What it does
Lively is a menstrual cycle tracking app designed to help users synchronize their lifestyle with their body's natural rhythms. By logging cycle data and symptoms, the app provides daily, phase-specific recommendations for diet, exercise, and self-care activities. Its goal is to empower users to understand their bodies better and optimize their well-being throughout their cycle.
Where it shines
The app excels in its holistic and positive framing of the menstrual cycle. The main dashboard (02:07) is not just a data display but an interactive "Lively Board" with actionable tips tailored for the day. A standout feature is Partner Syncing (08:28), which allows users to securely share cycle information, moods, and symptoms with a partner to foster empathy and better communication. The app's design is consistently clean, calming, and uses a warm, inviting color palette that makes daily check-ins feel supportive rather than clinical.
UX highlights
- Interactive Dashboard: The home screen features an interactive "Lively Board" with daily tips for Doing, Moving, and Eating. This turns passive data tracking into an engaging daily guide (02:08).
- Comprehensive Symptom Logging: The logging flow (02:54) is extensive yet easy to navigate, covering everything from mood and physical symptoms to energy, sex, and beauty, allowing for rich data collection.
- Customization: Users can create their own custom symptoms (05:41), hide irrelevant tips (04:45), and reorder sections on the home screen (07:00), making the experience highly personal.
- Clear Visualizations: The app uses clean charts and graphs to visualize hormone levels (06:32) and cycle phases (02:14), making complex biological data easy to understand.
- Calendar View: The calendar provides a clear, color-coded overview of past, present, and future cycle phases, with daily details available on tap (02:37).
- Actionable Insights: The app offers detailed information about each recommended tip, including the "Why" and "How," which educates the user and encourages adoption (04:32).
Monetization & growth
The app uses a soft paywall strategy, presenting a 7-day free trial during onboarding (01:28). It builds significant value through personalization and social proof before making the ask. The paywall itself is transparent, featuring a visual timeline of the trial period and clearly presenting two subscription options (Monthly and Yearly), with the yearly plan highlighted as a better value. After the initial onboarding, the app focuses on feature depth to retain subscribed users.
Who it’s for
Lively is for women who want to move beyond basic period tracking and gain a deeper understanding of how their menstrual cycle impacts their daily life. It's ideal for individuals interested in wellness, self-care, and optimizing their routines. The Partner Syncing feature also makes it a valuable tool for couples who want to improve communication and support around menstrual health.
Notes & opportunities
The app is feature-rich, which is a strength but could also be overwhelming for new users. The settings menu, for example, is quite extensive (07:32). A more guided tour of the main dashboard or a progressive reveal of advanced features after the first week could help ease the initial learning curve. While the symptom logging is thorough, the long scrollable list could benefit from better categorization or a search function that remains visible as the user scrolls.