bao vs Nara Baby: which baby tracker is right for you?
Last updated
Quick answer
Nara is no longer free: after a 7-day trial it costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 for lifetime, and without a plan you can only view your logs. bao is free, with no ads and free caregiver sharing, and goes further into the toddler years with first foods, allergens, potty training, and EC. Nara is still the better pick if you need a native iPhone app or pregnancy tracking and are happy to pay.
Full disclosure: we make bao, so weigh our take accordingly. We've tried to be fair to every app here, and we say where another app is the better pick. Prices and features change; check each app's store listing before you commit.
At a glance
| Feature | bao | Nara Baby |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Optional paid avatar packs; every tracking feature is free. | 7-day trial, then $9.99/mo or $99.99 lifetime. No free tier; without a plan the app is read-only |
| Ads in the free version | None, ever. Your data is never sold. | No ads |
| Platforms | Android and Wear OS, iPhone app coming soon; the web app works on iPhone and desktop today | iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, Android |
| Sharing with caregivers | Free for everyone you invite: caregivers (can log) or observers (view-only) | One payment covers every caregiver you invite |
| Feeds, sleep & diapers | Yes: nursing timer with sides, bottles, pumping, sleep, diapers | Yes, including twins and multiple children |
| Elimination communication | Yes: opt-in EC tab that logs catches and misses | Not advertised |
Which should you choose?
Choose Nara Baby if…
- You want a native iPhone and Apple Watch app today.
- You're also tracking a pregnancy.
- You love a calm, polished design and mostly need newborn tracking.
Choose bao if…
- You don't want to pay: bao is free, and your logs never go read-only.
- You want an app built to carry on through solids, allergens, and potty training.
- You practice elimination communication.
- You want to connect your own AI assistant to your logs.
- You want a research-based potty training mode with staged goals and sticker rewards.
About Nara Baby
Nara Baby & Pregnancy Tracker is a highly rated, polished baby tracker with a strong following on iPhone. It used to be free, but in 2026 it moved to a subscription with no free tier. It's made by Nara Organics, Inc.; see their website for current plans and pricing.
About bao
bao is a free baby and toddler tracker made by aequitas labs. It changes with your child's stage, from newborn feeds and sleep to first foods and then potty training, and it's free for every caregiver you invite. There are no ads and we never sell your data. Read more in our guide to the best baby tracking apps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nara Baby still free?
No. Nara now costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 for lifetime access, after a 7-day free trial that starts when you log your first entry. Without a subscription you can still view and export your existing data, but you can't add new entries. It remains ad-free, and one payment covers all your caregivers.
What is a free alternative to Nara Baby?
bao is a free, ad-free baby tracker with free sharing for every caregiver. It logs nursing with a side timer, bottles, pumping, sleep, and diapers like Nara, and adds first foods, a top-9 allergen map, potty training, and elimination communication. Nara still lets you view and export your old logs without a subscription, so you keep your history.
What does bao have that Nara doesn't?
bao has a dedicated toddler stage with a potty training mode and sticker rewards, a top-9 allergen exposure map for starting solids, an opt-in elimination communication tab, and an MCP connector for your own AI assistant.
Sources
Nara Baby details checked October 2026 against: