pharmacy and national reporting systems.

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