11 of The Best Apps That Help You Track and Manage Migraine

An important part of migraine care is tracking and managing your symptoms, which often can feel overwhelming. However, the good news is there are a lot of amazing apps out there — some that were specifically designed for migraine — that can make these tasks feel a little less daunting. And there are many that go well beyond just the chore of tracking, giving you resources at your fingertips to help manage symptoms and stress levels.

There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing the best migraine apps for you but we weeded through them and pulled together the best in a number of different categories, including tracking, meditation, biofeedback, community, and even doctor support. Some of them — indicated with an * — are repeat favorites from Migraine Again’s list of top-10 apps of 2020. Read on to see which ones might be worth a download to bolster your migraine toolkit.

Headache/Symptom Tracking Apps

“Tracking your symptoms can help you better understand your migraine attacks,” says Dr. Andrew Charles, professor of neurology and director of the UCLA Goldberg Migraine Program. "It is important to track symptoms prior to an appointment with a healthcare provider in order to receive an accurate diagnosis,” he notes. Sure, you can do that with a paper calendar or diary, but the following feature-packed apps might offer a better picture of your migraine attacks for both you and your doctor.

Migraine Buddy*

Widely regarded as the No. 1 migraine and headache tracking app, Migraine Buddy is kind of a “catch-all” for tracking migraine symptoms and triggers. The app allows you to keep track of all the details to help you communicate with your doctors and possibly discover triggers that set off your attacks. An especially handy feature is the ability to export data in the form of a Migraine Impact Report that you can share with your healthcare provider. This report shows your migraine-affected days, your functionally impacted days, and your migraine medication days.

Migraine Buddy offers a premium option, MBplus, which features advanced reports like weather-pattern and barometric-pressure analyses, and tracking of your menstrual cycle and sleep in relation to attacks. It also offers advanced reporting of your triggers in relation to your symptoms, pain location, and pain intensity. This upgrade also includes interactive coaching programs to help you implement change.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free; MBplus is $9.99 monthly/$69.99 annually after a seven-day free trial; $34.99 annually if first-time users subscribe without the trial.

N1-Headache*

This app helps track and identify your personal migraine risk factors and takes the guesswork out of the equation. The free version offers a daily diary and data visualization feature, while the premium version adds individualized mapping for protectors (factors linked to lowering your migraine risk), triggers, and factors not associated with your migraine attacks.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free for the basic plan; one-time fee of $49.99 for the premium.

Migraine Monitor*

This app allows you to track symptoms, triggers, and effectiveness of medications while utilizing the anonymous social-networking platform to share symptoms and experiences with other users. It also offers an interface connecting you to your doctors so they can follow your progress between visits, plus inspiration and support from their virtual Headache Navigator.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free.

Migraine Trainer

A tracker specifically designed for teens, Migraine Trainer helps those 13 and older discover possible triggers for their migraine, empowering them to take a bigger role in their treatment plans. Features include the ability to track when an attack occurs; duration and location of pain; as well as sleep, exercise, and water intake — all of which can be shared through a headache log with their healthcare provider. Developed by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the app’s focus is on giving teens the tools to understand their migraine triggers, track symptoms, and manage current attacks.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free.

Honorable Mentions

• Vega Migraine: Allows you to log and share migraine information with your doctor.
• Migraine Coach: Easy one-click tracking for symptoms, triggers, and medications.
• Migraine Insight: Journal to track migraine attacks, symptoms, and medications with a built-in pattern finder to help see links you might miss.

Biofeedback- and Hypnosis-Based Apps

Juva for Migraine

Designed based on research showing that techniques for calming the nervous system can reduce migraine frequency and severity, Juva features step-by-step biofeedback coaching sessions to help you learn to control your heart rate and breath in order to keep your nervous system calm. It requires a 20-minute daily commitment to learn the techniques, which can help you build body awareness and become more active in your own pain management.

Available on: Currently only available for iPhone 8 and up.

Cost: For a limited time, Juva is recruiting users to help test the app and offering a one-year free trial.

Honorable Mentions

• Migraine Relief Hypnosis: Offers 30-minute daily guided hypnosis sessions for pain relief specific to migraine. Only available on Android.
• Curable: Audio lessons for applying a range of science-backed techniques to reduce chronic pain and calm the nervous system.

Virtual Headache Specialist

Cove

Designed by headache specialists to help those with migraine disease receive easy access to headache specialist care, Cove can be thought of as your online migraine doctor. After completing a virtual consultation, you'll be assigned a real live licensed doctor who will work with you to establish the best treatment plan for you. You can have your treatment delivered directly to you, message your doctor 24/7, and make adjustments to your plan anytime. You can also use the app’s progress tracker to determine how well treatments are working for you.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: First-month copay ranging between $30 and $50 (some insurance plans are accepted to cover this) plus $10 monthly subscription for unlimited messaging with your doctor. Although insurance cannot be used for medications provided through Cove, all medications can be sent to your local pharmacy instead so that insurance coverage can be assessed. Cove claims their treatments generally cost less than what you'd normally pay at your local pharmacy.

Device-Associated App

Nerivio

The app is used to control the Nerivio device and track your migraine attacks. Nerivio is a prescription electrical neuromodulation device FDA-approved for acute and preventative migraine treatment in people 12 and up. Even if you don't have the device, the app can still be used as a convenient tracker for all of your migraine symptoms within the headache diary feature.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free with a paid Nerivio device prescription.

Mindfulness- or Meditation-Based Apps

Calm*

Widely considered one of the top apps for sleep and meditation, Calm offers guided meditations ranging in length from three to 25 minutes, sleep stories, music, short videos with gentle stretching, mindfulness masterclasses, and nature sounds. Its library of offerings is geared toward both beginners and seasoned meditators, with some content even designed for those age 4 and older.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free to download with a free one-week trial, then $14.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. Lifetime membership for $399.99 also available.

Insight Timer*

Widely considered as the top free app for sleep, anxiety, and stress. Thousands of guided meditations (with 80+ added new daily), with options sorted by length of time; plus music for calming the mind, better focus, sleep, and relaxation. Other handy features: access to discussion groups and community connection, and the ability to track your progress with its stats and milestones feature.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free. Insight Premium Meditation (includes perks like Insight Courses, offline listening, and advanced player options): $19.99 monthly or $59.99 annually.

UCLA Mindful*

Access mindfulness meditation practices from the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Mindfulness helps train the mind to be present through moment-to-moment awareness of our bodies, thoughts, and surroundings. The app offers basic meditations for beginners in both English and Spanish, wellness meditations for those with challenging health conditions, a meditation timer to use for meditating on your own, and informative videos about mindfulness and how to practice.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free.

Honorable Mentions

• Unwinding Anxiety: A guided step-by-step program proven to reduce anxiety and is currently being studied for migraine specifically.
• Relax Lite: Stress and Anxiety Relief: Features stress management with guided meditations and a structured course to lower your breath rate as you progress.
• BetterSleep: Relax and Sleep: Sleep tracker, soothing sounds, and guided content for a better night’s rest.

Community-Based Apps

Bezzy Migraine

The most "social" of these apps, Bezzy Migraine offers community connection and support specifically for those with migraine. Developed because life with chronic migraine can be isolating, the app offers a space to connect in live chats; one-on-one messaging; and in larger conversation forums for advice, support, and connection through personal stories of others with migraine. The app’s goal is to foster a space where everyone’s story matters, everyone feels valued and understood, and everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Available on: IOS and Android

Cost: Free.

There’s an App for That

We’ve all heard the phrase, “There’s an app for that,” and as this list shows, migraine is no exception.

Remember that increased screen time can trigger a migraine attack. When using the apps that work for your migraine management plan, make sure to use a blue-light filter on your devices or wear your migraine glasses, and turn your screen to dark mode if that’s more comfortable for you. These features can be especially helpful when you’re mid-attack and having severe head pain, and the last thing you want to look at is a bright screen.

Whether you’re using one of the many migraine or headache tracking apps, and/or one for relaxation or meditation to help alleviate your migraine pain — or even one as your virtual doctor — consider adding one or more of these apps to your toolbox for managing migraine.