How to Switch From Stardust to a More Private Period Tracker

Stardust markets privacy but stores data in the cloud. Export your cycle history, delete your account, and switch to a genuinely on-device tracker.

Stardust built its brand on being the 'women-owned, privacy-friendly' alternative after Dobbs. But a 2022 Wired analysis found its privacy protections weaker than Clue's, and the app remains cloud-based. This guide covers how to export your data, delete your account, and move to an app where data is actually stored on-device.

The gap between privacy marketing and privacy architecture

Stardust launched in 2022 with an explicit appeal to users worried about period data privacy after the Dobbs decision. Women-owned, astrology-inflected branding, and a clear message that it was built in response to data privacy concerns. It grew quickly among users who wanted a values-aligned alternative to Flo.

The problem is that being women-owned and being privacy-protective are different claims. In 2022, Wired analyzed Stardust alongside other period trackers and found its privacy protections weaker than Clue's, a tracker with a clean record on data practices but no special privacy branding.

Stardust is cloud-based. Your cycle data is stored on their servers. A company can have good values and still store data on a server that can be subpoenaed, breached, or subjected to a policy change after an acquisition. The privacy protection comes from the architecture, not the founder's identity.

This guide is for users who chose Stardust because they wanted a more private option, and are now ready to move to an app where the privacy guarantee is structural rather than positional.

For a full comparison with local-storage alternatives, see our Stardust alternative overview.

Step 1: Export your cycle data

Open Stardust and go to your profile settings, then Privacy & Data, then Download My Data. Stardust emails a download link to your registered email address. The export includes cycle dates, symptom logs, and any moon phase or astrological data you tracked.

Download and save the file before anything else. Once the account is deleted, you cannot recover this history from Stardust's servers.

Step 2: Delete your account

In Settings, go to Account, then Delete Account. Stardust requires email confirmation. Check your inbox and complete the verification. Deleting the app from your phone is not the same as deleting the account. The account deletion is what begins removing your data from Stardust's servers.

Step 3: Submit a formal data deletion request

Email [email protected] with the subject "Data Deletion Request." Include your registered Stardust email and state that you are requesting complete deletion of all personal data, including backup copies and any data in derived datasets.

If you are a California resident, invoke CCPA Section 1798.105 explicitly. Stardust has 45 days to respond under CCPA. Keep a copy of the email and any response you receive.

Step 4: Verify the deletion

Wait 24-48 hours after step 2. Try to log in with your old Stardust credentials. A successful deletion returns an "account not found" or "invalid credentials" error. If login still works, the deletion did not complete, repeat step 2 or contact [email protected] directly.

For more on what privacy policies actually commit to versus what deletion means in practice, see our period app privacy audit guide.

Step 5: Choose your replacement

Three on-device trackers cover most Stardust users' needs:

Floriva is paid and local-first. The design is calm and considered rather than clinical. Core cycle data stays on your phone.

Euki is free and maintained by a reproductive health nonprofit. No account, no sync, strong on-device architecture. Understated interface.

Drip is free and open-source on Android. Community-maintained and fully on-device.

The difference between all three and Stardust is architectural: Floriva has no readable central cycle database, while Euki and Drip are local-only. See our private period tracker roundup for the feature comparison.

Step 6: Transfer your history

From your Stardust export, pull your last 3-6 cycle start dates and enter them into your new tracker during setup. Most on-device trackers include a cycle history step in their onboarding flow.

After 2-3 new cycles are recorded in the app, predictions stabilize. Once that happens, delete the Stardust export file. The data you moved away from a server should not sit in an unprotected local folder indefinitely.

For the full explanation of why on-device storage changes the legal exposure model, see our on-device storage explainer.

Quick answers to the obvious questions.

Is Stardust actually private?

Stardust markets itself as a privacy-focused alternative, but a 2022 Wired analysis found its privacy protections weaker than Clue's. Stardust is cloud-based. Your cycle data is stored on their servers, not exclusively on your device. The privacy marketing is not backed by on-device architecture.

Does uninstalling Stardust delete my data?

No. Uninstalling removes the app from your device but leaves your account and data on Stardust's servers. Account deletion is the separate action required to begin removing the data.

What is more private than Stardust?

Any device-first tracker is more private than Stardust by design. Floriva keeps core records on your phone and has no readable central cycle database. Euki and Drip are local-only. The privacy comes from the architecture, not from marketing.

Questions people ask before they switch.

Is Stardust actually private for period tracking?

Stardust markets itself as a privacy-focused alternative, but a 2022 Wired analysis found its privacy protections weaker than Clue's, an app with no special privacy branding but a clean data record. Stardust is cloud-based. Your cycle data lives on their servers. Privacy marketing and privacy architecture are different things. On-device storage is what provides real protection. Stardust does not offer it.

Will I lose my data switching from Stardust?

Not if you export before deleting. Go to Stardust Settings, then Privacy & Data, then Download My Data. Stardust emails a download link. Save the file. Enter your last 3-6 cycle start dates into your new tracker during setup. The moon phase and astrological data in your export will not transfer, but cycle dates are what prediction algorithms actually need.

Does Stardust delete data when I close my account?

In-app account deletion starts the process of removing your active data. Backup copies may persist until you submit a formal CCPA data deletion request to [email protected]. Stardust has 45 days to respond under CCPA. Keep a copy of the in-app deletion confirmation and your email request.

How long does switching from Stardust take?

Export, account deletion, and new tracker setup take 30-60 minutes total. The formal deletion request email takes about five minutes. After your new tracker has 2-3 recorded cycles, predictions will match Stardust's cycle forecasting. The feature you are leaving behind is the astrology integration, not the cycle tracking.