Tempdrop Updated Review: Is It Accurate and Worth It?

Updated May 2024 Tempdrop Review

It’s been ages since I wrote an initial Tempdrop review, and with the release of the Tempdrop V2, it was high time to test it out and give you my honest take as a fertility awareness educator.

For context, I’ve been a Tempdrop user for a long time! I initially purchased the device in 2018 and have coached many of my fertility awareness clients who also use Tempdrop.

I have looked at hundreds of charts that use Tempdrop, and have seen it shine in certain scenarios (and less so in others). With the release of Tempdrop V2, I’m keen to give you my updated review. You know I’m not going to gate keep, so lets get into it!

what is tempdrop?

Tempdrop has been a popular choice for tracking basal body temperature (BBT) due to its convenience and accuracy. Unlike an oral thermometer, Tempdrop is worn throughout the night, minimizing the need to wake up at the same time each morning to take an accurate BBT reading.

Tempdrop provides accurate BBT readings by utilizing advanced sensor technology. The device takes continuous measurements throughout the night and uses an algorithm to filter out disturbances (think getting up in the middle of the night or going to sleep and waking at different times), ensuring that the temperature data reflects true basal body temperature.

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comparing tempdrop to other wearables (tempdrop vs. ava, oura, apple watch)

Theres a lot of Femtech out there, with new devices coming out (what feels like) every week. Chances are you’re comparing Tempdrop to any given Femtech: Ava, Oura ring, Apple Watch, Natural Cycles, Daysy.

What can Tempdrop do that these can’t? Let’s talk about it.

Tempdrop shines as a basal body temperature tracking tool. BBT is influenced by the hormone progesterone, which rises slightly after ovulation. For fertility awareness method tracking, BBT is a great way to close the fertile window. That is, to tell you ovulation has come and gone and it is in the past.

Compared to devices like Ava, Oura, Apple Watch, Tempdrop shines in it’s basal body temperature accuracy. It is often the go-to choice for fertility awareness method users looking to sleep in in the mornings and not take their oral BBT.

Compared to apps and devices like Natural Cycles and Daysy, which use an oral basal body thermometer, Tempdrop excels again, in it’s ability to save users’ sleep.

Tempdrop vs. Ava/Apple Watch/Oura

A lot of the aforementioned Femtech is also marketed as all in one fertility tracking devices.

This means that they may take the biomarkers they measure (resting heart rate, basal body temperature, period start dates) to give you predicted and/or confirmed ovulation window tracking.

Premium Tempdrop has this feature too, which gives you fertile window tracking relying primarily on your user inputted cervical mucus as well as basal body temperature.

If you are looking for advanced fertile window interpretation, I would choose a device that tracks other biomarkers/body signs, such as the Apple Watch or Oura.

For fertility awareness tracking purposes, Tempdrop excels as an accurate basal body temperature tracking tool.

FAM Educator Advice: As someone who uses FAM to avoid pregnancy, and teaches others to do the same, I discourage users from relying solely on app predictions/fertile window interpretation. With FAM, we learn how we can be our own fertility trackers and have the power of interpretation at our fingertips, not relying on an app (which can often be inaccurate).

is tempdrop accurate? (tempdrop accuracy and reliability)

Accuracy is crucial if you’re using FAM to avoid pregnancy, or interpret your fertile window to conceive.

Tempdrop continues to provide accurate BBT readings by utilizing advanced sensor technology. The device takes continuous measurements throughout the night and uses an algorithm to filter out disturbances, ensuring that the temperature data reflects true basal body temperature.

Tempdrop can handle most disturbances, like getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. However, they don’t recommend wearing the device if you know you have a fever, as it can’t distinguish between that higher temp and your true temp. If you develop a fever throughout the night, just mark that night as disturbed.

The device is going to be as accurate as your wearing placement. It can take some time to get used to wearing the device on your arm at night, but wearing it in the correct position on your inner bicep (roughly between your tricep and bicep, on the fleshy part of your arm), with the point of the drop facing your elbow, tight enough so that it isn’t moving around during the night or has migrated when you wake up in the morning, will optimize the accuracy of your data.

If you’re ever worried that your data quality might be poor, contact Tempdrop support.

Some people notice that their temperature shifts are delayed by a day or two compared to oral temperatures. For someone who already has a short luteal phase, this could be an issue causing fewer safe days. For avoiding pregnancy purposes, this doesn’t compromise efficacy.

I’ve also seen several long cycle charters (postpartum and PCOS) where there were a series of elevated temperatures that met the symptothermal rules, but were later confirmed as not related to ovulation. It’s important to know this if you’re in a long cycle such as in postpartum or PCOS, to make sure you’re also charting another biomarker, like cervical mucus, alongside temperature to confirm ovulation has indeed occurred.

Save 12% on Tempdrop with code NATD

can you use tempdrop out of the box? (tempdrop set up guide)

When you first receive your Tempdrop, you’ll want to download the Tempdrop app. You can sync your device to the app to read the temps, and import them into your charting app of choice (Read Your Body is the app my fertility awareness clients use and it integrates seamlessly with Tempdrop).

You need wifi or cell service to connect your Tempdrop to the app to be able to read the results. Tempdrop 2 can store up to 8 nights worth of data, so it’s best to sync minimum every 7-8 nights.

Tempdrop recommends giving the device up to 30 days before you rely on those temps to ensure you are wearing the sensor properly, that everything is settled, and readings are as optimal as possible. If you are already tracking your basal body temperature (BBT), you can continue to do so for a time to validate that Tempdrop’s readings correlate with your regular thermometer cycle chart. It’s normal for Tempdrop results to be slightly higher or lower than oral readings.

If you’re a shift worker or you have young children, Tempdrop makes temping possible. Wear your device for your longest sleep session in a 24h period.

Tempdrop must be worn for a minimum of 3 hours to record a result
A minimum of 2 hours of sleep must be detected during a recording session. Sleep time does not have to be consecutive

is tempdrop comfortable?

It took me some time to get used to wearing Tempdrop through the night, especially as a side sleeper. Initially, it was uncomfortable, but once I adjusted to not sleeping on the side with the device, I barely noticed it was there. The fabric armband of Tempdrop V2 makes wearing the device a lot more comfortable than it was with the old plastic frame. Overall, my Tempdrop user experience has been positive.

tempdrop premium (tempdrop app review)

Tempdrop premium boasts features like sleep reports, chart interpretation, calendar view, and more.

For reasons I mentioned above, I don’t recommend using the chart interpretation feature in the app. I would instead recommend learning a method of fertility awareness as app predictions and interpretations are often inaccurate.

FAM Educator Advice: I don’t like charting in the Tempdrop app because you can’t manually mark up your chart with things like a coverline or mucus peak day. I don’t love the mucus categories used, and I also find the scale that the chart displays really unreadable. It’s for these reasons my clients using Tempdrop will use Read Your Body, which integrates with the device.

tempdrop v2

Tempdrop V2 introduces a few new features that make using the device much more user friendly. The improvements include:

faster sync time
bigger storage memory (requiring less frequent syncs)
a redesigned armband
a redesigned battery compartment
automatic firmware updates

Arguably the best feature of the new Tempdrop is the redesigned battery compartment. Changing the battery on Tempdrop V1 was an initiatory experience, to say the least. The battery change on the new Tempdrop is much easier and more seamless.

final thoughts

Not having to wake up to take my temperatures has made weekends, traveling, and days off much easier. I love how easy Tempdrop is to use, simplifying my daily routine. If oral temping has been a barrier for you, Tempdrop is definitely worth the investment (save your hard-earned pennies and use my link to save $$ on TD).

If you’re wanting to use fertility awareness as birth control, to conceive, or to learn more about your health, I would forgo Tempdrop premium, and instead learn to be your own algorithm. It’s going to be more accurate, less confusing, and you’ll have the info for life.