Fertility Friend: Paid vs Free; Advantages to Paid?

[papm951214]

Hi everyone! I have the free FF, and it works great, but I'm considering the paid subscription. For those of you who have the paid subscription, what tools are you using that the free subscription doesn't have? Do you think it makes a big difference for you in planning/knowing your cycle? Thanks!

[squeakyduck]

When I signed up, I got a one month trial of the paid features. I liked them, so I got a year of paid on sale after it expired.

There's more analysis tools, and I just like it better. But I wouldn't pay full price for it. It goes on sale a lot, and people will usually post here when that happens. They also put sale notices on FF.
Eta: I don't think you need the paid features to get knocked up. They're just fun for me.

[pickles4prez]

I feel like I would symptom spot a hell of a lot more with VIP, so I've stayed the fuck away from it.

[daisy818]

I just had my free trial end and got the 90 day VIP membership (more expensive, but at least for now it made me feel a bit more optimistic with the thinking of hey, maybe this will happen within my first 4 cycles! If it expires, I'll just go for the year next time. Ah, the silly mind games we play). Lots of little features that are unnecessary but nice made me get the paid version - I really like the chart overlay option, the detailed analysis, and how it shows DPO on your chart. As PP said, if you are a symptom spotter it could be tempting, but I'm way too lazy for that. Plus, it would mainly be "headache" and "either nausea or hunger (unclear)" every day.

[ceejay]

I used the free version for a while, and it was definitely sufficient. Then I won 30 extra free days of the VIP version on Twitter (they have contests periodically on Twitter to win free VIP days) and I really came to appreciate the extra features. So, when my 30 free days were up, I paid for the year long VIP membership (on sale)!

It isn't necessary to go VIP, but I like the extras (especially chart overlay, detailed analysis, and pregnancy monitor), and I'm glad to pay a little bit to support the FF company since I appreciate their app so much. If you get the sale priced year-long VIP, it's less than $3 per month.

[piccyami]

Jan 29, 2015 13:09:59 GMT -5 daisy818 said:

I just had my free trial end and got the 90 day VIP membership (more expensive, but at least for now it made me feel a bit more optimistic with the thinking of hey, maybe this will happen within my first 4 cycles! If it expires, I'll just go for the year next time. Ah, the silly mind games we play). Lots of little features that are unnecessary but nice made me get the paid version - I really like the chart overlay option, the detailed analysis, and how it shows DPO on your chart. As PP said, if you are a symptom spotter it could be tempting, but I'm way too lazy for that. Plus, it would mainly be "headache" and "either nausea or hunger (unclear)" every day.

That's exactly what I did.  Somewhere in there, I won free days, so I had a little longer before I bought the year. I like all the extra features you get.

[samanthasays]

I got a good deal on the VIP for a year, so I did it. I liked it, but I forget what is different about it compared to the free version. It is expiring this week, and I am not going to renew it because I am doing IUI and it is not really useful for IUI cycles.

[madamewaffles]

It's a little more streamlined than the free version. I like that the DPO # is right on the chart although with simple math I could figure it out. Otherwise, I've been getting the yearly memberships for almost 2 years now, and only when on sale. Now that I've moved on to a RE, I find the bells and whistles not too useful, though.

[pbandj714]

My first month of using FF was the free VIP version. Now on my second cycle, I do find myself missing some of the analysis tools that I used during month one. I haven't bought the year-long VIP...yet. But if we're still trying in a couple months, I might go ahead and buy it because I liked it a lot.

[blush]

I waited until there was a huge discount, it happens frequently on facebook. I much prefer the VIP because of the extras, the analysis tools.

[getzystark]

How cheap has anyone gotten the VIP? The cheapest I've seen is $25 for the year, which still isn't worth it to me.

[getzystark]

Also, it's on sale for $24.99 right now.

[piccyami]

That's the cheapest I've ever seen it. That's also the loyalty discount. I paid for 90 days (on sale) because I figured I would GKU before the end of 90 days. Near the end of 90 days, they were offering me a loyalty discount for a year subscription.

[squeakyduck]

Jan 29, 2015 15:40:56 GMT -5 getzystark said:

How cheap has anyone gotten the VIP? The cheapest I've seen is $25 for the year, which still isn't worth it to me.

It works out to a little over $2 a month or
$0.07 a day.

But no, I've never seen it less than that.

[ohara]

I'm on my third year of vip membership (not consecutively).

I like my symptoms and meds being displayed right on my chart, I use FF to keep track of my chronic headaches and some other things as well as my cycle. I also like DPO being displayed, I don't want to math when I'm obsessing. I like the advanced analysis tools. So.. I guess I basically like all the features of vip.

I pay for a year at a time for $25. I got my first 2 years on sale and this time I got a loyalty discount.

I love the app. FF has held my hand, so to speak, through two rounds of successful TTC. That's plenty worth $2 a month to me.

[BJ Dealer]

So far I really like all the features of VIP, but I only paid $25. I won 30 free VIP days pretty early on, so I don't truly remember the difference, but from what others are saying above, those are the features I use!

[Sparkly]

I bought it on sale ($24.99) when my free trial was up. I like features and info, and I never buy apps, so paying for just this one wasn't a huge deal to me.

ETA: I don't think it makes a "big" difference...I just like it.

[anonymouseliza]

I pay for VIP because I prefer the layout, not really for any of the tools. It certainly isn't necessary to get pregnant. But after years of using it that way, I hated the free version (desktop, not app). Back in the day, they used to offer a lifetime option. I wish I'd paid for it then! It was pretty cheap too, comparatively. They wised up pretty quickly and took that off the table though.

You can also put it on hold if you aren't using it - so if you buy a year and get pregnant after 2 cycles and don't care to use their pregnancy app stuff, then you can pause the account and restart when you're ready to track again. I had a friend who did IVF with ICSI due to MFI who put it all on hold during treatment and restarted it to track her normal cycle after baby.

[anonymouseliza]

Jan 29, 2015 12:31:51 GMT -5 papm951214 said:

Hi everyone! I have the free FF, and it works great, but I'm considering the paid subscription. For those of you who have the paid subscription, what tools are you using that the free subscription doesn't have? Do you think it makes a big difference for you in planning/knowing your cycle? Thanks!

Oh, and in regards to planning my cycle - I never use those tools.  My cycles were too irregular or too impacted by stress to make it worthwhile.  I mean, I know generally when I expect to ovulate, but since it's never a given, that knowledge is of limited use.

[Sparkly]

Jan 29, 2015 18:04:32 GMT -5 @iliketurtles said:

Jan 29, 2015 15:41:33 GMT -5 getzystark said:

Also, it's on sale for $24.99 right now.

For me it's showing it's 45$ for a year.  I'd buy it for 25$ a year but it's showing at $45, anyone know why? Or is it showing at $25 because that's the loyalty discount?? 

They run specials on occasion. Usually for only a short period (a day or two I think). I was only able to get the discounted rate through the mobile app.

[squeakyduck]

Jan 29, 2015 18:04:32 GMT -5 @iliketurtles said:

Jan 29, 2015 15:41:33 GMT -5 getzystark said:

Also, it's on sale for $24.99 right now.

For me it's showing it's 45$ for a year.  I'd buy it for 25$ a year but it's showing at $45, anyone know why? Or is it showing at $25 because that's the loyalty discount?? 

They tend to run specials where if you "like" them on FB, you get a code for $24.99. 

I did it in the middle of the night and immediately unliked them to avoid people seeing.

They do post links in the app and on the homepage, and someone will usually PSA it here when that happens. I'd wait for a sale. They happen fairly often. 

ETA: right now I show $24.99 as a "renewal discount". 

[blush]

I also paid about $25/year but I thought it was a great deal, I am not even TTC just yet. We are tracking and planning to start in a few more months. (I also track to avoid)

I did it through facebook. If you are on a computer and you go to their page on facebook, click on more then promos and it is available for $24.99 now.

[wowcheezits]

I paid for VIP. I liked all the added features.

[MrsC0617]

Jan 29, 2015 12:37:19 GMT -5 squeakyduck said:

When I signed up, I got a one month trial of the paid features. I liked them, so I got a year of paid on sale after it expired.

There's more analysis tools, and I just like it better. But I wouldn't pay full price for it. It goes on sale a lot, and people will usually post here when that happens. They also put sale notices on FF.
Eta: I don't think you need the paid features to get knocked up. They're just fun for me.

This exactly!

[ceejay]

The cheapest I've seen it is $24.99 (for a year) as well. $2-3 per month seems worth it to me for all the extra features. That lifetime option would have been nice! Too bad it's not available anymore.

They also have promos/contests on Twitter - I have a Twitter account that I rarely use, so following them on Twitter was more private for me than liking them on Facebook.

[WVaRN]

I like the paid version. I followed them on twitter and got the free 30 days after that I bought the year. I like the DPO numbers on the paid version. I know it is not that hard to count them but I love being able to actually see it on the chart.

[kawaiikitsune]

I had the free version but they had a discount sale on FB last year so I bought it. I had a few days left last month and wasn't going to renew but changed my mind at the last minute. There was a renewal discount so I felt it was too good an offer to pass up. I, personally, wouldn't pay full price for it though. As PP's have said, they do coupons and sales on Twitter a lot. I haven't seen a FB post in awhile but I may have hidden them from my timeline.

I like the extra features, although the early pregnancy signs calculator can be a free ticket for the crazy train.

[Unknown]

Jan 29, 2015 13:09:59 GMT -5 daisy818 said:

I just had my free trial end and got the 90 day VIP membership (more expensive, but at least for now it made me feel a bit more optimistic with the thinking of hey, maybe this will happen within my first 4 cycles! If it expires, I'll just go for the year next time. Ah, the silly mind games we play). Lots of little features that are unnecessary but nice made me get the paid version - I really like the chart overlay option, the detailed analysis, and how it shows DPO on your chart. As PP said, if you are a symptom spotter it could be tempting, but I'm way too lazy for that. Plus, it would mainly be "headache" and "either nausea or hunger (unclear)" every day.

I was coming here to say the free version is fine, and I wouldn't ever pay for it, but I didn't know there was a chart overlay option. I bet that would be interesting. No, no, no....I'm obsessed enough over my charts.

[daisy818]

Jan 30, 2015 10:46:30 GMT -5 Unknown said:

Jan 29, 2015 13:09:59 GMT -5 daisy818 said:

I just had my free trial end and got the 90 day VIP membership (more expensive, but at least for now it made me feel a bit more optimistic with the thinking of hey, maybe this will happen within my first 4 cycles! If it expires, I'll just go for the year next time. Ah, the silly mind games we play). Lots of little features that are unnecessary but nice made me get the paid version - I really like the chart overlay option, the detailed analysis, and how it shows DPO on your chart. As PP said, if you are a symptom spotter it could be tempting, but I'm way too lazy for that. Plus, it would mainly be "headache" and "either nausea or hunger (unclear)" every day.

I was coming here to say the free version is fine, and I wouldn't ever pay for it, but I didn't know there was a chart overlay option. I bet that would be interesting. No, no, no....I'm obsessed enough over my charts.

I hear that - this is my overlay this month and last month - notice how the last few days line up EXACTLY?  SO now I'm obssessing and thinking today is my O day and ugh, I've missed most my good fertile days! 

[ohara]

Jan 30, 2015 11:24:22 GMT -5 daisy818 said:

Jan 30, 2015 10:46:30 GMT -5 Unknown said:

I was coming here to say the free version is fine, and I wouldn't ever pay for it, but I didn't know there was a chart overlay option. I bet that would be interesting. No, no, no....I'm obsessed enough over my charts.

I hear that - this is my overlay this month and last month - notice how the last few days line up EXACTLY?  SO now I'm obssessing and thinking today is my O day and ugh, I've missed most my good fertile days! 

Ooo that's an awesome overlay