Switching From Flo: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

DEFINITION

On-Device Tracker

A period tracker that stores all cycle data in local storage on your device, with no server component. Examples include Floriva, Euki, and Drip. Switching to an on-device tracker means your data cannot be subpoenaed from the app developer because they do not have it.

DEFINITION

Data Export

A copy of your Flo data in a portable file format. Flo provides this under GDPR and CCPA. It contains your cycle history, symptom logs, and account information. You need this before deleting your account if you want to preserve your history.

DEFINITION

Cycle Calibration

The process a new period tracker uses to calculate your average cycle length from your cycle history. Most on-device trackers calibrate over 2-3 cycles. Entering your recent cycle start dates from your Flo export accelerates this.

DEFINITION

Data Broker

A company that buys and sells personal data, including health data, to advertisers, insurers, and other third parties. The FTC found that Flo shared user health data with companies like Google and Facebook for targeted advertising despite promising not to.

DEFINITION

Zero-Knowledge Architecture

An app design where the developer cannot access your data even if compelled by a court order or hacked. The app works entirely on your device. The developer has no servers storing your information and no encryption keys to decrypt it.

Why People Are Leaving Flo

In January 2021, the FTC took enforcement action against Flo Health for sharing user health data, including period dates and pregnancy status, with Facebook, Google, and Flurry through embedded analytics code. Flo’s privacy policy at the time stated it would not share this information with third parties.

In September 2025, a $59.5M class action settlement resolved claims from millions of affected users. The settlement required Flo to maintain improved data practices, but did not change the underlying architecture: Flo remains a cloud-based app that stores your cycle data on its servers.

For users who are concerned about where their data lives and who can access it, switching to an on-device tracker removes the structural exposure.

Before You Start: Evaluate What You Actually Need

Most Flo users use three features: cycle predictions, symptom logging, and reminders. Everything else, the community forums, the health articles, the AI chat, is content designed to increase engagement. When evaluating alternatives, focus on the core tracking functionality.

The privacy-critical questions are: Where is my data stored? Does the app require an account? What third-party code is embedded in the app? A tracker that stores data only on your device, requires no login, and includes no analytics SDKs cannot share your data because it never has access to it in the first place.

Step 1: Request Your Data Export

This needs to happen first, before you do anything else, because Flo takes a few days to process the request.

In Flo, open Settings (the gear icon), go to Privacy, then Request My Data. You will receive an email with a download link. The file contains your full cycle history and symptom logs. Download it and save it somewhere you can access it, not in the cloud, if you are going to the trouble of leaving Flo for privacy reasons.

Step 2: Choose Your Replacement

The decision tree is straightforward.

If you want iOS and Android support with more features than free alternatives: Floriva, $2.99/mo, on-device storage with optional encrypted sync.

If you want free and do not mind Android-only: Drip. Open source, no data collection, independently verifiable.

If you want free and need iOS or Android: Euki. Nonprofit developer, on-device, no account required.

If you use Flo specifically as a contraceptive method (temperature-based or symptom-thermal methods): switching apps changes your contraceptive method. Consult your healthcare provider before switching in that context.

Step 3: Set Up Your New Tracker

Install the replacement app. During setup, enter your last 3-6 cycle start dates from your Flo export. This gives the algorithm your recent cycle length history to work with. Set up your reminders and symptom categories.

Do a quick check: does the app work in airplane mode? For on-device trackers, it should. If it requires internet access for basic tracking functions, the data is going somewhere.

Step 4: Delete Your Flo Account

After your new tracker is working and you have your Flo export saved, go back to Flo and delete your account.

Settings, then Account, then Delete Account. Follow all confirmation prompts. Flo may ask for a reason. Complete the process to the end.

Verify: try to log back into Flo with your credentials. If you can still log in, the deletion did not complete.

Step 5: After Switching

After account deletion, your Flo data will remain in their backup systems for up to 90 days. This is a standard retention period for deleted account data. You cannot accelerate it through any user-facing mechanism.

Data that Flo shared with third parties before your account deletion cannot be recalled by deleting your account. That data is in the hands of the companies Flo shared it with. Account deletion covers data on Flo’s own systems.

Your new tracker will take 2-3 cycles to fully calibrate its predictions. Expect some imprecision in the first month. After that, cycle prediction accuracy should be comparable to what you had in Flo.

What Changes After Switching

The biggest difference is what does not happen. No targeted ads based on your cycle phase. No data broker receiving information about your reproductive health. No risk that a future investigation reveals another round of undisclosed data sharing. The trade-off is that you lose cloud backup, meaning if you lose your phone, you lose your data. For many former Flo users, that trade-off is the entire point.